Vantage | 120-Hour TEFL/TESOL Certification | Hybrid Option

About

Vantage is an American accredited, internationally recognized, and validated by Lamar University (Texas, USA).

Thailand’s highest-rated TEFL program, established in 2007, offers two TEFL certification programs.

The in-Class Course is given onsite over four weeks. This includes six hours of observed teaching practices (OTP).

The Combined Hybrid Course is where you study teaching methodologies online first and then complete your OTPs in a real school.

All Vantage courses include a full practicum of six observed teaching practices with non-English speaking students in real classrooms.

Vantage provides lifetime job support. They will craft your own Power Resume, formulate a personal job search strategy, and coach you on interviewing techniques. Vantage alumni are working in Thailand, throughout Asia, and around the world.

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Highlights

  • Vantage won #1 in Instruction, Support & Job Assistance in the worldwide 2022 Community Choice Awards.
  • 4-Week, 120-hour, In-Class TEFL Training Course in Bangkok - Visa Assistance - 6 Job Support – Six Observed Teaching Practices in Real Schools -
  • Provide lifelong job support. They have partnerships with leading Thai English education providers that place hundreds of teachers in prestigious Thai schools every year.
  • Vantage’s Hybrid Combined Course—a blend of online study + observed teaching practice in real classrooms—was named #1 in “The 9 Best Online TEFL Courses.”
  • A TEFL Treasure Trove of information.

Related Programs

Questions & Answers

Reviews

4.99 Rating
based on 182 reviews
  • 5 rating 99.45%
  • 4 rating 0.55%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Instruction 5
  • Support 5
  • Value 5
  • Academic Rigor 4.9
  • Job Assistance 5
Showing 113 - 120 of 182 reviews
Default avatar
Mike
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Initially Worried—Now Employed

I was quite worried about getting a job as an English teacher, even though I’m proficient, I’m a non-native English speaker. I’ve heard too many stories about how non-native speakers need not apply!

Vantage quickly put me at ease. They have their own dedicated jobs coach. Not only did the help me in creating a Power Resume, but I was also coached on interviewing techniques and specifically how to handle the NNES objection. They also reached into their network and I secured an interview and hired with a short time after graduation. The good news got better as this school isn’t far from my home.

The entire Vantage training team is highly professional. Their expertise was more than helpful in turning my initial hesitation about teaching English into a budding self-confidence.

I lot of this was developed ‘on stage’ in a real classroom. I had 7 hours of observed teaching to non-English speaking students. The feedback I got after each teaching session was crucial in building my confidence so I could live to teach another day.
My classroom experience was a huge component in the development of my teaching skills

I can’t say enough about my experience at Vantage. If you’re looking to learn how to teach at a highly successful level, you’ve found the right place.

71 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Weiwan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An Experienced Teacher Learns to Teach Languages

Vantage is a place that I highly recommend anyone who would like to teach professionally in Thailand or abroad. These guys will make you a highly successful teacher.

I had previous teaching experience as I taught children in for almost five years, but outside my college education, I never had proper training in teaching a language. Teaching is what I love and, admittedly, I knew that I still lacked the specific skills for teaching English as a second language.

We had very engaging class sessions—our group soon become very close—as we went through the course book. But the book is just a base. The course not a series of lectures, but its developed workshop style so there’s a lot of discussion. This was particularly valuable as the trainers have decades worth of experience so they can really add a lot of insight and extra knowledge that the course book doesn’t cover. The experience is a kind of interactive classroom environment where you feel free to ask anything without being shy of making silly mistakes

We covered a lot of ground in Vantage’s TEFL course, but its engaging nature keeps it fun and in check. Just don’t expect to have a lot of free time when taking this course. But you’ll come out as a highly successful teacher.

Taking the TEFL Course really took me to a whole new level in the teaching line and I believe I was at the right place just at the right time.

72 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Dino
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

MASTER TEFL TRAINER TEAM

This was one of the best courses I have ever taken in my life! Chris, Kevin and Ryan make an awesome team at Vantage Siam. The experience the team has definitely helped me and all my fellow teacher trainees when it came time to the teaching practicum. Their depth of experience definitely shows and cleared up a lot of the questions and doubts I had about myself and in teaching others. This was also in a great location in the middle of Bangkok and I got to explore a little bit of the city during the course. Highly recommend this school and no doubt you will learn a lot about yourself and others and come out with a TEFL training certificate to teach anywhere in the world! It is a course to be taken seriously, especially for people with no prior teaching experience. As long as you do the work, however, you should be fine and not anything much more difficult than a summer session course at any university.

67 people found this review helpful.
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Default avatar
Nat
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A Great Practicum

The teaching practicum was one of the high spots of my TEFL course. Everything you have to do in the classroom was a real ‘live’ situation. I got really great feedback after each practice which was super helpful in my development as a teacher. Moreover, the self-evaluation made during the course allowed me to know my areas to focus on to improve for the next class. I think I got better with each practice session.

