TEFL in Antigua, Guatemala with Guaranteed Job Placement

I had to change last minute to the program in Guatemala due to the political unrest in the Peru location. They made this process so incredibly easy. Once I got to Guatemala, the class was really well structured and we got to see how to use ESL teaching techniques first hand as Mackenzie used them to teach TEFL, we then got amazing and practice and feedback during Practical Teaching Week. Overall I feel very prepared to teach English. Especially as I would have been so poorly prepared without it

Getting TEFL certified was hands down the highlight of 2022 for me! It has opened doors for me allowing me to continue teaching at Maximo in Guatemala as well as supporting my plans to travel to Indonesia this summer through online teaching :) Mackenzie was great, one of the best teachers I have had and he really supported me through the most challenging aspects of the course and made the whole experience enjoyable. He made every aspect enjoyable and fun through his teaching techniques, many of which I use in the classroom now. 10/10 would recommend!

This course set me up perfectly for becoming an ESL English teacher. Within the first few days, I was face-to-face with English students and developing my practical teaching skills. Each week, the practical experience was centred around applying recently learnt theory. Then in the final week, I led a daily, hour-long class. Alongside this, I observed other English teachers at Maximo Nivel, studying how they applied the theory, which helped put what I had learnt into context. The curriculum was logically ordered and fast-paced.

My TEFL Trainer, Mackenzie, brought the whole thing to life by giving memorable lessons and extremely constructive feedback. Mackenzie is passionate about his subject and a very experienced English teacher. This really showed during his lessons, where he embodied the mantra: "show, don't tell". Mackenzie also gave very sound practical advice for finding jobs.

Overall, this was an awesome experience. I met great people on the course and even had time to hike the volcanoes around Antigua! I highly recommend it.

For me, this was everything I wanted out of my TEFL program: economical, lively city (with weekend destinations), proper instruction, real teaching practice.

The instructor for the TEFL course was experienced and very knowledgeable about all things ESL. The TEFL classes were taught using the same teaching methods the course focused on, which proved their effectiveness for me. The classes were lively and entertaining, which was important given the compactness of the program. Getting to teach in front of real students was extremely valuable. Not only did it allow me to apply and practice all of the things I had learned, but it exposed my weaknesses and strengths as a teacher, allowing me to develop into a better teacher over the course of the program.

Maximo was a nice school. Free coffee/tea and places to study/work were awesome to have throughout the program. The end-of-program "TEFL Toast" was very fun and a nice gesture from the school. I think the real differentiating factor for this program though was the instructor, Mackenzie. Given the time-intensive nature of the program, having a great instructor seems critical. For six hours a day, the classes remained engaging. It was immediately obvious that they were prepared and really knew the material that was being taught. Those things were imperative for me to buy-in. Though I didn't take advantage of it too much, the instructor was more than willing to help outside of class and in office-hours.

As for Antigua, I found the city to be wonderful. By the end of my program it felt like home. Lots of food, events, and things to do. Entirely walkable and I always felt safe.The Acetenango and Fuego volcano hikes being right next door is also an amazing must-do while you are here too!

From the beginning all the staff of Maximo Nivel was really kind and they would provide all the information promptly, making sure that no detail was left out and everything was taken care of.
The course itself was AMAZING, I can tell it was challenging but not discouraging and our TEFL trainer would make sure we received all the support needed and feedback at all times. You can really trust the trainer and all the people who is there to support you. Without a doubt, it's a safe investment for adventure!

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.