Program Reviews

It has been a great experience! All the materials provided are so useful and truly accurate. Everything is really well-organized and the online course is so pleasant. It is a privilege to benefit from the program delivered by Máximo Nivel. You can really improve your teaching skills, become more creative as you prepare your class... In addition to this, it is an excellent way to reach teaching a language without knowing the mother tongue of the student - which can seem to be a big challenge, but MN makes it possible and in a very funny way ! Everyone would enjoy and would be passionate!

I took the Hybrid TEFL course in Antigua and absolutely loved it! Not only was our teacher amazing and extremely helpful, the course itself was organized and full of vital information and skills to become the best TEFL teacher. The Hybrid course involves two weeks online and two weeks in Antigua. The transition, for me, was very smooth and easy and Maximo Nivel is very accommodating. I also cannot recommend a better location than Antigua. The town is absolutely stunning, the people are so kind, and everything is within walking distance. You will grow as an individual and as a teacher. I definitely would recommend!

There are several reasons why you should choose Antigua and Maximo Nivel for your TEFL Certification:
- Karen is the best trainer and mentor you can find. She is passionate, funny, goofy and a total grammar nerd that will make you love your experience and will guide you and help you every step of the way.
- Antigua is beautiful! You will get to learn how to be a teacher surrounded by volcanoes in the most picturesque town. On weekends, you can hike to the top of volcanoes, visit a replica of the shire, go to the beach, go to lake Atitlan or just chill and enjoy the beauties of Antigua!
- The certification itself: Getting TEFL certified will allow you to work in a lot of places and will open a lot of doors, especially if you are interested in traveling while doing so. You also get help from Karen and the Maximo staff to build your resume and support to get a job!
- The Practical Experience: You get to teach 3 short lessons and an entire week of practical teaching with a real class at Maximo!.
This experience has been amazing and I recommend it 100%!

Hello to whoever is reading this, I am Gabriel as you read and I'm from the beautiful country of Costa Rica, non native speaker, but I love to speak in English. This time that I spent in Manuel Antonio was incredible. Meeting people form different part of the world, we all speaking English, communicating with each other with humility for the other people lives, and believes. I had just an amazing time, with beautiful sunny days, learning how to Teach English to Foreign Learners. The classes were delighltfully good, the way that Audra (the TEFL teacher in CR) taught us was excellent. She helped me a lot to open my perspective in how a person can feel what I had experienced when I learned the language. She recreate a lot of what it feels like. I think she is a the right person to teach you how to do it kindly. At the end teaching English is helping people. I hope that whoever who decides to come to my Costa Rica, come with open arms to learn what this country and the people can teach you.

Before this class I had taught in Spain for 2 years. I thought this class would be very easy and I'd fly through it. It was quite the opposite. I learned so much about myself and teaching, as well as speaking the English language in general. I work full time and have other responsibilities but the instructors really work with you to make sure you succeed. Audra, my particular instructor was very patient and accommodating. This program really prepared me for the classroom. The tools I gained from this coarse will be useful for a lifetime in all areas of my life.

I loved working with the dogs. My experience was incredibly rewarding and the time I spent there felt impactful. The dogs were very receptive to any love and attention they received, and it was made apparent that a little would go a long way. I was able to work with individuals from all around the world and learn more about the culture in Peru. Everyone was very helpful and eager to share experiences, which made every moment worthwhile. Learning Spanish was challenging and exciting, and it was great to have the opportunity to practice the language on a daily basis.

great impact working with the local communities! i thoroughly enjoyed meeting all of the local staff and very kind volunteers here with me. made lots of new friends, and gained a lot of experience. i would definitely come back to maximo to complete this project again, hopefully in the near future!
amazing local families and accommodation, felt right at home. enjoyed every moment and will be so sad to say goodbye to all of the amazing people that i have met during my time here. thankful for it all!

I loved everything from our home stay to our project to the awesome classes available! Our home stay was so friendly and always encouraged us to speak Spanish and try the local food. She was like our second mother, so fun with a great sense of humor. The project was hard work but SO rewarding! Our project managers and sight managers were all very helpful and knew how to keep things light and fun. I can´t wait to see photo´s of the finished job and to see all the kids using what we had the privileged to build!

From start to finish, the construction project we volunteered at in Cusco, Peru was fantastic. The support staff and formal have clear motivation and excitement for what they are doing and it is contagious. Don´t get me wrong, the construction is not easy, but it is fulfilling and the camaraderie established during each work day is unforgettable. The local Peruvian family who hosted us was also fantastic. Basically a 2nd mother with a fantastic sense of humor. I would not hesitate to recommend this project to anybody looking to work with their hands and be immersed in a unique local culture.

I looked at many TEFL courses before signing up for this one. It exceeded my expectations. The opportunity to observe other TEFL-trained teachers teaching non-English speakers was invaluable as was the opportunity to practice teach 8 lessons to actual students. The feedback was excellent and enabled me to improve my next lesson every time. Our TEFL trainer, Sean, was totally amazing, modeling how to teach in each of our TEFL lessons. He was inspiring, always supportive, and encouraging. I came out of this TEFL program confident and eager to teach. The staff at Maximo Nivel have experience and contacts all over the world and are very helpful in making contacts for employment and volunteer opportunities. I give this program the highest marks.