International TEFL Academy

Although I have spent the past ten years teaching a variety of subjects in English to middle and high school ESL learners, I found myself learning something new every day throughout my course with The TEFL Academy. I came into the program with considerable classroom experience, but it helped me refine my teaching methods, strengthen my understanding of language pedagogy, and fill in gaps that always made me feel like an imposter. To use a slightly corny analogy, I was like a sponge that looked full but still had plenty of room to absorb new knowledge and skills. The course challenged me to think more intentionally about how I teach, not just what I teach. I have already accepted a teaching position in Central Asia and will be leaving in two weeks. Thanks to this course, I feel well prepared to step into my new classroom. While there will be cultural lessons to learn once I arrive, I know I have the foundation and strategies needed to succeed. I would gladly recommend The TEFL Academy to both new teachers and experienced educators looking to strengthen their practice.

I have done the part-time program and an additional course. I have enjoyed both and feel that the resources provided are very helpful. The instructors are great and give great feedback on assignments. I've also attended webinars when I want to learn more and here from others on their teaching experience. I like the Instagram takeover as well because it's great to see people share their experience in real time.

1. *I have experience working with children as a teacher, and I am committed to creating a safe, supportive, and engaging learning environment.* 2. *I have experience teaching children and guiding their academic, social, and personal development.* 3. *With my background working with children as a teacher, I bring patience, communication skills, and a passion for student growth.

Beyond the practical skills I have gained, this experience helped me rediscover passions that had been buried beneath years of public school teaching. It reminded me that education is about building relationships, opening opportunities, and helping learners achieve goals that matter deeply to them. The friendships, mentorship, and confidence I have gained through this course have made every assignment, every practicum, and every challenge worthwhile. I am genuinely excited to continue this journey. Four weeks ago, I hoped this course would teach me how to become a better English teacher and grant me opportunities to teach abroad. Instead, it helped me rediscover the educator I want to become.

"I have spent significant time providing personalized, home-to-home English tutoring. This hands-on experience has taught me how to adapt my teaching style to different learning paces and connect deeply with my students. I am incredibly excited to take these foundational tutoring skills, combined with a TEFL/TESOL certification, to the next level by teaching English abroad in Guam. The resources provided by the International TEFL Academy are exactly what I need to transition from local home tutoring to an international classroom, and I can't wait to make a positive impact on students in Guam."

My experience with the International TEFL Academy (ITA) was both rewarding and professionally enriching. The course challenged me to think beyond simply teaching grammar and vocabulary and helped me better understand the importance of learner-centered instruction, cultural awareness, classroom engagement, and real-world communication. One of the things I appreciated most about ITA was the practical nature of the assignments and coursework. The program consistently encouraged us to apply concepts to authentic teaching situations rather than focusing only on theory. I especially enjoyed the Business English specialization because it connected language learning to professional communication, workplace interaction, and international environments. The instructors were knowledgeable, supportive, and highly engaged throughout the course. I truly appreciated the thoughtful feedback, encouragement, and additional resources provided along the way. The course also introduced me to valuable teaching methodologies, lesson-planning strategies, and instructional approaches that I can continue using well beyond the classroom. As someone with a professional background in administrative operations, logistics, and international work environments, ITA helped me recognize how my real-world experience can be integrated into English instruction to support learners in meaningful and practical ways. Overall, I would absolutely recommend ITA to anyone interested in teaching English abroad, online, or in professional learning environments. The program provided a strong foundation, practical tools, and a supportive learning experience that helped build both confidence and instructional skills.

If you’re looking to dive into the digital classroom, the International 2-Week "Teaching English Online" Course is a fantastic choice. The asynchronous layout is perfect for a busy schedule, yet it feels surprisingly connected. I loved the flow of reading and replying to classmates’ discussions; it turned the text into a real conversation. The balance of independence and support is spot on. Having the opportunity to meet directly with the professor twice was a huge highlight, providing that personal guidance that’s often missing in online certs. Two specific assignments really stood out: creating my introduction video and the lesson enhancement task. These weren't just "busy work"—they were practical milestones that transformed my nerves into genuine professional pride. I’m walking away feeling completely confident and ready to land my first global student. I honestly can’t wait to keep this momentum going in my next tutoring course.

My experience with ITA could not have been better. The instructors are top-notch and experts in their field. There are many organizations offering TEFL certification, many of them are much lower in price than ITA. But, as with all things in life, you get what you pay for! I was very impressed with the credentials of the instructors and even more so with the personal attention I was given as a student. The class was well worth the price.

