Destination TEFL

Destination TEFL Reviews

Kate in Colombia in February 2017
Kate
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

In-Person TEFL Certification vs Online Version

I just finished my first proper day of teaching in Vietnam and I must say I am so happy that I went with Samui TEFL for my teaching certification. I can’t imagine what teaching must be like for those teachers that didn’t do their teaching certification in person and instead opted for an online version. From classroom management tactics to lesson planning to real time feedback about your teaching style (with real students) - I feel that Samui TEFL gave me all the right tools to make me a confident teacher and ensure that my classes are fun and engaging. Kathryn’s approach to teaching was certainly a new experience for me but by the end I could see the value and appreciated it immensely. A highlight of the course was Kathryn’s Italian lesson where we got to experience first hand what it is like to be learning a new language that you don’t know anything about. It certainly gave us perspective for just how much care and attention goes into every little detail to make your students comfortable, engaged, and using the language. Ashleigh was a HUGE help to our course as well with prepping for the practice lessons we taught at the various institutions on the island. I can’t recommend Samui TEFL enough if you’re considering teaching English abroad - plus the connections they have to help you find a job (sometimes even before the course is over) are fantastic!

Response from Destination TEFL

Dear Kate

Thank you so much for the lovely review, and to you and the class for the great video! So pleased you are enjoying teaching.
All the best
Rosanne, Kathryn and Ashleigh

Tatiana
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

THE best TEFL course out there . Book your place today !

Before deciding to go and booking my place , I have done an extensive research and talked to many people online and face to face about all the possible options and places in Thailand to do this . Then I have come across few who mentioned TEFL Samui and it piqued my interest as this course sounded way more interesting than all the others.
So I took a dive and booked it . I cannot reiterate enough how much fun that month in Thailand with the professional teachers from Samui TEFL and my fellow students had been . I will never ever forget it . The classes were fun and interactive , confidence building and extremely educational . We had plenty of help and assistance during and after the course and Kathryn , our teacher was super fun and very knowledgeable . We learnt a lot through game play , and the actual in - class teaching where we had to teach the class of primary school students . Oh how we much fun that was !
Sadly I couldn't remain in Thailand and had to return back to England but I'm planning to go back there next year to put all that I learnt on this brilliant course into practice and hoping to stay for longer .
Thanks TEFL Samui for all that you taught me !

What would you improve about this program?
I honestly could not think of anything that I would improve . Everything was just perfect !
Response from Destination TEFL

Dear Tatiana

Thank you so much for the lovely review. We hope to see you back in Thailand soon!
All the best of luck with your future.
Rosanne and Kathryn

Brooks
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

10/10 would recommend

I wasn't sure what to expect when starting the course at Samui TEFL but it exceeded any expectations I could have had. By the end of the course I felt as though I was thoroughly prepared to start teaching!Kathryn is an amazing teacher and ensured that we all were comfortable and well versed with the various skills that were needed for classroom management, lesson planning, resourcing and more. Ashleigh made sure we stayed on top of things and helped us in any way she could. The course is definitely a lot of work but the atmosphere that Kathryn, Ashleigh and your class creates makes it a very enjoyable experience and most of the time it doesn't even fill like work! Also, it doesn't hurt that it is located on an island that has some amazing beaches!

Response from Destination TEFL

Dear Brooks
Thank you for your lovely review. We are so pleased you enjoyed your time on the course and Samui.
Best of luck with your future plans.
Rosanne, Kathryn and Ashleigh

Jack
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Good Vibes

A spectacular experience in terms of both personal and professional development. After finishing university, and being engulfed by the usual graduate malaise of wondering what to do with my life, I decided to take the plunge and enrol in the Samui TEFL Course. I have not looked back since. It was truly one of the greatest experiences of my life and has not only provided me with great memories and friendships but has also provided me with the skills and confidence to go out and make new ones too. You receive the greatest levels of support in all aspects of your personal and educational journey. I urge you to embark on this course and embrace all the good vibes this course has to offer.

Response from Destination TEFL

Dear Jack
Thank you so much for your lovely words.
Wishing you all the best for your future career and travels.
Rosanne, Kathryn and Ashleigh

Bobbie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Do it, do it now!

Pretty much just reinforcing what everybody else seems to have said about this course. It is superbly run, a great deal of fun was had by all, the levels of support given are second to none and everything these ladies (Kathryn and Ashleigh) do is designed to help you succeed as a teacher of English as a foreign language. Having said that though, it is still up to you as an individual to put in the effort to ensure your own success. At times it may seem overwhelming and slightly confusing but that is normal and by the end of the course it will become clear as to why things are done the way they are. Once you get up in front of all those kids in the classroom and see the smiles on their faces and just how keen they are to learn and have fun, you'll realise then that you have made the right choice. This has been an extremely rewarding, not to mention a life changing experience, and by far the best decision I have made in my life up to this point. So what are you waiting for? Save your pennies, book your flights and your spot on the course and get your bum over here. You will not regret it!!

Response from Destination TEFL

Thank you for your lovely words Bobbie. Best of luck with your new career.
Kind regards
Rosanne, Kathryn and Ashleigh

Katherine
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An amazing experience.

Samui Tefl. What an experience. I honestly couldn't recommend it enough. If you interested in teaching English as a foreign language, Samui Tefl is the best decision that you could make. The course is intense, and by no means four weeks of fun - you work hard, but it's totally worth it as it prepares you so well for when you get a job. Kathryn is a wonderful teacher and has a lot of experience behind her, so she has lots of tips and advice which she will happily pass on to you. As amazing as the course itself was, the best part was making lifelong friends and memories that will be treasured for a lifetime. Having a support system around you really adds to the experience of living in Thailand - and it gave us all the opportunity to travel to different locations to visit friends, that we perhaps wouldn't have been aware of otherwise. All of us found jobs no problem, and seemed to all find different types of jobs/locations which suited us as individuals. If you are considering the course, take the risk - you won't regret it!

