Get TEFL Certified & Teach English Abroad with International TEFL Academy

I completed the online course for the International TEFL Academy (I.T.A.) while living in Chicago and working 40+ hours each week for the Chicago Tribune newspaper. Although I worked full time and my work hours differentiated each week for the duration of the course, I was able to successfully complete the class with top marks. Regardless of a person's schedule, I.T.A. makes it possible for everyone to take their courses, and the teachers, advisers, and staff at the school are extremely helpful with questions on every topic from country suggestions and classroom-related inquiries, to payment plans for the courses and stories of their own experiences while teaching English abroad (or even TEFL teaching within the United States)!

My experience as an I.T.A. student was unique because I have taught English abroad with Peace Corps Georgia and as an independent English teacher in China, but I had no certification throughout my previous teaching experiences. The TEFL course at I.T.A. covered everything from the importance of cultural understanding and different teaching techniques, to the spectrum of learning styles and lesson suggestions on how to adhere to those learning styles while teaching. I wish I had been TEFL certified in my past-teaching experiences because I would have had a better understanding of the different ways to teach according to age group and how to change my teaching style for each lesson so the topics I taught would better resonate with students of different learning styles. It's also important to understand that classrooms abroad and cultural norms in education differentiate from place to place, and I wish I would have had a better understanding of that during my first two teaching experiences. Thanks to my experience at I.T.A.'s TEFL course, my future students will benefit from everything I have learned from the course, my broadened understanding of a classroom community and an even better appreciation for cultural understanding.

I want future participants of I.T.A.'s TEFL course to know that the course covers an array of topics and the work load may seem intense at times, but the knowledge gained from the course is absolutely worth it. As a TEFL teacher with previous experience in two countries, I am honestly able to say that the experience I had in the 11-week I.T.A. TEFL course better-prepared me for TEFL teaching more so than anything in my past. My past-teaching experiences were beneficial learning experiences, but the knowledge I have gained from I.T.A.'s TEFL course have not only left me better-prepared for my role as a teacher, but my future students will benefit as well. The entire experience of being part of the community in my next classroom with be even greater for my students and for me as an educator because I am an even better version of myself as a TEFL teacher than before.

The I.T.A. alumni community is another terrific attribute of taking the TEFL course. The I.T.A. alumni community is very active on all forms of social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and blogs) and alumni are constantly reaching out to help other I.T.A. alumni when they are traveling, searching for jobs, answering questions, or if they need a place to stay while they get their affairs in order in their new country of residence. Taking that initial leap to go abroad as a TEFL teacher may be scary or intimating at times, but the I.T.A. alumni community provides a solid foundation and such a circle of support for all I.T.A. students and other alumni at every stage of their TEFL experience.

All in all, taking the TEFL course at I.T.A. is an extremely worthwhile investment. From the readings and classroom work, to the student-teaching practicum, I.T.A. students are well-equipped with a wealth of knowledge and understanding in order to become the best TEFL teachers possible; and they are also blessed with a strong community of I.T.A. alumni scattered all over the globe to assist as a foundation of support during one of the biggest adventures that life has to offer.

The staff working for TEFL Academy are very helpful, upbeat and responsive. I think this was a major benefit of the course. They provided prompt and helpful material as I was looking for a job and reviewed and gave feedback on my resume and cover letter. They even provided me with a contact that led to my current position. The course itself was fine. I found the reading and quizzes to be very easy and the lesson plan making a little more challenging. The instructor always provided good feedback. I also think the practicum element of the course is beneficial. There are also many live lectures offered for specific esl topics or specific country job searches.

I found out about the International TEFL academy from a friend who received his certificate and subsequently traveled and taught English in Thailand for a number of years. He related his experience to me about taking the course and how the organization made the transition in his words "exponentially simpler". He discussed with me that he may have been easily discouraged on traveling due to the complexity of the steps to take such as job search, if it weren't for the resources that ITA offers. With the desire to travel and an even bigger passion to teach burning in my heart, I took a chance and decided to sign up for the 170 hour online course. Now, I should mention that I have taken online courses before and I was, let's say, less than successful. However, with the online course that the ITA offers, I found the content to be not only useful and meaningful but also interesting, so much that I would even read ahead of the syllabus! The instructor was fair and also made sure to not only point out strengths but also areas for improvement in all returned assignments. I also like the discussion forum aspect of the course, it gave me an opportunity to share ideas about teaching with people from all over the world! Aside from the course, the resources, as mentioned earlier, is what sets ITA apart from the other TEFL/CELTA organizations. Life long assistance from the ITA's student affairs department is my favorite because I really do feel like the organization cares about it's students, rather than simply awarding the student a certificate and that it, you are on your own. Another great thing about the organization is that it utilizes social media, facebook in specific, to connect students with others that are alumni that are living or have lived in different countries. This kind of networking can not only be useful but also crucial for prospective students and students alike to make the right decision for themselves and make connections. Overall, I would recommend the ITA to anyone seeking to teach abroad. The courses offered provide relevant and practical information for anyone wanting to teaching in a foreign country so much that it can prepare anyone to be the ideal ambassador for their home country while abroad. 5/5 STARS!

I think what sets ITA apart from other TEFL programs is its lifetime job guidance support, which has been very important to me since completing the program 2 years ago. Since then, I have been able to revise my resume and write cover letters and have someone from ITA review it. They keep their job guidance manual for tips and such up to date, so whenever I have moments of thinking about changing countries, I always go there and check out the information about that country. Otherwise, I would be having to search on my own, and you never know if you'd be running into fake information. To this day, I still watch the webinars that they make available to everyone for more tips to improve my teaching. Whenever I've talked about ITA with others and I tell them the price, they think it's expensive. However, the fact that you are not only getting the TEFL, but also the support afterwords? That's more than what my university after school has certainly done for me, I paid MUCH more for that. The TEFL pays for itself.

I had an extremely rewarding experience during my certification/coursework with TEFL. From the very beginning I was met by kind staff who reassured and supported me along the way. The people that work here care deeply about travel, education, and culture and I could feel that in every post, conversation, and email I received from them. I am hoping to secure a job abroad this fall, and feel more than prepared for this adventure. Thanks TEFL!

Let's no kid ourselves, most TEFL programs online are a joke. You pay the several hundreds dollsrs, breeze through a few hours of classes and print out your certificate. Not with ITA Academy. Anyone who researches best TEFL program online will come up with this result every single time. Courses are more challenging, staff is more hands on and cares about your struggles and personal success. ITA is all around a premium service. Anyone serious about being an international teacher should go through this program.

I'm an American living in Russia and I decided to get certified. ITA made it possible. I was able to finish the course online in my free time. I learned a lot and I actually feel ready to teach my own students. The best part is I know that even though I've finished the course, ITA will still be there to help and guide me. I'm not just going off alone, I have the support and assistance I need to succeed.

It was excited to see pictures of beautiful places! With real people interacting and serving the community all over the world! I wanted to be a part of it and my personal consultant, Andrew shortly after I expressed interest. We scheduled a time to chat and he answered all my questions both conscience and subconsciously. The coursework was hefty but I expected nothing less for a crash course of incredibly priceless material and instruction. Plenty of how to videos are available. The website can be cluttered and difficult to maneuver through because there is so