Credible TEFL Programs?
 

I have one more semester as an undergraduate student in the United States, and will be graduating with a teacher certification. However, I have a great interest in beginning my teaching career abroad. I have been told that I need to go through a TEFL certification program to do so, but I'm unsure as to which organization/program to really consider.

A friend of mine said that she was going to try out Bridge-Linguatech, but I haven't received word about how the program is going for her yet. Does anyone know of other legitimate and credible TEFL courses to look into? (I would like the tangible, full experience before teaching abroad, so I would not be interested in taking an online course)

How long does the course usually take to complete, and how long does does it to complete a Masters in TEFL (correct title?)

Also, is it better to take the program in the country which you are interested in teaching in, or would it be okay to take the program in the United States (where I am from)? In the end, I would like the best training experience so disregard this question if it limits my choices.

Lastly, is TOEFL the test taken for a TEFL program?

Any help in answering ANY of these question would be appreciated! Additional information about TEFL courses and experiences also welcomed!:)

Re: Credible TEFL Programs?
 

I don't know much about certificate programs, but I can tell you a bit about MA programs. MA programs in the US usually take 2-3 years to complete. There are a bunch of different titles (MA in TEFL, TESL, Applied Linguistics, Second Language Studies, etc.). I just did one at the University of Hawaii. Many of them offer graduate teaching positions with a tuition waiver and a stipend. An MA degree is not necessary for many jobs, but some countries (Japan, Taiwan, etc.) require them for university jobs. International schools tend to favor them, too, as do a lot of Middle Eastern countries.

TOEFL is a test of people's English ability and is not required for native English speakers interested in a TEFL certificate. MA programs will probably require the GRE, though. And getting the training in the US is probably OK.

If you simply want to try teaching abroad, though, you don't need any sort of degree. You can get a job in many, many countries with just a BA. I'm not sure how many doors a certificate would open up, but I wouldn't recommend getting an MA degree without first seeing if you like teaching.

Hope this helps!
Dave

Re: Credible TEFL Programs?
 

Thanks for the advice! I will def. consider a Masters in TEFL AFTER I actually experience teaching abroad.