Is the Trinity College London CertTESOL the same as a TEFL certificate?
Yes. In this context TESOL and TEFL can be used interchangeably. The Trinity College London CertTESOL course is very similar to the Cambridge CELTA course and is an internationally recognised TEFL qualification. Both the CertTESOL and the CELTA are accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority as level 5 qualifications, and are accepted by the British Council as initial TEFL qualifications for teachers in its accredited teaching organisations in the UK and in its own teaching operations overseas. Credits are also awarded towards degree programmes offered by the Open University in the U.K. When people want to be ‘TEFL qualified’ these are the certificates which are generally referred to. The courses include a minimum of 100 hours attendance, plus a substantial number of hours of further private study and preparation. They include 6 hours observed teaching practice and 4 hours observation of lessons taught by experienced teachers.
