 Why complete a TEFL course? A TEFL graduate explain. Why complete a TEFL course? For me there was never a question, never a doubt on why I should complete this TEFL course. I want to be the best teacher possible and with the help of the TEFL course, I know I can achieve my goals. Though no substitute can be given for actual classroom experience, what I have found throughout this course is that TEFL shows and explains the core basics of nearly everything. Any topic and any subject and aspect that comes with or accompanies teaching within a classroom is covered through this course and to a degree I've found to be most astonishing. Not often have I read things this accurate and with this much detail. Its reputation proceeded it well, though at times I did have my doubts. Yet, any possible doubt on if I made the right choice in choosing TEFL was also set right by the countless jobs and applications for teaching positions that all asked if I had taken the course yet. So, the question then became, not why should one take this course, but rather why does the world want you to take this course? This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Zachary S. Not everyone learns from being placed in front of a classroom and judged. From the very start, I've found this course to be an exceptional source of knowledge and explanation on every step of the classroom and its functions. I've learned through this course how to engage students in various ways and which methods work best with which students. Which methods will bolster a student's drive to learn and which will hinder their chances of success. I have learned not to rely too heavily on the course books for it will dull the class experience and will cause the class to lose interest. But I have also learned that some students won't develop well or learn from an environment void of structure and based upon games with group work. I have also learned that a student should be welcomed to participate at their own rate and not punished for being timid. Not everyone learns from being placed in front of a classroom and judged. But it is these details found throughout the work in the course that help show why this is so respected. This experience and knowledge on such a wide array of topics and facts could not have been accumulated by a mere group of teachers. And surely not from one single school or location. The TEFL course knows it is meant to be a strong guideline for success and not a rule of absolute law. And yet that is the beauty of it. The TEFL course does not teach you everything you will ever need, nor does it claim to do so. Instead it, step by step, presents, shows, and explains to you the fundamentals of every core aspect and function of a classroom. Its course objectives and the best methods to bring about the desired change in students. What it does not do is replace hands on experience or take into consideration the multitude of teaching styles there are. This is not a weakness nor a complaint on the course, rather a compliment. For a only a course that has the user's best interest in mind would avoid declaring itself the one and only truth. Something that many courses work from my university years could have learned. The TEFL course knows it is meant to be a strong guideline for success and not a rule of absolute law. It approaches you as a student of its subjects much as an actual teacher would. And everything that is taught here can be implemented into any teaching culture or style. That is what I have found the most appealing throughout completing this course. How prepared are you without a TEFL? Though this course will not make or break, nor define me as a teacher, it will undoubtedly make me more capable and far more knowledgeable as I continue onward. And it will certainly make me far more capable during my time learning through hands-on training. The lessons and information gathered and presented over these past 10 chapters have been given me an edge in what to expect and how to prepare for what lies ahead. In essence, it was homework on training to be a better teacher and if one cannot respect and complete such tasks and work, then how could they ever expect their students to do the same? I am very grateful I was able to complete such a course and even more thankful that I was fortunate enough to have ever had an opportunity to so freely choose additional training. Overall this has been a very unique experience and I feel all the more prepared for what lies ahead because of it. So, in the end, one should not be asking themselves why should they take the TEFL course, but rather how prepared do they think they are without it? Are you ready to teach English abroad? Apply now for your TEFL TESOL certification course and start teaching in a matter of months. Speak with an ITTT advisor today to put together your personal plan for teaching English abroad. Send us an email or call us toll free at 1-800-490-0531 to speak with an ITTT advisor today. That I've learned from my TEFL course in Business English. Upon completing the teaching English as a foreign language, TEFL, for Business English, be the best things I've learned would have to be the section that covered ESA, Engage, Study, Activate, including Boomerang and Patchwork lessons and how they engage, study, activate methodology is the core of a great teaching syllabus. