FAQ's
Before the course
What’s the difference between TEFL and TESOL?
What qualifications do I need?
Are the courses internationally recognised?
Is i-to-i an accredited course provider?
How is the i-to-i course different to 4-week courses?
How do i-to-i on-line courses compare to other 40-hour distance learning courses?
How long will it take to complete my course?
Does the on-line course include any practical teaching experience?
Is the Specialist Grammar Certificate online?
What support will I get on my course?
What sort of equipment do I need to take the on-line course?
How do I book a course?
During the course – on-line / self-study courses
How long will it take for each module to be marked?
How do I submit my answers for the Grammar Awareness Module?
Should I print out my work on the on-line course?
After the course
How do I get my certificates?
How do I get my reference?
What happens if I lose my certificate?
Does the certificate expire?
Can I do more courses with i-to-i?
Why should I do another course?
How do I find employment?
Where can I teach with an i-to-i certificate?
Will the certificate get me a paid job?
Teaching resources
Terms and Conditions
Before the Course
What’s the difference between TEFL and TESOL?
In reality there is very little difference between TEFL and TESOL. TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language and TESOL for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.
The TEFL acronym came largely from the UK and TESOL is more common in the US, Canada and Australasia. Historically the TEFL is associated with teaching students in their home country – where English is unlikely to be the first language – and TESOL is associated with teaching students who have migrated to countries where English is the native tongue.
Despite the fact that English teachers can debate this matter for hours, there is very little difference between the two and the acronym used tends to be based largely on who is talking and which part of the world they come from.
Jobs overseas requiring a TESOL qualification will accept a TEFL qualification and vice versa.
What qualifications do I need?
Native or near native English is required. For non-native speakers the Cambridge CAE qualification (www.cambridgeesol.org/exams/cae.htm) or equivalent is required.
No formal qualifications are required to take either the Weekend or On-line courses.
Are the courses internationally recognised?
Yes, all of our courses provide an internationally recognised certificate.
Is i-to-i an accredited course provider?
i-to-i courses are accredited by ODLQC (Open and Distance Learning Quality Council) and SQMS (Scottish Quality Management Systems). The ODLQC was set up by the UK government to monitor the quality of open and distance learning courses. SQMS recognise organisations that have top quality products and services.
How is the i-to-i course different to 4 week courses?
It is an entry-level course covering all the elements of a longer 4 week course. The i-to-i course will get you teaching work anywhere in the world without the need to spend a lot of time and money on a longer course. The 4 week course is more generally suited to those wishing to teach as a career of for longer periods of time.
"The i-to-i course provides the key principles that underlie modern TEFL." Sunday Telegraph (a leading British newspaper).
How do i-to-i on-line courses compare to other 40-hour distance learning courses?
The i-to-i On-line course (40 hour) was the first of its kind and remains the only totally on-line course. This means that you can take the course from anywhere at any time as long as you can access the internet! It also means you have instant access to the course and don’t have any time-consuming downloads to contend with. We have tutors all over the world so they can respond to your questions quickly and efficiently from the same time-zone.
How long will it take to complete my course?
The Essential TEFL on-line course usually takes around 40 hours of work which you can spread over 6 months although you can extend this for a period of 28 days for a small fee. However, the majority of people do complete the on-line course within 2 months of starting the course and some people have managed to complete the course within 14 days of booking the course!
All of our courses have a prescribed number of hours attached to them and this is a good indication of how much time you will need to spend to complete and pass the course.
Does the on-line course include any practical teaching experience?
There is no practical teaching experience on the online course. However, module 6 includes a DVD ROM of a teacher in action where you watch and analyse a professional teacher in the classroom. It's a quick and easy way to gain an insight into teaching techniques and classroom management.
Is the Specialist Grammar Certificate online?
This certificate is an online module which takes you through all the major grammatical areas of the English Language and encourages you to think and learn about how the language is constructed.
What support will I get on my course?
If you take an on-line course you are assigned a specific tutor who not only marks the modules you submit but is also on-hand to offer advice and guidance.
Whichever course you decide to take, we'll do everything we can to ensure that you have all the guidance and assistance you need to succeed.
What sort of equipment do I need to take the on-line course?
You’ll need a PC or Mac with internet access. Module 6 of is in DVD format, so you'll also need a DVD player.
How do I book a course?
You can either book over the phone by calling any of our offices or on-line. Payments can be made by credit and debit card or by cheque.
During the course – on-line / self-study courses
How long will it take for each module to be marked?
We aim for modules to take no longer than 48 hours to be marked and returned to you (Monday – Friday).
How do I submit my answers for the Grammar Awareness Module?
You have the choice of submitting your answers by post or by e-mail –
please click here for full information.
Express Marking:
You can send in your Grammar Awareness Module answers over the internet by filling out the downloadable Microsoft Excel sheets and emailing them to us. If asked to open or save the file, save this to your computer. Fill out the answers using the grid and email the Excel file to gam@onlinetefl.com. You will receive a reply to confirm they have been received. These will be returned to you within one working day.
Postal Marking:
If you would like your Grammar Awareness Module marked via the postal service, please send your completed answer sheets to:
i-to-i Ireland
Exploration House,
32 Grattan Square,
Dungarvan,
Co. Waterford
Ireland
You will be notified by email when we have received your answers. Marking takes 10 working days, therefore for a prompt service please email your answers in using the method above.
Should I print out my work on the on-line course?
No. On completion of the course you will be sent a copy of the course book along with your certificate and reference.
After the course
How do I get my certificates?
You will receive your certificate by post within 4 weeks of completing and passing your course. If you have taken a course with more than one study element – eg The Essential TEFL Plus course – you will receive a certificate for each part of the course when you complete and pass that stage. For example – a certificate for the on-line 40 hour course and a certificate for the 20 hour Grammar Awareness Module. This means that you do not need to wait until completing every element of the course before you begin teaching.
How do I get my reference?
All references are despatched with your certificate.
What happens if I lose my certificate?
You can request a duplicate certificate for a small fee. £10 / €15 / AUS$25 / NZ$28 / US$20 / CAN$28.
Does the certificate expire?
No, but we do advise that you continue to get as much experience as possible and to continue to learn and develop your teaching skills throughout your career. We offer several resources on the on-line shop which you may find useful during your teaching career.
Can I do more courses with i-to-i?
Yes – we have a range of add-on modules including Teaching to Young Learners, Teaching Business English and Teaching with Limited Resources.
Why should I do another course?
Good teachers continue to study and develop their skills and knowledge throughout their career, both to provide better teaching to their students and also to be able to secure more senior roles in the teaching profession. By taking other courses you will not only increase your ability and range as a teacher but also increase your employability. Most employers look for teachers who show a commitment to on-going development and taking additional courses is a good way of showing this.
How do I find employment?
The final module of the on-line course is all about finding work and this gives excellent advice gathered from years of experience by the i-to-i team.
Where can I teach with an i-to-i certificate?
Past i-to-i tutees have taught all over the world in over 24 countries ranging from Thailand and Brazil to Spain and Japan.
Will the certificate get me a paid job?
Yes – people with our certificates are teaching and earning money all over the world. However, it isn’t only the certificate that will get you a good teaching position. You must make sure that your CV/resume and application letter are well put together and that you perform well at any interview you may go to.
Teaching resources
To make your time teaching overseas easier for you and more rewarding for your students, check out our online shop for a range of tried and tested teaching resources.
Terms and Conditions
Please click here to see our complete Terms and Conditions and details of Our Promise.