Standard TEFL Course in Bangkok, Thailand

My journey started some months back in the Philippines and was prompted by my desire to improve my teaching abilities. Getting TEFL certified in Thailand became a priority for me for many reasons. One of them is the fascinating culture, friendly people and mouthwatering cuisine in Thailand. I was set on getting my TEFL from Text & Talk because of its reputation in the region. The experience with Text & Talk from the time I started talking with their support staff to the time of my Graduation and support in finding work has been something special and made me develop a positive mindset from the time I was met at the Airport in Bangkok.

The succeeding days in the classroom-based training at Text and Talk Academy proved that the reputation Text & Talk earned over the years is well deserved. The friendly & fun learning atmosphere added to the sense of satisfaction and I now feel so much more confident in developing a lesson plan and presenting lesson than I did a month ago. The essential principles adopted for each lesson and how to apply the PPP Methodology in delivering the lesson will always remain a part of my technique for use in future.
We enjoyed Practice Teaching sessions at live classes in Thai Schools and observation at real Thai companies and the experience was invaluable. Together with the Peer Evaluation system and constant reviews ensured that we became very adept at creating lessons and making an effective presentation. Also Teaching English to Young Learners are recognized as an essential skill and Text & Talk ensures that you learn and practice these skills intensely. They even arranged practice teaching sessions at one of the top private Kindergarten schools for this purpose.

The importance of positive body language, a conservative dress code, and jovial demeanor was also highlighted during the course and I am sure overall the course was well worth it.
The Graduation ceremony was a poignant experience & full of meaning for each participant as it represented a culmination of three weeks of intensive but enjoyable study. Now, equipped with our newly minted skills we are ready to face the challenges ahead in being an effective English educator.

In conclusion, thanks to the Trainers for being so sensitive and responsive to the needs of the participants. Each of us experienced a very friendly and personalized approached in making the TEFL journey as fruitful and enjoyable as possible!

Before coming to do the Text & Talk TEFL Course I was a part-time English Teacher and what I learnt during the last 3 weeks greatly expanded my understanding of teaching.

I love to teach, but I did not know how to prepare & present properly to the class. Since I enjoy teaching, I wanted to build a strong foundation by developing my skills in preparation to becoming a full-time English teacher. It is for this reason that I chose to undertake the Text & Talk’s TEFL course above all the others available.

In the TEFL course, I came to appreciate the importance of communicating effectively, through skills such as adjusting my language to the proficiency level of the students and changing my tone of voice. The TEFL course can also be applied to many jobs outside of teaching since it involves many skills like interpersonal skills, voice projection, and body language.

I think the best part of the course was the practice teaching evaluations, where we were given the opportunity to teach different levels of students from Kindergarten to High School. This really opened my eyes because I had to understand and adapt to the student's different personalities in each class I taught.

The Course Trainers coached me and helped me learn from my mistakes. Even though it was intense, it is better to make mistakes while I am studying than when I am really teaching a class full of students.
The PPP method is such a good foundation for any teacher. It helped me prepare my lessons and materials (visual aids, flashcard, and fillers) for my classes. I was also taught to be flexible since things do not always go as planned in class. Overall, I believe that the TEFL course is very practical and anyone who wants to pursue a career in teaching should take it.

I did not take the course, to get a certificate and to just find a job. I took the course to gain new knowledge that I can take with me and apply it into any situation I find myself in. The part that I valued the most about TEFL course is understanding that I must always be positive in my classes, even the words I choose to say should be on the positive side. For example, I should avoid using the word 'no' and instead find a positive, alternative word. It makes me realize that being a teacher is not the easiest job in the world. To be a teacher is not only about teaching, but it is also being responsible of what you say to your students, especially kids because the way you speak and use words defines the kind of person you are.

As a teacher, you are there to give your students the support and understanding they need. This is what the TEFL course taught me and I am happy to have taken it.

I would just want to say a big thanks to the Trainers and support staff for the most invaluable experience at Text & Talk.

My experience with the TEFL course was very good. I have learned a lot during this course and acquired the teaching techniques that will make me a better Teacher. The PPP (present, practice, produce) method, lesson planning, classroom activities, games, classroom control, Thai cultural rules, body language control, posture awareness, communication techniques, professional appearance, and more were taught. The Text & Talk TEFL course really comprises a number of important factors for trainees to be aware when presenting themselves as a professional teacher. The course is well organized and structured. The experience to teach in a real classroom was also a major positive point in this course, and I am very thankful for it. This opportunity was my first real-life contact with a classroom as a teacher. The course helped us realize that we were on the right path, and it was very rewarding to have that experience. I gained more confidence and motivation to proceed with this career, and it provided important feedback on what I needed to improve. In terms of the knowledge acquired I am very happy because now I feel that I can prepare any lesson plan in my future career as a teacher. So, with this course, I am now more confident to become a teacher for the long term and to present myself to schools and apply to work here in Thailand and internationally. Regarding the personal experience in this course, I am very happy and thankful for all the help and empathy that all the members from Text & Talk have shown. They helped me and gave advice on subjects related to the course and even with more personal matters. The entire team is really helpful and nice with the trainees providing important support, which is very important since we are alone and far from all our friends and family. This is a very important and positive comment that I would like to make about Text & Talk TEFL Academy. They have gone beyond my expectations, and I would recommend the course to anyone interested in acquiring a TEFL Certificate. I am very happy with this experience, and with all the knowledge that I acquired, so I would like to praise all the Text & Talk staff for being so nice and professional. Your experience as Teachers and the way you delivered this course were inspiring for an aspirant Teacher like myself. Thank you Text & Talk it was a pleasure and an honor to be your trainee.

