Whether it is a specialisation in young learners, business, grammar, phonetics or teaching practice, adding a specialist qualification to your core TESOL certificate can make the world of difference to your teaching prospects and earning potential. In this article I've outlined four key reasons why such a course can be so valuable for your teaching career.
Does a specialisation show employers you take teaching seriously?
Yes – a TESOL specialist course shows you are keen on Continuing Professional Development (CPD). A specialisation tells your employer that you see EFL as a profession rather than just a job, showing that you believe a TEFL career is worth investing in as you seek to become even more knowledgeable. Particularly consider adding a specialism if you took your initial TESOL course a few years ago and have not since updated your skills. Either way, an extra TESOL specialisation can make the difference between an ordinary CV and an extraordinary one.
How does a specialism help you stand out from the crowd?
Most of those in the profession take only an initial TESOL and teach off the back of this for years. There is nothing wrong with this of course, and once qualified, nobody can take it away from you. However, imagine you are applying for a dream TESOL job along with 50 other degree-educated, TEFL qualified native English-speaking applicants. What is likely to set you apart from the rest? This is where a specialisation can really help give you the edge. A specialism can help you stand out from the crowd and help you get your dream job.
Can a TESOL specialisation help you earn more?
Business English in particular can pay more than general English teaching. Some of our TESOL graduates have found lucrative teaching work in-company in France and Japan on the strength of their business English qualification. It’s often sought after in Germany and becoming more popular around the world as well. Global English TESOL graduate Matthew Bruce managed to secure a prestigious teaching post with a major electronics company in Tokyo because of his business English qualification:
''Over 150 applicants applied and just 10 were interviewed, and I was selected. They asked various questions with regards to I.T. and teaching English. I was able to present some good ideas due to the fact that I had learnt many valuable points through the Global English Business English course.''
If business English appeals, our article on why teach business English looks at the market in more depth.
Will a specialism give you the confidence to go it alone?
A lot of our TESOL trainees teach privately. But since freelance teachers often have to generate their own lessons and material, they can shy away from teaching business students, grammar lessons or even children, since they feel ill-equipped to create and deliver such bespoke lessons. This really narrows their options in the private teaching sector. The result is a frustrating paradox: the best-paying private students – professionals, exam candidates, children of ambitious parents – are exactly the ones freelancers without a specialism feel unable to accept.
However, learning new teaching skills through a specialism can give you enormous confidence and the courage to take on more bespoke work. This means a TESOL specialism can enlarge your potential pool of students as well as your earning capacity. This is especially the case with our 20 hour Teaching English Online course.
Which TESOL specialisms can you choose from?
Here is the range at a glance, so you can match a specialism to your target market:
| Specialism | Hours | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching English to Young Learners | 30 | School and language-centre jobs across Asia and beyond |
| Teaching Business English | 30 | In-company work in Europe and Japan; higher hourly rates |
| Total English Grammar | 40 | Confidence with the mechanics of English – useful everywhere |
| Introduction to Phonetics | 30 | Pronunciation teaching and exam-class work |
| Teaching English Online | 20 | Freelancing and online platforms |
| TEFL Teaching Practice | 20 | Certified classroom hours for your CV |
Choosing between them is easier than it looks: match the specialism to the demand in your target destination. Business English earns its keep in northern Europe and Japan, young-learner skills open doors across much of Asia, and the online-teaching specialism suits anyone who wants location-independent income. Our destinations pages suggest course combinations country by country.
The good news is most specialisms are not arduous to complete. They build on your existing knowledge and are generally very manageable at around 20 or 30 hours per course. Yet, as we have outlined, the value of such a qualification can be felt for years afterwards.
All our specialist courses sit alongside our core accredited online TESOL courses, which carry independent ACTDEC accreditation – see why accreditation matters. New to the acronyms? Start with TEFL vs TESOL: what's the difference? or our guide to choosing the best online TEFL course for your career.
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Interested in adding a short specialist qualification?
Then check out our range of TESOL specialisms. They range from £45 to £125, and you can get 10% off the total for enrolling on 2 or more courses…
Frequently asked questions
Why take a TESOL specialisation?
Four reasons: it demonstrates continuing professional development to employers, it differentiates you from the many applicants who hold only an initial TESOL certificate, it can raise your earning power – especially business English – and it gives freelance teachers the skills and confidence to take on bespoke lessons for children, companies or online students.
How long does a TESOL specialism take?
Most specialist courses are short and manageable – typically 20 to 40 hours of self-paced online study, designed to build on the knowledge from your core TESOL certificate. Many trainees complete one in a few weeks alongside work, and prices currently range from £45 to £125 per course.
Which TESOL specialisation pays the most?
Business English is the specialism most consistently linked with higher rates, because companies in markets like France, Germany and Japan pay a premium for in-company training. Young-learner and online-teaching specialisms tend to widen the number of jobs you can apply for rather than the headline rate.
Do I need a specialisation before my first TEFL job?
No – an accredited 120-hour TESOL certificate is enough for most first jobs. A specialisation is the logical next step when you are targeting a specific market (such as business English in Europe), returning to teaching after a gap, or moving into freelance and online work where bespoke skills win students.