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 121 - 128 of 182 reviews
Default avatar
Rick
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Planning a Career in Teaching?

I can’t believe how much I learned in 4 short weeks! Vantage’s course was more than amazing and I feel that I realized a very high degree of personal and professional accomplishment.

I never would have received the type of training I had with Vantage had I completed an online course or went to any other in-person school in Thailand. I now have the confidence that I need to work anywhere and teach any student at any proficiency level.

There was a lot of additional online resources and teaching materials through Vantage’s shared Dropbox, which I can continue to access well after my course has completed.

Vantage doesn’t lecture. They run a discussion type forum and we got a lot of insight from their lead trainer who has 25+ years of teaching experience trainers. He was more than able to answer all my questions.

During the length of the course, you will need to remain focused and use the weekends to create your lesson plans and catch up on your portfolio. I was also given personalized help with resume writing and a lot of attention.

I am completely satisfied with Vantage TEFL. It was money well spent.

66 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
John
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Working with the Best

After just a week or so of classes, it’s not a surprise why Vantage is the leading TEFL course provider in Thailand.

The facilities are superb and Chris, our course instructor, was tremendously supportive throughout the one month. This is an intensive course as there’s a lot of course material to cover, but he was always very engaging so our interest never waned.

Having the opportunity to teach Thai students during our observed practice teaching session was an invaluable experience and Chris ensured we were prepared from start to finish. And that started with first learning how to do professional lesson planning.

We also received separate training on job applications and how to build our Power Resume by course director Kevin. That was great as it meant that job offers were on the table as soon as we received our Certification!

My training at Vantage was world class. And their trainers are second to none.

68 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Piya
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Practice Teaching is Critical

Vantage immediately put my worries to rest. As I was relatively new to Thailand, had some key concerns about working in a foreign educational system. Vantage runs small classes as they teach via the workshop approach. The course was intensive, but always engaging, so the time just flew by.

The small class meant that the course highly personalized and we got a ton of help that I’m sure we wouldn’t in a larger size class. The trainers had nothing but time for us and I was provided with support each step of the way.

We did our observed teaching practice sessions at a nursing college—a really great experience. First, we had to formulate an ‘approved’ lesson plan before stepping into the classroom. After the class, observations from the trainers helped us improve immeasurably after each practice lesson. This was critical in my development as a professional teacher. After doing a live practicum, I don’t see how anyone could contemplate doing an online-only TEFL course and believe they were getting any practical training in the art of education.

Vantage showed me how to reach my full training potential. They really built up my confidence. They went out of their way to give us the foundational skill set to teach English and the platform to become great teachers.

If you’re thinking about a career in education, I would recommend Vantage without hesitation.

66 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Cal
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An Outstanding Team of Professionals

My experience at Vantage TEFL has been one of the most intensive, yet stimulating courses, that I have ever done.

The lead trainer Chris was very knowledgeable and articulate about the different concepts of the English language. He’s not your typical instructor. First off, he teaches in a workshop rather than lecturer style. He engages each student in a highly personal way that applies to their way of thinking and their personality.

As a trainee, the staff is not only knowledgeable in instructing TEFL, but has great hospitality in making the trainees feel very comfortable in learning, understanding and getting acclimated to Thai culture to give you the best environment to learn.

This course has a part called the Foreign Language Experience where the objective is to have you sit on the other side of the desk so you can experience what it’s like for your students when you’re teaching them English. The trainer Ryan instructed our class in a creative and he engaged us as learners into an unfamiliar world of culture and grammar.
The quality of training given at Vantage far exceeded my expectations and I definitely got money’s worth. As I had been out of school a while I was definitely rusty in areas like grammar but that was no challenge for the staff. I was encouraged and sharpened every step of the way.

Finally, Manager Kevin goes way beyond reach to give you deep insight on tips to sharpen your resume, and how to land an interview. I came in the week after I graduated and he landed me an interview for the very next day!

The Vantage team are an outstanding team of professionals who really enjoy what they do. If you want to embark on a career in teaching, these are the guys to see.

64 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Olivia
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best of Both Worlds

I did Vantage’s Combined Course. That’s where you do the course book online—20 units that I did over three months. I then came to Bangkok to do my practice teaching with Vantage. I was also invited to attend any of their In-Class sessions as well, which was great because their classroom discussions added a dimension to the material that you won’t get from the online section.

