For some (possibly even for most) the acronym TEFL corresponds with severely discounted English language courses which are given to people who either get grants from their government to go and do something useful with their spare time or simply need a good excuse for a holiday.



However, this is definitely not the case. The teaching of English as a foreign language is a business which has not only been on the market for longer than one imagines but it has also had a vital role in the economy of Ireland. Proof of this is that the average student spends 400 Euro per week on courses, accommodation, meals and leisure. It is also interesting to note that students' stays vary between two and 20 weeks. Now multiply that by the 96,250 students who visited Ireland last year and you get your figures!

 

In general students tend to be from central European countries, however, as time goes by this trend is changing as well. In fact, in 2011, students from more distant countries, such as, China, Japan, South America and Russia have also started visiting Ireland to learn the English language. The fact that they come from so far away could also result in a longer stay.

According to John Bowman, Academic Manager at Cogan International College, a new Government strategy on Teaching English as a Foreign Language could result in a boost in the sector. Ireland can take up to 50 new language schools, catering for up to 30,000 more students, resulting in hundreds of new jobs for the Irish people.

This college is one of the centres which prepares prospective teachers for the EFL world using the well-known CELTA course (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults). It is a a full-time four week or part-time ten week course which anyone with a Level 7 Qualification (in any subject) can follow.  It is accredited by the Department of Education and involves supervised and monitored teaching practice, in other words, just like any other teacher-training course at any university.

Bowman insists on the fact that people can nowadays get a career in TEFL, mainly because the sector has grown so much that it offers various possibilities to different individuals who are interested and motivated enough to grab the bull by the horns.

He also talks about two other countries, namely Australia and Malta, who have relied on the English language to pump money into their respective economies, making the EFL industry one of the most important sectors in their country.

Bowman is hopeful that the Government policy to increase numbers by a further 30,000 in 2012 will pay off. He claims that, "The world has an insatiable appetite for education, and we're in an amazing position to make the most of that." 


Some countries rely on natural resources to boost their economy - others need to recognize their linguistic ones!