FAQs

What is the difference between TEFL/TESL/TESOL/CELTA?

There really isn’t a difference between CELTA/TESOL/TEFL and TESL certificate courses. These are just different acronyms used for courses on how to teach English to non-native English speaking individuals. The certificates are all equally recognized and the approaches used are all very similar. CELTA stands for Certificate in English Language Teaching for Adults. TESOL stands for teaching English to speakers of other languages. TEFL is teaching English as a foreign language. You can be a TEFL teacher in a non-English speaking countries teaching students who want to learn English as a foreign language. TESL stands for teaching English as a second language. You can be a TESL teacher in an English speaking country teaching immigrants or foreign students English as a second language.

How many teaching hours do we receive?

During the TEFL Worldwide Prague course you will receive 8 to 10 hours of teaching practice which is an extremely important component because this hands on practice will prepare you for teaching in a real classroom. From the beginning you will be observing experienced teachers teaching to help you step into the actual situation. Then you will practice teaching a lesson in front of your own peers. By this time you will be more relaxed and will be able to walk into the classroom for your first teaching practice. You will be observed by your peers and trainers and will have a feedback session when you are finished in order to gain an important insight into your strengths, weaknesses and areas that need improvement.

Where can I teach English abroad?

Upon successful completion of your TEFL Course you will be certified to teach English as a foreign language worldwide. You can easily find exciting teaching positions throughout Central/Eastern Europe, Western Europe, South America, Africa and Asia. There is still a demand for English teachers in Central/Eastern Europe as many of the former Soviet countries have joined the European Union there is an increased demand for learning English. In the past graduates were able to find a job in this region within a week. Things have slowed a bit because of the recession but there are still opportunities here.


Western Europe is also a very popular destination to work. We have numerous contacts for English language schools all throughout Europe so you’ll have plenty of countries to choose from. Non EU citizens will have better luck finding work in the major cities in Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Turkey. It can be more difficult though to obtain a work permit in some Western European countries. We have had several non EU citizens go on to teach in Germany and obtain a working permit and visa. Regardless of the difficulties obtaining working papers plenty of our non-EU graduates have also gone on to teach in Spain and Italy.

The demand for English teachers in Asia is even higher than in Central/Eastern Europe. You can easily find jobs in China, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, or Korea. The salaries in Japan, Taiwan and Korea are above average, allowing you to save quite a bit of money. Many teachers flock to these countries in order to pay off student loans and credit card bills.

Indonesia and Malaysia are very attractive regions for English teachers because of the exotic beaches and cities. The pay will allow you to live a comfortable local lifestyle.

The Middle East offers quite a few opportunities for TEFL Certified teachers. Like Korea and Taiwan a teacher can save a significant amount of money here. Usually the requirements are a university degree and a TEFL Certificate.

There are also teaching opportunities on the South American continent and these positions are often advertised online and in publications such as the EL Gazette. We are ready to provide you with the contacts and information necessary to find a suitable position teaching English abroad.

How much will I make teaching English abroad?

That depends on which country that you will be teaching in. In general English teachers make enough to live a comfortable lifestyle and will pay for all of their living expenses with some extra money for entertainment and traveling in almost any country that they go to. In some Asian countries, like Taiwan, Korea and the Middle East, teachers can end up saving a significant amount of their income. Don’t look at the salary until you compare it directly to the cost of living in that particular country. 


I’ll give you some examples of salaries below: Visit www.xe.com/ucc for the current exchange rates

 

Czech Republic. (Visit www.xe.com/ucc to convert Czech Korunas to your currency if need be.) A full-time teaching schedule in Prague consists of 20 – 25 hours/week of teaching. That’s contact hours so you have to figure in lesson planning and commuting. Lesson planning will take you less and less time as you get more experience. If you are working full-time you can expect to make between 18,000kc/month to 20,000kc/month. That’s plenty to live on because the cost of living here is low. After paying for rent, food, and transportation you’ll still have spending money for entertainment and light travel. Since you’ll only be working 20 to 25 hours/week, you can certainly pick up some students to teach on the side. Typically you can charge 250kc to 400kc/hour for private students. I’ve known some teachers to do this and boost their earnings to 30,000kc+. That is a lot of money here in Prague and you can really have a good time and save a lot if you choose this route. It is up to you.

