I took International TEFL Academy's online course starting in June 2019. I can't emphasize how helpful it was for someone who had absolutely no teaching background, minus a few workshops or facilitation sessions I've conducted at work. It was really helpful to understand and actually craft lesson plans, review lexis and grammar, and gain tips & tricks for classroom management. Overall, I highly recommend this course for anyone who is ready to travel and earn an income while doing so. Additionally, the online course was great for me, as I work full time Monday-Friday from about 8-5 (which helps me save money to go abroad!). For those waffling about taking an in-person or online TEFL certification, I would say both have their pros and cons. But for an online course, I found this really interactive and organized.
In terms of job search guidance - I haven't really gotten to this portion yet because I just wrapped up the main course and I am not planning on leaving the US to teach abroad for some time. However, ITA's job manual, informational videos about particular countries, links to Facebook groups, Instagram stories for those who are teaching abroad, and the Q&As that they post on social media are already extremely helpful. I've been narrowing down my choices based on a lot those resources, and I look forward to speaking with a job search advisor soon. Overall, if you're thinking about a TEFL certification, I'd highly recommend ITA.
What would you improve about this program?
At the end of the course you have the option to add on two extra weeks for Young Learners and Business Professionals (free of charge!). I was really excited about this, and still think it's beneficial. However, they threw in the two weeks right at the end of the course and made the first week of Young Learners the same week as the final project was due. It was all so much and I stayed up really late to balance everything I had to do while maintaining a day job from 8-6. I'd suggest to ITA that they should communicate that the two extra weeks will be concurrent with the final project and have different due dates than what was in the main course, to prepare online students that it could be a really busy week.
Response from International TEFL Academy
Thank you for reviewing ITA! Glad you had a great experience and thought your instructor was excellent - always good to hear! Don't hesitate to get in touch with us if you ever need help with your job search, particularly if you ever have questions about visas! That can be a VERY confusing topic and we are always happy to help. Your advisor in Student Affairs would be your go-to for any questions moving forward. Happy travels!- ITA