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. 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.

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 17,000kc/month to 19,000kc/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+.

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, academies 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 should we bring for during the course?

You should bring about 12000CZK to 16000CZK for spending money during the month of the course. This includes the 8500CZK 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.

How much should we bring for after the course?

If you plan to stay and teach in Prague then we recommend that you bring 37000CZK to 50000CZK to get started for the first 2 months in addition to the money you bring for the month of the course. This includes spending money for two months after the course, rent for about two months, a security deposit, realtors fee, food and entertainment. In addition, Visa costs for the Czech Republic are about 7500kc including the trip to the Czech Embassy. Some employers pay some of this fee others take increments out of your salary monthly.

Here are some sample prices to give you an idea of what you will spend. (Exchange rates: Visit http://www.xe.com/ucc for 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 6500CZK to 8500CZK/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 8500CZK to 15,000CZK +/month depending on your preferences, location, size, furnishings, etc.

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

The clubs usually charge a cover charge of 100CZK to 200CZK. Typical tourist attractions are usually 60CZK to 150CZK. Prague Castle is an exception. It is about 200CZK but well worth it. You can take a bus or train to the mountains or villages for around 90CZK to 200CZK 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 300CZK to 500CZK per person with breakfast included.

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

Basic living costs:

Apartment with roommates: 6500CZK to 8500CZK per bedroom Monthly transportation pass: 670CZK Groceries for a month: 2400CZK to 3200CZK So, you can assume that you'll need a minimum of 9600CZK to 12500CZK to live on.

Other living costs:

Beer at a bar or restaurant: 18CZK to 30CZK Wine at a bar or restaurant: 35CZK to 60CZK Eating out: 80CZK to 250CZK for a meal and a drink Club cover charges: 100CZK – 300CZK. 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 100CZK to 400CZK round-trip. You can stay in hostels or a bed and breakfast in many towns for 200CZK to 500CZK per night with breakfast included.

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

• Traveller’s insurance (mandatory by Czech law). You'll need to be insured up to 60,000 Euros 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.
• 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.
• Some smart clothes for teaching – a tie for men is only necessary for interviews.
• Apostilled copy of your university diploma or degree and transcripts, 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.
• Bath Towels
• If you have a laptop feel free to bring it. You can hook up to our free wireless connection at the school and in the housing.
• About 670kc for a one month metro pass.
• A good sense of humor and adventure!

Is the course internationally recognized?

TEFL Worldwide is officially accredited and externally moderated by IATQuO (The International Accreditation of TESOL Qualifying Organisations)

TEFL courses in general are recognized by most language schools as long as they meet the industry standard of being 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 120 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?

On average our graduates are working in just 3 to 4 weeks after graduation, many times sooner.