Embarking on a new career is never something to be taken lightly, particularly not if it`s a job that can take you far away from your family and your familiar surroundings. TEFL is a career that needs planning and consideration. Fortunately, you can get some idea of whether TEFL is right for you before you take up that three year contract in Azerbaijan. Not only will a teaching qualification such as TESOL or CELTA give you some actual `hands-on` experience of classroom teaching – a fine chance to evaluate whether you can take the pace and pressure of the classroom – but the good people at Career Steer have made an online questionnaire to evaluate your suitability as a teacher of English as a foreign language. Once you have completed the brief questionnaire a feedback page will provide comments based on your individual replies, giving you a clear idea of your compatibility with TEFL. The comments include advice on how best to enter into the TEFL world and any further qualifications your might need in order to take up your new career.
Another useful online resource to evaluate your suitability for TEFL can be found on the `i-to-i` website. i-to-i hosts a free TEFL taster course, which includes a basic personality test, a grammar exam and some advice on teaching methods. It is very simple, but it provides an outline of what TEFL is all about. If you are still not sure about whether TEFL is a good career choice, you can try getting some personal opinions and experiences from TEFL forums such as the TeachingEnglish.org.uk forum, or Dave`s ESL Cafe.
Of course, the motivation and decision to move into TEFL ultimately has to come from you. If this is something you want to do, you can make it happen.
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