ITTT TEFL Course in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

We have recently completed our TESOL course at ITTT, now Compass Education in Ho Chi Minh / Saigon, Vietnam. The course was very good, not as intense as I expected, but enough that if you did not put in the work you would not pass. The course and staff there were excellent, and also everything was given to you that you would need on the first day at no extra cost, which was nice. Overall a very good course with great staff, and brilliant communication by Amy at Compass. The only real downside was that the job help was not brilliant, though we were offered the chance to work for Compass's own agency once the school year started. Though since I currently have three jobs and have just turned down a fourth then it wasn't really needed in the end anyway.

The course was mostly as I'd expected, intensive and having to put in the hours to get through. But thoroughly enjoyable. I learned so much, and I am now reaping the benefits with a full time job in a local school. Arranged, by the way through Compass.
The classroom is small and compact, but adequate enough and actually I think it helps give a more intimate environment, bonding with your classmates and instructors. The instructors are friendly, know how to make you feel relaxed, informative and very helpful. I always felt comfortable approaching them. The support staff are excellent and always there to help even with things that may at the time seem trivial. The course is managed and run very professionally.

In terms of the content I think it was about right, yes there are some things I personally would have liked to have more time on and some things that I could have done without, e.g.the foreign language lesson - in Thai. But I have noticed that some of the other people who have posted enjoyed that lesson. I would have liked to cover more grammar, and also more on teaching techniques. So, its just personal choice really.

I also think it would have been a good idea to have been given a portfolio with some lesson plans and games etc, practical stuff to leave with.

But small issues. Overall it was a great experience, I learned a lot, felt confident at the end, and had fun during my time there, the staff were great (and continue to be so), and I would recommend this course very highly.

I've had longstanding fears of standing in front of others and talking to large groups of people. This course not only cured me of my phobias, it provided me with a great foundation from which to begin my teaching career. The curriculum is extensive, very well organized, and the course staff are very professional and extremely supportive.

You will be put in challenging situations and hard work is required, but at the end of the course you will be equipped with the skills necessary to be an effective teacher.

I'd highly recommend this course to anyone looking to complete a 120 hour TESOL course with a 6 hour observed teaching component.

As a young, bright eyed, and adventurous man, I entered into the TEFL program by Compass Education. I was ready to start a new chapter of my life. Was I excited? Yes...yes I was. One of the first things I liked about Compass upon entering the training location is that they had a working air conditioning unit. If you didn't know already, Vietnam is hot as H E double hockey sticks. I came here with a friend, and in our first days we thought we were going die from the heat. The heat... and cheap drinks.

After meeting our instructors, and experiencing the first few days of classes, I felt like I had made a great decision. I will say that a lot of information given to our group proved to be quite useful for me when I began teaching. They answered almost any questions I had about teaching and Vietnam in general. Some questions I asked they would not answer, which is probably for the best. If you are concerned they are uptight and not friendly, I will give you proof that they are not such things. During one of the Vietnamese lessons that they gave us (FOH FREE!) they were kind enough to tell me how to say almost anything I wanted to know. I must admit they hesitated at first to tell me some things, but I was able to get them to tell me by using my undeniable charm upon them. They still to this day help me with all sorts of things.

As mentioned in another review, they did not teach a lot of games, but every now and then they hold seminars that you can learn a ton of games. They still show you a couple games that are useful during the course. While games are fun, they still make sure you are capable of being able to teach a class without games to take up time (yes, I know games can be used as an effective learning tool also).

When it came time for me to do the practice teaching, I felt very capable based off what I learned during the course. Any trouble you have, they take the time necessary to make sure you overcome your troubles. You get plenty of chances to work on your teaching methods.

The course taught me a great deal. It was fun and interesting. All the staff are very hardworking, friendly and helpful, providing a lot of support. The building is in a safe location with easy access. All the materials are provided and I made many friends. I had a nice time and I am glad I took this course, I am a much better teacher because of it :)

This course is a must for anyone without a TEFL certificate who's looking to teach English in Vietnam.

Unlike the similar CELTA program, which only requires trainees to teach adult learners, this course provides invaluable real-world experience by placing its trainees inside real Vietnamese classrooms with younger learners. And while it places a major emphasis on teaching practice, its theoretical components are very applicable to the classroom environment as well.

The head trainer, Diem, and the rest of the staff are highly professional individuals who want to see trainees succeed. They will push you to step outside of your comfort zone and dig down deep for the best teacher within. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone considering teaching English in Vietnam or anywhere else in Asia.

Participating in the ITTT TEFL course in HCM is a great way to meet people and experience the Vietnamese culture. During my time in the course, training to become a teacher, I made life long friends and had a blast. The course load is what you'd expect (a bit much), but the head trainer is fantastic and makes the class very easy to understand. The course also offers vital experience in the classroom. They have a great way to ease you in and feel comfortable in front of ESL students. I would have not had the success that I have had if it weren't for that. The staff was also great. HCM is full of hustling and bustling and is a completely different culture. They are very helpful getting you used to this new and different culture and in many cases, saving you money. Overall I had a great experience and would recommend not only the class, but HCM as a place to come teach English.

I took the TEFL course at Compass International in Ho Chi Minh City and it was one of the best decisions I made. The staff was great and always helping out the TEFL students. What I liked most about the course were the course instructors. Each part of the course was taught by very specific instructors who were very specialized in their field. When it came time to learn grammar there was a very specialized instructor to teach the subject. When it came time to learn about classroom management there was an instructor who specialized in that particular field. Another great thing about this course at Compass was that they had a Thai instructor come in and teach the students Thai without ever using English, which gave me great insight into what non English speakers would experience when never introduced to the language. The entire staff including their instructors were very professional, very knowledgable and very helpful in finding their students work after graduation. I would highly recommend the course.