OISE University of Toronto TEFL

Name: OISE University of Toronto TEFL
Brand: University of Toronto OISE
SKU: 32730
Rating: 8.39 (61 reviews)

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TEFL Certification University of Toronto

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About

Pairing your bachelor’s degree with a TEFL certificate from a top-20 global university is the best way to find an amazing job to fund your overseas adventure. The OISE TEFL course was designed by a team of professors and TEFL experts. Unlike a traditional university course, OISE is 100% online and self-paced, so you can fit it into your busy schedule or hustle through it in a shorter time frame. OISE TEFL is delivered by Teach Away, world leaders in international teacher placements.

Your TEFL options:

100-Hour TEFL Course
This course is best for new ESL teachers on a budget who want to get started teaching English.

120-Hour TEFL Course
This course is best for recent university graduates and current students looking to teach abroad.
*Choose two specialization units

150-Hour TEFL Course
This course is best for serious ESL teachers seeking a comprehensive course to accelerate their career.
*Choose two specialization units
*Extended curriculum
*Teaching abroad unit

Specializations

Cater your course to your personal interests as well as your teaching destination with a combination of specializations that can be added to your TEFL certificate. Specialization units include:

Teaching English to Korean Speakers
Teaching English to Arabic Speakers
Teaching English to Mandarin Speakers
Teaching English to Young Learners
Teaching Business English
Teaching Test Preparation Courses
Digital Technology in the Classroom
Learner-Centred Classrooms
Teaching Abroad

Highlights

Global recognition - Designed by a top-ranked faculty of education, language schools around the world will recognize the OISE University of Toronto TEFL certification. Upon completing your course, you will receive a certificate directly issued by OISE.
100% online and self-paced - Accessible from a connected device at any time, the OISE TEFL course is yours to complete at your own pace. All aspects of the course are done entirely online, so you can enroll today and get started from anywhere you please.
Job assistance - Partnered with Teach Away, a leading international teacher recruitment agency, OISE TEFL connects graduates with free job placement services. You’ll get immediate access to opportunities at reputable schools all over the world.

Questions & Answers

I only have an associate degree in Early childhood development. Can I still take this course without completing a B.A?

There are no prerequisites to enroll in the course, you may do so at any time and begin instantly by paying the course fee. That said, do keep in mind that generally the internationally accepted minimum requirements to teach abroad are a TEFL certificate and a bachelors degree (in any subject area). This is not to say, however, that teachers with less than a degree do not continue to be hired...

By OISE University of Toronto TEFL on August 21, 2018

See all 2 answers

If I'm not a degree holder then can I sign up for this course ?

There are no prerequisites to enroll in the course, you may do so at any time and begin instantly by paying the course fee through our website here: https://teflonline.teachaway.com/enroll/ That said, keep in mind that the internationally widely accepted minimum requirements to teach abroad are a TEFL certificate and a bachelors degree in any subject area. This is not to say, however, that...

By OISE University of Toronto TEFL on July 11, 2018

See all 2 answers

Is OISE University of Toronto a IV Title School? Does the program accept the Americorp Education Award?

Hi Ariel, The University of Toronto does participate in the Title IV federal student aid programs, however, students in this course are not considered full or part-time students at the University of Toronto. Though the course was designed by education faculty at the University of Toronto, it is also jointly administered by Teach Away. Moreover, the course is offered at a department level. As such,...

By OISE University of Toronto TEFL on April 5, 2018

How long did it take to hear from schools?

Hi Tasheira, Thank you for your question! If you are currently applying for placement through the Teach Away website, there are a few things to be mindful to ensure that your applications stand out. 1) Ensure you meet all of the requirements specified in the job posting, listed requirements are not optional, 2) Make sure your Teach Away profile is up to date and accurate. Placement Coordinator's...

By OISE University of Toronto TEFL on August 18, 2016

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Reviews

84%

based on 61 reviews

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Teach

Benefits 9
Support 9.5
Fun 7.4
Facilities 8
Safety 6.9

TEFL

Instruction 8.2
Support 7.9
Value 7.9
Academic Rigor 6.3
Job Assistance 6.2

Good for Building your resume

Showing 46 - 60 of 61

I recently completed my 150 hour TEFL course with the University of Toronto, specializing in teaching English to Koreans and teaching business English, and overall it was a positive experience. The content of the course is both relevant and enlightening. Each unit is broken into manageable portions, and the interactive material is easy to navigate. They also provided really great resources and links. Make sure you take lots of notes as there is tons of great information that you'll definitely need to review. The tech support was excellent, they got back to me almost immediately any time I experienced an issue. All in all I would recommend this course to anyone who is seeking a teaching position!

