In the world before Covid TEFL teachers were the ultimate globetrotters. After all, a TEFL qualification is the best way possible to discover everything travel and discovery has to offer while earning money at the same time. The TEFL Academy has equipped thousands of people with the ability to do this over the years and their stories and paths are really quite inspiring to say the least! There are endless possibilities of what you can experience and where you can go in the world.
This is the year that movement and travel as we knew it received a significant blow. All of a sudden we received advice not to travel from governments and public health bodies. This had a profound effect on all of our lives. But that is not to say that teaching english as a foreign language has disappeared or rendered redundant. The teaching english online space has been growing significantly in the last number of years, and post-covid the need for online english teachers has increased exponentially.
With all of that said, there was a curiosity out there about what the thousands of people who are TEFL qualified are feeling about teaching online and abroad. This is an especially poignant time to take stock of the english language teaching. In short, the ELT industry is still coming to terms with all that has happened this year.
To get a real sense of where ELT is right now, The TEFL Academy carried out an in-depth survey of the TEFL world. It is clear from their findings that many people are considering teaching English for the very first time. This is due to the increase in online English teaching English work that is now available, coupled with the emergence of ‘working from home’ being the norm for so many people around the world. Ultimately the closure of in-classroom schools did not cause a decrease in demand for teachers but indeed an increase with schools switching to online learning methods.
The TEFL Academy learned that many of their students and TEFL teachers’ original plans and ambitions have been altered this year. Perhaps your own teaching plans have been changed too? If this is the case, the following 6 findings from the recent survey will be of interest to you and may even surprise you somewhat!
- The Majority of TEFL Teachers Have Been Affected by COVID
TEFL teachers were asked the question, ‘Has COVID impacted your TEFL journey’? From which the majority of people have felt the effects this year – to which 52% said it has.
- 52% of Teachers Surveyed Become TEFL Qualified Post-COVID
Responders were asked if their TEFL journey began or become TEFL qualified before COVID reached your country of residence? This was almost an even split but the majority of people (52%) said that they started with journey after COVID became a feature of their lives.
- The Desire to Upskill was the biggest Motivation to Become TEFL Qualified
The TEFL Academy asked those who have just completed or purchased a TEFL course, what motivated them to do it? The two biggest motivating factors were using the free time that some people experience during lockdowns and also those who were looking to embark a journey of teaching English abroad.
- TEFL Teachers are still Keen to Travel
Are people still motivated to travel abroad (when it is permitted to do so in their region) despite the COVID situation? The answer was overwhelmingly yes! New and experienced TEFL teachers are still keen to travel the world.
- Europe and Asia are the Continents of Choice to Teach In
The sentiment for travel is strong despite the fact that an overwhelming majority are not currently teaching abroad. So, where do people who are currently studying to become TEFL teachers want to teach? Well the answer to that has two parts. Firstly, teaching online is the most popular choice when put as an option, followed closely by Europe and Asia.
- 82% of TEFL Teachers are Planning to Teach Online
The world has become much more ‘au fait’ with digital communication and work generally in the past few months. Our survey results in total really drive home the point that qualified and aspiring TEFL teachers are for the most part ready and willing to take up online teaching jobs.
As we have all come to learn in the last number of months, everything we do and know is subject to change. But one thing is not changing. People’s desire to learn English as a foreign language and for people to learn how to teach it! The TEFL Academy’s market leading TEFL courses are truly the best way to get qualified to teach, in whatever way that our new world presents you with!
Do these stats chime with your experience? How was your teaching experience affected by COVID? You can read The TEFL Academy’s findings in full here.
