If you’re an aspiring new teacher or an experienced classroom veteran, then with a TESOL certificate in place you’ll be sure to provide useful tools to your students. Moreover, you’ll be capable of coming up with approaches that create a dynamic student-centered classroom community.
However, with the numerous accredited TESOL courses online out there and the different steps to think about before taking these programs, getting started with TESOL is a little bit an overwhelming duty. Therefore, below are some tips you need to put into consideration while choosing anonline TESOL course.
Take an ESOL Class to Prepare for TESOL Certification
One of the essential steps you can consider before taking opting for TESOL certification online is observing veteran teachers working together with their students. This will probably give you a great feeling for what a future career in teaching ESOL might look like. You can simply take some time and search for a school within the place you are in. Use this as the opportune time to read about their programs on their website then contact them and request for permission to observe one of their ESOL classes.
During your observation in the class, it’s fundamental that you think yourself as a piece plant or furniture in the room. It’s wise if you bring a notebook with you and take notes since you’re not there to interact with the teacher or student. Ensure you note down every important activity that takes place in the room. By the end of your observation you can reflect on the notes that you took and the time you spent in the classroom. The notes you take can be used as a reference when you’re choosing your own online TEFL courses.
Volunteer before TESOL preparation
One of the key steps you can take to make your online TESOL certification experience more rewarding is to step out into your community and look for volunteer opportunities that are connected to teaching. Of course there are several schools that are always looking for volunteers to work with their students. You can volunteer to be a language exchange partner and meet with international students to help them with their writing and grammar skills.
Additionally, you can look for opportunities with local organizations, churches, senior centers or after school programs where you help to plan and lead activities. Actually, this can be a helpful way to get a taste for teaching. Furthermore, it will easily help you determine the age groups that you might be interested in working with the most.
