Teachers who want to teach ELL students
online or in a public classroom will need a minimum of a state teacher
certification and an ELL Endorsement to be qualified to teach ELL students. This article will discuss the
differences between the acronyms listed in the title. Also, keep in mind that is important to get a certification that
will meet the teachers’ goals and to do that, ask the following questions: What
do I want to do with the certification? Where
do I want to teach?
Let’s begin with acronyms, ELL and ESL and how they are
connected to teaching students who are second language learners. The acronyms ELL and ESL are not
certifications, it is shorthand to determine if a student requires specialized
instruction and whether the organization and their teachers are properly accredited
to teach them. These abbreviations are
used to identify students who are non-native English speakers. An English Language Learner (ELL) is a student who is a non-native English speaker and therefore
requires specialized instruction in an ESL or an English as a Second Language (ESL) Classroom. These will be
the acronyms used in this article as we seek to determine which certification
is best for an online ESL teacher.
Now it is time to answer the
questions: “What do I want to do with the certification? Where do I want to teach?” Once those
questions are answered then you will know which type of certification make the
most sense and will fulfill your teaching goals. Some of the endorsements will
get you in the door and others will keep you in the organization, plus
advancement.
TESOL: (Teaching English to Speakers of
Other Language) A TESOL course draws on broader elements of each of teachers’
certification to provide the base for teachers to teach in both nonnative
English countries and within English speaking countries.
TESL: (Teaching English
as a Second Language) TESL prepares teachers to teach English to non-English
speakers. The significant difference in this certification is the intended
teaching location. A teacher with this certification would teach nonnative
English speakers in an English-speaking country.
CELTA
(Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults, now known as Certificate
in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).
TEFL (Teaching English as
a Foreign Language) TEFL courses aim to equip teachers with the knowledge as to
how to teach English to students living in a country where English is not the
native language
Still Confused? There is a difference between each of the certifications,
however minor. The
accreditations vary between the type of course and the length of time invested
in getting your certification. Some accreditations
involve coursework and practicums that will take up to 18 months and others
will take as long as a week. Let’s begin
by breaking down each certification by answering the first question: “What do I
want to do with this certification?”
If the answer to this question is vague, i.e.
“I just want to teach ELLs and I need to be certified.” “I need for my online
job.” or along those lines. The TESOL:
(Teaching English to Speakers of Other Language) certification
is your answer. This training will allow you to teach students who are English
Language Learners and help you determine your direction. The course will take
about a week to complete and the fee is usually $50 – $100. This doesn’t mean
that once the payment for the course is completed, you will receive the
certification. It means that the course to will teach the broad elements of how
to teach nonnative English learners in either a country where English is the
first language or in a country where English is a not a first language.
The other certifications
require a definite answer to the second question: “Where do I want to teach?”
In other words, “Yes, I plan teaching ELL students online.” Or “Eventually I
plan on traveling abroad and want to teach English.” The TESL
(Teaching English as Second Language) certification would meet your goals
if you just want to teach online or in an English-speaking country. A teacher would be able to work with ELL
student in an online classroom or in a public school in a country where English
is the first language.
However, if you want to
teach in another country, where English is not the first language, then TEFL
(Teaching English as a Foreign Language) or CELTA (Certificate in English
Language Teaching to Adults, now known as Certificate in Teaching English to
Speakers of Other Languages) would be your best bet. This certification takes into consideration that the
teacher speaks English, has a teaching certification and doesn’t know the
language of their students. The TEFL programs vary greatly: they can be as
short as one intensive weekend, or about 20 hours of class time. The training
can also include several months training, which includes up to 300 hours of
class time. The training doesn’t usually require the participant to work with
students who are second language learners.
TEFL will not take as
long to attain as a CELTA, but of the two the CELTA endorsement is the most
recognized and respected. In
order to receive a CELTA certification, the requirements usually include a
combination of theory and deep understanding of the English language. CELTA requires students to complete 120
hours of class time and six hours of student teaching (practicum) with real ELL
learners. In addition, it will take about four weeks in order to conclude the
training. This certification is
usually required by organization who hire the ESL teacher for their employees
or students, inside or outside of the country.
This endorsement is considered the most through training for teachers
who want to make teaching ELL students their careers. The CELTA course provides a comprehensive
understanding of the different stages of the English language, but the training
emphasizes working with adults, The TESL training is not as intense and at the
most will require about 9 hours of training and 2 hours of using those skills
in a classroom.
At the end of the
day, an instructor who requires training in order to learn how to teach students
in either an online ESL classroom or in a public school. They will need a
certificate to document that they have received this training. Do your homework and seek out a reputable TESL,
TEFL, TESOL, or CELTA program. A portion of that research should include speaking
with an individual who is doing the job that you would like when you complete
your studies. If you do all of this, in
the end regardless of which certification you decide to pursue, you will get a
great education.
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