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How to Teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) (Udemy.com)

Includes reusable TEFL teaching materials | Suitable for CELTA preparation | Learn how to plan lessons with AI

Created by: TEFL Essentials

Last updated September 2024

Our take

Based on the ratings of 1,216 students, a sample of their written reviews and the syllabus, as the course stood in September 2024. No course pays to be reviewed.

This is a short, video-based introduction to teaching English abroad from TEFL Essentials. It runs 5.2 hours over 58 lectures and 14 sections, and the lectures are kept brief. Topics move from how learners pick up English to lesson planning, coursebooks, classroom management, error correction and assessment. The audience is native-level speakers heading overseas, volunteers, people warming up for CELTA, and working teachers who want a refresher. Nothing assumes classroom experience, only solid English and a grasp of grammar.

Reviewers praise how easy it is to follow, and one sums it up as easy, clear, practical, not too long. Another says the presenter, Fiona, speaks clearly and liked the option to make notes on screen. One working teacher knew much of it already but picked up useful points on teaching online. The complaints are fair. It is mostly video, so one reviewer felt it works as a guide rather than practice, another found it short on structure, and two mention quiet or uneven sound. Of 1,216 ratings, 989 are four or five stars.

The syllabus shows a September 2024 lecture on planning lessons with ChatGPT, plus 21 PowerPoint games added in 2023 that work online or face to face. That update is now about two years old, and the course has no quizzes or assignments. Think of it as a starting orientation, not a stand-in for CELTA or supervised teaching practice. If you are weighing a move into teaching abroad, it is a low-risk way to see how lessons get built. Anyone who needs graded practice should look elsewhere.

Best forFuture English teachers who want a quick TEFL overview or a head start before CELTA.
Skip it ifYou want graded practice, live feedback or supervised, hands-on teaching practice.

Pros

  • Short video lectures that reviewers call easy, clear and not too long
  • 21 PowerPoint games and activities included, usable online or in person
  • Lesson planning is the longest section, plus a newer lecture on planning with ChatGPT
  • Presenter speaks clearly and on-screen note-taking works well, per one reviewer

Cons

  • Video only, with no quizzes or assignments, so some reviewers want more practice
  • Uneven audio: reviewers report quiet sound, shifting volume and cut-off sentences
  • Experienced teachers may find much of it familiar, and one reviewer found the tools dated
It was exactly what I needed. Easy, clear, practical, not too long. Thank you so much!
Alejandra S. Ochoa, a student

Suits newcomers to teaching, but it expects native-level English and solid grammar. Seasoned teachers will skim.

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What you will learn

  • Learn past and current TEFL teaching methodologies
  • Be able to plan engaging English language lessons
  • Know how to teach different types of students and lessons
  • Be able to effectively organise and manage an English class
  • Learn how and when to correct errors in speech and writing
  • Know how to assess students

Course content

14 sections · 58 lectures · 5.2 hours of video 1 article

  1. 1Introduction 1 free preview2 lectures · 6 min
  2. 2Teaching the English Language 2 free previews2 lectures · 11 min
  3. 3English Language Teachers 1 free preview2 lectures · 6 min
  4. 4Learners3 lectures · 26 min
  5. 5How is English learned?2 lectures · 13 min
  6. 6Learner Profile1 lecture · 9 min
  7. 7Lesson Planning6 lectures · 58 min
  8. 8Teaching From Coursebooks2 lectures · 21 min
  9. 9Language Skills3 lectures · 12 min
  10. 10Teaching Language Skills4 lectures · 36 min

Who it is for

The instructor says it suits

  • Native-level English language speakers who want to teach English as a foreign language (TEFL) abroad
  • Those who are preparing for CELTA or an intensive, face-to-face English course and wish to get a head start
  • Those already teaching English who wish to refresh their knowledge of English language teaching
  • Those intending to volunteer as an English teacher

What you need before you start

  • A native-level of English
  • An understanding of English grammar

How it compares

Against the other 503 rated Udemy courses in Teaching & Academics on CourseDuck:

  • Rating4.4 out of 5higher than 27% of them
  • Reviews1,216#130 of 504 by number of reviews
  • Length5.2 hourslonger than 65% of them
  • Last updatedSeptember 2024more recently than 60% of them

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Course Description

TEFL Essentials: Teaching English as a Foreign Language is a comprehensive introduction to the field of TEFL.

