Program Reviews

In Cambodia, the TEFL certificate is practically useless. Employers don't know much about TEFL certificates and don't care. The program is way too expensive for working in Cambodia especially because it doesn't cost them much to run the program in Cambodia. I have heard that the cost of living in Phnom Penh has gone up a lot in Cambodia in the last few years, but the pay rate hasn't and in some cases has even gone down (some have started taking tax out of pay, when before they didn't).

That being said, if you have the money, the program is okay in what it teaches. There aren't very many options for TEFL in Cambodia. If you plan to teach in other countries after, a TEFL certificate may be required (Vietnam or China maybe).

The training in both Ho Chi Minh and Phnom Penh was well organized, fun, and structured. In Cambodia we had the opportunity to see some of the city during our lunch breaks, while still accomplishing a lot during the day to day training. In Ho Chi Minh all the former Languagecorps students meet on a regular basis for lunch or nights out, and its a great community to be a part of. Highlights have been our weekend trips to Sinoukville and Siem Reap, as well as the daily pleasures of experiencing new foods and sceneries constantly. I highly recommend it for anybody looking for a new place to start a new career or lifestyle.

Teaching in Saigon, or officially Ho Chi Minh City, is an incredible and rewarding adventure. An English teaching job is fairly easy to secure, as long as you have your TESOL (or equivalent) certificate, college degree, and criminal background check. Most teachers work at night during the week, which is great because they have the days free. Weekends are spent teaching the kids. LanguageCorps is a very effective program, and I learned a lot of useful teaching techniques. It also offers a useful support system. Life in Saigon is really exciting and energetic. It's a huge city with a variety of things to do, fantastic food, and the nicest people you'll ever meet. However, be weary of bags/purses as petty crimes can be a prevalent in certain areas. However, the city has a great social scene and you are able to take trips to travel around Vietnam and Asia, as most schools are flexible with taking time off. Vietnam is a life-changing place and not a minute goes by when I regret coming here!

Language Corps' four-week Southeast Asia TESOL program was very good. It was such a comfort to come to the region with a group; even though I didn't know anyone beforehand, many of us got pretty close. I'm sure the make-up of the people in each training session goes a long way to shaping how you feel about the program, and I'm lucky that the people in my group were so fun, yet took seriously that we were there to learn about teaching.

The first two weeks in Cambodia were a realistic, helpful, and in-depth crash-course in teaching methodology. The second two weeks split into our respective countries (Thailand, in this case) were stressful but necessary trial-by-fire practice teaching. I'm glad I was at an orphanage where the student number changed every day, so I learned about split-second lesson-plan adjustment. And the LC staff who observed were very supportive.

Where the Thailand branch of LC falls a bit short of the other branches is the post-graduation support in finding jobs. I'll admit that I did the program at a very unique time — the once-in-100-year 2011 floods, so jobs were hard to solidify. But as the Thailand LC office is located in Pattaya, it is much harder to keep in contact with graduates who are moving on to teach. Since more jobs are offered in the Bangkok area, and as the capital/biggest city it is a more suitable hub for job hunting, once I'd graduated and moved up to Bangkok to look for jobs, and the next group came in, the LC staff wasn't proactive in sending me job information or helping me find a job. Though they were there to look over the contract for the agency I eventually signed with. I understand as adults they did not need to hand-hold us after we'd graduated. But a little more transitional support, or more aid in job searching while still in the program, would have been nicer.

In 2008 I joined Language Corps teacher training program. Not only was I able to visit, train and travel around Cambodia I was given invaluable tools that have stayed with me to this day.

The Cambodia Language Corps team were amazing, they handled everything professionally and were honest about the ESL teaching experience.

In the short time I was with them I was able to get the skills needed to sustain me in my current company and indeed give me the advantage over my competition during my most recent promotion.

I have nothing but good things to say about the instructors. Everyone is very personable and has given me great assistance and advice.

However, I do have several criticisms.

1) The resume/CV building part of the course seemed, to me, to be just time filling nonsense. In two minutes there could have simply been a template designed on Microsoft Word and distributed to the students, rather than spend 1.5 hours writing on the board what needed to be done.

2) When the course was over, no one at the hotel (Marady Hotel) told me I would start to be charged the Saturday immediately following the conclusion of the course on Friday. One would think there would be at least a weekend grace period to find new accommodations. On the contrary, I went to check out on Sunday afternoon and found out they charged me for the two days. No one said anything about this beforehand nor offered any reminders.

3) The job assistance feature I felt was lacking. We were told to have a copy of the CV and a picture. But some of the "affiliated schools" (for lack of a better term) requested cover letters, glossy CV's, color pictures, etc. We were not adequately prepared for that and it was rather embarrassing. I got my job due to luck, I knew a teacher before hand and he got me in. A Language Corps friend of mine still does not have a job after 1 month and is now leaving for China.

Small potatoes though, I'm nickpicking on what otherwise was a fantastic experience with a great group. The trips to the beach and Angkor Wat were particularly memorable. I would do it again in a heartbeat. My criticism are more aimed at making the LC experience better as a whole, so as to grow your company even more.

Teaching in Vietnam can be an extremely rewarding experience, and LanguageCorps will give you the basic skills to begin your adventure. It obviously isn't for everyone- you need to have an open mind, be willing to have a few setbacks, be extremely patient at times, and keep a sense of humor- but the benefits can far outweigh the downsides if you're willing to let them.

English teachers in Vietnam make a very comfortable wage based on the standard of living, and you'll have enough money to be able to travel as well. There are western hospitals, so no need to fear about possible health situations, and western grocery stores if you're craving a taste of home.

All in all it's been a wonderful experience and anyone who is willing to get started is making a good choice.

Taiwan is a great place to explore East Asian culture, make a good wage, and teach with great facilities among experienced teachers and staff. Its extensive rail system and the availability of cheap scooters makes traveling in Taiwan a real treat, and it has not only traditional tea farms, beautiful mountains and coast, but also bustling city centers. One of the best things about Taiwan is its night markets- where you can sample local cuisine, mingle with the young and old or play a carnival-type game. Taiwan's people are some of the kindest and most helpful, the country is extremely safe, and you can find anything you really need here- including fantastic health care at a next-to-nothing price range. If learning Chinese interests you, that is also a viable option, as you can take classes at local universities or meet with a language exchange partner for one-on-one tutoring (I recommend this-both cultural and language exchange can be very rewarding for both people!) It's easy to follow your own path and discover all Taiwan has to offer while meeting great colleagues and gaining fantastic teaching experience.

I felt that for the price paid for accommodation it was not good enough. All though it was nice it was still way more expensive than the local guesthouses which is pretty much the same but definitely more than half the price. The support given during the training was good but afterwards in terms of helping to find a job I felt there was not too much support.

Teaching in Hanzhong was an amazing experience. I had the time of my life and would recommend languagecorp, (and I have) to anyone. Jan was extremely helpful and really took the time to walk us through the whole process.

The fact that I only worked fri-sun allowed me to travel all over China. You definetely need to if you are in Hanzhong cause there is not much going on there. I mostly knew that going in but the time off and ability to travel made it totally worth it. Your salary is plenty to live on confortably in China.

As anyone can imagine Living in China has a lot of challenges and can be difficult at times. But to say that I did it and that I overcame is such an empowering feeling. I would absolutely do it again if I had the chance.

Oh yah, the month in Cambodia before hand was so much fun. Meeting all of the other teachers, going to bars together, and traveling all over Cambodia was a blast. Was definetely sad when everyone took off to their assignments.