The trainers at Vantage are among of the best teachers I have ever studied with in my life! They explain and answered every question in details. Don't worry if you don’t have teaching experience before, because this course was very well designed and covered very thing you need in the future to become a successful teacher in the classroom.

I would recommend without hesitation taking the Vantage’s TEFL certification course to everyone who wish to get an intensive and professional level TEFL training program. This course had a very positive impact on my career as an ESA teacher.”

70 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Yonny
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Professional Level Training

Vantage TEFL is a very well designed and very varied course. We studied phonetics and phonology, methodology, grammar, management classroom, evaluation and testing, materials compilation and teaching techniques. And we learned how to make ‘killer’ lesson plans.

This course will prepare you to be super confident and very successful in almost any classroom.

Vantage’s training team are fantastic teachers! They lead trainer, in particular, goes into great detail, explaining everything and answers to my many questions were dealt with very accurately!

The observed teaching practices were one of the most important parts of the course because the feedback I got after every session really made me a qualified teacher. Moreover, the self-evaluation made immediately after each practice session allowed me to know my areas of improvement and what I could do better or differently for the next class.

For those who wish to get a professional level TEFL training program, I recommend without hesitation Vantage’s TEFL certification course. This will launch your education career and this course had a very positive impact on my career as an ESA teacher.

72 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Taylor
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Hugely Positive Experience

I came to the TEFL certification course with many concerns and even more worries, but after the first day, I knew I was in the right place. We dove right into the material and it was surprisingly enjoyable.

Vantage run small class sizes and that translated into a great deal of personal attention—right through the entire course. “Vantage goes into a lot of depth with the course material and Chris added a lot of personal insight from his 25+ years in the education industry. He’s an amazing instructor.

The observed teaching practices were one of the highlights of the course. It’s one thing learning the material. It’s very different indeed putting it into action. The trainers explained that this was where knowledge become skills.

This course prepared me to be to direct a class and I’m happy to report in a big jump in my confidence levels. The whole Vantage team is very helpful and want to see you succeed. I highly recommend taking the TEFL certification course with Vantage.

74 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Luc
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Pro Style Training

I came into this course lacking confidence in my own ability to teach others. Vantage completely turned that around. The bottom line was that it turned out to be absolutely fantastic in terms of its efficiency and curriculum. It gave me the confidence to walk into an English classroom anywhere and teach at a professional level.

The trainers always kept saying that new teachers are really born in the classroom. They gave me a lot of theory in the actual TEFL courses, but it was the observed teaching practices that metamorphosed this knowledge into real teaching skills. The observations I got after each lesson were really eye-opening and I could see my development after each teaching session.

The entire Vantage training team is there to help. While their lead trainer obviously focuses on your development as a teacher, they also have a dedicated jobs coach who’ll sit with you to develop your own Power Resume and will work with you on interviewing techniques. The team includes a Thai speaker who shows you how the “other side of the desk” experiences learning a second language.

Vantage provides you with everything you need. You do need to come with the right mindset however. The class is intensive, but not overwhelming—provided you keep up. This isn’t a course that you can put on the shelve and cram during the last week. But the rewards will be more than worth it, in terms of the knowledge and skills your will development

If you want to begin a career as a professional teacher, these are the people you should be talking to.

69 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
David
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

World Class Teacher Training

I came to this program with five years of teaching young learners in China. Have said that there were many eye-opening methodologies and teaching techniques I learn during Vantage’s 4-week long course.

For me, the observed teaching practices—what Vantage calls the practicum—that was the most single most important part of the course in my development as a professional teacher. It was here that the knowledge I learned from the course curriculum became real teaching skills I could use in the classroom.

Vantage's trainers are incredibly supportive and always ready to help you. They also have wealth of experience as their lead training started in this profession in the mid-1990s

I also got a lot of personalized help on the job front. I sat down one-on-one to create my own Power Resume. I was coached on interview techniques. And my resume was placed with Vantage’s partner agencies that place hundreds of teachers in Thai schools each year.

If you’re looking to make teaching a career—getting a solid professional skill set in the process—you should be talking to Vantage.

68 people found this review helpful.

Alumni Interviews

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

Why did you choose this program?

I decided to do my TEFL when I was stuck in a dead end job with zero ambition. I looked at various way of traveling the world while earning some money and came across TEFL, and decided that I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I love children and that is a main reason why I decided to do the TEFL.

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

I sent an email asking about the course and what it would entail. The institution (Vantage TEFL) I worked with had fast responses and answers to all my questions. They made it very easy to understand the requirements with constant feedback. I never had any doubt that I could do this through the confidence they gave me. A truly professional approach and I really enjoyed the journey of doing my TEFL.

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

I moved to Thailand without doing any research about my surroundings and the cultural differences were the most challenging when I moved here, but people are so polite and friendly (it is contagious) that you adapt easily. I wish I knew about this earlier, as I would have loved to do this earlier in my life. Last piece of advice is to not underestimate the course as it was intense but enjoyable, and I truly believe, after this course I can teach English as a second language to anyone willing to learn.