It covers a wide range of topics, including the history of TEFL, the different approaches to TEFL, the needs of English language learners, and how to plan and deliver effective TEFL lessons.

In short, easy-to-follow video lectures, you'll learn everything you need to start teaching English to foreign language speakers.

Upon successful completion of this course, you will understand how English is taught to speakers of other languages and be able to plan your own English language lessons.

You will learn the background and theories of teaching English as a foreign language and become equipped with the knowledge you need to better understand and teach English language learners.

September 2024 New Lecture Update: How to plan lessons with AI

This newly added lecture shows you step-by-step how to plan English language lessons with ChatGPT. You'll learn how to use AI to enhance your lesson planning, plan full lessons, and adaprt lesson plans fo different levels and ages.

2023 Update: Now includes 21 PowerPoint Games & Activities for Teaching English

You'll learn how to use a variety of games & activities with students of all ages and levels. Each game and activity includes a PowerPoint download so that you can use them in both online and face-to-face lessons.

2021 New Lecture Update: Teaching Post-Covid19

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Instructor Details

TEFL Essentials

TEFL Essentials online courses equip people with the skills and knowledge they need to teach English as a foreign language.

TEFL Essentials courses don't just give you pages of PDFs to read followed by a final test. Each lesson is video-based; you can watch them as many times as you want, and the videos are short - just 10 minutes on average.

Our courses are also great for those of you who want to get a headstart for your Celta or university TEFL course without spending thousands.

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Reviews

4.4

1,216 ratings on Udemy

Select a bar to show only those reviews.Select the bar again to show every rating.

By Tuğba ÇELİKER on 6/16/2025

This course so far has taught me better ways of teaching English Language and the things to consider before starting a lesson as a FACILITATOR. The reasons why learners are learning English is greatly considered when preparing a lesson for your students

By Kim Rautenbach on 1/2/2025

Very informative. If you are already a teacher, then you will already know a lot of the information, but the course adds valuable information about teaching online that is very different from traditional teaching that I was not aware of before. Thank you!

By Jan Dirk Johannes van den Berg on 7/12/2021

It's only videos, nothing practical. Even with a certificate in the end, I feel like there'll be a struggle for students when they want to become teachers after this course. Other than that, it's really useful, but serves more as a guide than anything in my opinion.

By Theresa Jonathan on 5/11/2021

It was very interesting and also challenged my perception on how I would cope with communicating instructions for students who are foreigners... I felt I needed guidelines on that to ensure that students are motivated to continue learning.

By Jacqui Stanton on 9/29/2020

It's more comprehensive than I had originally thought. Great examples of student situations and how to best work with them. Comprehensive framework given for teaching language skills. Fiona speaks clearly and is very easy to understand. The options to make notes on the screen is perfect.

By Yaasoda Paramasivam on 7/20/2020

This is my first time completing an online course. I am so grateful for the tutor as well as the course content. The knowledge gained through this course is very valuable. This course was a very good opportunity for myself to make a good use of my summer break as well as to improve myself in many ways. I will be able to now implement the knowledge gained throughout this course during my work.

By Ojo Ifeoluwa on 6/18/2020

I rate the course 5 star because, it’s easy to watch and also learner can re play each of the topic if he/she feels like, for good understanding of the course, and also the teacher is detailed about the teaching of the course, lastly the course is well broken down for easy understanding.

By Koketso Setlhodi on 8/17/2019

I liked it a lot because it was not too hectic. I could watch a video whenever I had time in my day to watch. Instructions were clear and the content was very useful. The only thing I would change is the sound levels, they are too soft. I would definitely recommend this course to others

By Sharon Tokas on 7/14/2019

It was indeed an absolutely amazing experience and the joy to be a student again was profound and nostalgic. The course was very informative and interesting all the way , a lot of insight and knowledge about teaching abroad and teaching techniques. A heartfelt thank you to our dear teacher Ms. Fiona and to the Udemy team too. You made my dream come true!

By Latha Kavitha Suresh on 11/2/2018

TEFL Essentials is my first online course. I greatly appreciate the pace of the course. My favorite sections were: a good teacher and class management. This course has helped me positively in getting a fair idea on ELT and its basics. I will definitely recommend it to my friends. I would like to convey my sincere thanks to the knee smacking efforts of Ms. Fiona Loves, in putting this crisp and meaningful course together.

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Quality Score

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Overall Score : 88 / 100