International TEFL Academy
Programs and Reviews
International TEFL Academy was founded on the premise that language education offers English speakers from all backgrounds the opportunity of a lifetime to experience other cultures and build relationships abroad while providing a worthy service to others. Combining a wealth of expertise and commitment to excellence we provide the finest training and personal guidance to enable students from all walks of life to live their dreams of exploring the world while teaching English. We are committed to complete transparency and integrity in representing who we are, what we do, and what we stand for.
Programs Abroad
Jobs
Reviews
100%Overall
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90%Overall
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This course has covered many areas in which I have struggled during my own experiences tutoring English in the past. The staff has been extremely helpful along the way and I believe that after completing the 20 hours of classroom practicum I will be knowledgeable in many different techniques of teaching.
80%Overall
Rating
I took the Online Course from the International TEFL Academy. I researched numerous programs and found that the ITEFL Academy was the most affordable, organized and accredited. The course was exactly what I expected; challenging at times and covered a broad span of topics. If your heart is truly not committed to teaching English, then the course would have been extremely difficult and time consuming for you. Otherwise, if you are a student eager to go abroad, everything flowed smoothly. The staff was and has been extremely helpful. I have graduated months ago and am still in contact with my adviser, emailing her laundry lists of questions and scheduling phone appointments as well. They are extremely helpful post-graduation which is just as important for them guiding you through the course.
80%Overall
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My experience with ITA was mostly very positive. After much research on other programs and several Q&As with my helpful and knowledgeable admissions advisor, I enrolled in the online course in early 2011. I feel that I got my money's worth.
The curriculum left a bit to be desired. I found several typos and thought most of the assignments could be more challenging; but overall, I would recommend the program. The staff seemed very willing to review and update the curriculum.
The employment resources that they provided also needed to be updated. After receiving my certificate, I used their directory of international schools to search for employment in S. America. I sent resumes to one country and nearly all the email addresses listed were incorrect, as they bounced back to me. Perhaps the listings have been updated since then, though... Ask!
I also greatly appreciated the instructor's willingness to hold online office hours for any questions on a regular basis, as well as the requirement to review peers' homework submissions. It was very interesting and valuable to see how others interpreted the assignments and to learn from their ideas.
I really appreciated the practicum, as it was lengthier than other TEFL/TESOL programs that I researched. I feel that I got a lot of experiential education that enhanced what I learned online. I also simply enjoyed teaching and observing the students!
90%Overall
Rating
Teaching in Peru was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Like most decisions, I didn't fully realize this fact until I was already well into my adventure. One thing I did know though, was that no matter what happened it was going to be a good experience and growth opportunity it many areas: personal, career, and social. What I didn't know, was quite what I was getting into and just how great of an adventure it was going to be. Getting my TEFL certification really jump started my involvement in teaching abroad and gave me that little extra incentive (no use wasting a paid certification) and a lot of extra confidence in both my teaching skills and the support that I would have while abroad. The flexible schedule allowed me to be in school and work while getting certified and the emphasis on group learning really hammered home the concepts and helped me to get the most out of my training. Once in Peru, I could rely on my wealth of activities, assignments, readings, etc. that I and my fellow teachers had created while working together on our certification. But what I found most helpful, was the boost in confidence that I could do this, I could teach abroad, and that was the extra step I needed to lead me through an amazing 13 months abroad.
Alumni Interviews
Staff Interview
Go Overseas recently caught up with Cassie Wells, Academic Advisor at International TEFL Academy.
Cassie Wells is an academic advisor at International TEFL Academy. She taught English in South Korea and has traveled extensively in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and parts of Africa. Originally from Valparaiso, Indiana, she earned a bachelor's degree in fine arts from Columbia College and prior to entering the field of teaching English abroad, she worked as a television producer. Cassie lives on the Southwest Side of Chicago with her Korean cat, Kobe.
Go Overseas: Tell us a little about ITA and your role at the school.
Cassie: I'm an academic advisor with ITA and I speak with prospective students from all over the globe about their aspirations to teach English abroad. Packing up your bags and moving to a new country is a big step that requires a lot of planning. I help students figure out what countries might offer them the best opportunities and I assist them with drawing up a realistic timeline for certification and interviewing for teaching jobs, so that they can achieve their goals of living and teaching overseas. Every prospective TEFL student has their own questions. I answer questions ranging from 'will my students be adults or children?' or 'where will I live when I teach abroad?' to 'which countries will have the best waves to surf?' and 'can I bring my cat overseas?'!
Go Overseas: How did you get involved in the education/TEFL field?
Cassie: I taught abroad myself, just a few years ago, in Seoul, South Korea. It was my first experience living abroad and it absolutely changed my life. I taught, traveled, and met great people from all walks of life, including many English teachers, who became some of my best friends.
I taught English to elementary and middle school students at a private language school and I still get emails from my old students to this day, which is incredibly rewarding! Since then, I have traveled to countries far and wide and every time I'm never anything less than humbled by the people I meet, places I see, and memories I've made. I've been advising at ITA for going on 2 years now and it's always a great feeling to hear from ITA graduates who are living their international dreams!
Go Overseas: What makes ITA unique?
Cassie: Here at ITA, we are an international family; a community of travelers, teachers, and explorers looking to help others enjoy a similar experience. All of us who work at ITA have lived abroad, taught abroad, or worked abroad to some extent.
We offer the best TEFL certification and training possible, not only so our graduates can qualify for great jobs and have a great experience abroad, but because the students they teach deserve the best education possible as well. We do everything we can so that ITA grads enjoy their teaching abroad experience just as much as we did!
Go Overseas: In your experience, what characteristics make a good international teacher?
Cassie: If you're a native English speaker that loves to travel, work with diverse groups of people, and enjoy learning about new customs and cultures, you'll be a great international teacher. ITA will provide you with the TEFL certification and job-search assistance you need to be successful. It's also important to be open minded and ready for adventure. You're going to meet a lot of new people and see a lot of new places that perhaps you've only seen in text books or travel magazines (just this year I touched the pyramids at Giza... and couldn't believe it!).
My review is based on my experience signing up through the Chicago office and then doing the program in Barcelona.
I strongly recommend the TEFL training. I had an amazing experience - the course is demanding and challenging which ensures that you are well-prepared to begin teaching as soon as you complete the program.
The trainers, Stephen and Kerry, are absolutely experts in their delivery of the material, but more importantly, in the way that in just 4 weeks they are able to mold you into the teacher you hoped you would be. I greatly respect Stephen and Kerry, they are highly qualified for their positions and will give you the best training possible.
I really like that the program is smaller than the big TEFL companies because the trainers are able to provide a more personalized approach and take the time to meet one on one with the students and address all types of concerns - professional ones and personal ones too.
Practice teaching was a great experience as there are small group classes that you get to teach while Stephen or Kerry observes and steps in if necessary. Leading up to the class, Stephen and Kerry take you through every step of the planning to make the class as successful as possible. You are then provided with immediate feedback following the class and it is always constructive and useful, giving you a goal for the next time you teach.
I taught in the U.S. for more than 10 years and definitely came into the experience thinking that I could just breeze through it - that wasn't the case. I say that so that potential students are aware that you have to work really hard, but if you're willing to do so and want to learn from the best, then this program is definitely the place for you.
And as an added bonus you have the awesome location of being two blocks from Sagrada Familia.