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

My course was a 9:00 to 17:00 on weekdays for a month long. It is long days and sometimes you had to get the the facility at 07:00 to do practice teaching. On an average day, you are guided through the English language and it is not to teach you English it is to help you to teach English. You also get exposed to practice teaching, which really helps you gain confidence as an English teacher and removes all doubt you would have (I also had a lot of doubt and anxiety, but the practice teachings ensured that I gained confidence and became comfortable in teaching).

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

Biggest fear I had was that I never left my hometown for more than 6 weeks before. I always thought how would I adapt to a place I do not know and people that I do not understand? To answer that question, the answer lies within yourself. You need to decide that you want to do this. Once you open yourself up to the idea, it is strange how things just fall into place through meeting amazing people and experiencing unique cultures.

I have no doubt this is one of the biggest changes I made in my life and I have no regrets that I did it. Sometimes fear dictates our decision making, but just think of all the amazing experiences you will have and be able to share with your friends and family when they come visit.

What do I think prospective travelers would like to know?

My answer will be based on Thailand, as this is where I am currently.

Firstly, food is absolutely amazing. I have gained so much weight just by indulging in Thai cuisine.

Secondly, make sure that, if you want to work here, that your employer can speak English where both parties understand to avoid unnecessary confusion.

What would I change or do differently?

I have not been here to long and I would say there is currently nothing I would change, as the experience has been challenging and breathtaking at the same time.

Last thing that I would say: do not run from you fears. Embrace them and just do it; you will not regret it.

Staff Interviews

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

Chris Demetsopoullos

Job Title
Lead TEFL Trainer
Headshot of staff

Chris, tell us about yourself.

Originally from the UK, I started my teaching career in the early 1990s where I taught a diverse range of Thai students. I then moved up to positions of corporate English assignments, which led to work as a developer of customized curriculums -- increasingly in digital eLearning materials -- for business skills courses and workshops.

Today, I specialize in one-on-one Executive Coaching for personal development programs and Leadership Coaching for Thailand’s blue chip corporations as well as being the Lead Trainer for Vantage’s TEFL program.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

I have many years of business English teaching and corporate training with previous companies, along with training materials development.

However, I’ve really honed that skill with Vantage, as we offer customized corporate training programs — business English and management and corporate skills on an exclusive basis.

We specialize in blended learning programs, so a new and important skill I’ve developed is eLearning instructional design.

I’ve also become a teacher trainer since working at Vantage Siam, for which my experience and varied roles have been invaluable. Vantage has given me the opportunity to grow and develop professionally, and I’m sure there’s more to come.

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

We had a recent trainee who had had a rather troubled past. He decided to essentially “grow up” and better himself by getting himself a respectable career.

He contacted us and, after meeting with him, we were pretty sure he could become a good English teacher. However, he had very little confidence that he could make it.

We soon discovered he was very good at drawing out language from the students by use of questions, prompts and cueing during the first phase of the ESA methodology (Engage, Study, and Activate).

With subsequent training in the Study and Activate phases -- along with observed teaching practices -- he became highly effective in delivering a class to non-English speaking students in a live classroom. In short, this ‘raw recruit” became a highly skilled teacher. The surprise was that we had no idea in the beginning how good he would turn out to be.

We then helped get him a good teaching position at a prestigious school that is very appreciative of the way he motivates his students into successful English language acquisition.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

Vantage has always embraced the cutting edge in educational technology. We were among the first to offer customized courses in English for Special Purposes. We embraced eLearning and blended instruction in our classrooms in Thailand over fifteen years ago. We have been advocating computer-adaptive proficiency testing. Later this year, we will be educating the market in the first speaking and writing tests to be scored by AI technology.

And while we teach an American accredited TFFL course, we do supplement the curriculum with an introduction to both assessment methodology and emerging teaching technologies.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

I think one of the key factors in being successful is the ability to re-invent yourself -- or at least being open to change. And to change yourself effectively, you need to be able to hear what’s going on in the world around.

We like to think we’re good listeners. We listen to a couple of key voices to help point the company into head winds that we lead us to future successes.

We listen what the market is telling us in terms of what skills schools need for successful teachers.

We also hear what our TEFL candidates tell us during our time with us. We look at what skills they bring on day one --
what we do throughout the course -- and what the final product turned out to be. In other words, how well can they teach in a real classroom at the end of their training.

And finally, we follow key thought leaders in the education field. People that are talking today about what may be mainstream in learning tomorrow.

About Vantage TEFL Certification

American Accreditation | Internationally Recognized | Earn 3 College Credits Established in 2007, and Thailand’s highest-rated TEFL program, Bangkok-based Vantage TEFL offers two separate TEFL certification programs. Our award-winning program is a 120-hour In-Class Course that’s given over four weeks. This includes six hours of OTP (Observed...

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