If you’ve heard of TEFL then you’ll know that it stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language.
What this means is that as a TEFL Academy teacher you teach English to learners who speak a different language as their first language. TEFL teachers work in kindergarten, primary and high schools, universities, language centres, in-house, on summer camps, privately and online.
Yes, there are A LOT of English learners out there!
What you may not know is that there is more than one type of lesson you can teach as a TEFL teacher.
Confused? Let’s break it down for you.
General English
General English is the most common form of EFL lessons. These lessons focus on everyday topics, and especially on communication skills. During these lessons, students learn how to communicate in the real world in English – from ordering food at the restaurant to talking on the phone to making conversation.
General English lessons focus on grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, reading, writing, listening and speaking.
Business English
Other learners need to learn English for business purposes. They need to be able to communicate in everyday situations but they also need to be able to work in an English-speaking environment.
In addition to the language that is focused on in General English classes, Business English lessons also deal with aspects of English related to business. This includes, among other things,:
- talking on the phone
- chairing a meeting
- making notes
- giving presentations
- negotiating.
Business English is one of a few specialisations in TEFL that you can do, whether or not you are a specialist in that field.
This might sound a bit daunting if you’ve never set foot in a boardroom before, but it’s totally do-able. There are tons of resources out there to help you teach Business English.
But you don’t have to believe us. Here’s what a few TEFL Academy graduates have to say in their TEFL Academy Reviews about teaching Business English.
The TEFL Academy review: Charlie
“I mainly teach Business English one-on-one to adult students in large corporate businesses. They require a high level of English as they want to perfect their speaking skills for both professional and personal advancement. I don’t have any business experience myself but with a degree and a TEFL qualification, I found my feet very quickly. Taking the course opened up the best opportunities for me.”
The TEFL Academy review: Mustafa
“I did the Level 5 TEFL Course and the Business English Top-Up course with The TEFL Academy. Both courses were completely online and flexible. I managed to complete the course while studying for a degree and fulfilling other commitments.
I definitely recommend The TEFL Academy! It provides you with engaging material that keeps you interested and great tools for teaching. The course provides you with practical information needed when planning lessons and engaging with students. Feedback from tutors on assignments is very helpful as it helps you to make lessons more effective.
If you want to read more The TEFL Academy Reviews, simply do an online search and see for yourself. The TEFL Academy also has an alumni section where you can read all about some of their graduates and what they are getting up to wherever they are in the world.
Well, what are you waiting for?!
