Program Reviews

I recently finished the on-line Connectefl course and honestly can say that I miss the stimulating lessons/videos/observations. I taught high school and elementary school for years and when I moved, I wondered how I could find a new career or vibrant volunteer work combining my love of teaching and my enjoyment in meeting internationals. I've found it! This program was better developed and more substantial than others I investigated. I feel the cost is very reasonable for the quality of instruction, feedback, and availability for extra help. Designed around common "myths" about TEFL, every week's lessons showed me that I certainly did make some of the erroneous assumptions. However, the encouraging thing was that we had great examples and suggestions for applying better strategies. The only reason I did not rate the overall program a '10" is that I am a technological dinosaur and my only difficulties were with organizing and processing my assignments. Whenever I faced a roadblock, Richard Dalton patiently walked me through the process. Thus, an added benefit for me was that I am much more familiar and confident in computer usage. My only regret about the course is that I didn't start my observations earlier. They were informative and encouraging. and well---lots of fun. I visited ESL classes at the college level, elementary school ages, church sponsored international support groups and other community classes. I've been volunteering at a local ESL course and I am feel that I have improved in my teaching technique, use of time, and understanding of different cultures. I've already learned of a wonderful opportunity to teach English in Asia. Connectefl prepared me for it and now I'm eager to see if I can make it happen.

I enrolled in ConnecTEFL's program to prepare me for a teaching program overseas after graduation, but it actually landed me a job here as a private English tutor in the mean time! The course itself was wonderful, and despite being fully enrolled in 18+ hours as a senior in college, I thoroughly enjoyed going to this class. In fact, it quickly became one of my favorites. The teachers were all super knowledgable and positive, making class fun, which was a great experience for those of us learning to become teachers. We were able to learn and ask questions then teach each other within the class before expanding out and volunteer-teaching to local refugee centers in the community. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking into a path involving ESL/EFL, whether it be here stateside or abroad!

The ConnecTEFL course is a thoroughly well thought out course that is provided by professionals experienced in this field. While I did not have plans to utilize the course for employment/service opportunities overseas, the course has served me well locally as I have had the opportunity to utilize some learned skills in a local setting with the refugee community. The course covers a broad range of topics from the theories of language learning to the practical aspect of preparing lesson plans. With very manageable class sizes, the interactive nature of the teaching/learning is impressive as one learns not only from the "professionals" but also from the experience (or lack of experience) of each of the students. This interactive nature allows the class to bond and develop friendships which leads toward increased networking in the community. I would guess that those taking the course on-line, though they are not in a classroom setting, would also experience this interactive nature of learning.
Also, it is a great value for what one receives! I recommend ConnecTEFL!

I took this course to prepare me to teach overseas, and after a year teaching abroad, I can say that it served me well! With an ideal classroom size (4:1 student/teacher ratio) for my course, there was ample opportunity for discussion and questions. Also, the teachers were well prepared and able to share from their own experiences in ESL/EFL classrooms worldwide. I would recommend this course for anyone seeking to teach overseas or volunteer locally! The directors are connected with other organizations throughout Memphis that offer English courses to immigrants and refugees, so it is not difficult to find opportunities to complete the practicum.

ConnecTEFL is a wonderful program. The investment was well worth it! The teachers were knowledgeable and experienced, the teaching was informative and beneficial, and the hands on practice outstanding. It was a great experience to be able to apply what we learned in class to the real world classroom teaching refugees from countries around the world. Not only that, our class grew close to each other. Every class meeting we had dinner with each other through people bringing home cooked meals. It was good fellowship and a lot of fun. Through this course I was able to create good relationships with my teachers, fellow learners, and refugees and obtained skills that will help me in my future TEFL engagements.