What would you improve about this program?

The part of the program that could be improved upon is getting the students better connected with teaching positions after they complete it.

I started the course in 2013, but needed extra time to finish this course. I took the 100 hour course, and the university were flexible enough to award me 2 extensions.

The course was extremely well structured, and the units were well presented and detailed. The reflection journals were especially helpful as they covered all aspects of the unit we studied. Sometimes I felt the assessment was too easy, but it was definitely for the most part, challenging.

What would you improve about this program?

I would ideally like that for the 100 hour courses, there be an option (for an extra fee) to be able to continue and choose a specialization. This option, which is available only to the 120 & 150 hour courses is included after you complete your basic certificate. If this was extended and given as an extra payable option, it would prove very useful.

The overall experience of completing the 150-hour TEFL course was good. Each time I e-mailed a member of the TEFL team, I received a response within 24 hours. The content was extremely helpful and useful for teaching ELL students. However, upon completion of the course there was no assistance with job placement.

What would you improve about this program?

Some of the attached videos would not play depending on the computer I was using. Once I was informed about how to bypass the videos, everything else flowed smoothly.
I would definitely have liked some assistance with job placement. Simply telling me that I should apply anywhere I was interested in working was not at all helpful.

I found the course to be enjoyable and very informative.

I found the degree of difficulty to be appropriate and any concerns / questions I had were promptly dealt with by the course co-ordinator.

I am very happy I undertook the course with the University of Toronto and am most happy to recommend it to anyone considering TEFL as a vocation.

Many thanks to the University.

Philip Dean
(Australia)

What would you improve about this program?

No program is perfect. I don't think I would change anything.

The staff were fantastic resolving minor issues like inability to access documents but also with providing extension on the time frame for completion when I couldn't finish the course due to unforeseen family events.

I haven't tried any foreign placement so am unable to comment on that.

What would you improve about this program?

Repetition of some aspects of the course course in the specialisations.

Very interesting course. The content was appropriate and can be used.
The instructors were interesting and added variety. I am sorry it is over and may take additional courses in the future if time allows.

What would you improve about this program?

There were occasional technology glitches either from my computer or the program. When they initially happened, I was looking for contact information and it was difficult to locate. I made some expensive phone calls internationally before I was able to reach the correct source to address my questions.

I took the 120-hour TEFL course in preparation for my time overseas and was working a more than full-time job at the same time. I found the core material was generally challenging. The printable activities were helpful and the handouts made for good examples. I found the videos to be beneficial depending on the speaker, though some were not as engaging as I had hoped. The course was usually pretty self explanatory and could be somewhat redundant in format - something others may prefer more than me.

What would you improve about this program?

If there had been a book along with the course, it would have been easier to follow along. I found the tests were often too easy and not necessarily helping me to retain the information. Overall it was a decent course for online, though having more engagement with a staff member (grading assessments, commenting on journals, etc) would have made this course stronger in critical thinking. I think the various sections are lacking in consistency of difficulty as different individuals present each one - this could be streamlined. The only practical piece of my experience was my own time volunteering in an ESL classroom to SEE the material in action. If their were more video examples of the strategies and tools, that would be helpful. Overall it was a decent course.

This course has given me much more confidence into being a teacher than other certification centers. Language schools recognize this program and the material learned in new teachers. They give you so much information that at time it's overwhelming but good to have in order to go back to it later on.

What would you improve about this program?

Some slides are glitched and need to be fixed. The technical staff took its time on telling me how to fix it myself and when done so they were kind of rude about it. As if it's my fault the slide glitches and I don't know how to fix it myself.

This was a really useful study programme, that allows you to complete the course at your own pace. The programme content is both relevant and interesting.
A couple of minor technical issues were resolved within 24 hours allowing me to continue the course after using the online contact facility.
I am already teaching abroad, but felt this course was really helpful in reinforcing what I needed to know.
Big thank you to the course team.
Kevin Robinson

What would you improve about this program?

Sometimes the video input did not work on my macbook, no great problem as the content was included within the course notes.

I am a vastly experienced TEFL teacher with two Master degrees including one in Education. I undertook this course in order to fulfil an administrative prerequisite. Before the course, I thought the course would be both a stroll in the park if rather boring. I was completely wrong on both counts! Not only was the course challenging and thought-provoking, but it proved a reinvigorating process that has taught me so much. Most impressed.

