TEFL: Helping the world talk our language

English teaching is a rewarding job - and it also enables you to travel the globe, says Steve McCormack

In these dark winter weeks, how many of us allow the mind to transport us to lighter and warmer climes? Well, these daydreams can quickly become reality by getting a qualification to teach English as a foreign language (EFL). You could be on your way to the sun before the daffodils are out.

The many EFL avenues to pursue can be a blessing because of the huge range of opportunities to teach English around the world, but also a curse because of the confusing nature of the various qualifications, awarding bodies, colleges and companies within a very crowded landscape.

A good starting point is the EFL website ( www.eflweb.com), where you will find a clear explanation of all the initials and acronyms, and a guide to your options for starting the process of getting qualified.

Although the market is full of institutions offering courses of all kinds, in order to get a job teaching English at a reputable school in the UK or abroad you will probably need a Certificate-level qualification, awarded by one of two UK-based exam boards, recognised around the world. Cambridge University ( www.cambridge-efl.org.uk) administers the Celta (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) system, while Trinity College London ( www.trinitycollege.co.uk) co-ordinates the Cert-Tesol (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) qualification. Both are equally respected by most language schools worldwide.

But you don't have to go to Cambridge or London for a course; there are scores of institutions accredited by the two organisations that run regular courses throughout the year. Details of exact locations are available on the websites. Nearly all offer a full-time course, usually four weeks long, or, for those currently employed, a part-time programme of about 12 weeks.

The instruction includes generic teaching techniques, such as communication, lesson planning and practical classroom-management skills, as well as the specific English-language related areas, which, to many Brits, can prove challenging, particularly the intricacies of grammar.

"Many English native speakers have no idea of the grammar of their own language," says Danny Norrington-Davies, head of teacher training at Regent Language Training in London, where you would pay £950 for a full- or part-time course in a class of up to 12.

In common with all Cambridge- and Trinity-accredited courses, much of your time at Regent is spent on your feet at the front of a classroom, teaching topics to your classmates and sometimes even to genuine learners. "I'm a kind of Simon Cowell figure, telling them how they do," Norrington-Davies says. The X-Factor comparison is not unrealistic, as teaching can be an exposed job and is not for the thin-skinned.

Martin Oetegenn got his Celta at Regent a few years ago and is now teaching EFL in Buenos Aires. South and Central America have, in recent years, become among the most popular destinations for EFL teachers, with demand to learn English growing fast. He initially got the qualification as a means to travel and learn languages, but has found that he enjoys the job and plans to extend his qualifications to Diploma or Masters level.

Oetegenn found the Celta the ideal first step. "It's important to have this base," he says, "particularly because you learn to evaluate yourself - an invaluable skill when you start teaching."

If you're not yet sure that teaching EFL is for you, you could opt for a weekend course, available at scores of locations in the UK. Most of these intensive courses, which can cost less than £200, will offer a certificate on completion, but such a certificate will not open nearly as many doors as the more substantial Celta and Tesol qualifications.

The www.weekendtefl.co.uk website is one source of numerous such courses, and there's even an online 10-minute test that you can take, which gets down to the nitty-gritty of breaking sentences down into their grammatical components. This should help you to measure your own aptitude for the job.

So, what are you waiting for? Reach for that mouse.