My experience in the Text & Talk TEFL course was great. I learned about the Thai culture, dealing with difficult students, and teaching English to children and adults. The course broke down the important elements of teaching a lesson to non-native speakers. The PPP method is an important factor in teaching English as a second language and can be used for any lesson. PPP is an acronym for presenting, practicing and producing the target language. The TEFL course also taught us how to develop a lesson and be efficient with delivering the target language. The course assisted with understanding Thai culture and how to react to young students without embarrassing them. The Trainers also helped with how to elicit students’ answers with hand gestures, flash cards or real objects without giving away too much information. Using hand gestures, I found to be very useful because I use it when I travel to non-English speaking areas. I particularly enjoyed teaching young students because I don't have a chance to be around young kids back in the States. They were very eager to learn and happy to be in class. The TEFL course taught me different ways to have fun and still teach a lesson. The fillers are great ways to engage with students and teach the lesson at the same time. The course emphasized the need to keep the lessons simple for beginners learning English. This was difficult for me because I had to think of easier ways to get the message across. The TEFL course explained how much time needs to be presented by the teacher (TTT) and how much time the students need (STT). This is important because a lot of teachers will do most of the talking without engaging with students. The TEFL course drilled us on how to set up a proper lesson for non-native speaking students. The Trainers explained how important it is to have a lesson plan before you teach a lesson. The lesson plans can be altered depending on the class, but the overall structure is similar. Lessons should be fun and should help develop a rapport with students. Developing a rapport with students is essential because the students should respect you, not fear you. I feel much more confident in teaching a lesson than I did a month ago. I learned all the principles used for each lesson and how to use them with students. The lesson plan set up is something I will always need and something I will have to master.

The experience of the TEFL course has been extremely good for me. I have researched a lot of places prior to deciding on Text & Talk as they seemed to be the most welcoming place of the lot. My first expression was created when I came and met the people who were beyond nice to me and took extra effort to bond with me to make me feel welcome. I think this is something unique about Text & Talk as they make you feel welcome and valued more than other places out there. Despite my doubts at the beginning of the course, this turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life. Possibly one of the most positive decisions I have made for the betterment of my quality of life since arriving in Bangkok. I did not find the course content or the lesson plan creation to be as challenging as I have hoped . However, the practical aspect of the whole experience was quite challenging to me and through that, I was able to recognize my strengths and weaknesses accordingly. I was quite terrified in the aspect of actually teaching actual kids in an actual school in a faraway country. However, once I went through that experience, I was profoundly happy in knowing my ability to teach and make at least a small difference in the life of a child. I learned that I am able to overcome any obstacle that comes my way through good preparation and by adapting to the situation. For someone who has had very little teaching experience prior to this I have to say that I am very satisfied with the level of exposure provided by the TEFL course. The key to being successful was to prepare and over prepare. These were embedded into our minds by the Trainers and I am forever grateful for that. I am not only able to have faith in my teaching now I am also capable of constructing lesson plans that will be the foundation of any good teaching session in the future. The Trainers are both extremely professional yet very friendly at the same time. I have thrived under their guidance and have come to like teaching as a long-term career. They have provided fool proof ways to attempt teaching accordingly and I am extremely grateful for that. The overall experience has helped me in meeting different people from different backgrounds as well and I am quite thrilled by that experience . Apart from the teaching I have been able to blend in with a diverse group of people whom I have become quite close to through-out the sessions. Finally, I am very grateful for the opportunity offered by the Text & Talk TEFL Academy and I will not hesitate in recommending their TEFL Course to anyone and everyone on this path. Thank you!

