CIEE Teach Abroad & TEFL Reviews

I've only been in Korea for about 5 weeks now, but I've loved every second. This country is beautiful, friendly and culturally rich -- I am so glad I chose to come here. When I decided I wanted to quit my job and come teach, I knew I wanted to do it with CIEE. I am SO glad that I did! CIEE helped me along every step of the way through the application process, including the longer EPIK application process. I was working a full-time job in the U.S., and can't imagine doing this without CIEE's help. The orientation they provide once you are in the country is so much fun and so useful as well, and the leaders are fantastic! It was great to make even more friends, especially coming here not knowing anyone. I highly recommend applying through CIEE--while there is a bit of extra cost, they help with organization and peace of mind.

Update, January 2019: CIEE's partner school, Amslink, has seen its management practices become increasingly strict, incompetent, and uncaring. Amslink is a deeply frustrating and unpleasant work environment. Very few teachers are satisfied with working there right now, and three teachers just left their contracts early at significant cost to themselves. Teachers' concerns and input are totally ignored, and Amslink is turning out to be the exact kind of place I was trying to avoid by paying to go through CIEE. I don't bear any ill will towards CIEE, as there's not much they can really do at this point, but I would seriously urge prospective participants to carefully consider if this placement is worth both the money and ceaseless agitation.

Update, October 2018: CIEE's partner school is pursuing an aggressive expansion strategy at the expense of most of its staff. Management systematically looks for ways to financially penalize foreign teachers through unnecessary, draconian rules and regulations.

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When I was researching this program, I searched all over for recent reviews but couldn't really find any. For that reason, I was hesitant. I still took the plunge, however. CIEE provides adequate support along the way, and there have been no surprises—what you see is what you get, thankfully.

One of the main reasons I chose the program was a placement in Hanoi, which I've really enjoyed since arriving. It's really hectic at first—overwhelming, really—but it's a lot of fun.

CIEE's partner school in Hanoi is one of the better ones to work for as far as I can tell. It can be totally disorganized at times, but it's hard to avoid that in this part of the world—be flexible and ready to roll with the punches. The staff have been nice and fairly supportive, but many things have a bit of a learning curve. They'll throw you into your own classes within a week of arriving, but there’s plenty of resources to use. The other teachers at the center have been nothing but friendly and helpful.

The CIEE staff have been responsive and accommodating, but the time difference (and correspondingly, work schedule) means it can take a while for questions to get answered since they must go through CIEE to the school. The included TEFL course was fairly useful and exhaustive if a bit of a slog at times. Sure, you could do this all on your own for less money, but CIEE provides so many failsafes (especially the travel insurance) that I found it really worthwhile.

Going to China to teach English for the 2017-2018 school year was my first time leaving my home country of the United States, at the age of 27. I was uncertain and nervous about the process, and thus knew that I wanted to work with an American organization that could help me get set up with the necessary resources, contacts and support to be successful. CIEE proved to be just what I was looking for in my goal to teach overseas. I was very happy with the education company that I was hired to work with through CIEE. Over the 10 months I lived in Shanghai, I felt supported by competent and caring staff and co-teachers. People often say "If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask." While working for my education company in Shanghai, I felt that the program coordinators saying these words truly meant them. My program coordinators in China were extremely helpful, kind, and responsive. Based on my positive experiences over a 10-month contract for the 2017-2018 school year in Shanghai, I would highly recommend CIEE to anyone considering going abroad.

So far I have been supported along each step of the way. In addition to an intense TEFL course with ongoing encouragement and feedback, I was set up for interviews on Skype in a timely manner for an actual job. I was able to apply for the visa and take care of all Czech Republic Ministry issues with simple and clear instructions. Having once arrived to the Czech Republic, we have been afforded with language classes, tours, and opportunities to make friendships. There has also been plenty of down time and personal time. I would definitely use CIEE again to teach abroad. The TEFL course was very thorough although it did require focused time each day.

More updates pending recovery.

While I generally feel safe walking among the locals as well as the school I was placed at, operating a motor vehicle, particularly a motorcycle, on local roads is NOT an activity to be taken lightly in this part of the world! Be sure your vehicle registration, taxes, and insurance are up to date. Be sure you are licensed in your home country and Thailand for the class of vehicle you wish to operate. Be sure whatever travel medical insurance plans you have are up to date. Spending time in hospitals in any part of the world doesn't make for the most enjoyable experiences of your travels.

Communication difficulties will abound, even between the most educated of individuals. You'll need the patience of Job in order to get through them at times.

I felt that the TEFL course from CIEE was very well organized and really informative. The course does require a time commitment almost every day if you don’t want to fall behind. I spent almost two hours each weekday working on modules and graded assignments. My instructor was very responsive to messages, provided useful feedback, and led informative live tutorial sessions. I felt that I learned a lot in this course and now I’m much more confident to teach. I would have really liked it if there was a bit more information on teaching ESL domestically in the US. The course seemed to be really dedicated towards those going to teach EFL abroad. The CIEE staff is great at responding to any concerns or inquiries. I definitely recommend taking this course for anyone considering working in the EFL/ESL field. (I taught EFL in Southeastern Europe previously and I so wish I had done this course before I taught there!) The price does seem a bit steep at first glance, but I think it is worth it due to the quality of the course!

