Program Reviews

I was an ESOL teacher for around 10 years in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Among my students were ordinary young students, once even to a group of native
physicians (medical terminology) and employees of two different hotels. All this part-time,
because I was attending medical school at the same time. Besides my B.S. in Biology, I've been granted a D.D. degree (Divinity) here in USA, from a local school in Georgia. I took 2 years of french during my B.S. degree. I can read some french and speak a little of it. I'm fully fluent in English & Spanish. I can read & speak somewhat more Portuguese than French. Of my prior jobs here in USA, I worked as a bilingual Substance Abuse Counselor in 3 states: D.C., VA & MD for 8 years. During my B.S. degree I took 6 educational courses & 6 in Psychology: 2 Generals and one in Social, Applied, Developmental and Educational. I've never been in jail in my life!
in Education, one in english composition & another in Speech workshop.

I gained so much through this course, professionally and personally. The staff are the best i believe you can find in any program, extremely knowledgeable personable and helpful people who also support you in exploring and enjoy beautiful Granada and Nicaragua. Also, the facilities are beautiful and spacious with mutliple indoor and outdoor classrooms and work areas and Paul really encourages you to feel at home at his school. The coursework was rigorous but Paul gives you as much help as you need so if you use his help anybody can be successful in this course. In addition, my homestay experience was amazing and i highly recommend it to anybody doing this course!

Although very challenging, this course gave me everything I needed and more to become a successful TEFL certified teacher. What I really loved about this program included the teaching observations, the six teaching practices, and the regular feedback from the instructors, the teachers in the school, and the other students. The experience was made even better since it was taught in an English school, so we had access to all the necessary learning materials and ideas so that we were self-assured about teaching from day one.

In addition, you have a truly unique experience as you learn in the center of Granada, Nicaragua. Not only do you have a chance to learn how to teach, but you have all of the resources to improve your Spanish speaking level. I went from novice to conversational in the span of just a few weeks. The instructors plan weekly outings in and around Granada (Laguna de Apoyo, Las Isletas, San Juan del Sur, etc) so that you have a chance to experience the beautiful nature of Nicaragua as well as a chance to interact with the lovely locals.

This was worth the time and money, and if you have the means, I highly recommend this rewarding course!

The course was intense but very rewarding. You have to plan six lessons during the course and then you will get to teach them in front of students of the English language. Paul was always there to support you and help you out. He also planned a few nice trips on the weekends (Laguna de Apoyo, kayaking through the islets, pacific beach). The other teachers at the school are also very nice. I'm glad I did this course with Paul and his team because I feel prepared to be an English teacher now and had lots of fun.

Although the course fairly involved, it was extremely rewarding. I learnt a lot from it, and definitely felt equipped to start teaching. Paul offered a lot of help, and genuinely cared about your success on the course, and also during the teaching practices. The school is a great place. Very relaxing, with 4 beautiful cats. Paul was a great host! We went on a lot of fun day trips to beautiful places. I couldn't of chosen a better place to get my TEFL teaching qualification.

When I signed up for the 4 week intensive course, I had no idea about what to expect. I couldn't have dreamt that it was as rewarding, engaging and life changing as it was. While at times difficult, Paul and the rest of the staff supported me every step of the way and I learned things that would not only help me in my teaching career but in whatever future opportunities I embark on. This TEFL course not only provided me with the skills and confidence to teach anywhere int he world but it also gave me a close and inviting community that made me fall in love and decide to ultimately stay in Granada. I've now been here for over a year and still love teaching and my students.

I completed the TEFL certification hybrid (50/50: online/onsite) course in early 2017. Although I had some background in ESL/EFL, I needed classroom experience, an update on current, effective teaching methods and theories, and help with lesson planning. This program went well beyond providing me with all of these.

