TEFL Certification in Antigua, Guatemala

If anyone has any doubts about doing the TEFL Program with Maximo Nivel (specifically in Antigua) I would say, without a doubt, to do it! The TEFL program is great but I believe a lot of it is mainly because of the instructor. Mackenzie, who is the TEFL instructor in Antigua, has a lot of experience being a TEFL teacher and a TEFL trainer. He actually uses the techniques that you learn to teach English in the classroom so it allows you to see them implemented every single day. The program also forces you to start implementing the techniques right away so that way by the time you get to the fourth week, which is practical teaching week, you already have an idea of what to do and feel somewhat prepared. I didn't even know that I wanted to teach English when I started the program and now I'm an English teacher in Guatemala! So if you have any doubts just take the leap of faith and do it.

I wondered at first whether it would be worth it to do an in-person course. After all, online is more affordable and can be done at your own pace. However, I am leaving this 150 hour course with a level of confidence in my ability to teach English that I do not think I could’ve gotten from an online course.

Mackenzie is not only a master TEFL teacher himself, but a master at teaching TEFL. In other words, he uses the principles of TEFL on his students, getting us future English teachers to empathize with students learning English as a foreign language, and invariably to understand the “why” of TEFL. He always kept us on our toes in the best way. For much of the course, I wished for more time in front of actual classrooms—more than our 20 minute mini-lessons on Fridays and occasional pop-up vocab workshops—but I ended up feeling that our last week, Practical Teaching Week, was sufficiently challenging and useful. Lastly, Mackenzie and Maximo in general are extremely generous in their help with figuring out your career path as a TEFLer.

If you want a ticket to a life of travel but don’t know how to teach—or if you’re like me and have experience tutoring and teaching, but not to students of ESL—I strongly recommend Maximo Nivel - Antigua.

Lots of practical teaching time in front of paying clients. Mini lessons to get rid of teaching jitters and practice lesson planning. Improvisational teaching to show the value of being prepared. Academic writing assignments to ground understanding of English grammar. Rigorous program with a semesters worth of work in four weeks. Excellent feedback and engaging instruction. A skill gained for life and travel. MacKenzie carried the show being available and helpful everyday. Antigua is a beautiful place to study.

I really enjoyed going abroad to earn my TEFL certification. MacKenzie is a great TEFL trainer who cares about his students. Between the lesson planning, studying, and teaching, the Maximo staff was very helpful when it came to the homestays and needing material for the mini lessons and practical teaching. Yes, it is a highly intense couple of weeks, but it is so worth it in the end due to the experiences, friends, and that sense of accomplishment when earning your certification. Maximo Nivel is just amazing in general!

The TEFL Program is a very intensive but rewarding experience I would highly recommend to anyone interested in teaching English abroad. The TEFL Program offers a lot of experience and will expand your resume. Even if you have no prior teaching experience or even understanding of the language, no problem, because Mackenzie will be sure you understand. The bond your create with your new classmates will last a long time. And I felt I was able to grow close to all of my classmates as well as with the instructor.

Amazing course with a wonderful instructor. Highly recommend others to take this course. Located in a great city where you can enjoy your nights off dancing or socializing with locals or other tourist. The practical teaching week is a great opportunity to apply the techniques we learned during the course. Instructor feedback was a huge helpful component during this course. The institute was also very helpful supplying everything I needed to teach, from markers to paper print outs. I felt really supported through and through.

I chose to complete my TEFL certificate at Maximo Nivel in Guatemala and am very pleased with my experience. For starters, I felt that the class, while intense, was very supportive and attainable. I really enjoyed having a smaller group setting as I felt it allowed us to learn a lot about each other and that we were all able to contribute. Our instructor was great and made learning even the most boring subjects of grammar enjoyable. The staff at Maximo was overall wonderful, helpful and friendly

This was an amazing experience I am so glad I through myself into. The whole course was very intense, but so rewarding. I really love the city and the people who live here. My instructor was Mackenzie and he was all I could’ve hoped for. He is a really nice character, and very, very good at his job. He helped me willingly every step of the way. The course fully prepares you for teaching taking on your own class and my highlight is that I am now living in Antigua as an English teacher at Maximo getting a job straight after finishing the course!