The average hourly rate for an English lesson in Germany is €17 - €22. This can as much as double if you have an emphasis and background in business English. German schools also compensate you for traveling time, usually €2 - €5 a day. However, when you begin teaching in Germany you will probably not be making this much. The average wage is based on private students as well as how much language schools pay. So, at the beginning you will be paid less because you will only be working for a language school. After that you can begin accumulating your own private students and your wages will go immensely. Once you settle in and combine your language school hours with your private students, you can expect to earn €1,200 - €1,800 gross per month.

 

Here’s an example for Spain. The usual EFL teacher pay country-wide is between 700 and 900 euros a month or about 8 euros an hour. However, academias in the larger cities of Madrid and Barcelona usually pay new teachers around 10 to 12 euros an hour, so pay monthly there can reach 1,000 euros or more. In smaller cities and towns the pay may be less, but the cost of living may be, too. Many teachers supplement their earnings by teaching private students.

Teachers usually share flats to save money. Sometimes grads end up getting apartments with other graduates while others move in with Spaniards. When renting a room in someone's apartment, a one-month deposit may be required. Long-term room rentals in Spain can be between 300 and 500 euros a month depending on the city, the location in the city, the amenities, etc. Sometimes bills are included.

Many teachers head over to Asia to pay off student loans or credit cards. A degree and a TEFL certificate is required if you want to teach in the following countries:
Japan, Taiwan, South Korea.  Those are the countries where you'll live earn a good salary. I knew a couple that taught in Japan for 2 years and saved $30,000. Typical salaries in Japan are about $2300/month but the cost of living is higher than the others mentioned. You'll still save a lot. In Taiwan you can earn about $1700/month and in South Korea about $2200/month. Here the cost of living is very low so you will end up pocketing most of your salary.

 


How much money should I bring?

How much spending money will you need? This all depends on how much you eat out, go out drinking, go out dancing, how many sites you visit and how much shopping you do.

During the Course
You should bring about 12000kc to 16000kc for spending money during the month of the course. This includes the 8000kc housing fee. You can cut this amount down by not going out every night or by buying groceries and cooking and bringing your own lunches to the school.

If you plan to stay and teach in Prague then we recommend that you bring 37000kc to 50000kc to get started for the first 2 months. This includes spending money for two months after the course, rent for about two months, a security deposit, food and entertainment. Please note you may have to pay one month’s rent as a realtor’s fee if you use a real estate agency to find an apartment,

Here are some sample prices to give you an idea of what you will spend. (Exchange rates: Visit www.xe.com/uccfor the current exchange rates.) Should you decide to stay here after the course, you can find a private room in a furnished and shared apartment for around 6500kc to 8500kc/month. Utilities are usually included. The majority of teachers in Prague choose to share an apartment while teaching in order to cut back on their living expenses. Should you choose to rent a private studio or one-bedroom flat you can find something for around 8500kc to 15,000kc +/month depending on your preferences, location, size, furnishings, etc.

A meal at a Czech restaurant (meat, potatoes, vegetable and beer) – between 70kc to 150kc. Meal at an Italian restaurant (pizza or pasta and wine or beer) –between 150kc to 250kc. If you are in the mood for a nice juicy steak with potatoes, broccoli and wine - about 300kc to 400kc. If you decide to eat at home you can easily get by on 600kc to 800kc per week.

You can take a bus or train to the mountains or villages for around 90kc to 200kc round trip, depending on how far you go. When you travel within the Czech Republic there are numerous hotels and Bed & Breakfasts that start as low as 300kc to 500kc per person with breakfast included.

The clubs usually charge a cover charge of 100kc to 200kc. Typical tourist attractions are usually 60kc to 150kc. Prague Castle is an exception. It is about 200kc but well worth it.

Loaf of bread: 15 Kc
Bottle of a Czech wine : 50kc to 120Kc
Bottle of beer: 10 Kc at a grocery store and 17kc to 30kc. Depending on the bar or restaurant.
Bottle of wine: 50kc to 200kc at a grocery store.
Glass of wine at a restaurant: 25kc to 50kc, depending on the bar or restaurant. Bag of Pasta: 20 Kc
Dozen eggs: 20 Kc
Litre of milk: 15 Kc
5 bananas: 20 Kc
Head of lettuce: 30 Kc
3 to 4 pieces of chicken breast: 80 Kc
1 yogurt: 7 Kc

Basic living costs:
Apartment with roommates: 6500kc to 8500kc per bedroom
Monthly transportation pass: 550kc
Groceries for a month: 2400kc to 3200kc
So, you can assume that you’ll need a minimum of 9500kc to 10500kc to live on.

