Virtual Vantage

I signed up for the Virtual Vantage course since I was not able to be in Thailand due to coronavirus restrictions. As I decided to start teaching online first—this course provided a strong foundation for online instruction—I went ahead and got certified now rather than wait for the world to open up.
The Virtual Vantage course is 100% online and it’s divided into two parts: theory and practice teaching.
The theory aspect of the course is delivered by Vantage’s partner iTTT which is a big name in the TEFL industry. The course book is 20 units which are all clear and relevant and quite interesting. Here I learnt a lot of theory and the information in these units taught me how to create my own lessons and to teach with the proper methodology. You have 6 months to finish the course book. I did it without any pressure at my own pace in about 3 months.
The online course gave me the flexibility to learn new teaching methods while I was still able to do my daily obligations. It was also really great that many resources were provided that I used to create lessons. For a new teacher, this was more than appreciated.
The observed teaching practice part of the course was delivered by Vantage. I really liked my practicum where I taught 6 classes each one on a different language point.
Before I even taught a class, I submitted all my lesson plans to Vantage’s trainers in advance and I got detail feedback on each one.
Then I was ready to try my hand at teaching. I had the opportunity to do 1 to 1 lesson as well as group classes. Vantage trainers Kevin and Chris were amazing, and they helped me and advised me every stage of the way from creating the lesson to delivering the lesson to a class.
After each class, they gave me detailed feedback which help me to improve my performance for the next lesson. I gained more confidence in myself and they shattered any doubts that I had.
I believe this part of the course was extremely beneficial. It’s important because you get to experience what it feels like to be in front of a group of students and you can see firsthand how your lesson plan actually worked. Again, this experience gave me more confidence and my new teaching skills will definitely be an asset whenever and to whomever I end up teaching.
Lastly, I was pleasantly surprised that not only Vantage guide you throughout the whole teaching training course, but they also provide valuable job support. I developed my own Power Resume with their help and got valuable advice in job hunting. This clearly show that Vantage really care about its students.
If you’re serious about starting a new career in teaching, these are the people to talk to.