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Kinsey Kaye, ESA methodology of teaching. The best thing I've learned from my TESOL Business English course would have to be Engage, Study, Activate within the Business English environment. I have seen ESA in the previous 120-hour TEFL course and my 50-hour TEFL Young Learner course. However, I had not seen it applied in a way to be used for the Business English student. Whenever a teacher is planning a course in the syllabus, the teacher needs to be able to ensure the material is at the appropriate level for that particular class. In Unit 5, I was able to see the ESA lesson plan being used for negotiating, agreeing and disagreeing. This was a great example that would apply to most Business English courses since negotiating is a big part of most Business People's work day. I was also able to see how the ESA methodology could be broadened, like with the Boomerang and Patchwork lessons. Unit 5 also mentioned within ESA, Boomerang and Patchwork lessons. I believe that this is helpful to see a plethora of lesson planning options so as not to lose the interest of students and to build on your skills as a teacher. Both, the Boomerang and Patchwork lessons, builds upon the ESA to help form a solid course in the syllabus. The ESA methodology is used from course to course, whether it be Young Learners or Business English, which makes it a staple in any teacher's syllabus. The main difference from the Engage, Study, Activate methodology from Young Learners to Business English is the level of content of each phase. However, each teacher includes some form of the ESA in their procedure portion of their syllabus, which means that it is a vital part of each course being taught, requiring that each teacher have a solid understanding of what the ESA is and how to apply it to their particular course. My time in this TEFL Business English course has been invaluable. My time in this 50-hour teaching Business English course has been invaluable. I have learned so many different things within this course, but the most valuable part of this course, in my opinion, is unit 2 in 5 where ESA was covered. Though the Engage, Study, Activate methodology does not change from course to course, the content and level at which that content is taught does. The Engage, Study, Activate methodology and all that it encompasses is something that I will use throughout my time teaching English as a foreign language, which is why I see it as being the best and most invaluable thing I've learned from this Business English course and any TEFL Tezol course I have taken. Are you ready to teach English abroad? Apply now for your TEFL Tezol Certification course and start teaching in a matter of months. Speak with an ITTT advisor today to put together your personal plan for teaching English abroad. Send us an email or call us toll-free at 1-800-490-0531 to speak with an ITTT advisor today. The best thing I've learned from my two Tezol courses from ITTT. The two TEFL courses I took with ITTT provided a comprehensive coverage of English teaching to non-native speakers. The 50-hour Young Learners course and the 120-hour TEFL course taught language points such as grammar and tense structure. The courses also went into depth on topics related to teaching English such as classroom management and lesson preparation. These aspects are very important to teaching English as well as mastering the English language itself. A skilled teacher must know how to handle different types of classes. This post was written by our ITTT graduate Jeffrey G. How to succeed at teaching English to young children. This course explained how teaching English requires vastly different methodologies depending on who is being taught. For example, the youngest learners of English, 3 to 8-year-olds, respond well to chants and singing. This age group can't be taught the same way as other age groups because their attention span is so short. The kids can only focus on things that entertain them, such as games and interactive activities. Developing lesson plans for young learners. An example of what I learned was how to develop lesson plans for young learners. The course taught me the importance of games and singing for young learners. The course pointed out that one of the best ways to start a lesson plan is to have singing and chanting activities during the Engage phase. This is a great way to start the lesson because it is an easy way to warm up the kids for the rest of the lesson. This also lets the kids feel more comfortable for the rest of the lesson, ultimately leading to more engagement from the kids. The study phase for young learners. Another part of the lesson planning structure that I learned from the young learners course was the structure of the study phase for young learners. The study phase is very different from other age groups because the students can't have complex drill activities and any kind of activity that requires verbal explanation. The study phase must include activities that can be easily understood with physical interaction, often including arts and crafts as well as colors. Typically, an activity needs to have a lesson point in mind before the structuring of the game. The teachers should not have a random game and then try to somehow connect the game into the lesson point. The game needs to address the lesson point from the start. The biggest takeaway. Ultimately, the young learners course helped me prepare teaching young kids because it included many valuable points that will undoubtedly be prevalent in the learning centers in China. I feel more confident now that I know the methodology for keeping young learners happy and engaged. This will help me avoid instances when I am teaching something completely unsuited to the target audience. The unit including examples of games and drills for young learners is very useful because I can use these to help develop my own lesson plans. The unit also included many different online resources for future help. Whenever I am in need of more resources to help develop my own lesson plans, I can go to these websites and use their resources of children songs and other content to help build out my lesson plans. Are you ready to teach English abroad? Apply now for your TEFL TESOL certification course and start teaching in a matter of months. Speak with an ITTT advisor today to