Frequently asked questions

Is there a money-back guarantee?

All our courses come with a money-back guarantee so if you're not completely satisfied with your course you can return it within 30 days for a refund. We offer a 100% refund for returns within 21 days; there is a £30 deduction per course for returns after 21 days.

What is the difference between TESOL, TEFL and TESL?

TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and courses of this nature seek to provide for the needs of all students.

TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language and refers to teaching English in a country where English is not widely used, such as China, Brazil or Greece.

TESL stands for Teaching English as a Second Language and refers to teaching English in an English-speaking environment such as the UK, or in a country where English is very widely used such as India or Zambia.

In practice, there is no difference. Teachers with any one of these qualifications will be able to find teaching posts around the world. Employers are unconcerned about the certificate title as long as the certificate has been accredited by a professional body.

Do I need to be a native speaker of English?

No. Many non-native speakers of English have completed one of our courses and have gone on to teach English very successfully. If your knowledge of spoken and written English is good, then that should be fine.

How long will the TESOL training course take?

This is a distance learning course so the length of the course will depend on how much time you can spend on it each week. We estimate it should take about 150 hours of study.

Some students finish it in 6 weeks; most students take between 12 and 32 weeks. There are no specific time limits so you can work your way through the course as quickly or as slowly as you want.

How long will the Business English training course take?

This is estimated to involve around 65 hours of study. You may take a month to complete it, but others may take longer. As with the TESOL course, there are no time limits and no deadlines so you can take as long as you want.

Do I need to be a teacher already?

For the TESOL course, no, although some of our students are already teaching, or have taught in the past. If you would like to take the Teaching Business English course, you will need to have a TESOL/TEFL certificate first.

Are there any age limits?

You need to be 18 or over by the time you complete the TESOL course. Most of our students are over 21.

There is no upper age limit and as long as you are fit and healthy you can teach in many countries around the world.

Trainees on the Business English course are likely to be older because a TESOL/TEFL certificate is required.

VSO and some other organisations recruit many retired teachers these days so volunteers into their 60s and 70s are becoming more common.

Do I need a degree to take these courses and teach?

It is not necessary, although it may help you to find a teaching post. Many of our students have a degree but others have less formal qualifications. Apart from an accredited TESOL teaching certificate, what most employers want is someone who speaks good English and has an interest in teaching. Our students have gone on to work in a wide variety of different countries around the world.

Does it matter which subjects I've studied in the past?

No. Many scientists, mathematicians, engineers, salespersons and students of business, foreign languages and other subjects have gone on to make excellent English language teachers. The subjects you have studied are not particularly important in terms of English language teaching. However, any work you have done in the past is likely to make you a better teacher. You will need to have a TESOL or TEFL certificate before you take the Teaching Business English course.

What certificate will I receive at the end of my course?

For the TESOL course you will receive a TESOL Certificate issued by TESOL-direct which will qualify you to teach English in schools and colleges anywhere in the world. You will also receive a College of Teachers TESOL certificate - Associateship of the College of Teachers in TESOL and be entitled to use the letters ACoT(TESOL).

For the Business English course you will also receive two certificates - one from TESOL-direct and also one from the College of Teachers.

How will I be assessed on the TESOL course?

At the end of each module you'll find assignments that you'll complete and return to us for marking. These assignments include a 1,000-word essay, explanations of technical terms, explanations on how to present new language, evaluating lesson plans, writing lesson plans, assessing classroom situations and so on. Your assignments can be sent to your course tutor by email or post. Comprehensive feedback on your work will be sent to you normally within 10 days.

How will I be assessed on the Business English course?

There will be assignments throughout this course that you will complete and return to your tutor. Your final grade (Pass, Merit or Distinction) will be awarded based on the average mark for all of your assignments.

Will the TESOL certificate qualification be enough to help me to find a job?

Yes. Our students have gone on to work in many different countries in the Far East, Europe, Africa and South America, as well as the UK. The TESOL Certificate has proved to be a passport to an exciting life for many students. The College of Teachers is recognised world-wide and their accreditation will guarantee recognition by schools and colleges all around the world.

