Program Reviews

This course was a lot of work. They told us to set aside about 15 hours/week, and they weren't joking. I worked full-time and between that and taking the course, I pretty much didn't have a social life for two months. However, it was still very doable. I also really appreciated, yes appreciated that the CIEE TEFL course includes the 20 hours of real-life-experience as a requirement. I live in a small town and was still easily able to find experience working with ESL students, and that in-class experience helped me learn how to not only interact with students, but how to interact with students who can't easily understand everything that you're saying. As an EFL teacher, I know how important giving instructions is, and without any prior experience giving those instructions, I would not have felt as prepared.

I'm in a small town in Gangwon-do, so although I have nice people that I work with, the CIEE staff is supportive, and it has been an interesting cultural experience so far, it is really hard at times when there's practically no one in the whole town who is a native English speaker or even has a good amount of English skills. I have to take a bus, 20 minutes South, to Wonju to do any "good" shopping and encounter other foreigners. It has been a good experience and I feel fully-immersed in a Korean society, but it is just hard to be thrown into such a vastly different environment. If you're placed in a bigger city, you won't have these problems, but even ordering food/drink is sometimes difficult in a small town unless you can speak a fair amount of Korean.

I am a local coordinator working with international high school exchange students, and I volunteer in an adult EFL program in my community. I took this course to enable me to help my international students as well as provide the training I need to be an effective teacher in our adult EFL classes. I use what I learned on a regular basis both in content and in how to organize a lesson. Our course teacher was awesome and encouraging and made the time online enjoyable. The coursework was rigorous enough and thorough enough to keep me invested in the class for the full length of the course. I highly recommend this program. I did not go overseas to teach so I can not speak to that part of this program. I took it for what I was doing in my like at the time.

I'm so thankful I completed this TEFL course with CIEE before leaving to teach abroad. I didn't have a background in education, and the hands-on experience through the practicum gave me the confidence and ability to lead a classroom. If I hadn't completed this, I don't believe my time abroad would've started well! My tutor was very personable and professional, and the live sessions and discussion boards were a great way to connect with everyone. Although the class is online, it's still a very personal feel and the small class size is appreciated. I worked full-time while completing this course, and found the time requirement still possible- but keeping current on content greatly helped. I would absolutely recommend this course to anyone looking to increase their skill set, gain valuable teaching experience, or simply expand their horizons!

It has been one month since I have moved to Budapest through CIEE Teach Abroad! Teaching abroad has always been a dream of mine, and CIEE helped make it a reality. Katy made the application and hiring process very easy! She sent us our important documents (such as visas, housing info, etc.) early so that we were able to prepare. I had many questions before moving to Budapest, and Katy was very timely with her responses leading up to the departure. She was also there to meet us at the airport when we arrived and helped move us into our temporary accommodation. Having an expert around for the first weekend was extremely helpful! The in-country staff have also been great. They are always there if we need anything and keep us updated on events happening around Budapest. Despite this being the first time that CIEE has run a teach abroad program through Hungary, the overall process has run fairly smoothly. I look forward to the remainder of my year in Budapest!

I was very happy that I chose to do this program. I absolutely loved my school and loved my bilingual coordinator. I wouldn’t trade my time in Priego for anything. At times it was definitely very difficult and lonely, but getting into a routine and learning the language more and more made it much easier. Also, it was super important to branch out and make new friends (local and american). I do think that CIEE should do a better job with language assistance as the cost of the program is quite large and there is an option to do the same program through the government for free. I’m not sure which program I would do if I were to do it again because the other Americans did have such a positive experience doing their program through the government.

Are you ADVENTUROUS—-AND PATIENT
Those will be tested in your classrooms. Are you able to read cues from students—so you can pivot from
materials/methods that are foundering? If you’re also HUMBLE—you’ll debrief with the Prof and separate ‘wheat from chaff’ for the next session.
The students will challenge you.
They will madden, yet embrace you for honest effort. Beware, however, of older students who will seek your favor—this is just another test you must overcome.
Madrid has a dizzying social scene—for all tastes. Unlike the US, public transport works well—reliable and generally punctual. Get a Bono card—you’ll save enough to surpass the hassle.
CIEE preps you to succeed. Those who are truly serious about the teaching profession will grow the most—and perhaps renew or repeat elsewhere.

I have traveled overseas many, many times, but my three months living and teaching in Spain through CIEE was by far the richest, most memorable experience I have ever had in a foreign country. The family I resided with (mother, father, two sons) was so very welcoming. And they included me in all their activities. I actually felt like a family member. I believe there is no better way to learn a language and a culture. Then there was the high school where I taught English. To a person, every staff member, teacher and student was cooperative, understanding and courteous. No one ever made fun of my faulty Spanish. And lastly, all CIEE staff were unbelievably kind and supportive, from the time I applied to my arrival in Spain to my three month stay. There was always someone on call should I encounter a problem of any kind--which I never did! I would return to Spain via CIEE in a heartbeat (and I will!) Gracias a todos!

CIEE is a great option for those who have never taught/studied abroad before, those that don't speak Spanish, or those who do not have the time to invest in preparing everything on their own. The Auxiliar program is large enough and established enough that if you wanted to and you felt comfortable enough, you could navigate it on your own, but for those that are nervous, busy, or only speak English, the CIEE support and orientation is great! They give you guidance on finding housing, obtaining a visa, what to expect from your schools, among lots of other great information. (The program fee is quite expensive though, $1000 for what essentially amounts to just information and a few nights in a hotel for orientation, especially since you can't renew with CIEE for your subsequent years without paying another $500).

I had an amazing time in Madrid. My schools and fellow teachers were amazing, the vibes of the city are so fun, and I got to know incredible people from all over the world. I went in expecting to only stay for 6 months and I almost stayed another year because I was having such a good time.

For the Spring Semester of 2019, I taught English in Spain through CIEE and the first thing I want to say is that my experience was excellent! I enjoyed every minute of my first semester and actually reapplied to teach one more year. I was placed in Huelva, which is located in the south of Spain - Andalucia. I will be teaching one more year at the same school in Huelva. The support from CIEE from the very first step until the very last step was top notch! The team in Portland, especially Hilary, was also fast and informative. I wrote many blog posts for CIEE so I worked with her quite often and she was always pleasant and kind. For anyone interested in teaching abroad, I would highly recommend considering CIEE. It is a door-opening experience that anyone would enjoy!