 3 reasons to take a TEFL training course. Why should I bother to complete a TEFL course? Is a question I personally had asked many times and a question I have heard many others inquire about. General Stereotype Since there are programs that allow individuals to teach English in a foreign country without TEFL or TEES all certifications, many see it as a waste of time. I will be honest and say that I was one of those people. I am current teaching in Japan through the JET program and prior to getting this job I didn't think it was necessary for me to take a TEFL course. But along the way I realized that maybe it would be more beneficial than I thought. How can you benefit from the course? Now that I have taken the course, I definitely wished I had done it prior to coming to Japan. For someone who has no prior teaching experience it is extremely helpful in getting beginner teachers through the door. Especially since I didn't study English heavily in university I found the grammar lessons extremely helpful. I admit I needed the refresher since grammar structure is not something I'm constantly aware of. Since it is second nature to native speakers we don't think about why we say things the way we do. It allowed me to tackle the task of teaching grammar to my students in a more effective way. As a native speaker there are many things we might not notice since we naturally grew up speaking English a certain way, so seeing how my students might perceive English grammar was eye-opening. By understanding potential problems my students may face I was able to plan lessons more effectively as well. If you don't have a teaching qualification. Also through the course I was able to learn all the different teaching terminologies and different ESL theories. This helped me understand more teaching resources when I do my own research on the subject. By seeing the different teachings styles as well allowed me to decide how I wanted to teach in my classrooms and what roles I should play in the classroom. I realize that I don't always need to be the center of the attention and I can change my role to benefit the students. Each role has its time in place, and that is something I wasn't aware of before. Also just the amount of resources you are introduced to by taking a TEFL course can be extremely helpful for someone who doesn't know where to begin. For me personally I had to do a lot of learning along the way and slowly figure it all out by trial and error. Had I taken a TEFL course prior I may have saved myself a few minor headaches. I definitely would have been more prepared when it came to my first few lessons I did. And even though I took this course after I had already been teaching for some time I still was able to learn and take away from this course. Still thinking on taking your TEFL course? So I think it is never too late to take a TEFL course. Now if someone were to ask me why should I bother to complete a TEFL course? I would simply reply it doesn't hurt to be more prepared. You do not lose anything from taking the course, you only have something to gain from it. Speak with an ITTT advisor today to put together your personal plan for teaching English abroad. Send us an email or call us toll free at 1-800-490-0531 to speak with an ITTT advisor today.