TEFL is a great base to start with, especially if you are new to teaching to non- native English speakers. The whole team is very helpful. You have a chance to interact with people from different states and country's that all connect thru TEFL. There is a LOT of material to be covered. DON'T underestimate the certification, it is a lot of work and very time consuming. If you have a full time job and and are planing to take TEFL be sure to arrange space in your day to be able to finish the certification. This is so important, modules and Make the Grades Assignments really do take 2-3 hours a day. Lastly I would like to say that Annette Hall was my tutor and she was a great tutor, very responsive and professional. With that being said I recommend TEFL 100% . Good luck on this journey.

My year teaching in Thailand was the best cultural experience I've ever had! I made so many incredible friendships with Thai teachers and locals within my community. I was able to travel to many places in Thailand and SE Asia. Some of my favorite moments were: making colorful bamboo lanterns with my students for a Thai water festival, scuba diving in Koh Tao, trying different Thai flavors at local markets, jumping into gushing waterfalls, and hanging out with elephants in the northern province of Chiang Mai!

The CIEE support network was very helpful as I adjusted to life in Thailand. From teaching tips to travel ideas, they covered it all. For future participants, don't be afraid to make the move to SE Asia. There are plenty of resources to assist you in the transition.

Not only did this experience allow me to see another part of the world that I've never explored before, but also to truly make a difference. Teaching English as a Foreign Language is creating a brighter future for children through language education. Connecting the world through English! If you want to do something impactful and rewarding then teach abroad. You won't be disappointed!

My experience in Thailand through CIEE has been nothing short of extraordinary. I have had a unique placement experience...I was placed in a remote mountainous village up north in Thailand, about three hours from the city of Chiang Mai, and the village is actually majority Chinese rather than Thai, although most students and adults in the community speak Thai as well. The three other foreign English teachers, all from the U.S. and Canada, share two comfortable houses on school grounds (two to a house), so we have no commute! Village life is quiet and simple, allowing me the time I never had before to pursue all of my creative hobbies--yoga, writing/blogging, painting, reading, etc. The village is absolutely picturesque. I've never taken so many panoramic photos in my life. We eat lunch and dinner in the village every night (we've become regulars at a few spots!) and are just a short motorbike ride away from the nearest 711 or Tesco Lotus Express. We go to Chiang Mai, or other northern cities, basically every weekend. It's the perfect balance of work-hard, play-hard. We have a couple long weekends during the semester where we've been able to take longer trips...we're planning a long weekend in Pai in July, and another long weekend to Krabi in August. I personally feel this is the absolute best way to travel...you get paid so well, so I have not had to touch my savings since coming here ONCE! You have a home base to return to every Sunday, making your traveling experience unique and even more memorable than if you were just straight backpacking. The friends I met through OEG's orientation are lifelong friendships and we all meet up as much as we can in different parts of Thailand! This is the perfect experience for all purposes - if you're looking to start fresh, start over, take some type of sobatical from your home country - the laid back, but still structured and accounable vibe here is perfect for resetting. If you are looking to transition from one career to education, like I am, I have been getting many many messages on LinkedIn from charter school recruiters since gaining experience here, and it is such an immersive, hit-the-ground-running introduction to a teaching career!

Whether you are an experienced teacher and/or traveler or a complete newbie to both, you will need to ask yourself three essential questions to determine the answer to the burning question from above^
Are you willing to get comfortable with being uncomfortable?
Do you have confidence in your ability to communicate with others?
Do you possess the skills necessary to inspire, educate, and connect with Thai students ranging from ages 12-18?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, Teaching in Thailand will be as interesting, beautiful, and rewarding of an experience as all of the former/ current teachers you've already talked to say it has been for them.
Honestly, the most important aspect(s) of teaching abroad is your personal ability to: handle adversity, make decisions, make adjustments, and at times improvise as well as go with the flow. As long as you are willing to "get comfortable with being uncomfortable" the rest will all fall into place.

For example, if you are having mixed feelings about your ability to communicate with an entire community of Thai speaking people ie. (School administrators, students, faculty, housing director, local food vendors, etc.) you just need to remember that basic communication is always an option, this includes communication through body language and hand singles/gestures. In my experiences, Thai people are very patient and very understanding, so maintaining a positive attitude coupled with a simple smile goes a long way towards communicating a message.

As far as "the rest falling into place", CIEE does a thorough job with facilitating documents and paperwork needed for pre-departure while OEG does an excellent job running a five day long orientation upon your arrival to Bangkok. I could not be happier with how the orientation process went. The orientation group I was apart of was fortunate to have a somewhat small number of teachers (21) which allowed for more 1 on 1 attention than normal from orientation leaders (Kristen, Derik, and Fluke) as well as a unique opportunity for our group to get to know each other on a more personal level. Whether you are a professional teacher or have no experience at all, orientation covered everything and anything a newcomer to Thailand would want to know. Topics covered included: Introduction to Thai Language, Thai Culture / Culture in the classroom, Classroom Management, Lesson Planning, Thai Food/ Money, Thai education system, Health, Safety, & Security in Thailand.

The biggest adjustment I have had to make so far, as expected, is the newness of everything. Everyday so far I have experienced something I have never seen or heard or understood before, which is both scary and exciting/intriguing all at the same time. At times it can be overwhelming, but I am lucky enough to have a great support system of family, friends, and girlfriend back home as well as a group of new found friends from orientation and school, right here, spread across Thailand.

For more insight follow my personal blog @ rythai.wordpress.com