TEFL Heaven Internships Thailand

All i can say is, if you have a degree, and you don't do this programme, you're stupid. I seriously don't get why not just everybody would do this, even if it's just for one school semester, its four months out of your life. I came intending to do one year maximum, and it's approaching the two year mark. Cliche's aside about friendships forever and a life-changing trip, this programme couldn't have been better. It immediately launches you into a social scene, where you meet the people who will be your safety blanket for the rest of your experience, which is amazing, as you all experience the homesickness, confusion, and amazing amazing times together. People from other agencies who I have met, just haven't had that same experience at all. This truly will be the best three weeks of your life, its the best launch pad into teaching in Thailand. i have spoken to other people who went through other agencies, and I have not once heard better things about other agencies, TEFL heaven is by far the way to go. It's also a really personal agency, I had SO many problems, like leaving my passport in another hostel, and they sort it out immediantely. Mike, the director, is just hilarious. It's worth doing the course just to meet him, and all the rest of the staff are also amazing, normal, down to earth. Just do it!! If you want to contact me about the programme , ill put my contact details below!!!

I really had the most amazing time on the training and during teaching. Since being back I can't stop talking about my experience with everyone and have even convinced some of my friends to sign up!

Teaching was something completely new to me so naturally I was terrified. However, after I completed the 3 weeks training I was so excited to get started. Mike and the rest of the trainers were amazing at preparing us and were always there if I had any concerns or worries. The training was very organised and it covered everything so I felt so confident by the time we finished. Even when we started our jobs Mike or Kerry would always be there immediately on the end of the phone if we had any problems. I met some great people on the course and at the Thai school who I am still in contact with now and so it is an experience I will never forget.

My only regret is that I didn't stay to teach for the second semester!
A big thank you to the TEFL Heaven team!

I had an amazing time at TEFL heaven. The staff were all so helpful and friendly. In my experience TEFL staff went above and beyond for me. The other trainees were incredible and I have probably never had more fun in my life. Koh Chang was beautiful and the perfect setting for a program like this. I felt so much more prepared getting my TEFL certificate hands on and in the country I was going to teach in. I use the techniques TEFL trainers taught me in the classroom every day. I can't recommend the experience enough. The only downsides were that I did feel we overpaid for transport and accommodation and there was some theft problems at the resort but, for TEFLs part, I thought they handled the theft as best they could. I would reccmend the experience to anyone and everyone because even though it is expensive, it's priceless.

2017 Update:

The 3 week course in Krabi was fantastic. We all met before hand in the recommended hostel so i was able to talk to some of the people on my course and get to know them a little. I was nervous about doing the course in such a hot country with complete strangers but we were all in the same boat and the trainers knew how we would feel. They did everything to help and make us feel secure. I was equipped with a lot of cultural information as well as teaching techniques that I simply didn't get from the online TEFL I had done previously. Overall I would recommend this to anyone wanting to make a change and do something worthwhile.

2014 Review:

I did an online TEFL PRIOR to doing this one and felt so confused as most of it was just multiple choice answers and i scraped by with a pass. The material was boring, I had no one to talk to for support or and peers to discuss things with BUT i was officially qualified. Great....but I had no confidence to be able to teach anyone anything to do with English especially in a paid school environment.
I saw TEFL Heaven Internship advertised online and was skeptical about paying money to do a course i had already done, however after researching it (The main guys who run this are on Facebook, its all openly there to see - no hiding or scams) I decided to do it. Wow! It was so much better to be able to have people in the same situation as me doing the course and understanding, not understanding and then discussing it to the point we felt confident. Its been 12 months since then and I am in constant contact with the company, they ask me how i am - I've met all the staff and all i can say is that its a genuine and honest almost family run company. They really do care because they were in my position themselves at some point. Overall I would recommend this to anyone. The school Im located at is VERY remote (which is what i wanted and asked for) so there is no night life which is why i rated it as a 5 - although the locals are always keen to drink, dance and sing Karaoke!!!

Over two years ago I could never have imagined that I would be where I am today. TEFL heaven started me on my ESL career with a bang and I have never looked back. What I liked most about TEFL heaven and my placement was everything was at the right pace. Learning how to teach English as a foreign langauge was nerve racking, but they made it easy for me to digest and put into practice. My school was amazing and the support with problems was fantastic. I had heard of other companies not paying people or just not keeping promises, my company did. Recommend this company whole heartedly, TEFL heaven and ECHO English.

I had been told by friends who had done this course before me that it was going to be the most fun I'd ever have. You never really think your friends mean it when they say those things; but in this case, they really did. I learned so much about teaching in this country and made some incredible, life long friends that are my support system now in Thailand. The trainers are passionate about their jobs, which both inspires and excites you to be the best teacher you can. I considered doing the online certificate program (mostly because of financial reasons) but having done this 3 week course now, I am so happy I did it. It's worth every penny and honestly prepares you so much for your first day, and the rest of your time here in this beautiful country full of smiles!

