My time in Malaga began with completing a TEFL course (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). When people hear about someone teaching English abroad, they think of people swanning off and speaking English to foreigners in a sunny country. Essentially TEFL is seen as a gap-year activity rather than a serious career.
However, my experience with teaching English has taught me otherwise. In fact, Teaching English as a Foreign Language is a highly advanced and professional field that is a great option for anyone considering a career in teaching.
After completing my PGCE in primary education, I knew I wanted to work with children. I also love living abroad and learning languages. Being TEFL qualified meant I could combine all three: work with children, live abroad and help others learn English as a foreign language.
Options
You can find hundreds of different TEFL options when browsing online. However, there are only two well-regarded TEFL qualifications; Trinity Cert TESOL (Trinity College London) and CELTA (Cambridge English). Both cost roughly the same and are a one-month long course. There are a lot of centres that offer both CELTA and Trinity throughout the UK but, as my parents live abroad, I decided to look further afield.
Getting qualified abroad
One option was to complete my TEFL course abroad. In other words, instead of qualifying and then going to Spain, I could get qualified out there.
There are many benefits about completing TEFL at your desired destination.
- You can find your feet in a place you fancy living and see if it’s really for you before committing to a full time job.
- You can get to know local language schools. Visiting them in person allows you to get a feel for companies and discuss teaching positions (highly recommended).
- You can check out desirable areas to live and go house/housemate hunting before making any big decisions.
- If you do the course in somewhere like Spain, the cost of living is low so you can get by very cheaply.
Essentially, getting qualified abroad gives you a head start in your TEFL career. You can start doing your research, making connections and asking for advice while becoming a certified teacher.
TEFL in Spain
TEFL in Spain was a fantastic option for me. Based in Malaga, the centre runs intensive Trinity Cert TESOL courses every month. The training includes a minimum of six hours teaching practice. This meant that, on day three of my course, I was teaching a group of real Spanish students. By the end of the month, I had already taught over eight hours of lessons!
One thing though, Trinity Cert TESOL is intense. And by intense, I mean really full on. With input sessions from 9am-5pm plus assignments plus written lesson plans and preparation, this TEFL course is as jam packed as a yearlong PGCE.
Friendships
However, the intensity of TEFL means you make fantastic relationships. Ten hour days in the classroom result in you becoming very close with your colleagues. You are all from totally different backgrounds but come together to get through the course. This common goal means you form a strong bond as a class as you share the highs and the lows of first-time TEFL teaching. From the breakdowns to the breakthroughs, I certainly made life-long friends along the way.
You also get to know your tutors very well. TEFL in Spain runs a highly professional course with excellent teachers who are both experienced and encouraging. The tutors make Trinity Cert TESOL as smooth and straight forward as possible. I honestly have huge respect for them for dealing with so many chaotic and frantic students!
Content
Moreover, Trinity Cert TESOL’s course content is both relevant and interesting, particularly if you like languages. For example, you are required to attend ‘unknown language lessons’ where you learn a foreign language from scratch. Becoming the student and trying to muddle your way through really helps you empathise with people trying to learn English. We were taught Urdu by a teacher who only spoke Urdu and I honestly did not understand a single word the entire first lesson!
Trinity Cert TESOL’s course contains a lot of technical elements of which is an entirely different world. You learn about alien things such as the schwa and bilabial pronunciation. TEFL terminology can be intimidating but you pick it up soon enough.
I found the comparison of languages the most interesting part of Trinity Cert TESOL. For example, we learned why Spaniards find English so difficult and how they make certain mistakes because of the particular sounds and structures of the Spanish language.
All in all, doing the Trinity Cert TESOL course was no easy ride. In fact, the one down side about doing a TEFL course abroad is that you don’t have much time to enjoy the place you’re living in.
All I can say is be prepared to become a real bookworm who has a few breakdowns along the way! But, when you get to the end, it is so worth it. And aside from some drama, you have a lot of fun. You meet people that you’ll stay in touch with for a long time.My advice to anyone is, if you’ve had enough with your current job and have always wanted to try teaching, or, if you simply need a chance to start again, choose TEFL.
It’s the best decision I’ve ever made: I now live in a place I feel the happiest and help students from all ages to speak English: one of the most recognised languages in the world.
As one of my friends said, you’ve got nothing to lose and so much to gain.
La Buena Vida 