May I take a respectful bow towards the University of Toronto. Thank you.

What would you improve about this program?

There were some minor computer glitches and explanatory inadequacies.

Let me start off and explain why a 1 was given on the job placement question. My motivation for taking this course was not to teach abroad, possibly in the future, but to further my current career. I can not rate something that I have not utilized.

I loved how this course allowed me to work at my own pace and I never felt time pressured. It is easy to navigate around the lessons.

I had some technical issues a couple of times but the support was right on top of it.

Overall I more than satisfied with my choice to take this specific TEFL course over the local college course. I am quite confident this course has given me the tools to succeed.

What would you improve about this program?

It seems that information from early lessons just got rehashed in later lessons or in the specialization courses. When that information came about there were times that I thought 'we have already been through this'. I can understand why this is done, to reiterate tools and strategies, so that you can be comfortable with the information and to refresh memories. I understand it but I still think it can be a waste of time, energy, and funds to go through something twice. This is by no means a negative as I really did enjoy this course and would do it all over again as it stands.

I found this course very comprehensive and convenient to complete - you can access it from any computer or mobile device, so you can study for a lesson wherever you have internet or wireless access. There is a good mix of reading, written activities, video and interactive elements, so the lessons are always engaging, and I genuinely enjoyed working through the different modules. Most modules require you to complete and submit multiple 'reflection journals', so making notes and taking your time with each lesson is recommended. I took specialisations in Teaching Business English and Teaching English to Young Learners - there are various topics to choose from, and I think this is an area in which they can expand the course even further. I completed the 120-hour course in 2-3 months, and found the sections on grammar particularly useful.

In terms of support, I received prompt replies from course staff whenever I had a query, and all communications have been friendly and helpful. There is quite a wait until you receive your certificate, but they offer an free electronic copy whilst you await its arrival. No information yet about a work placement now that I've completed the course - this is the only stall in communication so far.

What would you improve about this program?

More clear direction for students who have completed the course and which to look at placement options. There were a couple of glitches when viewing lessons on a Windows tablet, so perhaps just checking for compatibility across different browsers could prevent any future issues.

I have taken this course between June and August 2013 and then two modules which were Teaching English for Young Learners and Business English.
In a modern environment and completely on-line delivery this course taught me everything I need to have the confidence to apply for a TEFL teaching job. The course has a lot of video and audio that add more to the information and advice from the experts. I think that this course fully covers the theoretical and practical aspects that you might need to know to be a successful teacher. I highly recommend this class especially that it is backed by Teach Away's support for you to find your dream teaching job.

Read my full story

U of T TEFL Online was a great investment, which has enhanced my knowledge of teaching and the English language.

I took the 120 hour course and specialized in Teaching English to Korean speakers and Teaching English to Young Learners. They offer other practical specializations that will help you in your placement field.

TEFL's partnership with Teach Away allowed me the opportunity to work with a Placement Coordinator. I was supported throughout my application process.

What would you improve about this program?

When I enrolled there weren't as many specializations being offered and I could only take 2. But I just checked and they offer more plus a 150 hour option!

I enrolled in the University of Toronto's TEFL Online course as I was looking for an online TEFL certificate that would assist me with teaching abroad. I found the course to be very practical, with lots of useful information and suggestions that I will be able to apply when working with ESL learners. It was great to be able to work through the course at my own pace and I have kept copies of the additional hand-outs that are provided throughout the units.

Overall, I found this course to be a great addition to my teaching degree and I look forward to using my new skills when I teach abroad in South America later this year!

What would you improve about this program?

There were a few technical errors that I believe have since been fixed.

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

TEFL is an online course that prepares teachers and aspiring teachers, whether native or non-native speakers, to become teacher English as a Foreign Language. When I moved to Mexico, I had no international teaching experience whatsoever. However, having taught in Kenya for over 4 years, I knew that I was a competent teacher and an excellent one for that matter. Two months into my new job in Guadalajara in Jalisco I lost my job! Culture conflict and language barrier can be a real challenge.

You see, Africa and South America are two different worlds altogether. The culture, religion, food, dressing, music, political affiliation and every aspect you can think of. The school set-up, classroom management and general approach was even completely new to me. With my experience from Kenya, things were completely different. Even though I am a quick learner and very versatile, things weren't easy. Situation were coming up from time to time where students disagreed with me or I disagreed with them. This led to my termination of my one year contract only two months into it. It was an amicable agreement between me and the school administration because both the students and I were having a hard time.