This was a good experience. I did not know what to expect. both instructors I had were very helpful in helping me understand the requirements. I did not feel llike there were any questions that I could not ask and made to feel inadequate.

I really enjoyed the Online Teaching Course, easy to navigate, the teacher was great. I would recommend TEFL If anyone is interested in doing this course, please consider using TEFL. These speciality courses are really great to have and they do help in terms of deciding which course is best suited.

I really enjoyed my experience with International TEFL Academy. All the instructors are kind, they will work with you and encourage you to persevere and complete the course. I felt supported and I knew that it was up to me to really sit with the information and stretch my understanding of teaching and creating. This course is obviously easier for anyone who has been a paid/professional tutor or educator but I do recommend this course for someone like me who has a sufficient education, has taken the understanding of how to learn and study serious [theory of mind, put yourself in the student's shoes], and has language learning experience. If you have never taught before? This course will be challenging but it will absolutely get you ready for being a well-rounded and skill EFL teacher. You will know what to do and have a community around you when you need support. Come in with the mindset that you won't know or remember everything but you will have it all to fall back on. Get the certification and recognize that showing up is 90% of the battle the rest is interest and experience. If you want to teach? You will. You will have all the skills and knowledge necessary to be worthy of your job.

All of my preconceived notions about this course were completely off base. Not only did I have two excellent teachers to guide me through the course, I had an amazing community of peers to join me through this journey. I feel as though this course gave me the resources, knowledge and confidence to succeed as a teacher, and to have a pathway to chase my dreams. The support system you find through ITA is incredible and gives you the reassurance you need to know you are not alone in this. I am very thankful I was apart of this course and would highly recommend to absolutely anyone looking for a way to change their mind, career and future.

I enjoyed my time with Nicole and Betsy to no end. Having this space to learn with like-minded people across the US and Canada was amazing. I feel confident that I can teach and assist in language learning classrooms even as a newbie! Having the practical experience of teaching a real student and see the learning occur made me satisfied and helped me know this was the right program for me!

There is a limit of what a couse like this can provide in only a few weeks. Considering how short it is, it does a great job in teaching all the very basic skills needed. Also, the job resources were very helpful and I did end up getting a contract in Japan, so my experience with ITA was very much a success.

My experience working with my ITA TEFL professor has been nothing short of exceptional. He provided thoughtful and constructive feedback that consistently challenged me to reflect on my work and grow as both a learner and a future teacher. His comments didn’t just help me improve my assignments—they shaped how I think about teaching and encouraged me to go beyond what I thought I was capable of. Wayne was always timely with feedback and grading, and his patience and dedication truly stood out. He also took the time to read our posts in peer participation discussions, ensuring that we stayed on track with the topic—it showed how much he genuinely cares about his students’ learning and progress. Above all, his passion for teaching was evident in every interaction, and I deeply appreciate the time and care he put into guiding my development throughout the course.

If you're serious about TEFL, I highly recommend this course. This instructor was great at being responsive and open for communication. The feedback I received from her drastically improved my abilities each week not only in this course, but in my everyday job as a music teacher as well. In regards to my lesson planning, she pin pointed my strengths and gave me suggestions to improve my weaknesses so I wouldn't go into improving my work blind. 

The quality of the course was not the issue. I applaud ITA for providing rigor so that those completing the course are prepared to teach. Connecting to a job was/is the issue. There is an assumption that only young adults are willing to travel abroad and teach. This assumption over simplifies the pool of candidates actually interested in working abroad or/and online.

It is harder for me to get a job in the USA due to my cerebral palsy and education being expensive. Therefore, being a halfway decent native speaker of English, I decided to travel the world and teach English. Now, I’m living in the old Roman capital of Spain—Mérida. Every morning I leave my apartment, I have an old Roman aqueduct greeting me at the door—you can’t beat that?

I really enjoyed this course and found it was very informative. You really learn the basic practical skills actually needed to become a professional. There are definitely some ups and downs and you will always be nervous and make mistake when you start teaching abroad "for real," but this course really provides the foundation you need to succeed.

ITA was the right choice for me because I wanted to gain skills that would open doors and help me make a difference for others. I thought I would really enjoy teaching, I had just graduated from college with a degree in English Literature and had a high GPA, so I thought I could be successful. I had previous experience in high school as a teacher’s assistant at a synagogue. Another main factor is that I wanted to help multicultural students. My family is an immigrant family as all of my grandparents came from Europe to the USA. They had a lot of struggles. Teaching English was a way for me to give back to others who may be facing similar struggles and challenges.