Overall, I had an enjoyable, albeit challenging, time in the TEFL course. My first and highest compliment to the program, as well as the staff, is just how thorough everyone was through every step. Not only did the staff help us to all be the best teachers that we could possibly be, but they helped with things more personal. When I didn't know where to buy something, The Text & Talk Team were all too eager to point me in the right direction. I got assistance on how the public transportation worked, help when I needed to apply for a Visa extension, loads of information about the Kingdom of Thailand, the customs, and even some translation help. This assistance went above and beyond the call to simply be a TEFL instructor, and actually made me feel like I have a support unit in a country that I was totally new to. The instruction on actual TEFL affairs came from a place of sheer professionalism and expertise. The Trainers really know their business, and even more, how to identify the areas in which their students need extra help. Each presentation I could tell that they were completely engaged in watching my mock lesson and dedicated to giving me thoughtful feedback. Even in my moments of frustration (i.e. lesson planning, and in-class practice teaching), the instructors found ways to prod me forward and make suggestions that I could understand. The enthusiasm from the whole staff was unbelievable. I know on the first day we were told that you do not necessarily need to hold any great passion for teaching, but you easily forgot that when you are up at the front of the classroom. You could tell that the Trainers really were invested in our success and gave us the best tips and pointers. If someone didn't understand a theory, they would go back and teach it again in a different way until everyone understood. The lesson planning structure they gave was helpful and will carry me through as I go on to teach in Thai Schools. I know that it's the bare bones of what a lesson plan should be but using this basic format I can teach at any level in almost any school. I can say that within the last week and a half of classes the Trainers and Support Staff were all as available as they could be and willing to answer questions and to give guidance. They even fielded potential job prospects for all the students still in need of a job. So, the bang for your buck really was worth it. You paid to learn how to be a teacher, get TEFL-certified (a certification that I can honestly take with me anywhere in the world), and to have a team of experts who try their very best to get you a job.

Let’s break down my time here at T&T into 3 categories : What I learned? I learned how to be a better teacher. I've taught for a long time but like the Trainers once said at the beginning of this course, when you have just enthusiasm but not structure eventually, you're going to hit a wall and won't know what to do next. That is exactly what happened to me on so many occasions. I am a very energetic teacher that comes up with lessons and activities on the fly. T&T taught me how to channel all that energy into planning a proper lesson. PPP is a great guideline that I will carry with me for the rest of my teaching career. It definitely pays to know what your lesson will be before you teach it. Body language and TPR also helped me conduct myself in a more effective manner in the classroom. Did I enjoy myself? I most certainly did. I met really amazing people at T&T. The Trainers are very understanding and gave useful advice that helped me decide about what to do with my life. The Admin Team were incredible with creating my CV and helping me realize all the opportunities that are out there, just waiting for me to reach and grab them. Last but not least are the incredible classmates that helped make this course into a really enjoyable time. I had no issues with anyone and studying with these wonderful people was never a bore nor a chore. Was it worth it? Hell yeah! As I sit here today writing this summary of my time with T&T, I know that I came out of this course a better teacher. I am better prepared and no longer nervous about having to teach students. I have a better handle on how teaching needs to be done and how I can go about doing it. Had I not taken this course, I would still be a mediocre teacher with high energy and good intentions but no real way of turning those traits into an effective way of teaching. So, I thank you, all of you lovely people at T&T for giving me this opportunity to learn, grow, and become a better teacher and person. To be honest, I was extremely skeptical when I first arrived. I did not think that I would be learning anything worthwhile, boy am I glad to be wrong. I am glad that T&T reached out to me. I'm happy that I took a shot in the dark to come and study at T&T despite the long commute and all the fear mongering online about how TEFL centers are just scams that steal your money. Now that I've experienced it for myself, I can definitely say that T&T will help you develop as a teacher as long as you are open to new methods and approaches.

At first, I was stressed about this whole idea of working abroad. However, after speaking to Charles and asking a mountain of questions, I was reassured by my decision. He was extremely helpful and gave great advice.

The course began with a home-study segment, which required us to do Module Research. This became the foundation for what will be taught and further developed once at the Academy in Bangkok.

Upon arriving at the Airport, I got the chance to meet the whole Text & Talk team when they came to pick me up. I was impressed by the amount of support from the team and how friendly and outgoing they all are. I was then dropped off at my accommodation and had a couple of days to rest, explore and get used to my surroundings before the in-class segment would begin.

The first day of the class began with an introduction by the Text & Talk TEFL Academy team. We were prepped on what to expect and what was expected of us. We received valuable information about Visas, Thai Culture and most importantly, the job-hunting process.

The course itself was full of great moments and we learned a lot about how to be effective and fun teachers. Two other important aspects of being a great teacher are to be presentable and likable and this has proven to be quite true.

We were also taken on a day-trip to the Weekend Market. We experienced Thai Street Food, all the affordable clothes and trinkets and had a blast ‘getting lost’ in the Market.

Another part of the course I enjoyed was the Corporate Teaching Observation. We first observed the Team teach the staff and after introducing ourselves, we interacted with them as part of the lesson. This was really fun because the Thai staff were funny, made jokes and wanted to improve their English.
We were also given the opportunity to teach Thai Students at a Private School. We taught young learners and older learners. This was our chance to take what we learned from the TEFL Course and put it to the test.
Both trips gave us insight and a chance to decide on our preferred age level to teach.

Overall, I had a great time in this TEFL Course and will not forget the wonderful memories.

I want to thank the Text & Talk TEFL Academy Team for being there and assisting us through everything! Not only have I graduated with the knowledge to confidently teach, but I have also graduated knowing I made some great friends.