Job Discussion Forums

[nuchie]

Hiya,
About the i to i TEFL Certificate,any info would be great!
Any personal experience? Have you done it?
Is it 120 hrs?
thank you so much in advance
CHEERS!!!

[stillnosheep]

Nuchie,

i to i advertise various volunteering opportunities in projects throughout the world, including, but not limited to, opportunities to teach EFL. Many of these projects seem very worthwhile. You do have to pay expenses to i to take part on these projects but there are many very positive volunteers reports on their website.

i to i offer on-line TEFL certificates for $295 for 40 hrs or $350 for 60 hrs including Grammar module. In the UK a classroom based, full or part time CELTA qualification involving ca. 150 contact hours plus at least 30 - 40 non-contact hrs. will cost approx $1000. Weekend classroom based courses are also available at ca. $300

It seems that i to i are valuing your home study hours at the same rate as some other institutions value face-to-face contact time with experienced EFL instructor and are charging accordingly.

The teaching practice that you would undertake as part of a classroom-based course would probably be invaluable, if such a course is an option.

I'd recommend checking out prices of other distance-based course, as well as of other means of obtaining an EFL qualification in Australia, as a basis for comparison before making a decision.

Good luck!

[stillnosheep]

nuchie

if you try reposting this in the general forum you may well get a much better response - more people congregate there

steve

[mb2086]

It's crap.

[Sekhmet]

I went on a volunteering trip with i-to-i to China last year. Although there was a distinct lack of communication before I went, pretty much all my questons were answered when I got there. However, I'm pretty sure that had nothing to do with the company and more to do with the staff at the university in Beijing!!!

I did one of their online courses as well... Since then, I've done one of TEFLInternationals courses in Egypt. The online course was ok in it's own way, but it's nothing compared to actually teching students face to face!!!

I'm not sure where you want to go with your course, but I've heard some very bad things about distance and online courses - in that it's very hard to find a job with one at a decent school. In England, it's practically impossible!!!

My advice would be do a course that actually has observed teaching practice. Preferably Trinity or CELTA!!! However, I'm pretty much a newbie, so I can't be sure!!!

i-to-i isn't bad, but there was a serious lack of communication with both me and my friend. The only really good thing I can say about the online course is that it was very well organised and structured. But to be honest, you can't tell if you really want to be a teacher unless you get the chance to try it!!!

Sorry to put a bit of a downer on it...

[mb2086]

I agree entirely. Until online courses inorporate a compulsory observed teaching practice element they will not be looked on too favourably even if they are fully validated.

[Magoo]

mb2086 is quite right. It's a half-arsed money-making scheme, of which there are now too many in EFL. I had already taught (okay, illegally) in Taiwan when I did the i-to-i thing, but I wanted the 'expertise' and, of course, the cert. Half of the content seemed to be just a test of basic English, with twee multiple choice questions. If your English is that poor, study it before you go into teaching. Although more expensive, I think that classroom-based courses are far more valuable. I was in an amateur theatre for a few years, as a kid, and it is very similar to teaching; stand in the wings wondering what the feck persuaded you to do this in the first place, go out and give your all, then exit stage left, either exultant or suicidal (either way, gasping for a ciggie). Only experience can tell you if you've chosen the right career. Good luck.