ITTT Online TEFL/TESOL Course

Why did you choose this program?

I chose it because it was the most professional, reliable, and complete program I found; also, my intuition. I wanted to broaden my EFL experience and use my agile learning and business knowledge for the greatest benefit of EFL students. Also, I like traveling and knowing people, their desires and most inner selves. I like the world and the experiences it brings me.
And every expectation was exceeded!

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

ITTT course is an opportunity that enabled me to receive an ongoing career support and teacher development, even after I had finished the course. Also, ITTT provided me with real video lessons on how to teach, giving me a good example and a role model. They gave me every lesson, task and test; immediate support and advice; numerous teacher resources, and kind response. Thank you ITTT!

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

Try to practice giving classes, before or during your program training. I was already an online business teacher and the classes with my students, really helped a lot because I realized, I was not offering a proper teaching methodology, until I studied the units on the methods of communicating knowledge accordingly to the student's needs.

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

Daily: Morning coffee, reading, making notes, clarifying doubts, doing the assigned task sheet, and answering the exam. Study any subject that was out of your knowledge. Keep a record or register your findings! You will find that a great deal of time goes to homework after class, reviewing, preparing the lesson, grading, etc...

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

My biggest fear was being below students' expectations. I learned to know my students and their interests to motivate them, so my vision changed a lot and gave me a sense of managing the class, not because of tight control, but because of sincere motivation. I've learned that I have more expectations of myself than my students. Get into it!

What makes the ITTT Online TEFL Course a powerful tool for those interested in teaching abroad?

Matt: Taking a month out of your life to take an onsite TEFL course is something we all wish we could do. The reality however, is that often the time and finance just isn’t there to be able to do so. If the TEFL field was only open to those able to do this, it would become a very elitist field indeed. ITTT’s online TEFL course allows everybody the chance to take gain certification. Our students can work from the comfort of their own home, at their own pace, in their own time. Things come up in life, and when they do it often isn’t possible to sit for hours at a time to complete an assignment. With ITTT’s online courses, you have the luxury of putting your work to the back of your mind when needed and coming back to it when you can give it your best effort. It also provides you with the same amount of knowledge and skills required to gain the TEFL certificate and go out and start your career.

What services does ITTT offer graduates after course completion?

Matt: With many companies, your experience stops as soon as the certificate is issued. ITTT prides itself on the service it offers not only throughout the course, but after completion also. Somebody from ITTT is available throughout your TEFL career. This may be advice and assistance with job placement, general questions about the TEFL field, advice on lesson planning or resources and even just somebody to hear you out and give advice on the general frustrations and difficulties that may arise in the classroom. All of our tutors have been on the same journey as our students and had the same problems when starting out, so we are ideally placed to try and help however we can. There is no time limit or deadline for when your tutors' help will expire, they are available throughout your TEFL career and just an email away at all times.

What are the most popular teaching destinations of ITTT graduates?

Matt: This really depends on where the graduates are from. We have graduates from all over the world and a common theme is for them to want to explore a new environment. This means we probably have a lot of graduates passing each other while swapping locations! South America, South East Asia, Japan, Korea, China and the Middle East are all popular locations. Some graduates are attracted by the high paying jobs in the Middle East while some graduates are more interested in the beauty and excitement of countries like Vietnam, Thailand and Laos in South East Asia, or Brazil, Chile and Ecuador in South America. Countries like Korea, Japan and China offer a culture and lifestyle which can seem completely alien and unique to western graduates, which is certainly a massive appeal. Some graduates, particularly from countries like the United States like to stay where they are and teach English to minorities in their home country.

What is one piece of advice you would offer someone considering this Online TEFL Course?

Matt: I think the main bit of advice I can offer someone considering taking an online TEFL course with ITTT is that you will get out of the course exactly what you put into it. If you take the time to go through our extensive course materials carefully and thoroughly learn all the material put to you, your work will be rewarded. This doesn't just mean you will receive a high grade you can be proud of, it also means that you will always have the knowledge and understanding to cope with any problem that may arise in the classroom. If you do the bare minimum to merely the pass course and gain your certificate, you may find that you are lacking when it comes to problems in the classroom. Our materials are not given just to help you pass the course, they are written to provide you with the skills and knowledge required to forge a successful career as a TEFL teacher.