CELTA or TEFL -- can you recommend one?

Phidelm,
Thank you for that information! As you know, the training options in France are centered around the large cities; Paris for my area. I will have to consider whether or not going to Paris over 4-5 weeks while taking the Celta class would be really worth my time.

Thanks again and glad you stopped by my blog!

Dedene wrote:

Hi Folks,
I've been thinking about getting an English teaching certificate to be able to teach adults here in France. I don't want to teach through the Education Nationale.

Can anyone recommend either a CELTA or a TEFL? Does anyone know a good on-line program, that's not too expensive?

Thanks for your help!

First off I wouldn't bother with CELTA - it is an excellent course but extremely intensive and I always recommend having at least 2 or 3 years experience teaching before taking it.

For a basic course with an excellent introduction to the subject, try the ICAL online TEFL Certificate which is 200 euro and which has excellent reviews at TEFL Course Review.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the advice and the site! I'll have a look right now.

Hi,

That's great you're thinking about teaching in France! In terms of courses, you probably want to aim for at least 120 hours of TEFL training, as competition for teaching jobs in France can be quite high. This can mostly be done online, but it's worth doing a little bit of practical training, so you can try out your teaching skills for real. Just make sure you do your training with a reputable provider that's recognized by employers in France. You can find out more here: http://www.teflcourses.fr/

Regarding CELTA courses, these are usually not worth the extra investment (they usually cost upwards of €1,500), unless you're considering teaching as a long-term career.   
If you're looking to teach for just a year or two, or as a way to supplement your current income in France an 120 hour certificate will give you the foundation you need, without you spending unnecessary time and money on a CELTA course.
Hope that all helps – good luck!