Program Reviews

I have to be completely honest, when I started this course, I felt nervous and I was apprehensive. I’m not a native English speaker, but when I met Vantage trainers Chris and Kevin my nervousness went away. These guys helped me every step of the way.

Our lead trainer, Chris shared methodology, lesson plans, phonology and much more; not only from the coursebook but also from his considerable experience as a teacher and a curriculum developer.

We had to do observed teaching practices at nursing college. The first practice teaching lesson was quite challenging for me. I have some experience teaching young learners, but not teaching adults. Chris was always there to give us positive encouragement. He always pointed out the best ways of teaching. I got better throughout this part of the course.

Trainer Ryan told about the Thai language, Thai culture and, importantly, the dos and don’ts in Thai classroom.

Halfway through the course, Covid-19 situation blew up and some of our classmates had to return to their countries and we couldn’t study in a single classroom as a complete group but that didn’t stop Vantage. We completed the course using a video conferencing platform called Zoom. We didn’t miss a beat!

On the Jobs front, Kevin also helped with resume writing, interview and thank you notes. He was always ready to help.

Thank you Vantage for all of your considerable help, your knowledge, and your expertise.

I was on holiday in Bangkok late last year when I decided I wanted to live and work in Thailand.

Teaching English presented a lot of opportunities so I began researching Bangkok-based TELF providers so I could become a certified instructor. I knew I could get trained much better in a real classroom so I focused on brick-and-mortar schools rather than online-only providers.

Vantage fell within my radar and made my shortlist. So I decided to go talk to them and see their training facilities first hand. I sat down with Kevin and Chris for well over an hour. They gave me a tour of the facilities and they answered all my questions. Three months later, I found myself back in Bangkok and enrolled in their 4-week TEFL course.

Vantage’s TEFL course is intensive, but the trainers are always engaging. It was never boring. You will stay busy for the month you are here, but it is never overly demanding.

The live teaching sessions are irreplaceable—particularly for those new to teaching. The feedback I got for each of our six observed practice teaching sessions was invaluable. I got better with each class I taught.

It’s a very comprehensive course is and covers every aspect of teaching English abroad. Vantage does an excellent job at preparing you for a career in teaching EFL and I would recommend them to anyone who, like me, was embarking on a new career.

I originally was scheduled to attend Vantage’s February TEFL course, but I had some visa issues at the last minute. So I immediately contacted Kevin and he quickly put my mind to rest by transferring me into their March course.

Then over a series of phone calls we revised my Thai visa strategy and with separate Letters of Intent and Accommodation which Vantage arranged, I entered Thailand without any problems whatsoever. Trust me, their pre-course support is second to none!

I was not disappointed in their TEFL course either. The Vantage trainers were highly professional, super knowledgeable and, importantly, had a great sense of humor. That was important because I’m always the one making a lot of jokes.

The lead trainer has decades of classroom experience and his practical advice of what to expect and do in the classroom went far beyond the coursebook.

We got great help for each of the six lesson plans we had to create for our observed practice teaching sessions—each one had to be on a different language topic. Then we got excellent guidance after every teaching session and were presented with a new challenge for our next class.

When I was teaching, I also had to observe the other trainees teach and it was incredible to watch all of us get better session by session.

Vantage has a Jobs Coach and he trained us in resume writing and interviewing techniques. We even made a video of myself talking about lesson planning show I could showcase myself and my proficient English to potential employers.

This was a fantastic course. I’m professionally certified and now I'm ready to teach.

We were the “Covid-19 class.”

Every day more restrictions about group assembly were announced. Then, a little more than halfway through the course, the government forced many businesses—including private schools—to close.

The Vantage team, with creativity and perseverance, completed the course on schedule by using a video conferencing platform. The first half I did in Bangkok and the rest I completed at my apartment in Hua Hin.

I couldn’t be happier with the experience. Vantage trainers, Kevin & Chris could not have done a better job.

Our instruction was outstanding because, the lead trainer, Chris, supplemented the coursebook with his two decades of own teaching experience and knowledge. He presents the way he teaches his students to teach. His teaching style is a perfect model to emulate and he makes an excellent role model.

Even though the course was more intensive & demanding than I anticipated, it was never difficult or boring. We were engaged the whole time, and the energy and camaraderie kept everyone going.

A key requirement of the course is the practicum, which is six hours of observed student-teaching. Here we got to try out everything we learned about lesson planning, presenting, and organizing suitable classroom materials.

I had previous teaching experience. I have been teaching in a Thai high school for one year leading up to my TEFL, but when I took Vantage’s training I realized just how much I had been winging it, improvising along the way.

