The International Language Institute of Massachusetts

I recently completed my World Learning TESOL Certification course at ILI and I could not be happier. Not only did I make some amazing friends within the class (Twisted TESOL Sisters!) but I got to know some truly amazing international students! What I believe is the aspect of ILI TESOL that puts it in the highest tier of certification programs is the hours of practice-teaching that are facilitated for you. Not only are you learning a wide-range of principles and building a teacher toolbox, but you actually get to practice! You're constantly given feedback and have a lot of opportunities to team-build and collaborate with other program participants and trainers. Once I was certified, I continued to volunteer at ILI and was able to get some applicable experience. I recently relocated to Kyiv Ukraine where I applied for a teaching job at the NY Language School on a whim. They hired me on the spot after I started explaining to them some of the fundamental principles that I learned at ILI. After my trial courses, they even offered me a raise for good work. My students are amazing, and my classes are always at maximum capacity. I am confident in the classroom and in classroom preparation, and I would recommend the TESOL course at ILI in a heartbeat... Good luck, but with this course, you won't even need it! :-)

For the past 6 weeks, I've been in the Maya pueblo of Santa Cruz la Laguna on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, teaching English to adults and culinary arts students at Centro de Capacitación as a volunteer, and working with other teachers to design an on-going English program. This was new work for me, as usually I lead creative writing & yoga retreats in Guatemala and other countries. Though I felt at times like I was over my head, there was never a moment when I did not feel the support of my TESOL sisters, students and staff from ILI. The training I loved and worked hard to secure was thorough, challenging, and fun. Teachers at ILI are dedicated to providing every student who comes through the TESOL program with skills, resources, experience and a network of other students and teachers to draw from. I cannot recommend ILI's programs highly enough. Whether you want to study a language, or teach a language, there cannot be a better choice!

This is the most useful, focused, informative training program I have ever encountered. The staff at ILI have a ton of experience in teaching English and other languages and they are extremely helpful in showing you the few important things you must always remember when teaching languages. The course materials were well selected and never superfluous. The most powerful tool in this program was the daily hands-on teaching that we did. After each lesson we taught, we received coaching and feedback from the ILI staff. After this 4-weeks program, I am excited about applying everything I learned to a classroom of my own.

I have been an educator for 23 years working with adult learners from many walks of life in a community college setting. The intensive 4 week TESOL training affirmed my teaching philosophy, deepened my understanding of the teaching-learning process and sharpened my skills as a teacher. This program was challenging, exciting and fun. The teachers, fellow participants and students all encouraged each of us to take risks and to grow. The program made me fall in love all over again with being in the classroom.