This motivated me to do a thorough research on how to cope and teach in a new country, especially to English non-Speakers. That's how I learnt about TEFL course. Through my research, I learnt about the importance of taking the course since all the challenges I had faced previously were addressed in the course work.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

Ontario Institute of Studies of Education of the University of Toronto came in handy to ensure that I successfully completed my program at my own pace and with all the required materials. Everything was availed on the student's platform and it was easily accessible. The University ensured that the organization of the course was suitable for both trained and untrained teacher, The arrangement from known to the unknown stood out, besides the advantage of freedom to choose the area of specialization. The immediate response from tutors and the administration helped a lot especially in the cases where I had questions about journal submission and grading.

On the other hand, I was able to organize myself since the course is self-paced and there is enough time to completely finish everything with good time management. I was able advance my activities every weekend since my weekdays are usually extremely busy at work. I used a lot of online research and referred mostly to my experiences when answering my journal evaluations. The systematic organization of the program made it easy for me to do almost everything by myself without experiencing any difficult.

View Entire Interview

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

If you are thinking about teaching in a foreign country, then you are on the right track. First things first. You might need to consider taking this course whether you are a trained teacher or not. This will prepare you adequately to partake your new journey with full knowledge and confidence. This course highlights all the possible challenges and gives the solutions as well. I would also advice you to do a thorough research about your host country before moving over. What kind of language is spoken there, and if possible learn the basics, what are the political affiliations, religious believes and generally the culture.

This might sound very obvious but I will give you an example. Hand gestures are not a big deal in my country and in most countries actually. So in Kenya, you can snap your fingers to encourage someone to contribute in a discussion which is very okay. However, here in Mexico snapping fingers got me into a problem with a parent for snapping at the students during a classroom cooperative activity. Here in Mexico you cannot go snapping your fingers anyhow because it is very offensive. If I had done my research before and learnt that, may be I would have avoided such a confrontation. So it is very important to understand the culture differences that you might experience in order to avoid unpleasant confrontations and embarrassments as well.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Generally, this will depend on an individuals interests and preferences. As a teacher, my day starts at 7.30 am to 3.30 pm, from Monday to Friday. This might defer depending on different institutions or the region as well. When my day ends at work I have a whole afternoon to myself and at the end of the week I have a whole weekend for myself. This is the time I get to indulge with the culture, make new friends and go to new places.

Here in Mexico people are very social and there is always something to do. In the evenings, I sometimes go for Salsa dance, Carne Asada (barbecue night), movie night even going to the gym. Weekends are excellent for road trips, camping, weddings, quinceañera and site-seeing. As I said, all this depends on what one is interested in doing.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

Moving to a new country is not as easy as it may sound. At first, I did not know how I would survive without my parents and my sisters around me. My other biggest fear was starting over. I was unsure of how things would be in a new country without family and friends. I thought I was going to lose my friends and lose contact with my family. The best way to overcome fear is to face it.

After I got here, those became completely non-factors. Now I had bigger problems like learning how to fold a taco and confidently put it in my mouth without spilling everything. Thanks to technology and this digital era, I can now Skype call and even Whatsapp call my family and friends almost on daily basis. This helps a lot when I feel homesick, even then though I miss being with them physically.

Is it worthy moving to a foreign country?

This is a question I get from anyone that I tell my story. I will be very honest. If your main reason for moving to a foreign country is solely to make money, then I would say no. Why, you may ask. First of all, moving to a foreign country is not cheap. It is like an investment or a business you are trying to test waters. It means abandoning whatever you were building on and starting over. So it is a risk which might or might not work out. What if it does not work out as you expected?

If your main reason is exposure and experience, then money might be just a bonus. Moving to a foreign country, as a teacher especially, comes along with a bunch of advantages. First, the international teaching experiences is a plus in career development. Most importantly, the exposure gives you a new way of perceiving everything and an opportunity to experience diverse cultures and practices. Even though most of these things are now available on the internet, the same internet will never teach you how to fold a Taco and put in your mouth without spilling everything.

Be wild, travel and live a thousand ways!

Jinnie Tan

2017 Alum

Karyn Kolkka

2016 Alum

Ahmad

2013 Alum

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

What position do you hold at University of Toronto TEFL Online? What has been your career path so far?

I currently work as the Course Coordinator for the University of Toronto TEFL Online course at Teach Away. The most important stop on the path to my current position was my experience teaching abroad in Spain.

