Why complete a TESOL course? That is a very good question! Having just completed this course, I speak from experience about the numerous benefits-- benefits which were incentive for me to have started it in the first place.
I’ve always thought that if you are going to do something at all it’s important to do it well, the best that you can. Being a teacher, of any subject, is an important profession. You are imparting knowledge, skill and understanding to a captive audience. How well they learn, and how fast they learn, and how much they develop a love for learning is reflected in how well a teacher does their job. Many of us owe a great deal to the teachers in our lives that helped bridge a gap, master a subject and develop confidence through knowledge.
This in itself is the greatest incentive: Fulfilling expectations and being a professional, thereby enabling others to come to greater understanding and having enhanced capabilities in their lives through an added skill and knowledge.
Besides that, there were many other practical reasons why I felt that taking a TESOL was helpful.

1. To have a better understanding of the material being taught: As a teacher having a thorough understanding of the subject you are teaching is vital. As native English speakers we often don’t consciously think about, and may not even remember all the rules for oral and written English, pronunciation, and the harder to grasp concepts of idioms, spelling and grammar rules (and exceptions to those) that are in the English language. We take much of this for granted when communicating, however, for a new English speaker, it can be quite bewildering. It may have been awhile since we last reviewed the finer details of the grammar, spelling and punctuation rules, or may have difficulty recalling them when trying to teach them. However, when someone is learning English as a second language it is important that you can teach these principles in a clear, precise and understandable manner as they are all vital building blocks to fully grasping the English language. So doing the TESOL gives a good overall review and understanding of how to teach these things.

2. Learning to have a good class plan: Having a good plan when teaching is a must and cannot be over-emphasized because a disorganized class with a teacher that jumps from subject to subject will lose the students’ attention and diminish their comprehension. This will create difficulties in their learning and ultimately affect their desire to learn English. A teacher’s responsibility is to keep the students challenged in their learning through helping them feel satisfied and confident with their progress. The only way you can ensure this is by having a good plan before each class, based on larger goals and projections well-thought out in advance. Like the old saying, you have to know where you’re going if you’re going to take people there!
3. Giving the students an advantage through a standardized course: Progressing through the TESOL prescribes a set standard to follow in unison with other English teachers. This gives the confidence of knowing that if your students do change classes or go to a new school they will easily be able to integrate more seamlessly thus giving them continued results and greater confidence. In most cases I’ve observed that there are more positive results when a teacher is applying techniques from a tried-and-proven TESOL course.

4. To have teaching qualifications: In most countries worldwide it is a requirement to have a TESOL certificate (or an equivalent) to be able to teach English. In some ways it’s like a passport to the world of English teachers, a subject that is in great demand in many countries. Having documented qualifications of this skill also opens and enhances many options available to you as an individual.

5. Learning how to handle a classroom: As a teacher, it is vital to discover and implement the delicate balance that is required in all stages of a class. A connection with each of the students is important to helping them feel comfortable and confident to express themselves in a new language. It has been proven that students learn much faster and easier from a teacher that they like; conversely a bad teacher can turn a student off a subject completely. At the same time, having classroom control and being able to direct your students ably and expecting respect and results from them is a must.

6. Having a well-rounded understanding of the written and spoken language: There is also a balance to be learned between the study and bookwork and the implementation, so that the students don’t just learn book English, but are able to communicate adequately in any medium.

7. Learning how to teach grammar: The finer details of the tedious and somewhat conflicting rules of English grammar can be intimidating enough for a native speaker and much more so for a new learner. The TESOL course helps with a needed review for the teacher, which then gives greater confidence to teach the subject matter and face the questions that students will ask. There are also many simple and innovative ideas on how to teach this subject, which is an invaluable asset.
All in all, I was satisfied with the time I spent taking the TESOL and I feel it better equipped me with the skills I need as an English teacher. It has increased my confidence, knowledge and ability. Always being eager to learn new things and add more experience through additional challenges is so important for a teacher and it helps give a better understanding of the best results and techniques that work well in imparting new skills.

Sam Spilelberg