Other living costs:
Beer at a bar or restaurant: 18kc to 30kc
Wine at a bar or restaurant: 35kc to 60kc
Eating out: 80kc to 250kc for a meal and a drink
Club cover charges: 100kc - 300kc. Some have free entry for women. Clothes shopping: Comparable to everywhere else but not as many sales or as big of a selection
Travelling in the Czech Republic: Cheap. Trains and buses go all over the country for 100kc to 400kc round-trip. You can stay in hostels or a bed and breakfast in many towns for 200kc to 500kc per night with breakfast included.

What else do I need to bring with me to Prague?


  • Traveller’s insurance. (mandatory byt Czech law). You'll need to be insured in case of an accident or illness while abroad. Buy the insurance for a month or two. Then depending on whether or not your employer offers insurance benefits you can always extend the insurance. Try the following websites for details: www.imglobal.com www.insuranceabroad.com Also check with major insurance providers. Many major providers provide traveller’s insurance so check with them too.
  • You will need a course book and English grammar book for during and after the course. These can be purchased at TEFL Worldwide for appx. 450kc to 750kc depending on which book you’d like.

          a. Practical English Usage, Michael Swan
          b. How English Works, Michael Swan and Catherine Walter
          c. Grammar Express, Fuchs, Bonner & Bourke
          d. English Grammar in Use, Raymond Murphy
          e. Learning Teaching, Jim Scrivener (*Course Book*)

  • Debit/Credit Cards. Be sure to check with your bank to let them know you'll be in Europe so they can lift any international blocks. Also be sure to find out and adjust your daily or weekly withdraw limit. Your housing fee needs to be paid in cash upon arrival so you must be able to withdraw that or have the amount with when you arrive.
  • About 300kc for photocopying for your lesson plans during the course. (cost is 1 kc/copy)
  • Some smart clothes for teaching – a tie for men is only necessary for interviews.
  • Notarized copy of your university diploma or degree, if you have one. (This may be required by your employer.)
  • Notarized copy of your birth certificate. You can order an official copy of your birth certificate from www.vitalchek.com. Or you can simply take your original birth certificate and diploma to a Notary, have them make a photocopy and sign and stamp the copies as proof that they are “official notarized copies.” Regular photocopies are not acceptable.
  • Hard and soft copies of your CV/resume (although we can help you prepare this once in Prague if you do not already have it).
  • A voltage converter if you plan to bring any electrical appliances from North America and everybody should bring plug adaptors for continental Europe – the circular two-pronged variety.
  • Czech phrase book.
  • School supplies can be purchased at the school. If you plan to bring your own you’ll need a notebook, pen, glue, scissors and other things necessary for teaching.
  • Bath Towels
  • If you have a laptop feel free to bring it. You can hook up to our free wireless connection at the school.
  • About 500kc for a one month metro pass.
  • A good sense of humor and adventure!

 

Is the course internationally recognized?

TEFL courses in general are recognized by most language schools as long as they meet the industry standard of being at least at least 100 hours, have a minimum of 6 hours of teaching practice observed by an experienced trainer, and have qualified teacher trainers. Our course is 124 hours and offers 8 to 10 hours of teaching practice observed by our trainers. In addition our trainers have extensive EFL experience and teacher training experience. Our TEFL graduates have taught in Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Greece, Austria, Russia, Turkey, Slovak Republic, Croatia, Serbia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, USA, England, Mexico, Bahrain, Qatar, Tanzania and, Zambia.

How soon will I be working?

If you decide to stay in Central/Eastern Europe you can expect to be working in about a few weeks after graduation. It can take a month or so to accumulate full-time work, which is 20-25 hours per week. If you plan to move on to a different region, then we will work with you to try and help you secure a job within less than a month after your graduation. On average our graduates are working in just a few weeks after graduation and many times sooner.