put together your personal plan for teaching English abroad. Send us an email or call us toll free at 1-800-490-0531 to speak with an ITTT advisor today. Top Tips for Taking an Online TEFL Course In recent years, online courses have become more and more popular in many walks of life and TEFL is no exception. Due to the convenience and flexibility of distance learning and the clear financial savings compared with in-class training, online TEFL certification courses are the obvious choice for many aspiring English teachers. However, for many trainees this is likely to be their first taste of online study and distance learning can be a challenge for anyone who is new to this form of education. If you are considering an online TEFL course, we have put together the following tips to help you complete it with flying colors. Internet Access Although this may seem glaringly obvious, it is still worth pointing out that the fundamental nature of an online course means that you will need regular and reliable access to the internet. Before signing up for the course, you should ensure that you have a quiet and comfortable place where you can work through your studies and that your computer is equipped with any software and hardware that the course requires. Time Management One of the biggest advantages for many trainees is that an online TEFL certification course can be completed at whatever pace you see fit. However, this flexibility can often be the undoing of those who have never undertaken a distance learning course before. To get the most from the course it is important that you properly manage your study time. Ideally, you should schedule to complete a section of the course each day or set aside a certain amount of hours each week, depending on your other commitments. Most importantly, once you have made a study plan, stick to it. You should avoid trying to rush through the course in one, go as you are unlikely to retain much of the information covered. Similarly, if you leave long gaps between study sessions, you may find that you need to go back over previous sections or you might even run out of time altogether. First Questions One disadvantage of an online training course is that you won't receive direct instruction from a teacher trainer. However, this needn't be an issue if you choose a tutored online TEFL course which allows you to contact an experienced professional trainer whenever you have any problems. A training course with an online tutor is the recommended way to go if you are new to distance learning or you simply feel you might benefit from professional guidance during your studies. You should also remember not to be afraid to contact your tutor no matter how minor your question might seem. That is what they are there for after all. Use all available resources. While your online TEFL course will likely come with all the reading materials required to complete your studies, you should also take advantage of any extra resources that are available to you. Many of the best course providers have free additional contents such as tutorial videos that will aid your understanding of the wide range of subjects covered throughout the training. By fully embracing all aspects of the course you will give yourself the very best preparation for your post course life in a real English language classroom. Remember why you enrolled on the TEFL course. Many people who sign up for an online TEFL certification course will have other commitments such as work or family to consider, which can sometimes upset your carefully laid study plans. If you find you are struggling for motivation to continue, simply remind yourself of the reasons why you signed up in the first place. Your main goal might be to travel the world, to start on a new career path, or to help others in the classroom. For your personal ambitions, a simple reminder now and again should help you stay focused on completing your training course and starting out on your TEFL adventure. For details on all ITTT's online course options click here. Why not enroll in an online TEFL certification course today. Apply now for your TEFL TESOL certification course and start teaching in a matter of months. Speak with an ITTT advisor today to put together your personal plan for teaching English abroad. Send us an email or call us toll free at 1-800-490-0531 to speak with an ITTT advisor today. What TEFL courses most useful? Online TEFL and TESOL courses are a fast and easy way to become an internationally certified English teacher. At international TEFL and TESOL training, ITTT, we offer a variety of online options for new teachers and those who are already qualified and looking to enhance their IT professional portfolio. We understand that the process of becoming a teacher abroad can be a little overwhelming, which is why we'd like to help you choose the right online course for your career. For new teachers. Teaching overseas is a lucrative career for many native and fluent English speakers worldwide, we offer high quality TEFL and TESOL training for those without any prior teaching experience. The following courses are best suited for those new to teaching abroad. 120 hour online TEFL TESOL course. The 120 hour online TEFL TESOL course is one of the most popular course formats. It includes the full range of our high quality materials and results in certification that is internationally recognized and welcomed by employers all over the world. The course is divided into 20 units, carefully chosen and organized to ensure a gradual build up of knowledge whilst not overloading students with too much information at any one time. The best advantage of a course is that you can study at your own pace from anywhere in the world and you have six months to complete the course. Upon course completion, ITTT will assist you in finding a teaching position. 