Learn from the best to become the best you can be

My Vantage TEFL journey began in the beginning of January 2020 and ended in early February. I’m an instructor pilot in the aviation industry looking to teach Aviation English, and I felt like a TEFL would be a good place to start. After comparing courses, I came across something called Engage, Study, Activate. This is the teaching methodology that is taught by Vantage TEFL, and it places a heavy emphasis on being able to USE language effectively. I’m Thai, and I’m familiar with how the education system here teaches us to be grammar experts who can’t utter a word of English in a real conversation. This seemed like the best way to reverse that.

Due to the pandemic there was only one other student in the class, which became a bonus for us because we were able to interact with Chris, our instructor, more. He did an excellent job in translating what would otherwise be a bland course book into highly engaging and informative lessons. I was amazed that he was able to hold our interest all day throughout the month-long course. Chris has a unique ability to use a book, a whiteboard, and his plethora of experience to keep lessons interesting. I loved the discussions we had in class, where we shared experiences and knowledge. I can honestly say that more than half of what I got from the course came from such discussions (you can’t find most of them in the book!).

I like how the Practicum, which comprised of 6 real classes, were spread out throughout the latter half of the course. This gave me a chance to get feedback after each class and improve my next classes. I really felt that I grew after each class (given online due to the pandemic), because Chris’ critiques were straightforward, to-the-point, and very constructive. This wouldn’t have been very practical had the 6 classes been back to back on the final week.

When you’re done with the course, Kevin is always there to help guide you through your job search journey. Although he doesn’t teach the TEFL course himself, he has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share if you catch him outside of class times.

All in all, I wish the course had been longer. Call me dramatic, but I honestly think this was the best investment I had made so far, and I feel that Vantage has helped unlock a new chapter in life for me. Thank you Chris and Kevin!

P.s. if you’re bringing a car, be aware of the big parking fees. Park elsewhere and take the BTS if you can!