Vantage TEFL was an excellent decision because they taught me the latest, most successful teaching methodology. Now, I have the foundational skill set to teach anyone anywhere. I can now create lessons that are engaging, and help students truly learn English well.

I’m motivated to go back to my high school for another year with a lot more knowledge, confidence, and know-how along with a variety of teaching activities to put to use right away.

I’m pleased with Vantage’s job services too. Kevin’s resume and interviewing modules and ongoing job support was great. I know I can always turn to him and Chris for guidance and support when applying for the best jobs in Thailand in the future.

I spent a lot of hours looking at various TEFL programs and everyone seemed to offer more or less the same thing. Then I came across some really positive reviews about Vantage. That led me to their comprehensive website and eventually their YouTube channel where the course director detailed some very worthwhile information in a series of videos.

I had no teaching experience so I was a little nervous at the beginning, but after I met the Vantage trainers, I knew that these guys got up in the morning to help me!

Their lead trainer, Chris, first taught us how to formulate a professional lesson plan. He was a fantastic trainer and role model. His intensive lessons were always well presented and informative. And we were always engaged. The time just flew by.

Unfortunately, our time in the classroom was cut short due to Covid-19 yet we still managed to complete this fantastic course. Vantage’s creativity and expertise in switching to a video conferencing platform really saved the day!

Our entire class can bear witness to the support and encouragement Vantage provided us throughout. Yes, 5 stars without hesitation!!

I did the Combined Course at Vantage. That meant I first did the coursebook online at home. Then I spent two weeks doing my practice teaching at a Thai military school where I taught Thai primary level kids and then at a college where I taught 18 and 19-year olds.

The online course consists of 20 units followed by a summative task. I had to take a quiz on each unit before I was allowed to move on. I also had full tutor support during this part of the course.

In Bangkok, I did my observed teaching practices under Vantage’s supervision. I was told that this is where the knowledge I learned in the coursebook is fused into actual teaching skills I can use in the classroom.

After each of my six practice sessions, I got valuable feedback from the Vantage trainers.
I could see a big improvement from my first and second class to my last class. Today, I feel confident to teach English to anyone as I have the frame of reference to structure a class and the know-how to deliver it.

The team at Vantage is great. Besides being highly professional, they became great friends and the kindness they extended to me was unsurpassed. I was invited to sit-in any of the In-Class sessions I wanted.

A big thank you to the team at Vantage. I am ready to teach!

I initially signed up to take Vantage’s Combined TELF course, but I decided to change to their In-Class Course. The Course Director was very accommodating in letting me switch and it was all done with a couple of emails. He also quickly answered my questions about the course, TEFL and what I would be able to do with my certification afterward.

Vantage’s lead trainer, Chris, was very knowledgeable and he has about 25 years’ experience in the education industry. He’s a first-class coach.

He made a significant amount of material we had to go through both interesting and enjoyable. He uses a workshop style which I believe is more engaging and the activities we went through made us thoroughly understand the methodologies and techniques we were learning. Vantage run small classes to accommodate this style.

The practice teaching sessions were done with diverse types of students. We went to a local military school was quite challenging for our first lessons. These were primary classes with 5-6 years year old students. And as is typical in Thai public schools, the class size was 30+, which made teaching a challenging experience, but one does learn when thrown in deep water.

On the other side of the spectrum, we also taught young adults of 18 and19-year-olds at a nursing college in small classes of some 12 to 16 students.

Vantage also have their own Jobs Coach, and I worked with him creating a personal Power Resume and Cover Letter. He also taught us interviewing techniques and job hunting tips.

Overall it was a great learning experience, but a challenging one. I’m very confident that as a new teacher I can go out into the world and confidently and deliver successful Englsh classes.

I did thorough research before choosing my TEFL course. I read many reviews of many programs but, in the end, Vantage seemed my best choice. It didn’t hurt that they were the first to respond to all my questions.

Although it took longer for me to choose, Vantage has far met my expectations.
Vantage provided me with the foundational skill set to teach. I learned not just about teaching techniques but how to apply that in a classroom setting. I discovered that classroom management is a key part of delivering a successful lesson.

Truth be told, I was nervous at first. But in going through my six practice teaching sessions, I discovered I got better—and more confident—step by step. But in the end, I was ready to teach anywhere.

Vantage also made the course fun. Yes, we had a lot of material to digest, but the classes were always engaging and the trainers were very knowledgeable.

If you’re looking to get on the road to teaching English, Vantage is the people to talk to.

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.