60 hour introductory course. The 60 hour introductory TEFL TESOL course is a popular choice for those who want to teach for only a short period of time or work in the volunteer teaching field. The course is divided into 10 comprehensive units giving excellent insight into the world of English language teaching. You can choose to take the course with or without the support of an experienced tutor. Moreover, ITTT will provide you with all reasonable assistance and guidance in finding a job after you have completed one of our online TEFL TESOL courses. Observed teaching practice course. The OTP course is available in 30 hour, 6 hours of OTP or 50 hour, 12 hours of OTP options. Either option, when used in conjunction with an online TEFL or TESOL certificate, provides full certification for most teaching jobs worldwide. The course is open to anyone with an online TEFL TESOL certificate, whether it was earned through ITTT or elsewhere, as long as that certificate includes a grammar component and a minimum of 100 hours of study. The course is structured around three elements or phases. Learning about lesson planning, feedback techniques, self-evaluation and video as a training tool. Putting the theory into practice through a series of video lessons. Preparing for an interview on the topics covered in the course and a final interview over Skype with the course trainer. For certified teachers, the following courses are aimed at TEFL and TESOL certified teachers who are looking to obtain an additional qualification in a specialized area of teaching. Many of our graduates who complete the 120 hour course complete one or both additional courses. 50 hour teaching business English course. Teaching business related English is a rapidly expanding area of the TESOL market. Our 50 hour CTE course aims to show you how you can adapt your existing teaching skills and knowledge to suit this specialized area of the teaching world. The six units of the course will show you how to build on the common language needs of your clients and how to develop a unique curriculum to suit their needs. Successful completion of our business English course will not only enhance your teaching skills and knowledge but will also increase your employment prospects. 50 hour teaching English to young learners course. Teaching English to young learners is one of the fastest growing sectors of the English language market. Our 50 hour CTEYL course aims to address the issues that are unique to this form of teaching and to help you adapt your existing skills to suit them. The six units of this course focus on a variety of educational theories, teaching strategies and classroom activities that teachers can draw upon to keep their young students motivated and interested in the classroom, completing this specialized course will build on your existing skills and knowledge and also greatly enhance your employment prospects for career seekers. While some people only want to spend a year or two abroad to pay off college debt, saved money or simply to explore the world, others want to make a career out of teaching English for the long term. The following TEFL-TESAL diploma course is designed to set you up for a successful EFL career. 250 hour diploma course. Our 250 hour diploma TEFL-TESAL course is our most advanced course and has been designed to suit the needs of practicing teachers or those who already hold a TESAL certificate. Some of the reasons for undertaking our online TESAL diploma course include but are not limited to the following. To enhance your development and knowledge as an English language teacher. To increase your potential to earn a higher salary. The increase your chances of obtaining a more prestigious teaching position. The course consists of 11 modules covering everything from study skills and course design to assessment methods and embedding learning technologies. The modules each require about 21 hours of study and the final summative task should take about 20 hours to complete. What about in class TEFL-TESAL courses? In class courses are a great way to kick start a TEFL-TESAL career abroad as it not only allows you to practice all the theoretical components of the course with real students at a TEFL center but it also allows you to spend some time in your desired teaching location to see whether you like it there or not. Many teachers also take their in class TEFL course in one destination and then end up teaching English somewhere else. The TEFL-TESAL certificate you receive upon completing an in class TEFL course allows you to teach anywhere in the world you wish. Here's what you need to know about in class TEFL-TESAL courses. In class TEFL courses last for four weeks and take place in a TEFL destination of your choice. They have a very practical emphasis. Teachers have the opportunity to teach real students of English. You will receive instruction in an unknown foreign language to help you reflect on the experience of being a learner. You will create your own set of materials to be used during the teaching practice. What are combined TEFL-TESAL courses? A combined TEFL-TESAL course merges the advantages of both the online and in class formats. This type of TEFL course also covers all the same content as the full in class course. However, if you are not comfortable with the idea of distance learning or would prefer more interaction with your tutors and other trainees then the in class TEFL course might be the better option. Here is how it works. Step 1. Complete 120-hour TEFL-TESAL course online. Step 2. Get teaching practice at an in class center worldwide. The teaching practice component is completed at a variety of international training centers such as Fuquette, Barcelona, Rome, Paris, New York, and many other U.S. locations. Are you ready for your adventure abroad? As you can see, there is a TEFL-TESAL course for every personality, lifestyle