TEFL Education in Greece
TEFL
Greece
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What do TEFL, TESL, TESOL, EFL, ESL, ESOL all mean?
2. So what are the differences?
4. What does a TEFL certificate course cover?
5. Where can I do a TEFL course in Greece?
6. What are the advantages of doing a TEFL course in Greece?
7. What qualifications do I need to teach English in Greece?
8. How can I find a job teaching English in Greece?
9. Where are the TEFL jobs in Greece?
10. What kind of people will I be teaching?
13. What teaching materials will I use?
1. What do TEFL, TESL, TESOL, EFL, ESL, ESOL, ELT all mean?
TEFL is Teaching English as a Foreign Language.
TESL is Teaching English as a Second Language.
TESOL is Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.
EFL is English as a Foreign Language.
ESL is English as a Second Language.
ESOL is English to Speakers of Other Languages.
ELT is English Language Teaching.
2. So what are the differences?
TEFL describes the approach to Teaching English in countries where the learners are using English as a foreign language. This means that English isn't used as a mother tongue or official language by the people of that country.
In Greece, English is a Foreign Language. It isn't a language that Greek people use among themselves, but they use it to communicate with foreign visitors.
TEFL is also sometimes used to indicate the communicative approach to language teaching that is emphasized in courses like the TEFL Greece certificate course.
TESL describes the approach to Teaching English in countries where English is the first language, such as the USA. In this situation, for example, Mexican immigrants who have Spanish as a first language learn English as a second or additional language.
There are some differences in methods and approach between teaching EFL and ESL, but it's essentially the same language that's being taught.
TESOL covers both of these approaches, and many people are now starting to use "ESOL" in place of "EFL" and "ESL".
TESOL is also the name of the international association of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages.
TEFL is Teaching English as a Foreign Language. People often use the expression "a TEFL" to mean a TEFL certificate. This is a certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. It may also be known as TESL certification.
4. What does a TEFL certificate course cover?
TEFL certificate courses vary widely, so it's important to choose a course that:
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is recognized internationally
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is externally moderated by an established and independent academic institution.
Any such course will include:
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at least 100 hours of instruction in classroom management, teaching methods, grammar, phonology and guided lesson preparation
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at least 6 hours of observed teaching practice
5. Where can I do a TEFL course in Greece?
TEFL Greece currently operates one TEFL training centre in Greece:
6. What are the advantages of doing a TEFL course in Greece?
Taking the course in Greece means that you'll learn about the way English is taught here, and in your teaching practice you'll be teaching Greek students. This is the best possible preparation for your first job. You'll also benefit from the TEFL Greece job guidance and job placement service to find your first teaching job in Greece after you finish the course.
7. What qualifications do I need to teach English in Greece?
In order to be registered as a teacher with the Greek Ministry of Education, you need a university degree. Schools are sometimes willing to overlook this as they're more interested in interpersonal skills and teaching ability. The Ministry doesn't insist on a TEFL certificate for graduates, but most schools require that you have one.
8. How can I find a job teaching English in Greece?
If you take the TEFL Greece course, TEFL Greece will help you to find your first job. If you already have a TEFL certificate, you should apply directly to Anglo-Hellenic Teacher Recruitment. Anglo-Hellenic gives preference to TEFL Greece graduates and cannot assist non-EU nationals with work placements unless they have taken a TEFL course with TEFL Greece.
9. Where are the TEFL jobs in Greece?
There are over ten thousand schools of English in Greece, and a large percentage of these employ TEFL teachers from the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia or South Africa. You can choose to work in a big city like Athens or Thessaloniki, a small village in the countryside, or on an island.
10. What kind of people will I be teaching?
Most of the EFL students at English schools in Greece are children, attending English lessons in the afternoon after their regular school. You may also have the opportunity to teach adults, as there is a strong demand in Greece for ESP (English for Special Purposes), particularly Business English, English for Academic Purposes and English for Tourism.
Greek EFL students are generally at a high level relative to their age, so expect to teach teenagers at all levels from elementary to advanced.
EFL teaching in Greece has a strong focus on exams, especially the Cambridge exams FCE, CAE and CPE, and the Michigan ECCE and ECPE. TOEFL and TOEIC is also popular, as is IELTS. Familiarity with these exams is a distinct advantage when applying for TEFL jobs in Greece.
13. What teaching materials will I use?
Most schools of English in Greece depend heavily on published course books. You will normally have a book for each class that you teach, so you don't need to create your own materials.
14. What are the hours of work?
Most EFL teachers in Greece teach for around 25 hours a week, from about 3 or 4 to 9 pm.
You won't make a fortune teaching English in Greece, but you'll earn enough to live well while gaining useful experience. For up-to-date figures on rates of pay, see Anglo-Hellenic Teacher Recruitment.
If you have any questions that are not answered here, please email
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