What is a TEFL / TESL certificate?

A Teaching English as a Foreign / Second Language is an internationally recognized qualification that enables people/English teachers to Teach English as a Foreign or Second Language.

What qualifications do I need to do the course?

• While the course is essentially practical, some evidence of study at a higher education level is necessary in order to cope with the academic side of the course. In some cases, work experience may be accepted in place of qualifications.
• Have a positive attitude towards team work and experiential learning activities. This includes acknowledging the relevance of these in Teaching English as a Foreign Language and willingness to actively participate in the course.

What are your entry requirements?

Applicants must:

• Be aged 20 or over. 18 and 19 year olds may be accepted at ITTO's discretion.
• Have an awareness of language and a competence in English, both written and spoken, that enables the trainee to undertake the course and prepare for teaching a range of levels. All candidates whose first language is not English must be interviewed (a telephone interview may be arranged) and take a language awareness test.
• Have the potential to develop the necessary skills to become effective teachers, to successfully complete the written assignments and perform in the observed teaching practices.
• Have a standard of education equivalent to that required for entry into university.

Please note that although it is not compulsory for applicants to possess a University degree to enroll in our program, many foreign countries prefer college-university degrees from their EFL teachers. Candidates to our program are usually college-university graduates.

Do I need to speak British English or North American English?

ITTO regards English as a global language and therefore welcomes applicants from all native speakers (as well as non-native speakers with a proficient level of English). There is no preferential treatment for, or discrimination against, trainees because of origin, accent or pronunciation.

Do I need to be a native speaker of English?

No, but you do need to be able to demonstrate a very good command of the English language, have an internationally recognized qualification (TOEFL or Cambridge Proficiency), or attend a personal interview.

Do I need knowledge of other languages?

No. ITTO uses the universally accepted communicative approach to teaching, where English is the only language used in the classroom.

Is there an age limit?

You must be at least 20 years of age for your application to be considered. There is no official upper age limit. Some employers may have a preference for younger English teachers whilst others tend to prefer more 'mature' teachers. The majority of our trainees are in their 20's, 30's and 40's, but we have successfully trained and found employment for graduates in their 50's and 60's and therefore welcome applications from all interested parties regardless of age, gender or religion.

How long/intensive are the courses?

The onsite course is a 4-week, 140 hour course and is very intensive (from morning to evening). We have tried to arrange the course so that you will have the weekends free to relax and explore. This does, however, mean that the days are longer and more intensive.

Will I be a competent English teacher by the end of the course?

Due to the high practical content of the course, all graduates should have the necessary skills, confidence and ability to embark on their teaching careers and work in a professional manner anywhere in the world. All certificate courses for English teachers, however, serve as initial teacher training and those interested in pursuing teaching as a career often go on to take a diploma or MA after 2 years of teaching experience (minimum 2 yrs. for a diploma).

Does the course meet international guidelines?

Yes. Whilst there is no true international body for courses, internationally accepted guidelines state that the course must have 100 hours of input, 6 hours of teaching practice and is externally monitored. The ITTO course has, in fact, 140 hours of input and a minimum of 10 hours teaching practice as well as being externally monitored.

When is the best time to do a course?

There really is no best or worst time. Countries in different hemispheres have different academic years and tend to hire year round anyway, on an as needed basis.

What are the chances of finding a job after completing the course?

At present, there is a shortage of certificate qualified English teachers in Mexico, Central / South America and worldwide. Consequently, the majority of our trainees will have found employment by the time they have completed the course. The only exceptions tend to be graduates who wish to work in a relatively difficult location (due to demand, timing or regulations). The demand for teachers is so high in many countries, that we are able to offer guaranteed employment on successful completion of the course.

Is job placement assistance included?

Yes. All graduates receive individual counseling and assistance with finding a teaching job. As ITTO is an international organization, it has contacts with many schools worldwide and can often place graduates within its own network of language schools. ITTO will help with all aspects of job seeking from CV/resume construction and interview techniques to arranging job interviews.

Is your paid job placement program really guaranteed?

Yes. We guarantee paid job placement in Mexico and provide direct employment contacts worldwide. Both our paid job placement and job guidance programs are lifetime services offered to trainees and graduates from ITTO.

When our students need our guaranteed job placement program, we ask them to provide us with 5 metropolitan areas or countries where they would like to be employed. Although our guarantee is within Mexico, our efforts are the same for those desiring to start their career in other countries.

During the course our students will also receive personalized tutoring to know where, when and how to search for jobs; our trainees will discover how to assess which jobs offer the best benefits. Finally, our students are given tools to learn how to successfully apply to these positions.

What standard of accommodation can I expect?

Accommodation consists of either a private room in a shared apartment/house or a homestay with a Mexican host family. Accommodation preferences can be stated on the application form.

Will you help in adapting to the new environment?

Yes. You will be picked up at the airport, and on the first day of the course we hold an orientation session. Social events with locals take place during the course (dance, karaoke, etc.) and our Student Services Coordinator is always ready to assist you.

What about visas and post-course assistance?

ITTO is able to provide information, advice and help regarding visas for all teaching destinations around the world. ITTO will also provide advice and information for those wishing to secure work and residence permits after course completion.

How do I apply?

You can either contact us directly and we will send you an information pack and application form or you can complete the on-line application form on this web site.

If you have any other questions, please e-mail us at: worldwide@teflcertificatecourses.com