Vantage is fond of saying that “new teachers are born in the classroom.” While I was skeptical at first, the hands-on teaching experience was amazing. The trainers have decades of experience of teaching overseas in a lot of different countries. I got great expert feedback after each session. There was a lot of difference between my early and last teaching practices. I really saw myself developing into a professional teacher towards the end of practicum.

I also got invaluable knowhow on how to create a successful lesson plan over the six sessions because each class had to be on a different language topic. Once you know how to do a lesson plan of what you’re going to do for an hour with your students, you really gain a sense of confidence before even stepping into the classroom.

Kevin and Chris were super helpful. Chris was always available to answer my questions and give advice on my lesson plans. I was also invited to attend any of their In-Class sessions as well. Kevin helped so much with jobs and resume writing. He got me my first job offer as I was finishing my course.

The Combined course turned out to be as advertised: the best of both worlds. I would recommend Vantage to anyone looking for a professional TEFL certification program.

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

Service, Training & Teaching Practice

The Vantage TEFL course was excellent. Even before it started, I got great advice and even greater service. That’s because at the last minute, I had to change my course dates due to some personal issues at home. One quick email sorted out all my problems and Vantage immediately rescheduled my training and accommodation reservations to dates that worked really well.

As for the course itself, Chris, the lead trainer, is the best. His grammar explanations were more than just a refresher as he gave me a whole new way of looking at what I originally thought of as the most boring part of teaching English. He has a great way of making mundane subjects engaging and relevant and I’ve learned great way to present this to my students.

One of the best parts of the course were practice teaching sessions we did at the nursing college. This is where I really learned to teach. Both the Vantage trainers have decades of teaching experience and it shows in spades. The observed feedback I got was eye-opening and we were always given a new ‘challenge’—an area we were still weak in—to incorporate into the next teaching session.

Vantage was a truly amazing experience and I would definitely recommend that anyone starting out a career in teaching get in touch with these guys. They really know what they’re doing.

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

Graduated on Friday; Hired on Monday

I graduated from Vantage TEFL on the Friday and Vantage set up an interview for the following Monday, which led to a great position being offered. I couldn’t have done this any faster. Vantage has agreements with some of Thailand’s leading teacher placement agencies who provided teachers into Thailand’s top schools. I actually had two different job offers to choose from on that first Monday.

The TEFL course at Vantage gave me the foundational teaching skill and hence the confidence I needed during my interviews. I could show schools how to prepare a lesson plan that would engage my students. I was told as these companies had hired many other Vantage TEFL graduates, they knew I would be successful in the classroom.

For me, the heart and soul was the six hours of observed practice teaching, and the expert feedback I got after each session. I developed my skills after each class. My trainers kept saying that new teachers are born in the classroom and I'm now I’m a firm believer.
Vantage trainers always put in the extra time and effort into their students to turn them into professional ESL teachers.

Without hesitation. I would recommend Vantage TEFL to anyone who is considering becoming a professional teacher in Thailand.

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

Decades of Classroom Experience

Vantage trainers were exceptionally knowledgeable. The lead trainer, Chris, has two and a half decades of teaching experience and it shows. That comes through in class discussions and it adds a whole a perspective that goes way beyond the course book.

The course itself was exceptionally well taught. And while it was intensive it was always engaging so I relished all the elbow grease I was putting in.

Vantage like to say that new teachers are born in the classroom. For me, the teacher practicum portion of the course was the heart of my training. We were first guided on creating an effective lesson plan where we have to incorporate the ESA teaching mythology into a classroom setting. These were checked by Vantage and in the first ones, we had to go through a few rounds of revisions until we got it right.

Then to the classroom. I was pretty nervous in my first teaching session but by the final practice sessions, it knew I had acquired professional foundation as a language teacher. I’m 100% confident on my abilities to successfully teach English.

The job placement services I got were excellent. I sat down with Kevin, their Jobs Coach, and created a Power Resume and supporting documentation like the cover and thank you letters. In my last week, they even lined up interviews for me so I literally hit the ground running immediately after graduation.

The bottom line for me is that after training at Vantage, I now feel I have the skill set to walk into any classroom anywhere anytime and be a successful teacher.

I would highly recommend Vantage’s approach to teacher training to anyone who’s serious about teaching on a highly professional level.

64 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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