Will TESOL-direct help me to find a job?

There is job information on our site and we can write references for you. We will do our best to help you find a teaching post through the agents that we have around the world; however, we cannot place you directly in a teaching position.

What sort of job can I get afterwards?

Many of our TESOL students find jobs in language schools in Europe or the Far East. Others work as volunteers in developing countries, some taking a year out early in their career or as a mid-career break. Some early-retirees find that spending time abroad teaching English is a very rewarding and fulfilling experience. Some work in primary schools while others work with secondary students. Many go on to teach adult learners. Some go on to work for themselves teaching one-to-one from home. With accreditation by the College of Teachers, many jobs are also available in the UK.

The Business English certificate opens up a wide range of different possibilities and the majority of trainees go on to work independently as trainers or for a language school providing business English classes.

Is the TESOL course suitable for someone taking a year out between school and higher education?

This TESOL course provides a strong foundation for those wishing to teach English to speakers of other languages, whether they are intending to make a career in teaching or intend to teach for a short time before going on to do other things. They opt to take our TESOL training course because it is a highly flexible and practical distance-learning course which is accredited by a professional body.

However, most of our students are over 21 and have already achieved a degree or equivalent qualification. If you are unsure about whether this TESOL course is suitable for you, please contact TESOL-direct so that one of our advisers can help you decide.

Will I have to buy any additional textbooks?

Our training courses are quite comprehensive and, for the TESOL course you will have three large modules to work through, so additional materials are not necessary during the course. However, you may find that you want to learn more so we provide advice on suitable books that should be helpful during the course and once you start teaching.
 
The Business English course is self-contained and requires no additional material of any sort. Nevertheless, we provide you with a free business English course book to give you an idea of how a complete programme might look.

How often will I be able to contact my tutor?

Every student has a personal tutor and you can contact your tutor as often as you wish. You can contact him or her by email (the easiest method) or telephone. We aim to provide all the support you need so please don't hesitate to ask questions!

Why is your TESOL course less expensive than courses run by Cambridge or Trinity?

Our TESOL training course covers the same areas as the Cambridge/RSA certificate courses but since there is no obligatory assessment of teaching practice, the costs are significantly lower. However, our tutors are very experienced and very well-qualified and, together with the course modules, they'll provide you with an excellent TESOL training programme.

What happens if I fail an assignment?

Our students don't fail. If, by any chance, one of your assignments does not reach the appropriate standard, we will not simply give you a low mark. We will send you comments and suggestions and give you the opportunity to resubmit your assignment. If necessary, you could resubmit it several times although this is very unusual.

I have not done a distance-learning course before. What stages will it follow?

• 1. You will enrol on your course. Most people use the electronic form.
• 2. The course materials will be sent by download, on CD or in printed form.
• 3. You will work on the course materials at your own speed.
• 4. You will complete the first set of assignments, and send them to your tutor.
• 5. Your tutor will mark your assignments and send you feedback.
• 6. This will be repeated for each set of assignments.
• 7. When you complete your course, you will immediately receive a certificate from us.
• 8. For courses accredited by the College of Teachers, you will receive a CoT certificate about 6 weeks later.

Is there a difference between TESOL distance learning and TESOL online learning?

When you enrol on our TESOL distance learning course, you can receive all the necessary course materials by download and work through them at your own pace, rather like the Open University operates. You will also have a personal tutor with our distance learning course who will provide support, answer questions and mark assignments.

TESOL online courses require you to login every time you want to study and to complete the required tasks/assignments while you are online connected to the Internet. Generally speaking, a TESOL distance learning course is likely to be far more comprehensive and demanding, as well as being a more professional training package. A TESOL online course is likely to be more limited both in scope and depth.

That's why we prefer to offer TESOL distance learning courses rather than TESOL online courses - you have the immediacy of downloading the course in its entirety rather than in dribs and drabs and you can work at it offline at your own pace.