Shanghai 120-hour Classroom TEFL Course

Can't say enough good things about this course. It is well organized, provides a great amount of reference material, and it provided a clear understanding of my role as a teacher, how to approach teaching, and how to teach. I had to complete the course during the pandemic, and Teaching Nomad did an excellent job of tailoring the program to fit the restrictions of that. Their customer support is very insightful and I am a happy customer! I am very pleased with what I've learned! I feel ready to begin my teaching career in Shanghai.

The real teaching experience we gained from this course was invaluable. Compared to many people we've met who have done online TEFL programs, even with no prior teaching experience, we came out of this much more prepared, confident, and knowledgable. The staff were tremendous help not only with teaching, but also living and adjusting to life abroad. Any time we needed help we had multiple hands reaching out to offer assistance. We were initially worried that we would have trouble finding jobs, but then with the assistance we got we had multiple job offers before our TEFL course was even over. I would also suggest this over an online TEFL because you gain so much more by immersing yourself into the culture/country you are planning on teaching. It was much quicker for us to get jobs because we already abroad; companies LOVED that and wanted us even more!

I can't talk enough about the team of professionals Teaching Nomad staff is composed of. The Teaching Nomad experience started even before I arrived in Shanghai. I was provided with accurate information about the course, work and life once here and more. There was continuous follow up and assistance till I got here.

Once here, transportation was provided to take me to where I was staying.

Once here. They made sure that my papers were in order. I had help whenever I needed it. Not just class time but setting up my Bank account, school, permits, SIM cards car and coffee, tea, lunch. I have never seen such hospitality.

The instructions included in-class instructions as well as teaching actual students with up to two Teaching Nomad coaches. The best kind of instruction one can hope for. I was able to teach from just a few students to a full class of students. I was surrounded with Teaching Nomad teachers at all times at times more than one teacher to coach and point out what I could do better. Trainers were available at all times. I reached out to Teaching Nomad staff at all times. They responded, regardless of time of day or day of the week.

I would like to mention a few of the names of the people I was taught and coached by.

Ginger. Thank you for being there at all times. Day, night, weekdays and weekends. From start to finish including searching for a job. Ginger goes way above and way beyond anyone I have come across. Ginger made sure every aspect of being here and being successful was his main goal. He sacrificed his spare time and sleep just to make sure even my personal affairs were in order. Ginger does not wait for someone to ask, he knows what’s needed and constantly offered his assistance. Saying Ginger goes above and beyond what’s expected is a major under-statement.

Nik. I can’t thank Nik enough. He constantly coached, guided with patience and knowledge. Nik followed up closely and advised to make sure not only I succeeded but thrived as well. He was always within reach and has a way of making complicated things simple. He is constantly encouraging, coaching, provides a wealth of information and encouragement that can Doug. The coaching, and advice and encouragement Doug provided was invaluable. Doug has a way of making mistakes into learning opportunities to make one do better. Doug’s assistance did not end with teaching, he provided me with several opportunities to see hockey games, offered to assist with finding an apartment and had good information on anything I wanted to know.

I just mentioned the few people I had an opportunity and the honor to work with. There were more and they were all very helpful and happy to assist in any way.

Thank you Teaching Nomad! It was truly and honor to have been taught by you.

Keep up the good work!

The experience was unique because it was something I’d never done before and I wasn’t too sure what I was letting myself into! Therefore this was a good oppurtunity to learn something new and see if it was for me. I learnt a lot of new skills and ideas which has really helped with going forward in a job. However, future participants should be aware that although it’s a fairly laid back course with a friendly atmosphere and lots of support there is also quite a lot of work involved in completing the portfolio so time management is key. A useful tip would be that if you’re completely new to teaching like I was, dont be nervous and assume from the start that you will be bad, once you start you completely forget about anyone else in the room that may be observing and realise that it is a lot easier than expected. It was good that we had teaching experience in two different types of schools, one with around 15-20 students in a class and one with around 40 students. This taught us different types of class management which is a necessity in any sized class. Plus it was good to see and experience a different part of Shanghai.

The course is great, both in terms of theory and practice - everything is balanced. You study only necessary and applicable stuff, which you then can integrate straight into your own lessons, that you prepare for Observed Teaching Practice. Everyone was super supportive and answered every question I had, and tried to help in whatever issue I faced.
I am immensely grateful to all the people who I've met from this program - Ginger, Nik, Olivia, Dug - for constructive feedback, loads of ideas on how to make your lesson better and for amazing time in China in general.
Definetly recommend this program to those who wants to try teaching English.

Ginger responded promptly to my enquiries and he was very accommodating of my time limitations. I am an English teacher in a French school at the moment but felt like I needed a new persective . Ginger’s knowledge and experience as a foreign language teacher was invaluable and inspiring. I got to observe and teach several classes ranging from 3 to 25 students in private and public schools. The constructive criticism I received has been really beneficial. I have discovered new and more effective ways to engage and teach my students. The teaching materials and resources have come in useful in my day to day teaching.

My course started from Feb. 27th to Mar. 23rd. During this period, I have learnt a foreign language, studied a set of TEFL materials, put my teaching skills in practice, got feedback from the trainers and my classmates, and I have made friends with people around the world. To sum up, I have improved a lot in my teaching skills with effective feedback given from the trainers and had lots of fun with people around me.

Learned so much about the different teaching styles and how to adapt myself and my lessons to different levels. Had a great time teaching Chinese children and being in Shanghai, even though stepping into a classroom of 40 rowdy students could be very tough! I learned a lot about my personal teaching style and the way the Chinese students learn. The trainers were great fun, really supportive and helpful - not just with teaching but also with getting settled in to a new country. A great experience and had lots of help with my job search. Can't wait to start working.