and learning style. Apply now for your TEFL-TESAL certification course and start teaching in a matter of months. Speak with an ITTT advisor today to put together your personal plan for teaching English abroad. Send us an email or call us toll-free at 1-800-490-0531 to speak with an ITTT advisor today. Four top tips for getting your TEFL certificate on the road. The nomadic lifestyle is getting more and more appealing for many people wanting to escape the dry 925 trap back home. More and more people are packing their bags and heading off traveling around the world, making a living on the go. A great way to afford this lifestyle is teaching English either online, at a physical school or to private students abroad. As this is getting increasingly popular, online English platforms, employers and English students are now expecting their teachers to be TEFL certified. But how do you find the time to study when on the road? Taking an online TEFL course might just be the answer to your problems. Here are four tips for getting your TEFL certificate on the road and for staying motivated to study. 1. Set a start and an end date. While ITTT's online TEFL and TESAL courses give you at least six months to complete the course, it's recommended to work through your units regularly, so you build on your skills and don't forget anything from previous units. Grab your calendar and set yourself a goal when you want to have your course completed. Don't set on realistic goals, but also don't give yourself too much time with your studying. Between two and three months seems to be a good amount of time depending on your lifestyle. 2. Download the units in PDF format and print them. More often than not, you won't always find a reliable internet connection when traveling. This can obviously be a problem when you study online and need to access your units through the online platform. One way to plan ahead and make sure you can study anywhere at any time is to simply download the units in PDF format and have them on your device. All ITTT course units can easily be downloaded or printed out if desired. This way, you can study during a flight or a long bus ride through a remote region for example. 3. Create a routine and a stack to it. For traveling nomads being on the road and experiencing new countries is a lifestyle and a regular routine is often non-existent. However, it's recommended to study at the same time every day as this makes it a lot easier to stack to it and continuously work through your course. Having a routine will also allow you to manage your time better once you've done all your work. You have all the time in the world to go out and explore without having to feel bad for not having completed your work. 4. Take what you've learned and put it into practice. If you are already traveling, you can easily practice all the things you are learning during your TEFL course. For example, speak with locals whose native language isn't English and pay attention to common mistakes. How do they form English sentences? What words do they use often? What words don't they use? What do they struggle with? Paying attention to these little things acts as a valuable tool when working through your online TEFL course. Are you ready to take an online TEFL TESOL course? Apply now for your TEFL TESOL certification course and start teaching in a matter of months. Speak with an ITTT advisor today to put together your personal plan for teaching English abroad. Send us an email or call us toll free at 1-800-490-0531 to speak with an ITTT advisor today. Why taking a TEFL course is highly beneficial. There are many reasons to take a TEFL TESOL course, not least because it is the best way to enable you to work almost anywhere in the world as an English teacher. The days where simply being a native English speaker was enough to secure a job as an English teacher around the world, our long gone and the majority of employers worldwide expect their teachers to have a TEFL TESOL qualification. Increasingly, those hoping to teach English as a foreign language are required to have a certificate of at least 100 hours, if not 120 hours. Having a TEFL TESOL certificate opens up many more employment opportunities than would be available without one. It is also worth noting that taking the time to study and complete a course shows employers that you are serious and committed to the profession. You'll learn how to teach effectively. A quality TEFL TESOL course will also make you prepared to enter the classroom and teach. In class and combined courses contain practical teaching components that allow you to put theory into practice in real classrooms and receive feedback back from qualified trainers. Good online courses will give you a thorough grounding in teaching theory and language concepts enabling you to hit the floor running when you enter the classroom for the first time. You will also learn about the types of students you will encounter and their differing motivations for learning English. Young learners, adult learners, business English classes, group lessons and one-on-one classes will be covered giving you a good understanding of the requirements of each group and situation. You'll learn about English grammar. You will cover the main language concepts in English including the tense system, parts of speech, modal verbs and more complex concepts such as conditionals and reported speech. You will have the opportunity to study phonology to give you a better idea of how the sounds of English are made and how you can teach this to your students to improve their pronunciation. You'll learn how to plan your own lessons. Modules on lesson planning will help you to create interesting, coherent and effective lesson plans to suit a range of different students. You will understand how a lesson plan flows and how the plan can be adapted to suit