I came out to Thailand on a bit of a whim, looking for a challenge and a change of pace. I chose the TEFL Heaven course on Koh Chang based on a recommendation from a friend who had also taken the course - and I am so grateful! I had zero teaching experience and very little travelling under my belt. It's safe to say that I was beyond nervous! TEFL Heaven provided a well-structured, informative course that helped reassure me that I had made the right choice. The location was beautiful and the accomodation ideal. The trainers were super helpful and being able to hear their own stories and experiences was a huge help. The guidance and support offered on this course boosted my confidence more than I could have hoped for and I went off to my placement feeling prepared and eager to get stuck in. Thai language and culture aspects of the course really helped set me up for life here and made it easier to settle into my small town. The other trainees quickly became my Thailand family and that sort of support network is priceless. Teaching abroad is always going to be a steep learning curve, and what you get out of it is based so much on your own attitude and willingness to persevere. Saying that, TEFL Heaven provided a great foundation on which I have been able to build on over a subsequent year and a half teaching. I'd highly recommend this company to anyone looking for a high quality TEFL course.

Applied for the VTP as a spur of the moment thing (had the holiday blues lol), and it was the best thing i've done to date!
The people I met were lovely and supportive, had some amazing experiences & met some lifelong friends.
I have already been back to Thailand & i'm sure it wot be long before i return again.
The teaching side of it was great, sometimes challanging (as the thai teachers were not always particularly able to help/understand) but the ETA/TEFL team were always on the other end of the phone & helped with any problems.
Stayed friends with several of the staff & fellow volunteers!

If you are considering it - DO IT!!!! You wont regret it! But it might change your life & make your dull old life seem rather boring haha!

I found the teaching bit very enjoyable. However, I also found it challenging at times as I had never taught before and sometimes felt overwhelmed when I entered the classroom.
At times, I didn't quite know what to do as the pupils acted differently every day and no day is like the other. In general, pupils behaved very well but got distracted when the lesson slowed down because of my poor lesson planning.
Even though lots of activities were provided by TEFL heaven, it was difficult to remember them all and use them in the classroom. Therefore, I felt like I needed more time doing a TEFL course. The 9 days were too short for me.

In summary, it still was an amazing experience and I'm very glad I did it. Thailand and it's people is amazing and beautiful. TEFL heaven did a fantastic job to accommodate and take care of all of us and their training was good and enjoyable. I ended up doing a PGCE course after I returned from Thailand and will now end up as a German and French teacher in secondary schools. So, I guess that says it all :o)

I did my TEFL training with TEFL Heaven/ ETA almost two years ago now and couldn't recommend them more highly. The organisation and support were excellent and the staff were really good throughout the entuire process. I made some friends for life on the course and had a fantastic time. I have made a video about my experiences... feel free to have a look! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eZsFJfj8cI

I was part of the TEFL training program in April 2012 on Koh Chang. First off I have to say the location is pretty amazing, especially reflecting from here in the cold and drizzly UK. There is plenty to do outside of course times, with Song Taews (pick up trucks installed with bench seats) available to take you from the admittedly remote (though tranquil) resort of Siam Bay to Tai Bay for shopping, or the other direction to Lonely Beach's nightspots. Alternatively hire a scooter and head to White Sands for beachside cocktails, or drive further afield and visit one of the many swimmable waterfalls. Wow, I'm making myself miss it typing this! The accommodation was basic but livable, being comfortable enough with air con and soft beds. As for the Krabi course getting a better deal, I was informed by my friend who'd been on that course that the resort was so swish the company effectively made no profit, so no one in the future will be getting such a good deal. They were just lucky this time.

On to the course though, and while intense at times (some days while doing essays can be a full 12 hour day), there was always an effort to make it enjoyable from the two main trainers. It was 100% face to face, none of this internet rubbish other TEFL providers offer, and included evaluated time teaching in island schools. Despite what some others have said, I would argue that teaching in Thailand is not the hardest job in the world, and therefore you don't need people with years of experience training you - don't kid yourself this is a professional career you're getting into! If you can dance around and shout some English (or French, or whatever, they honestly wouldn't know the difference), the kids will be thrilled by the big white clown - anything else is superfluous.

Once I left the course and was handed over to TEFL heaven's partner agency, Media Kids, things started going downhill. I am dismayed that such an incompetent collection of people are allowed to run such a company. Their 'training' in Bangkok was a complete waste of time. Once we arrived in our placement town, we literally had to fend for ourselves - the partner organization, Media Kids, had done nothing to orientate us there, and our introduction to the school was looking it up on google maps and wandering in the first morning asking for the English department. They were even worse when it came to work permits and visas (made worse by our horrifically irritating excuse for a consultant, who thought the best way to placate your anger at him lying to you about matters that could get you thrown out the country was to make puppy dog eyes and stroke your arm). I can't say I was too happy with the school either, who started us on ~16 contact hours per week and by the end had gradually pushed the uncomplaining falangs up to ~25+ with no extra pay. This was while they sat around at their desks gossiping, stuffing sticky rice into their mouths and watching YouTube, waiting for the next class in a sparsely populated 10 contact hour week (btw TEFL teachers weren't allowed to interact with each other - we did and got moved desks because "falang no sit together"). The final straw was when they arbitrarily decided we would work all Saturdays in September with no extra pay, so ~30+ hours on a 16 hour contact. As we had heard reports of the partner organization not paying people for their worked month (so £600) who gave notice, 3 out of 4 of us foreign teachers did a runner the day after payday.

