ITTT TEFL

Why did you choose this program?

I chose it because it was the most professional, reliable, and complete program I found; also, my intuition. I wanted to broaden my EFL experience and use my agile learning and business knowledge for the greatest benefit of EFL students. Also, I like traveling and knowing people, their desires and most inner selves. I like the world and the experiences it brings me.
And every expectation was exceeded!

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

ITTT course is an opportunity that enabled me to receive an ongoing career support and teacher development, even after I had finished the course. Also, ITTT provided me with real video lessons on how to teach, giving me a good example and a role model. They gave me every lesson, task and test; immediate support and advice; numerous teacher resources, and kind response. Thank you ITTT!

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Try to practice giving classes, before or during your program training. I was already an online business teacher and the classes with my students, really helped a lot because I realized, I was not offering a proper teaching methodology, until I studied the units on the methods of communicating knowledge accordingly to the student's needs.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Daily: Morning coffee, reading, making notes, clarifying doubts, doing the assigned task sheet, and answering the exam. Study any subject that was out of your knowledge. Keep a record or register your findings! You will find that a great deal of time goes to homework after class, reviewing, preparing the lesson, grading, etc...

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 being below students' expectations. I learned to know my students and their interests to motivate them, so my vision changed a lot and gave me a sense of managing the class, not because of tight control, but because of sincere motivation. I've learned that I have more expectations of myself than my students. Get into it!

Tell us a little about yourself. What position do you hold there?

My name is Christine Thompson and I am one of the Directors of Studies at Threshold Training Associates which hosts the TEFL International Prague program. I am chiefly responsible for career guidance and job interview training.

I have been teaching EFL full time since 1996 and have worked for universities, language schools and primary schools in Japan, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. My original degree is in International Relations with a Spanish minor and I hold a teaching certificate and teaching diploma from Cambridge University.

What makes Prague a unique destination to obtain TEFL Certification?

Prague is an interesting and fun city with a long history of preparing and employing TEFL teachers. I am the prime example of this phenomena; I took my DELTA course in Prague 7 years ago and have yet to leave. Our program runs in a functioning language school so trainees get an authentic TEFL experience and will come into daily contact with TEFL teachers and their students.

What are some extracurricular activities students participate in during this course? One of the best features of Prague and the Czech Republic is its pubs and of course, its beer. Our course coordinator is a self-studied expert on the city’s hostelries and has found some of the most authentic Prague pub and musical experiences available to share with our trainees. In addition, we employ several teachers who also work as city guides who can give tailor-made tours of the city.

Do students generally stay in Prague to teach after completing this course?

A number of trainees stay in the Czech Republic to teach after completing the course. There is quite a demand for qualified teachers in Prague and the Czech Republic in general. As part of the course we help trainees with writing CV’s, creating successful demo lessons and interviewing techniques, skills that they can apply to any position they decide to apply for.

Both Prague TEFL and TEFL International have a broad network of personal contacts who can provide career advice and contact information for schools the world over. Also, our course has an intensive and hands-on young learners component that makes our trainees attractive for destinations with a high concentration of YL classes like China, Korea and other parts of South East Asia.

What is one piece of advice you would offer someone considering obtaining TEFL Certification in Prague?

My advice for anyone considering doing a TEFL program anywhere: do as much reading and preparation as possible before you come. Read up on English grammar basics, what types of EFL are taught and where, consider what your expenses will be and what the visa restrictions are for places where you might like to work.

Being well-prepared will help you to make the most of your time on the course; be it asking good questions to the trainers or knowing what kind of teaching you would like to do when you finish or having an idea of where you’d like to live and work.