a specific classes needed. You will learn how to create and search for exercises and activities that will enhance your classes. In-class course participants will benefit from observed teaching practice sessions where they will be able to follow the lesson planning process from start to finish. You'll learn about various teaching methods. Studying teaching methodology will teach you methods to interest students in your lessons and how to keep them engaged throughout a class or course of classes. You will learn the importance of seeding arrangements, gestures and the behavior and attitude of the teacher on how well a class proceeds. Teacher development benefits. Lastly, taking a TEFL-TESOL course helps you to continue developing as a teacher by showing you how to reflect on past lessons and considering what went well both in terms of how the students responded to the lesson and your own performance as a teacher. You are encouraged to analyze what you did well and what you can improve on for future lessons. What are you waiting for? Get qualified and get teaching now. The days when you could secure a job as an English teacher based solely on being a native speaker are long gone. While the demand for teachers is still high globally, the competition for the best jobs is strong. Earning a TEFL-TESOL qualification gives you the best chance at getting the teaching job. Apply now for your TEFL-TESOL certification course and start teaching in a matter of months. Speak with an ITTT advisor today to put together your personal plan for teaching English abroad. Send us an email or call us toll-free at 1-800-490-0531 to speak with an ITTT advisor today. Why complete a TEFL course? A TEFL graduate explain. Why complete a TEFL course? For me there was never a question, never a doubt on why I should complete this TEFL course. I want to be the best teacher possible and with the help of the TEFL course, I know I can achieve my goals. Though no substitute can be given for actual classroom experience, what I have found throughout this course is that TEFL shows and explains the core basics of nearly everything. Any topic and any subject and aspect that comes with or accompanies teaching within a classroom is covered through this course and to a degree I've found to be most astonishing. Not often have I read things this accurate and with this much detail. Its reputation proceeded it well, though at times I did have my doubts. Yet, any possible doubt on if I made the right choice in choosing TEFL was also set right by the countless jobs and applications for teaching positions that all asked if I had taken the course yet. So, the question then became, not why should one take this course but rather why does the world want you to take this course. This post was written by our TEFL certification graduate Zachary S. Not everyone learns from being placed in front of a classroom and judged. From the very start, I've found this course to be an exceptional source of knowledge and explanation on every step of the classroom and its functions. I've learned through this course how to engage students in various ways and which methods work best with which students, which methods will bolster a student's drive to learn and which will hinder their chances of success. I have learned not to rely too heavily on the course books for it will dull the class experience and will cause the class to lose interest. But I have also learned that some students won't develop well or learn from an environment void of structure and based upon games with group work. I have also learned that a student should be welcomed to participate at their own rate and not punished for being timid. Not everyone learns from being placed in front of a classroom and judged. But it is these details found throughout the work in the course that help show why this is so respected. This experience and knowledge on such a wide array of topics and facts could not have been accumulated by a mere group of teachers and surely not from one single school or location. The TEFL course knows it is meant to be a strong guideline for success and not a rule of absolute law. And yet that is the beauty of it. The TEFL course does not teach you everything you will ever need nor does it claim to do so. Instead it, step by step, presents, shows and explains to you the fundamentals of every core aspect and function of a classroom. Its course objectives and the best methods to bring about the desired change in students. What it does not do is replace hands-on experience or take into consideration the multitude of teaching styles there are. This is not a weakness nor a complaint on the course, rather a compliment. For a only a course that has the user's best interest in mind would avoid declaring itself the one and only truth. Something that many courses work from my university years could have learned. The TEFL course knows it is meant to be a strong guideline for success and not a rule of absolute law. It approaches you as a student of its subjects much as an actual teacher would. And everything that is taught here can be implemented into any teaching culture or style. That is what I have found the most appealing throughout completing this course. How prepared are you without a TEFL? Though this course will not make or break, nor define me as a teacher, it will undoubtedly make me more capable and far more knowledgeable as I continue onward. And it will certainly make me far more capable during my time learning through hands-on training. The lessons and information gathered and presented over these past 10 chapters have been given me an edge in what to expect and how to prepare for what lies ahead. In essence, it was homework on training to be a better teacher, and if one cannot respect and complete such tasks and work, then how could they ever expect their students to do the same? I am very grateful I was able to complete such a course and even more thankful that I was fortunate enough to have ever had an opportunity to so freely choose additional training. Overall this has been a very unique experience and I feel all the more prepared for what lies ahead because of it. So, in the end, one should not be asking themselves, why should they take the TEFL course but rather how prepared do they think they are without it? Are you ready to teach English abroad? Apply now for your TEFL TESOL certification course and start teaching in a matter of months. Speak with an ITTT advisor today to put together your personal plan for teaching English abroad. Send us an email or call us toll-free at 1-800-490-0531 to speak with an ITTT advisor today. 