Program Reviews

At first, I wasn’t sure enough that I could even teach. I never taught before and all my experience was in a different industry. Moreover my confidence was low. I got very uncomfortable and nervous when I taught in front of students.

So I decided I need a professional teaching course and that led me to Vantage and TEFL training program.

I’ve learned a lot at Vantage. Their trainers are really great and I learned a lot of grammar that I didn’t know before. I had observed teaching practices which is very essential for a beginner This boosted my confidence and my nervousness went away day by day.

Vantage will really help you in regard to English structures, lesson planning, and teaching techniques. They will also help build your own Power Resume and cover letter which is a very big help in getting an interview.

If you’re considering a career in teaching then these are the guys to talk.

I took the 120 Hour onsite course in Bangkok, Thailand from January 6th to January 31st. In the January session I was the only student. My trainer was Chris Demetsopoullos. The course is taught by a very good teacher in a structured and comprehensive manner. The course goes through classroom management, parts of speech, grammar, lesson planning, special topics, and more. By the end of the course I felt confident to teach English, The 8 hours of teaching practice really helped.

Basically, If Chris the instructor wasn't there to teach the course I couldn't recommend the course. The course does have some areas that need improvement specifically in job support, guidance, and administrative decorum.

THE GOOD
- The course is structured and you’re provided with course materials. While not an extensive course on all parts of teaching and the English language, It covers a lot of aspects of teaching the English language.
- Most students do 6 hours of supervised teaching practice but since I was the only one I got to do 8 hours
- Chris, the instructor, is very good at teaching the course material. His twenty five years of experience in education shows through and through. His classes were taught full substance, humor, and nuance. Classes are engaging and he makes every attempt to make the material interesting and relevant. I learned more about grammar and teaching than I thought I could, and that has a lot to do with Chris’s teaching ability.
- Course work is manageable and clear from the start. You receive a trainee binder at the start of the course which contains all the work you’ll need to complete and turn in.
- Resuming building portion of the course was helpful. Lots of examples and knowledge on interviewing strategy.
- The course is accredited by Lamar University and you receive masters credits.
- By the end of the course I felt competent and ready to teach English in a methodical and communicative approach.

GENERAL NOTES
- Vantage English is a partner school of iTTT(International TEFL & TESOL Training) and teaches iTTT’s tefl course book
- If you decide to work in Thailand, Vantage has relationships with teacher placement programs. While not unheard of, Vantage receives a small compensation for placing students in Thailand with their partners.

My time spent with Vantage was nothing short of spectacular. Everyone was very welcoming and the trainers always extended their help when it was needed. Vantage TEFL is very supportive before, during and even after the course was completed.

Every lesson was taught so that everyone could learn. Every session was taught so that the students understood the information before moving on to the next unit. Vantage’s trainers always involved each student and made them feel like a team player.

The practice teaching was great! We taught diverse students in a range of settings. Teaching 6 and 7 years olds in a Thai government school with large class sizes of up to forty made me reach for skills I didn’t know I had. Then teaching smaller groups of 18 year old college kids in a nursing college was the other side of the spectrum. The valuable feedback I got from Vantage of each observed practice class made the next session that much better.

I never felt alone at Vantage and from the get-go they gave me assurance that no matter how many struggles that I would face, they would always have my back.

After the program was over I still received updates from the friendly staff and information about jobs available that fit my personal goals.

Thank your Vantage for the many opportunities that you provided and the long lasting friendship that we've made.

To be honest, I was a little skeptical in the beginning as to whether the Vantage TEFL course would be stimulating or interesting enough to hold my attention for 120 hours.
Vantage TEFL super exceeded my expectations in all areas!

Chris our lead trainer, has a couple of decades of teaching experience, and it shows as he gave us so many tips from his experience that you would not get on the online course. He’s a highly qualified trainer.

The communicative approach to language teaching—particularly the ESA method …Engage, Study, Activate was something new for me. I find this method works very well in theory and in practice…..it is basically a common-sense way of teaching a foreign language to non-native speakers.

We also learned how to formulate a viable lesson plan, which was the first step in our six observed teaching sessions. I got better and better every time I taught and I believe the self-evolution together with Vantage’s professional feedback was the key reason why.
The constructive criticism, support, and encouragement that the group received during the course has been fantastic and to leave knowing that that support continues is a wonderful safety net.

All in all, the course and the trainers at Vantage delivered a professional, world-class TEFL course.

I did a lot of research on which would be the best 120-hour In-Class program to take in Bangkok. That was the beginning of my journey.

For me the course content was really eye-opening. I learned a lot about the English language and how it’s structured--a language I've been speaking all my life!

The practice teaching is where it all came together. The theory of the classroom was put into lesson plans one language topic at time.

The Vantage trainers are experts at observation. They could immediately show me what my strengths were and identify any areas I needed to address. I got better with each of my practice sessions and my end I really felt I had the teaching skill set I need to begin my journey as a successful English teacher.

