Scams
Although I sometimes have reservations about using the internet. I will be the first to admit that the internet is the most helpful tool I have ever used –most addictive too. But we must remain aware of the fact that the internet can be a very shady place to do business.
For this reason, I know many persons have reservations about doing a teaching certificate online. However, there are several precautions that you can take to protect yourself.
According to tesol.org, an organization that has been around for 50 years, there are several ways to make sure that your program is legitimate.
These are some:
- Investigate the institution. They suggest that you should search for the institution’s online history. Look for what others have said about the school online ( In chats and on forums).
- They also suggest that you should ask for references. You should reach out to graduates from the school that you have the interest to join. If the school offers job placements, you should certainly contact people who have graduated to check if this is true.
- You should also be cautious as well about “money-back” guarantees for job placements. Even though it might be appealing to sign up. make sure that you check their reputation first. also look into their method of repayment (length of guarantee) before signing up.
- Last but not least check the validity of your certificate. Ensure that the certificate qualifies you for jobs. Research the validity of their claims. It is easy to do is check. Go to the TEFL/TESOL job sites and ask questions about the various certificates.
In addition to the advice given by tesol.org, you can also watch Alex Stevenson in the following video. He explains the ins and outs of certificates.
A Safe Certificate
As an alumnus of ITTT international, I can assure you that it is possible to get jobs overseas (especially in Asia) after you complete your certificate. However, you do not have to take my word. You can start your investigation about ITTT at the gooverseas.com, an independent website that verifies the legitimacy of TEFL/TESOL programs.
So even though I believe the internet can be a shady place where you can be scammed, I can assure you that there are ways to be careful on the net and I do hope that the tips above will help you with your TEFL/TESOL search.