10 Tips to Help You Enjoy Your TEFL Course People have different reasons for taking a TEFL course but everyone that embarks on the journey surely wants to succeed. It can be a challenging experience but should also be enjoyable. Here are some tips to help you avoid getting too stressed during the time you spend on the course. Although they're mainly geared towards on-site courses, many of the points apply to working online too. 1. Don't appear to be too serious. You will find that teaching English can be fun and most teachers that students respond to well have a sunny disposition. Try to develop that attitude whilst you're doing the course. It doesn't mean you can't be studious but avoid being dour. Even if you don't feel on top of the world, you will improve your own mood by acting in a positive way. 2. Accept Mistakes We're not robots. Remember that you're doing a course to learn something new. Don't expect to do everything perfectly straight away. Babies learn to walk by falling down and trying again. We learn to drive by kangarooing along the road initially and we learn musical instruments by playing notes that are painful on the ears. Try not to get frustrated when you find something difficult, just treat it as part of the learning process and enjoy it. 3. Follow Your Trainer's Advice Keep in mind that the people training you want you to succeed and get more satisfaction from their job more when people do. Even if you've been teaching for some time it may be that you've become stuck in your ways or simply haven't taught English as a foreign language before, which requires its own skill sets. Have fun trying out new ideas and procedures. You've paid for their service and advice after all. You may decide the suggestions are not for you, but will certainly benefit from finding out. There's nothing to lose and plenty to gain. 4. Give Yourself Free Time But Not Too Much If you've traveled to do your in-class TEFL course it's important to get a balance of study and fun. Too much of one will spoil the overall enjoyment. No doubt it's fairly obvious why too much partying will impact on your course but we can also get stale or blocked if we only study. Sometimes we get stuck on something and switching off from it for a while allows our brains to reset. Discover what's around the local area and share your experiences with other people on the course. You may even get a chance to practice some of your new found skills. 5. Dedicate The Time Following on from the previous suggestion, remember it's very important to dedicate an appropriate amount of time to every task or project you've been set so that you can get maximum benefit from it. Aim to enjoy doing the task at hand thoroughly rather than thinking that it's being done to bring benefits later on. Put enough time aside and devoid any last minute rushing to meet deadlines. Focus on the task in hand without thinking too much about what's expected next. This may not apply to everything you do once you start working but is a good strategy when doing a challenging course. 6. Be Positive and Enthusiastic Your TEFL course can be a bit of a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows. The highs are always easy to enjoy but the lows know quite so. Aim to maintain a can-do manner even when you're finding it tough going, whether with grammar, phonology or teaching skills. Perseverance will pay off in the end and you'll be proud of your accomplishments. 7. Show interest in others Help each other everyone benefits that way We all feel good when we can see that we've made a positive difference to those around us. Use your positive and enthusiastic manner to help support and motivate others on the course who you see are struggling. You'll find it's a two-way process, symbiotic is the word, a good one for you to teach to. 8. Recognize improvements Sometimes we have to look back to look forwards. Think about the very short time ago before you started the course and consider all the things you've learned since then. Our courses are certainly packed with great information so you should take pleasure from the progress that you've made at whatever stage you're at, knowing that there's more to come. 9. Give yourself rewards You will undoubtedly find some parts of the course challenging or not to your liking. When this happens, tell yourself that you're going to do something particularly nice after it's finished. Indulge yourself. 10. Don't bottle it up. If you feel unsure about something or you disagree with something, like your trainer know and then consider their response and reasoning carefully. Don't let small issues spoil your enjoyment of the course. Are you ready to take your TEFL course? If you follow these tips, you should get the most out of your course whilst having a rewarding and enjoyable experience in the process. Apply now for your TEFL test all certification course and start teaching in a matter of months. Speak with an ITTT advisor today to put together your personal plan for teaching English abroad. Send us an email or call us toll free at 1-800-490-0531 to speak with an ITTT advisor today.