Our TEFL tutors give advice to aspiring English teachers

Our TEFL tutors know a thing or two about teaching English. With an average of 18 years' teaching experience and 10 years training teachers 'a thing or two' is perhaps a bit of an understatement.

While you work through your TEFL course you might find yourself overwhelmed by the complexities and vastness of the English language. You might ace every quiz and assignment but still don’t feel confident about teaching. Take it from our tutors - that’s completely normal!

Most people have a number of questions, concerns, and doubts at the start of their TEFL journey. That's why it's so important to have someone to turn to for advice at this crucial early stage.

That's where our tutors come in. Not only do they mark your work and provide feedback but they're also there to answer any questions you might have about your course and teaching English in general.

We thought we'd ask them what advice they’d give to someone interested in teaching English for the first time. And here’s what they said!

“Dive straight in! And also remember your lessons are about the student more than about you - they can't learn the language by listening to you use it, it's about getting them using it as much as possible themselves.”

Alex, teaching English for 21 years

 

“Don't be afraid of teaching grammar, you will get to understand it. Also don't be afraid to go to a city you've not heard of before, sometimes they are more fun and you can have a more rewarding experience.”

Carl, teaching English for 15 years

 

“Do a short certificate, get your first job and give it a go. It might be the best decision you ever make (and if not, you’ll have a great experience to look back on in the future.)”

Rachael, teaching English for 20 years

 

“You learn on the job, you don’t need to know everything about language before you get in the classroom - so don’t panic.”

David, teaching English for 15 years

 

“First, decide which country you want to go to. Then research the teacher requirements for that destination. Then take a TEFL course, so you can learn the system and gain some confidence.”

Stephen, teaching English for 19 years

 

“Make sure they leave class able to say more walking out than when they walked in.”

Asif, teaching English for 21 years

 

“Remember that we are all learning as we go along. Lots of my students have said "I want to be really confident about the language before I start teaching - but guess what - the way you get to be confident is BY teaching! So just take it step by step.”

Caroline, teaching English for 14 years

 

“Keep your students busy and keep them speaking.”

Michela, teaching English for 12 years

 

“Don't give up! The grammar gets easier with practice! Don't be afraid to make mistakes and learn from them.”

Denise, teaching English for 40 years

 

Find out more about our The TEFL Org course tutors in this infographic .

And for a comprehensive overview of what you need to know about teaching English abroad look no further than here .