ITTT TEFL Reviews

My time at TEFL Alexandria will remain with me for life. I learned so much and made some incredible friends.

I was there under some unusual circumstances (both during and after the revolution) and no matter what the TEFL team always looked after me and made sure I was safe and well accommodated.

The content and structure of the TEFL classes were first-rate as well as the teachers, Nevien, Riham, Rasha and Magda. They were all brilliant, professional and caring instructors. Bassent at the front desk was always a great resource and a wonderful help, as well as Samah and Rasha, who looked after the facility. I will never forget Samah for her friendliness and ability to strike up a conversation with me despite the language barrier.

But my time there wouldn't have been the same without the help and friendship of Shiamaa, who is in charge of accommodations. She is a dear friend to this day. Our long conversations over tea and trips around the city are some of my best memories. As was our daily commute from our accommodations in Agamy to the classroom in Alex. Despite the long drive, this time on the road was a great way to see the city and it was always made memorable by our driver uncle Hussein who never missed an opportunity to laugh with us and teach us Arabic. I never laughed so hard as when uncle Hussein and my classmate Karen would go at it cracking jokes across the language barrier. It was a riot.

My emphasis thus far has been on the relationships built rather than the course itself because for me that is what made my time so incredible and will keep me coming back to Egypt for a lifetime. But the course itself was truly superb and jam-packed. The instructors work you hard but for the sole purpose of equipping you with the tools necessary to be the best English teacher possible. I can't recommend this course enough, for both the skills and knowledge you will gain but also for the friendships and connections you will surely forge if you go into it with an open heart. TEFL got me hooked on Egypt and despite the exaggerated, fear-mongering headlines I will continue coming back for life!

I took my TEFL in Alexandria 7 years ago and I have worked in education ever since. From teaching in Egypt, Syria and the UK to working as Director of Studies for a summer school. I now work in marketing EFL courses and am still amazed at how the skills I learnt at TEFL International Alexandria help me in my work even after outside of the classroom. Studying in Alexandria also gave me the confidence to go and take a degree in Arabic Studies. I'm personally indebted to Khaled, both Shaimaa's, Abdallah and even Mohamed and uncle Hussayn (the drivers) for providing such a wonderful experience. Everything about the course is perfect!

Very knowledgeable staff, current, relevant course. Good experiences. Classroom teaching experience afforded at all levels. Some mundane busy work, but not bad.

Very helpful with visa issues.

Very nice friendly community in one of the most beautiful places in the world.

The month long TEFL program was divided into two parts: the first two weeks were dedicated to lectures while the final two weeks were concentrated on actual Teaching Practice (TP).

Lecture weeks were pretty straightforward as trainers taught trainees how to write lesson plans and handle students using proper classroom management. At the end of the second week, I was personally more confident in my abilities to teach a larger group.

TP weeks were hectic and mind numbing, but also informative and humbling. Preparation for each lesson was a taxing affair but the contentment I felt after each lesson made up for the late nights and large intake of caffeine.

The trainers were able to prepare us sufficiently for each TP and graded after. I met great people and had a wonderful time at a beautiful location.Overall, it was a completely different, but amazing experience.

It was really good for me to learn how to teach foreigners as also one of foreigners in the Philippines. Even though sometimes we should do lots of assignments at a time a day it was helpful to enhance my reaching skills with good peers and teachers. I made many various friends there during the program and still contact them sharing information about English education. Staffs and teachers always help me to find good jobs available so I really appreciate them.

TEFL International`s TESOL Certificate program was very intense in schedule with so many activities. The learning and inputs from the trainers are amazing. The center people were very supportive to all of us. The program helped me improve my teaching and classroom management skills.

Hi,

My name is Julia and I took the Costa Rica TEFL course in January 2013. I had one of my most amazing, educational, and eye opening experiences of my life in Quepos/Manuel Antonio both in class and out of class.

The staff at the Quepos TEFL school are amazing. The head of the program is one of the most thoughtful, down to earth and inspiring people I have ever met and just meeting her made taking the course that much more worthwhile. Aside from the director, the other teachers and staff at the school were very personable, eager to help and very welcoming.

One thing to keep in mind is that, as much as a vacation it is to be along the Pacific Coast in the jungle of Costa Rica, you are still taking a serious class that can be very rigorous at times. If you are a strong and determined individual that will get work done before going out to play, then I certainly think the class is completely doable and not overbearing what-so-ever. If you are the kind of person who procrastinates very much and is more concerned with play before work, then you might have a tough time juggling the incredible atmosphere of Costa Rica with the course load of the TEFL class. That being said, the class is incredibly worthwhile to take and will teach you so much about communicating and teaching and just increase your ability to excel as a goodly human in the world.

The thing I struggled with most while in Costa Rica was missing my family and friends and being alone at times. However, the staff at the school certainly helped me get over this as they would frequently invite me out on the town with them (when class was over for the weekend of course) and new friendships were made from there.

Everything in Costa Rica is incredible. If you go there with an open mind and heart, you will have the time of your life!

Please feel free to e-mail me if you would like to know anything else about my positive experience. jugalime@utica.edu

I went on this trip completely alone and scared out of my mind, but the staff at TEFL Costa Rica made it a breeze and I can't wait to go back in the near future to visit!

I took this course in person (as opposed to the online offering) thinking that it would just be a certificate factory and I'd have a month to relax and enjoy Florence, get my certification and move on. Boy was I wrong! This course is designed to prepare you to actually be a teacher. From lesson planning and materials preparation to feedback and critiques on your classroom teaching, this course turned out to be an authentic effort to produce a functional and capable English teacher. The staff and teachers were very friendly and encouraging, even when correcting our less than stellar efforts. I can't really recommend the housing accommodations arranged by the school only because I did not utilize them (and nobody in my class did either.) I can recommend Florence, a beautiful city with a ton of attractions and great restaurants, as an outstanding location for attending this school. Overall, it was a challenging and rewarding experience, and one that I'd recommend to anyone who is thinking about getting their TEFL certification.

The four week course is outstanding, particularly the practice teaching experience with students of varied levels. Florence is a great city of art as well as entertainment. The school is convenient to public transport and provides excellent assistance in lodging. From school, the center of the city is an easy twenty minute walk along the Arno, or a ten minute bus ride. There is a superb neighborhood bar/restaurant right next door to the school-great for lunch and coffee breaks. If you are an EU resident, you will probably find a teaching position easily after the course. If you are not an EU resident, you will have more difficulty due to the need for a work permit. For me, an American, the training, the month of living in Florence and the friendships I made were well worth the expense-though I did not seek a teaching position in Italy.

Florence is a moderately expensive city and that's reflected in the accomodation, but it's not terribly overpriced. The staff are all really friendly and helpful and help you get acclimated. The school provides you with plenty of hands on experience that has been extremely helpful so far in my teaching career. Overall it's a nice school and a worthwhile experience.