If you are considering teaching English abroad, the thought of getting a teaching certification has probably crossed your mind. A TEFL Certificate is one of the most widely accepted qualifications, and it will give you a green light to teaching around the world. To get a better understanding of the techniques and concepts one uses with English language learners, here are four TEFL courses which are free and can be completed online.
Teach English Now!
TESOL Certificate by Arizona State University
This TESOL Certificate program, offered by Arizona State University, is a four-part specialization. When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the specialization. And you earn a certificate when you complete the work.
If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free. If you cannot afford the fee, you can apply for financial aid.
The program is self-paced and is 100% online.
Students will get access to course videos and reading as well as practice quizzes. The approximate time required to complete the program is 5 months with a suggested workload of 6 hours/week.
In this specialization, you will learn about the basic foundational principles of language acquisition. The course will offer a background in second or foreign language theories, and basic studies in second language acquisition and their pedagogical implications.
There are 4 Courses in this Specialization:
Course 1 – Teach English Now!
Foundational Principles. Participants will identify, summarize, and evaluate 7 basic language learning paradigms. Above all, focus is on such foundational principles as motivation, and risk-taking.
Course 2 – Teach English Now!
Theories of Second Language Acquisition. In summary, participants are introduced to second or foreign language theories and practices for:
- teaching and assessing listening,
- speaking, and pronunciation.
Course 3 – Teach English Now!
Lesson Design and Assessment. Participants will be especially introduced to designing lesson plans based on principles and knowledge of:
- learning objectives,
- assessment plans,
- methods,
- materials,
- and learning activities.
Course 4 – Teach English Now! Capstone Project 1. In the final Capstone Project, participants apply the skills already learned by observing teachers at work (a total of six hours of observation).
They will build on the concepts learned from the previous courses to analyze the lessons. Afterward, they will also submit statements describing their teaching philosophy, a five-day lesson plan, and a teaching tip.
Arizona State University TESOL Professional Certificate
This course is designed for anyone who wants to teach English anywhere in the world.
If you want to become a teacher, polish your teaching skills, or add a credential to your resume, this is the course for you!
Participants in this course set and maintain flexible deadlines. The suggested pace of 5 hours/week will result in completion of the course is approximately 10 months. Upon successful completion of the capstone, you will receive a TESOL certificate from Arizona State University.
Participants can take a look at the course with a 7-day free trial or apply for financial aid to cover the cost of approx. EUR 37/month for the program.
The Professional certificate is comprised of eight courses, four of which are part of the Teach English Now! TESOL Certificate course. The remaining four courses are:
Course 5 – Teach English Now! Second Language Reading, Writing, and Grammar. Learn strategies to engage students in the stages of writing–pre-writing, writing, and post-writing.
Course 6 – Teach English Now! Second Language Listening, Speaking, and Pronunciation. In this course, you will be introduced to some of the challenges of teaching and learning listening and speaking, such as:
- para linguistics,
- performance variables,
- reduced and regional forms,
- and differing types of oral discourse.
Course 7 – Teach English Now! Technology Enriched Teaching. This course focuses on the key concepts which you need in order to:
- effectively integrate technology into your teaching,
- without letting it overshadow language learning.
Course 8 – Teach English Now! Capstone Project 2.
You will build on your assignments from the previous courses to refine your lesson plans and video-tape yourself presenting the lesson. If you have completed Teach English Now! Parts 1 and 2, you will submit your work for expert review to receive your ASU 150-hour TESOL Certificate from ASU, in addition to your Course certificates.
Introduction to Applied Linguistics and TESOL by Leicester University
This online course introduces the field of applied linguistics and how it relates to disciplines including linguistics and language teaching. This course is designed for anyone interested in linguistics and for people who are considering a postgraduate degree in applied linguistics or Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).
With three hours per week devoted to the course, you’ll be able to complete it in six weeks. The course is free.
The course will focus on language learning, the social role of pronunciation, investigating language in use, and joining the Applied Linguistics and TESOL community at Leicester.
By the end of the course, you’ll be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the key areas of applied linguistics. And also how these can be related to language teaching and learning
- Demonstrate knowledge of the fundamentals of applied linguistics, including language structure, language acquisition and language use in relation to culture, society, and communication
- Reflect on and value diverse perspectives on language use and language users in society
TEFL Boot Camp Free Course
TEFL Boot Camp Website is a platform that provides educators with free resources on teaching English in addition to some paid online TEFL certifications. For those who are at the start of their TEFL journey, the website has compiled multiple pages with:
free tips and resources on English language teaching and TEFL techniques.
Anyone can access the information for free without having to register. This is a great starting point to get familiarized with the foundations of TEFL practice. Three main TEFL aspects covered on the website fall into three categories: teaching skills, TEFL skills and podcasts.
The EFL Teaching Skills Reference Page will help you navigate the website and the themed sections:
- Teaching Skills
- Teaching Methods for EFL
- Teaching EFL Grammar/Pronunciation/Reading/Listening/Writing
- Teaching EFL with Gestures
- Teaching Business English
How to Teach English Podcasts
The TEFL Training Podcasts are meant to supplement the training pages on the website. These podcasts are an integral part of the TEFL teacher training courses as they are used to give more of an overview of the subject and/or a different perspective from what is on the training page.
Each audio is short – about eight minutes long providing a succinct overview of the main features for the topic:
- EFL Teaching Methods Podcast
- EFL Lesson Planning Podcast
- Teaching EFL Reading/Writing/Pronunciation Podcast
- Teaching Business English in EFL Podcast
- Discipline in the EFL Classroom Podcast
- Correcting Errors in the EFL Classroom Podcast
- Edutainment: in TEFL Podcast
- Demonstration Lessons in EFL
- Teaching English for Special Purposes (ESP)
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