How will I complete the practice teaching for my online TEFL course?
The term “practicum” refers to 20 hours of practice teaching, observation and/or tutoring that you must complete in an ESL or EFL classroom setting to earn your accredited TEFL certification – most schools looking to hire English teachers will not recognize TEFL/TESOL certification courses that do not incorporate a TEFL practicum.
These TEFL practicum hours allow each student to gain firsthand experience practice teaching with real ESL students, whether it is in an actual classroom setting, or by tutoring a non-native speaker privately. Students typically complete their TEFL practice teaching and observation in their home community or wherever they are living when they are taking our 170-hour online TEFL/TESOL certification course.
As a TEFL student, you will arrange your TEFL practicum on your own, but International TEFL Academy will provide assistance and guidance. Basically you must spend 20 hours in a live ESL learning environment observing an ESL class, and/or practice teaching and tutoring ESL students in some capacity.
Locations Where You May Complete Your TEFL Practicum:
Opportunities to complete your TEFL practicum and practice teaching can typically be arranged in your community in these types of venues, which often offer ESL classes:
- Community centers
- Community colleges
- Language schools
- Local organizations that provide services to recent immigrants
- Faith-based groups that offer ESL classes
- Libraries
If you begin teaching English abroad prior to the end of your course, any teaching hours you engage in can be applied towards your TEFL practicum requirement. Once the TEFL practice teaching hours have been completed, the student provides an evaluation form, time sheet and one-page summary of their experience to the International TEFL Academy Student Affairs Department.
To accommodate those who do have a busy schedule, all students are given an automatic 30 day extension to complete their practicum. For example, for a course running from January 31 – April 15, all students have an additional 30 days from April 15 to complete their practicum.
More Online TEFL class FAQs are here.
Watch our video describing the practicum and using the resources in the online course.