After graduating university I began working in an administrative position with a large company to save money to move abroad. After a lot of research I decided that teaching English overseas was the best way for me to meet my goal of long-term travel, and I quickly decided on Spain.

Earning my TEFL certification before leaving Canada, making the calculated risk to move to Spain (without a teaching job first!) and eventually landing a teaching job, lead me to where I am today. In my current position, I translate my past teaching and traveling experiences in a meaningful way to help others take the first step towards teaching English abroad, getting TEFL certified.

Did YOU teach abroad?! If so, where and what inspired you to go?

I lived in Gijon, Spain, in the northern province of Asturias for one year teaching conversational English to adults in a private language academy. Ever since studying abroad in Italy between my third and fourth years of university, I knew I wanted to live abroad long-term. I finished my final year of university and graduated with my bachelor’s degree.

A friend in my program told me about TEFL certification, and the advantages of teaching abroad as a way to travel abroad long-term, and I was hooked!

I earned my TEFL certification that summer and began researching for my adventure. After some research I considered teaching in Spain and Japan, but quickly settled on Spain.

I was inspired by Spanish culture - the food, the history, the language - and couldn’t wait to explore a part of Europe I had never seen before.

What country have you always wanted to visit?

I have always wanted to go to the Czech Republic. To me, photographs of Prague make it look as if it were first imagined in a fairytale. With its UNESCO world heritage sites, famous bridge and old town, colorful baroque buildings and Gothic churches, it is almost too perfect to visit! But, how can I choose just one?

At the top of my list are also a road trip across Iceland and a trip to Antarctica. I would love to get lost along the Ring Road in Iceland, stopping to see the beautiful volcanoes, waterfalls, icebergs, northern lights (if I’m lucky!) and National Geographic worthy landscapes.

As for Antarctica, I would love to board a cruise from the southern tip of Chile bound for Antarctica. To learn about the wildlife, history and current affairs of the southernmost part of our planet, which would definitely be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

What's your favorite ethnic dish?

Being one of the culinary capitals of the world, living in Spain was like being on a culinary tour e-v-e-r-y-d-a-y. One of the first things I ate when I arrived in Spain was a tortilla de patata, which is a Spanish omelette made of eggs, potato and onion, served on piece of fresh bread. I had never eaten so many starches and proteins in one dish and had never been so full in my life!

If I had to choose a favorite, however, it would have to be the fresh seafood. Teaching English in a coastal town I was spoiled with fresh seafood paella, fried chipirones and calamari, and my ultimate favorite, octopus.

Smothered in local olive oil and sprinkled with smoked Spanish paprika the octopus is traditionally boiled and lightly grilled on the outside before it’s diced and served on a simple platter in round bite-sized pieces. It is so soft and delicious it will spoil you for all future octopus.

What was your favorite traveling experience?

While living in Spain, I spent the first ten days of my summer vacation sailing around the Balearic islands. Starting in Ibiza, continuing to Palma de Mallorca and ending in Menorca, it was a trip I would never forget.

Before the trip I had never been on a sailboat, let alone for ten days with three people I had just met. I quickly discovered that traveling on water was one of the most beautiful and rewarding ways to experience a place, especially when the body of water you get to sail across is the Mediterranean Sea.

I jumped off the boat to snorkel with fish everyday, enjoyed meals on the boat with no land in view, and went to bed with the sun every night.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

A graduate of the TEFL Online course once told me that they would not be in their current teaching position in South Korea if it weren’t for the University of Toronto TEFL Online course.

When I hear stories like this - and I hear them often - of teachers who graduate from our course are able to fulfill their dream of teaching and traveling abroad, and that they are finding joy in making a difference in the lives of their students, I know that I am making a positive impact on the lives of others, and that I am without a doubt in the right industry.

David Macfarlane

About University of Toronto OISE

OISE TEFL is an internationally-recognized TEFL certification course designed by professors at the University of Toronto OISE and offered by Teach Away. The course is 100% online, self-paced and will qualify you for a variety of international teaching jobs around the world. Upon completion of your course, you will receive a TEFL certification from...

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Alumni Interviews

Pauline Kanyiva Mwendwa

Why did you choose this program?

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

Is it worthy moving to a foreign country?

Staff Interviews

Christie Van Tol

What position do you hold at University of Toronto TEFL Online? What has been your career path so far?

Did YOU teach abroad?! If so, where and what inspired you to go?

What country have you always wanted to visit?

What's your favorite ethnic dish?

What was your favorite traveling experience?

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?​

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?