What would you improve about this program?
I think that it would be helpful to provide new students with a little more information, with tips and advice about what to bring/places to visit and things to do whilst doing the course.
Response from Destination TEFL

Dear Katherine
Thank you for your lovely review.
We wish you the best for your career and travels.
All the best,
Rosanne and Kathryn

Hannah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Excellent course, excellent value!

Samui TEFL is an incredible experience for anyone involved! The course is a very good introduction to teaching and is definitely worth the price. Kathryn is a excellent resource and has loads of experience to guide you into a new career. At times the course is intense and requires hard work, but it pays off! After completing Samui TEFL I find my current teaching job to be a breeze. The lesson planning, resourcing, and teaching pracs will seem intimidating to start, however, they do more than prepare you for your first week at a real job. In addition to feeling extremely prepared to go into the world of teaching I gained an incredible group of friends. Get to know your peers during the course! I feel truly fortunate for the people I met and the relationships I created whilst on Samui for a month. After the course was over, I had friends all around Thailand and was able to travel from Bangkok to Pattaya, Hua Hin, Ayutthaya, etc and stay for free :) Samui TEFL is an experience that you will reminisce about for a life time.

What would you improve about this program?
My particular course did not focus heavily on classroom management. I believe a short unit about how to manage a classroom of kids (without an assistant teacher) would be helpful.
Amy
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

April 2016 TEFL course

Moving to another country can be exciting and daunting at the same time. I did a lot of research on the many TEFL courses in Thailand and while there are many great ones all throughout the country I am very happy I chose Samui TEFL. The support Roseanne and Kathryn gave before the course put my mind at ease prior to embarking on this new adventure and the support given during and even after the course was so helpful I cannot thank them enough. I met so many incredible people from all around the world that have become some of my closest friends. With Roseanne and Kathyrn's help I received an interview at a really lovely school on the island and was offered a position. I continually look back on the time of the TEFL course as the best month I have had in the year I have been living in this beautiful country. Thank you for the very fond memories and for helping me reach my goal of doing the TEFL- to feel comfortable in and in front of a classroom!

Response from Destination TEFL

Dear Amy
Thank you so much for your lovely words. We are so happy you are enjoying your teaching position on the island.
Best of luck for the future, and stay in touch!
Kind regards
Rosanne and Kathryn

Nicole
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Just do it :-D

Each of us embark on a personal journey for purposes that either help us to remedy our current situations, or to give us a purpose for our future aspirations. When deciding where to begin my TEFL journey, I was drawn to Samui purely by the lure of the relaxed Island lifestyle, which is also complemented by beautiful beaches, climate, and a relatively low population density. I am so thankful that I made the right decision choosing Samui TEFL, and am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of this course. My only regret is that I didn’t make the choice to come sooner!
Samui TEFL has given me an extremely strong foundation to begin my journey as an English Language Teacher. I have no doubt that in years to come, I will still be making references to the broad range of knowledge that I have learnt on the course. Kathryn is an extremely competent trainer, who shares her invaluable knowledge and experiences with all. This ensures trainees are made fully aware of what to expect in real Thai classrooms and language schools. Each lesson, activity, and task is meticulously planned to equip us as ‘teacher trainees’, with a ‘toolbox’ of skills and techniques that are easily transferrable to classroom situations. Nothing is without a purpose!
For myself personally, the most beneficial part of the course was going into classrooms and teaching. Essentially putting all the knowledge and skills we had acquired to use. This gives a great insight to what it will be like teaching in a Thai school. Although at first, I found even the thought of this extremely daunting, my confidence grew as I became more familiar with the course content and applications of teaching techniques. I had faith in, and knew that all the information and advice that had been given to us by Kathryn and Ashleigh, was set up in a way to ensure we would all succeed. I am still amazed that in just 4 (intense) weeks, I was able to learn so much information, and was able to develop different personal attributes.
I could go on… but in summary I am so happy with how the course panned out. Kathryn and Ashleigh are both so supportive, helpful, and knowledgeable and I couldn’t be more grateful to them both for getting me to a level where I now have belief that I can be a competent, and effective teacher. Before coming to Thailand, in one of my previous office roles, my favourite part of the job was going home, or that the chair would swing around 😂. Now I am living in Phuket, listening to Thai children who are adopting a Kiwi accent, 10 minutes from the most beautiful beaches and living my Island dream 😃
Thank you Samui TEFL

Response from Destination TEFL

Dear Nicole
Thank you for your lovely review. We are so pleased you are enjoying your new job in Phuket. We wish you all the best for the future.
Rosanne, Kathryn and Ashleigh

Jeanneri
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Samui TEFL Best experience

I did my TEFL last year in the end of January, honestly it was one of the best experiences. Not only was Kathryn extremely professional, but she was also an excellent teacher!!! She taught me new techniques which I still use in my classes today! Don't expect to chill during this course, no you work hard, BUT its all worth it. So when you walk into a Thai school you are ready and fully prepared! The program is situated in Choen Mong in Koh Samui, paradise is one word to describe it! We worked hard during the week and weekends got to have the island holiday! With regards to jobs, Kathryn and Rosanne helped a lot and after job hunting for a week or so my friend and I had jobs and were sorted out!

Overall everyone PLEASE do your TEFL with Samui TEFL it s worth every penny !!!

What would you improve about this program?
The program is perfect.
Response from Destination TEFL

Thank you Jeanneri for you lovely comments. Best of luck for the future and we hope to see you back on Samui some time!
Rosanne and Kathryn