Careers Service : Information

A4: Teaching English as a Foreign Language / Second Language

Where do I start? - information and advice on TEFL specifically for University of Edinburgh students and graduates

General information
Professional organisations
UK TEFL qualifications
UK TEFL courses
TEFL jobs
Language Schools in the UK
Teaching English as a second language

General Information

"Teaching English as a foreign language is often shortened to TEFL. You may also see the abbreviation TESOL, teaching English to speakers of other languages, which means the same thing. It differs from TESL, teaching English as a second language, which refers specifically to language teaching for immigrants to English speaking countries." (Source: British Council)

Prospects Web - profile of an EFL teacher from the official UK graduate careers website. The same site also includes a brief description of a teacher of English for Specific Purposes (ESP).

Jobs4U - profile of a TESOL teacher from the DCSF Connexions careers information service.

Ardvark's English Forum - resources for teachers and students plus links to language schools world-wide

Education Guardian: TEFL section - including news, country articles and a 'TEFL Directory' of teachers who can be contacted.

EFLWeb - site for new/prospective English language teachers, including careers information and jobs (UK site)

EL Gazette - leading UK TEFL Newspaper (paper version available at Buccleuch Place office includes a jobs supplement)

ESL Base - provides a directory of TEFL training courses in the UK and worldwide, as well as constantly updated TEFL job listings, and information and advice for prospective teachers.

Internet TESL Journal - TEFL resources including articles, research papers, lessons plans, classroom handouts, teaching ideas thousands of links! (Japanese site)

Teaching English - collaboration between the BBC and British Council, designed to act as a discussion forum and practical resource for English teachers.

See also...

Time Out - Teaching English Abroad section for useful background information, and links to organised recruitment and training programmes for students/graduates who want to teach English during time out or in a gap year.

Reference books available in the Careers Service.

Professional Organisations

British Association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes (BALEAP) - national organisation of centres where EAP (English for Academic Purposes) is taught within UK Universities and colleges of higher education.

Association for the Promotion of Quality in TESOL Education (QuiTE) - a cross-sectoral association for teacher educators and course providers and all those working in areas related to the training, education and development of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages regardless of context or level.

English Language Teaching (ELT) associations worldwide - courtesy of the British Council

International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL) - international association for English language teachers worldwide, based in the UK.

Scottish Association for the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language (SATEFL) - provides a forum for teachers and student-teachers to meet and exchange ideas on ELT. Includes links to key Scottish language schools.

TESOL - professional association for English language teachers worldwide, based in the USA

UK TEFL Qualifications

These are the two most widely recognised UK qualification providers. They are both similar in terms of cost, duration, quality and status of qualifications. Both sites have a searchable course database covering UK and overseas providers.

Cambridge ESOL - offers the CELTA Certificate for new entrants to the profession plus higher certificates and a Diploma for experienced teachers.

Trinity College London - offers the TESOL Certificate for new entrants to the profession and a Diploma for experienced teachers.

UK TEFL Courses (some!)

CELTA Course Survey – some CELTA course providers and course details listed in a useful survey by AGCAS (university careers service association).

Cactus Teachers - TEFL course admissions service for internationally recognised TEFL courses, such as the Cambridge CELTA & Trinity CertTESOL.

TEFL.net - huge TEFL portal aimed specifically at teachers, it includes an overview of courses, a searchable course database and also a jobs noticeboard and teaching resources/lesson plans.

TEFL Jobs

British Council - United Kingdom's international organisation for educational and cultural relations. Major provider of English language courses overseas and recruiter of experienced teachers. Also runs a scheme for unqualified language assistants (undergraduates + recent graduates)

EFL Teaching Jobs - comprehensive directory of TEFL jobs for qualified TEFL Teachers seeking temporary, permanent or summer school employment in the UK or overseas.

ESL Jobs World - a website providing free listings of jobs from around the world, dedicated to connecting teachers of English with employers. Register to receive job alerts.

European Council of International Schools (ECIS) - largest association of international schools with searchable database of schools and a jobs section

Guardian - TEFL Jobs

HuntESL - UK-based recruitment agency placing graduates into teaching jobs overseas. Lots of useful careers advice and tips on their web-site too!

ILA Vietnam - ILA Vietnam train and recruit teachers and academic management professionals to work in their training centres in Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Noi, Da Nang, and Vung Tau. It is a foreign-owned learning organisation with over 8000 students and over 160 foreign teachers and management staff. They are the leading provider of ELT programmes in Vietnam.

Saxoncourt - set up to provide teachers for schools in Japan, Saxoncourt has since grown to provide recruitment services to schools in other countries and its Teacher Training department also offers various courses to prepare people for teaching EFL/ESL worldwide.

TEFL Professional Network - information on TEFL careers, courses plus hundreds of jobs worldwide (UK site)

Language Schools in the UK

Association of British Language Schools (ABLS) - an alternative (but equally valid) accrediting body and association of UK language schools, ABLS includes a more diverse range of language providers such as homestay courses than Education UK. Again, there is a list of member language teaching institutions.

English UK - the national association of accredited English language centres, formed in 2004 from two previous associations (ARELS and BASELT), it has 330 member centres in private schools, educational trusts and charities, further education colleges and universities. All its members are accredited by the British Council. Site includes a searchable Directory of member language schools and is soon to have a jobs noticeboard.

English in Britain - source of information about accredited English language courses in the United Kingdom. The British Council also runs an English in Britain Accreditation Scheme.

Scottish English Language Teaching in Consortium (SELTIC) - a group of private and public schools, colleges and universities that are accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English as a foreign language.

Yellow Pages - another great way to search for language schools by location. Put in "language school" or "English" followed by a location.

Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)

Prospects Web - profile of an ESL teacher from the official UK graduate careers website.

National Association for Teaching English and other Community Languages to Adults (NATECLA) - aims to advance the education and training of adults and young people over sixteen, whose first language is not English.

National Association for the Teaching of English (NATE) - association aiming to improve English teaching at all levels in the UK, including community education.

National Literacy Trust - charity dedicated to promoting literacy in the UK.

The Scottish Government website, department of Education and Training, includes a section on English as a second or additional language (ESOL), which provides many useful links to training and teaching sites, as well as information on government strategy for dealing with the increased demand in this area.

Talent (Training Adult Literacy, ESOL and Numeracy Teachers) - offers impartial advice on Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for new and existing teachers and their employers, working in a range of teaching and learning contexts within the lifelong learning sector. Site also includes a jobs board.

See also:

A2 Adult Education Lecturer/Tutor