Alison Wong is a certified TEFL teacher from Malaysia. She spent more than five years working in the field of retailing and marketing. Finally, she decided it was time for a change of scenery and went to pursue her studies in New Zealand. She graduated at the Auckland University of Technology and worked briefly as a teaching assistant (where she found her passion for teaching). After some carefully considerations, she made up her mind to get her TEFL with TtMadrid in Spain (best decision she ever made!). She now teaches in Turkey.
Why did you decide to get TEFL certified with TtMadrid in Spain?
The idea of getting a TEFL certificate started after having briefly worked as a teaching assistant. I realized that I enjoy teaching very, very much and wanted to go into teaching. So I did some searching here and there to get some ideas about TEFL courses.
One day, I stumbled across few reviews written by previous students who did their TEFL course with TtMadrid in Spain. I have always wanted to visit Spain, so I thought why not give it a try. I had gone through most of the details on the official website but I was still undecided. So I contacted the advisor named Helen at the chat box available on the right corner of the page. She was knowledgeable about the course and happily answered my questions.
After given some thoughts to it, I was keen to sign up for the course. A brief Skype interview was conducted, I was reassured that the TEFL course is accredited and taught in a high quality standard. Their services were praiseworthy and I was positive that I made the right choice. Despite the fact that I was only allowed to visit Spain on a tourist visa. Yet, TtMadrid was more than happy to welcome me into the course. That is why, I was happy to go with TtMadrid to get my TEFL in Spain.
What stood out to you most about your TEFL course with TtMadrid?
There were a lot of things that exceeded my expectations. So this is rather difficult for me to pick one. But if I had to choose one, I would have to say hands down to the energetic and supportive teaching team at TtMadrid!
The teachers spontaneously delivered the class from start till end with such great energy. I was moved and inspired by their teaching styles. The team not only helped me to overcome my struggles with grammars and phonetics. But also, given me lots of encouragement that made me more determined to complete the course with flying colours.
After they observed my teaching sessions, the teaching feedback given by them were super useful. They pointed the areas of my strengths and weaknesses, also some tips for better improvement. This motivated me to put in extra efforts to improve and improvise on my lesson plan for the next teaching session.
More importantly, I stayed positive and learned from my mistakes as well. These experiences have been most helpful for my teaching practices. At the end of the day, I mustered up the courage to come out of my shell. Again, many, many thanks to the awesome team at TtMadrid!
How has this experience impacted your future? (Personally, professionally, academically, etc.)
After having completed the course, I find myself overwhelmed by many, many positive impacts. The course has given me the gentle push in obtaining the knowledge and skills that I need. The training has equipped me to handle a teaching job. In the process of it, I have gained some new insights and understand more about a teacher's role in the competitive job market.
My previous experience as a teaching assistant did help a little, where I managed to keep calm when teaching a new class. But I soon realized that the actual effort required was in fact, ten times more than what I had imagined. From preparing lesson plans to classroom management to creating a student focused classes. A teaching career that I considered demanding yet achievable. I was glad that I was able to experience many challenges in order to brush up my skills during my teaching practices.
The most noticeable change was that I came out from my shell. Before this, I was pretty shy. The day where I carried out the class with such positive and high energy was absolutely remarkable. It surprised my teachers as much as it surprised me.
The teachers and students at TtMadrid have both shed some light in my teaching approach. I am thankful to have learned so much from them as they had learned from me. This experience has definitely left a strong and positive impression on me that helped me to become more open to challenges and self-motivated.
What is one piece of advice you would offer someone considering a TEFL course in Spain?
My simple advice for you is to find out as much information as you can about the course beforehand. Take some time to think through the simple questions, whether this course is suitable for you, why you are interested in teaching and if you ready to live in a foreign country.
It sounds simple enough but I highly recommend that you put this into consideration before you get ahead of yourself, whether you are here for a short visit or long-term stay in Spain. After you have finally made up your mind, I would say get ready for an adventure of a lifetime!
The day I realized I have a passion for teaching, I knew I want to go into teaching. At the same time, I wanted something different for a change in my life. I always wanted to visit Spain and I knew it was time to make a move. I took some time to think this through. After some careful consideration, I decided to get my TEFL in Spain and had no doubts about it. The course proved to be intensive and challenging for most people, including myself. As long as you stay focused and determined, you will definitely cross the finish line.
