TEFL online

I am retiring soon, and as I live in an isolated place, I was thinking of taking a TEFL course online. I have heard so many different opinions I just dont know what to do. Any ideas anyone. No I do not have any teaching expierience.
I wanted to teach in a small village in Thailand near my family. This small school is not connected to any goverment or charity, just wanted to help them.
Thank you
stargate

Hello folks!I'm interested in the same subject and I have some information to share.
1. Be very careful about the online TEFL certificates!It's a good idea to get one,yes(I myself plan to have that) but none of them has yet convinced me about their quality.It seems to me that some bad guys out there are after the money of good people like you and me.They try to gain advantage of the highly growing demand for English teachers in the ELT market.It sure is a great beginning for those wanting to go teach people English but I repeat..You have to be careful not to get disappointed!
2. CELTA is definitely the one because it is recognized.It shows that you are on the right track.But of course there is no end in teaching like in learning.Further qualifications and training and research and personal development are necessary if you are serious about ELT.Note that also competence among ELT people is getting severe.You will need to fight for your place.There is always a possibility for you that better rivals could appear someday and occupy your place!I get worried whenever I see a person who has better English.No retreat no surrender!)) By the way CELTA is not an online course.
The most important thing is your desire to teach English.This is not only a job.This is a challenge,a passion,a dedication..Apparently English is the only way to hold peoples of the world together as one.And the biggest role in this mission is yours, those who are in love with English..
Thank you..All the best..

Every person is different. So is every job market. Depending on a person's existing resume, an online course may be all that is needed to make the jump in teaching English. That said, in some job markets the term "CELTA or equivalent" is inescapable in ads for teaching positions. In those cases, an online/distance course likely won't do regardless of prior experience and/or other credentials.

As the OP is interested in Thailand, another course to check out might be TEFL International's PELT.

You can take CELTA courses part-time in several countries. Check out the Cambridge web site for more information.

When you say "in-country," I can't be sure what country you are referring to. Options vary greatly from the UK to the US to Canada, Australia, etc. Regardless of your location, however, another distance course you might want to check out is English International.

Reputation and recognition vary greatly. A certificate that is highly valued in one country might be completely unknown in another. Start by researching the job market you are applying to. Read as many job ads as you can for Vietnam/Thailand and try and get a sense of what they are looking for. Ask questions on forums like this one (or ESL Cafe) of other teachers in that country to get their opinions on which certificates are the best bang for the buck.

A few things to remember:

1) there is an element of "you get what you pay for" in TESOL training;
2) there is no central accrediting authority for TESOL courses;
3) from a purely pragmatic perspective, a course is only as good as the job it will get you.

That's why, in my opinion, research is so key. Everyone is different. You education and experience combined with your goals make your choice of a course a unique undertaking. For some people, a shorter, cheaper course is the perfect supplement to their existing credentials. For others, a longer, more expensive name brand course (CELTA, Trinity, etc.) might make the difference on a resume lacking in experience and applicable education.

Here are a few places to start researching courses:

TEFL Board, Which Course? and Course Catalog.

Good luck!