I had a blast, if it wasn't for ETA and their placement scheme from England to Thailand, my life would be entirely different.

Take it from the girl that is still in Thailand, three years later, it will change your life for the better.

I actually can't really fault TEFL heaven. Right from the beginning you are told how great Thailand is AND the hard parts.

You artfully prepared with what you need money and items wise. I was on Koh Kood and yes it was pretty boring as there wasn't much to do and there was scary thunder. But again tefl heaven told us that and actually it was a fairly unique experience which I am glad I had. Plus we went to Koh Chang a couple weekends so there is alternatives.

When we first arrived they resort did not live up to expectations basic it was not. More like TEFL Hell with shacks over swamps but very quickly they changed us to far superior accommodation which went beyond our expectations.

The trainers were fun and friendly and we learnt some thai. They told us what school would be like and they were fairly wrong but they also said every school was different.

I had my 3 weeks on a paradise island and got a TEFL certificate and an awesome school can't be better than that.

Ill keep it short and simple:

- TEFL heaven are extremely helpful in the build up to you getting to your program. Will keep you to to date with everything way advanced and went out their way further with information re my visa runs as I had a few issues I should have dealt with before leaving. So, very helpful, and supportive.

- Location and travel to training program in Koh Samui was very well organised, no issues!

- Our training was very fun and informative. Had three great, helpful trainers and although, as mentioned below, a couple only had a semesters worth or experience, I believe, after doing just one semester myself I could provide more than enough information to help new arriving teachers, just as they did for me. To be honest the job is potentially one of the easiest jobs going... (Teaching in Thailand).. The only thing you need to be taught is prepare your lessons, teach with a big smile on your face and kids will love you. So I do rate the course - it gives you the basics to work off and allows you to go out there with a few ideas which you use, then expand in your own way to your own level of students and schools ability.

- After training you don't hear much from them (which is fine, you don't really need to... I'm sure if you had a few problems they would help you out though but I personally didn't need any help so no need!). They pass you on to the partner organization, Media Kids, who are a bunch of Thai's who just like robbing schools and, so I've heard, teachers of money. Wouldn't trust them as far as I can throw them and really think TEFL Heaven would improve if they found new recruit agency in Thailand.

But ye overall very good company, do everything you need them to. Don't think about it just sign up and get in involved. Met some very cool people through the experience and had some amazing times so sign up and get started - you won't regret it!

Overall, the experience was amazing.
Thailand was just as beautiful as I remebered from previous holidays and the people I met on the course were amazing.
Though we arrived in rainy season it was still great weather with incredible thunder storms.
The internet was knocked out by a Tropical Storm on our 2nd night and we had to return to the basics of human interaction, which lead to many hilarious and memorable conversations.
The TEFL experience is something I would recommend to everybody and would LOVE to do again.
I would more than happily return to Thailand, but not to Bangkok. The loud and busy city can be daunting for a girl on her own and I found it to be quite an isolating place, yet the 4 days I spend visiting a friend in Chiang Mai made me realise how easily I could settle into Thailand's Second City and love every minute of my life there.
I certainly miss all the 'WTF? Moments' that Thailand has to offer... from Chihauhaus in baby slings with little red plastic cowboy hats; to 5 people on a motorbike; to seeing a guy casually walk his 7 foot tall, baby elephant through the market casually; to drunkenly learning Thai Tongue Twisters with the locals in exchange for teaching them ''She sells Seashells on the seashore'' and ''red lolly, yellow lorry''... from which absolute hilarity ensued...

The children were so impressed when teacher finally learnt how to say ''Yiy Gin Lam Yai, Naam Lai Yiy Lai Yoi''...
I have so many amazing memories I can look back on with so much joy. It truly was a life changing experince.

The only disappointment to the experience was the company I was placed with.

The managers are utterly devoid of social skills, the company refused to pay me for my final 2 weeks when I had to rush home as my Grandma was rushed into hospital on Boxing Day. (They only bothered to tell me this the day before I was due to leave and they were due to pay me)
I found the management to lack any form of empathy or underrstanding about the circumstances and I can completely understand why they have such a high turnover of staff, they really made me feel alienated and unappreciated.
The staff at the company, however, were fantastic! The nicest group of you could ever ask to work with.

So with high comes a low... but you just learn to take a deep breath and say 'mai pen rai'' (no worries)