Instruction in theory and pedagogy is succinct but thorough and gives a broad understanding of the fundamentals of language acquisition and teaching methodologies. I would say the focus of the course, though, is on developing practical, effective classroom strategies. This includes extensive instruction/support in:
1. Designing lessons plans
2. Incorporating audiovisual aids and other resources into lessons
3. Managing/maximizing classroom time
4. Organizing/sequencing elements of presentation
5. Assessing/evaluating student progress
6. Accessing online and other teacher resources
7. Implementing self-assessment to continually improve as a teacher

Feedback from instructors is thorough and incredibly helpful. Each practicum is observed and followed up immediately (ie, right after class) with verbal assessment, suggestions, and support--which is in turn followed-up by a detailed written evaluation. Critique is both incisive and supportive. I continue to consult these evaluations in my current job teaching abroad.

Director Paul is an accomplished and committed instructor--and invested in the success of both TEFL and English language students. The English school affiliated with the program is deeply rooted in the community and supplies a variety of classes to local residents free of charge.

So glad I did this course. I'm confident and continually improving in my classroom now because of it.

Completing my tefl certification with INTESOL was challenging, rewarding and enjoyable. There was a good balance between group sessions discussing teaching methods and actually getting in the classroom to observe some great teachers and deliver my own lessons. Paul is a knowledgeable and enthusiastic mentor, and will go out his way to help everyone succeed on the course. Paul and Cecilia are both really supportive and give useful feedback from lessons, they create a really positive atmosphere in the school and have great rapport with the local students. It was my first experience of teaching abroad and I definitely want to do more in the future.
The school is in a great building and well equipped, and in a very central location in Granada. The course can feel quite intensive and you will have a few late nights working but this means you will get a lot out of it. The course does allow you to 'have a go' at teaching for 4 weeks if that is what you want but it is more designed to help you genuinely start a good career in tefl teaching. And Paul arranges excursions at the weekends so you do get some down time!
I was lucky to have time to travel in Nicaragua before and after the course - definitely stay for longer than 4 weeks if you can to enjoy this amazing country!

My time with Intesol was one of the best experiences of my life!! Nicaragua is a beautiful country, and Granada is equally as majestic. Paul went above and beyond to help our class become the best teachers we could be. I forgot my laptop, but Paul was quick to let me borrow one. I couldn't have asked for a more accommodating and accomplished teacher than Paul. When you do a class like this, you become family with your other classmates. The other instructor, Cecilia, was equally as helpful. Their job is make a quality teacher out of you, and they do their job well.

The class itself is very intensive. Those looking to just skate by will be in for a shock. Great things don't come easy. This must be earned and will be appreciated the same. Paul does organize excursions for the weekends. Take advantage of this. He is very resourceful and will find the very best deals for the group. The feedback you receive from Paul, Cecilia, and your classmates is instrumental in molding you into the best you can be. Take advantage of the program's extremely competitive prices. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone. It is an unforgettable experience you will remember for the rest of your life.

This course was one of the best decisions ever! I knew I wanted to get my TEFL certification before I went to teach abroad in Colombia, but I wasn't sure what course to take, there are so many options. INTESOL Nicaragua had a great deal going on so I looked more into the course, read great reviews, did some research on Nicaragua, and signed myself up! Couldn't have picked a better place to get a TEFL certification. It is an intense course, because you learn so much in such a short amount of time (1 month), but the teachers could not be more helpful! You get a lot of practice actually teaching (which is where you learn the most), and the teacher's provide you with such useful feedback. I learned so much about myself as a teacher! Not to mention, you are learning how to teach English in a beautiful country! If you don't mind the heat, you will fall in love with Nicaragua. It is a beautiful country, with so much to see and such friendly and humble people. Granada is an amazing city! The course is great because it is so small and intimate, it feels like family! You learn a lot, but you also have plenty of time to enjoy Nicaragua and the culture. Paul is awesome and sets up different weekend adventures such as going to the beach in San Juan del Sur, visiting the isletas (which is a must), or checking out Laguna de Apoyo! Paul does such a great job with this course, and will help you out with anything you need, whether it be school, living situations, you forgot your charger for your computer back home. He is super resourceful and super helpful! So are all of the teachers, Anna was fabulous, and willing to help with anything as well! I could go on and on of reasons why you should take this course, you won't regret it! You will get to practice your Spanish, practice teaching, and experience an amazing culture/see an amazing country. I loved it, and can't wait to go back to visit!