Why did you choose this program?
The TEFL online program offered by ITTT is a long term rewarding learning experience for teacher's whether or not you are in the language based teaching field or in a subject based teaching field. the course provides a wide range of resources and teaching styles strategies for first time teachers or even teachers with years of experience in corporate in the classroom that would surely yield a productive outcome for both the learners and teachers in question.
In addition, the TEFL/TESOL course provided by ITTT does give you a glimpse of what a typical teaching environment is like showing the pros and cons of a classroom experience with ways of how to cater for different learner styles one would encounter in a real life classroom.
What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?
The ITTT online program provided access to resources and materials per unit topic that was covered during the course study period. The course also offered optional assistance for an online tutor to guide course participants throughout the online program which is rewarding especially for first time language teachers. I didn't have to organize much on my own as most of the unit topic resources and videos where all made easily accessible. Not to mention the end of unit tests that were provided as well to serve as a revision and knowledge checker of each unit you've come across during the course before proceeding to the next unit, sort of a summative assessment method.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
Be prepared and dedicated to taking on the course, in the sense that you go through the program materials properly and not in a rush manner as they would aid you in not only completing the program but also provide you with extensive knowledge that would be definitely useful to implement in the classroom.
The ITTT TEFL/TESOL online course is a rewarding experience to undertake and is a pathway for anybody seeking a career as an international teacher travelling around the world teaching or even teachers already in the educational field and are seeking more international experience.
What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?
A typical day while completing the TEFL/TESOL online program provided by ITTT would be not so intense but rather flexible as you get to choose how many unit topics you would like to complete per day after going through the unit manuals and also undertaking the end of unit topic test before proceeding to the next unit. It's really flexible and that's what makes the whole course experience refreshing.
Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?
My biggest fear was exploring a new culture each time i travelled abroad. I also wondered what sort of culture shock i could encounter while travelling abroad but thankfully being a teacher in the classroom did really help me overcome this in many ways. I had wonderful students who helped me understand and transition into their culture which showcased many incredible things, vibrant colors, spicy and tasty food, traditional clothes and dances and so much more. My colleagues who were also fellow teachers also did help me explore their culture in the most interesting manner, with time i came to find similarities in both my culture and the amazing cultures of all these countries i travelled to.
What is a classroom experience like internationally? is there any similarities?
The classroom experience i have come across so far in the different countries i have travelled to and taught is similar, in the sense that if you are teaching the youth or youngsters, they would always expect an interesting, interactive and vibrant class whereby you as a teacher needs to use different teaching strategies you've acquired over time and also through your course experience with ITTT online to help you accomplish this.
As this is the 21st century, most students nowadays are techno savy and expect the use of electronic gadgets like ipads, laptops in the classroom to consider their learning experience worthwhile and something to look forward to and this could be challenging for first time teachers or teachers with a fews years of experience and as such it is advisable to take up online courses like the one ITTT provides to help prepare you for such challenges ahead.
