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This is how our TEFL graduates feel they have gained from their course, and how they plan to put into action what they learned:
online tefl courses vs onsite TEFL coursesAmongst the many decisions I have made in my life, deciding to take a tefl course has been one of the best. Not only has in been an additional asset to my undergraduate degree, it has opened more doors for me in my career prospect. I hope that with this degree, I can go further in my life, whether in meeting different teachers or helping a student improve in their English language.
When I previously looked up on information about tefl courses, I was hoping to find a method of delivery that would allow me to travel around. An answer to this was: online course. And indeed, I found an online tefl course offered by ITTT. During this period of time, I was able to pursue my knowledge in both learning another language and equipping myself with teaching English. It has also been quite flexible with my time schedule, as I could focus on my language learning on normal days and spent a certain number of hours completing TEFL modules in my spare time, yet not forgetting materials of the past module.
In the past 20 modules, I brushed up on my English language foundation as well as teaching skills. I had the opportunity to review basic teaching materials that are necessary for the majority of English-learning students. Now that I am almost fully equipped with topics of teaching English, I feel more confident encountering common problems and challenges a student normally faces. In my personal opinion, I think ITTT has created and tailored this course to provide the foundation each English teacher should have and they have done it well.
Apart from gaining better knowledge of basic English, I have also learnt teaching skills from this course. The teaching skills that I have gained, such as lesson planning, managing a class, teaching pronunciation, evaluating or testing students, teaching special groups, etc. are invaluable to my future teaching career. My tutor constantly gives me feedback on how to make things for efficient and productive, as well as to improve my teaching methods. She has also increased my awareness on the environment I may teach in, in the future. For example, what country I will teach in, leading into what teaching equipments will be available, how to improvise, and the little things to be aware of.
Despite all of these, there are disadvantages of taking an online tefl course. One of the disadvantages that I think is most important and worth mentioning, is the last of practical teaching. An online tefl course equips a teacher with the basics of teaching, in theory. However, it is very different when it comes to teaching in theory and teaching in practice. Without a doubt, this course has given many heads up on what to be aware of, what to prepare, how to solve certain problems. But the real life situation will be a test for the teacher on how to handle his or her own students or class.
Therefore, if I could go back to the past and were given an opportunity to choose a tefl course again, I would definitely choose an onsite tefl course if I did not have to travel around. Above all else, this was a wonderful experience!