If you’re thinking long term—a career in education—this is the team you need.

I researched many TEFL course providers to see where I could get the best In-Class training. Vantage kept coming up again and again in multiple reviews.

But before choosing my course, I sent many e-mails to Kevin about my concerns about finding a teaching position after graduation in the hospitality field. He was more than helpful and always reassured me. He then gave me proper guidance on my creating a Power Resume and techniques to succeed in an interview.

I also had concerns regarding an In-Class vs an online TEFL. After two days spent with Chris, the lead trainer, I immediately felt that I have chosen the right course. He is really knowledgeable and he makes grammar fun! This and all the other techniques and tricks shared by the Vantage training team is invaluable and has no price tag on it.

Being able to train with real students in a live classroom--both kids and young adults—is a big strength of Vantage. The feedback and constructive criticism after each of my practice class saw me improve and gain confidence after each training session.

Vantage has been one of the best ‘Investments’ I’ve made for myself in a long time!

I enrolled in the Combined Course where I did the 20 unit course book online after which Vantage directed the six observed teaching practices that were required.

The program far exceeded my expectations.

First I had to formulate a lesson plan—each one on a separate language topic. Then those were reviewed by Vantage trainers and, once approved, I sourced for materials that I would use to deliver the learning objective.

The practice teaching opportunities were with actual students and quite challenging. Vantage guided me each step of the way. The instructors were engaging throughout the process and gave me detailed critiques of my teaching.

I learned a lot during my two weeks and I feel much better prepared now to start my teaching career.

I highly recommend the Vantage programs for those embarking on a teaching career.

I’m an English teacher in Russia. I have been teaching students for a few years and while I’ve had some success, I felt I could benefit from a more professional approach to language teaching. That brought me to Vantage.

Here I learned the communicative approach of the ESA methodology (Engage, Study & Activate) of teaching English. Under Vantage’s supervised guidance, I had the flexibility to conduct a classroom in an organized and productive way. By engaging the students—rather than my old lecture-style—I was surprised how I could keep the students interested, motivated and eager to learn more.

The engage phase keeps students interested, the study phase helps students to learn, and the activate phase helps put into practice what they have studied. I discovered that an ESA class can be structured in any way that is best for the teacher and the topic I’m teaching.
The ESA approached has radically changed my teaching. I used to use a grammar heavy approach to English, which, truth be told, did not keep my old students sufficiently motivated.

I am also very grateful to the Vantage trainers--Chris, Kevin, and Ryan – such an incredible team and they help a lot with everything you need during the course.

I am very excited to teach English and apply all the new ESA methodology and techniques in my teaching.

I definitely recommend the Vantage TEFL Bangkok to anyone who wants to be an effective teacher.

Vantage TEFL gave me an unrivaled teaching experience. This course taught me how to prepare and shape my lesson planning for the needs of my students. I’ve learned how to teach both kids and adults. I now feel confident to teach English to students of any level.
The Lead trainer is highly professional and very knowledgeable. He helped us achieve a very high level of competency. We had lots of opportunities to practice teach—first at the college level where we taught young adults—then, switching gears, also at the primary school, where we got the opportunity to teach young 6 years old kids

In addition to our training as future English teachers, the course also had a foreign language component that consisted of Thai language and culture orientation classes. Particularly useful was how Vantage incorporated the culture segments with a do’s and don’ts when teaching in a Thai school. This is a must for those who want to teach in Thailand. I had considered doing my TEFL in Australia and then come to Thailand to teach. I wouldn’t have gotten anything close to a cultural grounding and acclimatization if I had stayed home.

In addition, Vantage has its own dedicated jobs coach. This man has taught us how to create an exceptional resume and cover letter, which is an invaluable skill that everybody should have in today’s competitive teaching industry.
Thank you Vantage. Taking this course was one of the best decisions I’ve made.

I'm so thankful in my choice of Vantage TEFL Center as it was among the best decision I've ever made.
The Vintage team was instrumental in the successful completion of my TEFL certification and they have put such a great time and effort into preparing us for teaching career ahead.
I have gained tremendous personal growth while studying at Vantage.
Vantage is the highest-ranked TEFL program in the language industry which is dedicated to empowering ,motivating and grooming tomorrow's teachers today.
Vantage taught us how to formulate an effective lesson plan ,which we then taught in six observed practice teaching classes in a real Thai School . The course also include peer teaching and a Thai foreign language experience so we could know what it feel to learn a new language and to be in the same shoes as our students .
The Course Instructor is absolutely amazing .
He has many years of teaching experience and is an expert in an outstanding teaching methodology .He kept me motivated when I was nervous with my teaching lessons .
The Course Drector is ever so helpful as he always provide assistance to students with accommodation, creating power resume cover letters , and job support and coaching us on interview techniques.
I highly recommend Vantage TEFL Center as they are committed to excellence .
They are highly experienced professions and a great place to be if you want to be part of a community of great teachers that they have produced.