Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) remains one of the most popular and reliable ways for expats and travellers to help fund their adventures abroad.
Whether it’s a gap year in Southeast Asia, a 3-month trip around South America, or a long-term relocation – wherever you may be in the world – TEFL is a rewarding, and sometimes pretty lucrative, way to integrate yourself into the local culture while giving back to the community.
Study to teach English as a foreign language at your own pace, from the comfort of your own home, working it around your current lifestyle.
LoveTEFL even go as far as to say that English teachers can expect to, “Earn up to £3000 a month teaching English in dream destinations worldwide”.
Got your attention yet?
In this post, I want to run you through my personal LoveTEFL 120 Hour Online Course Review following successful completion and a PASS – wahey!
I’m sure there are a few of you who have also taken this course with LoveTEFL, or something similar with another provider, so feel free to leave your thoughts below in the comments section and share, share, share!
Why LoveTEFL?
When sifting through the swathes of TEFL course providers online, it quickly became apparent that LoveTEFL were the ones for me.
Currently sitting pretty at number four on the front page of organic search listings for “TEFL Courses” on Google*, I immediately felt a sense of trust and clicked through to find out more.
Their website is really easy to navigate with a load of information on the types of courses that they offer, the benefits of holding a TEFL qualification, and a number of positive reviews – both student and independent – as well as the all-important accreditation – of which I will talk about a bit later on in my LoveTEFL 120 Hour Online Course Review.
LoveTEFL are a preferred supplier for STA Travel who have partnered up on what looks like a solid affiliate deal. I had originally spotted the courses through the STA website but wanted to run my own search to see where they showed up. As mentioned, front page, behind only the paid adverts, tefl.co.uk and tefl.org.
However, if you count STA’s paid ad right at the very top of the page, which leads through to details on booking the course (indirectly through LoveTEFL) then they’ve pretty much got that in the bag.
Not only that but they have an awesome social presence on all the usual suspects; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google Plus and YouTube, and never fail to give you a kick up the wanderlust every now and again with their travel photos, quotes and funny memes.
It’s fair to say that I had already bought into the brand before having even purchased the course. That speaks volumes, I think.
*Local Google search results may vary
Reviews
With 4.5/5 stars on Tefl Course Review and 4.8/5 on Reviews.co.uk, there’s plenty more to back up the initial impression; LoveTEFL are the ones to go with.
I could go on forever about all the positive things that have been said about LoveTEFL but have a read on both sites when you can to get it from the horses mouth; the people that have taken the course and are now teaching in said dreamy destinations.
Accreditation
One thing that you should always look for when seeking out a course and looking to better yourself independently is accreditation.
Why?
Well, imagine working your cojones off, putting in all the hours you can, only to find out that your new qualification isn’t accepted by anyone.
Accredited outfits – such as LoveTEFL – give you the confidence that your hard work really will pay off in the field. Officially recognised standards will have been met by you, and by the course provider, and your shiny new certificate will actually mean something.
Another crucial benefit, quite frankly, is that you can be sure that you will not have been conned into a false achievement.
LoveTEFL is accredited by the Open Distance Learning Quality Council (ODLQC) and the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL).
Lovely.
Cost
As can be expected, LoveTEFL have continued to up their game in the respect of course variations since I took their 120-hour course. There are now 120, 140, 300 and 320-hour courses, with specialist versions now on offer, plus, a ton of TEFL resources onsite.
Having taken the 120-hour online course myself, I feel that the £149 price tag is extremely good value given how well prepared the course material is and how much support is available throughout.
NOW £129 – SAVE £20! Even better value, I’m sure you would agree.
What’s the work like?
As with anything that’s worth working hard for, it takes time to complete – 120 hours, to be precise!
I was initially a little overwhelmed by the amount of reading that I had to get through but soon accepted the fact that I had to learn about the foundations of teaching English to other people, let alone teaching English as a foreign language. After all, what seems like the easiest thing in the world to a native speaker, may be completely alien to a local student.
Each module was packed with informative and relevant content. There were knowledge reviews at the end of each one which kept me on my toes and confirmed my understanding. If ever there was a time when I didn’t quite get what was required of me then 1-to-1 tutor support was no more than an email or phone call away, which proved to be invaluable.
Most of the time, I’d find that I was making things more complicated for myself but a brief explanation from my tutor would always clear things up with, almost, instant feedback on ideas and coursework submissions.
Not only did I learn about how to apply my lesson plan and communicate effectively to a new class, in a foreign country, but I also learnt new things about myself. I was taught about how I, personally, prefer to learn new things and, in turn, what my individual teaching style may be. This was a real eye-opener and helped me to understand how I can offer more to my new students – when the time comes – to get the best out of them.
It has already proven to be a rewarding experience without having even stepped foot in a classroom.
Final Exams
Following all the reading and knowledge reviews, at the end of the course, you’re required to submit three things:
• Multiple choice exam
• Written essay
• Lesson plan and supporting documents
I chose to structure my lesson plan around teaching a group of young learners at Beginner stage and I wanted to try and make my lesson fun and educational but delivered at a steady pace so as not to lose the attention of my students.
The lesson itself was to introduce the names of various body parts in English in an entertaining way.
Once checked and double-checked, it was time for submission.
Pass Mark And Results
It took less than a week to get the results back from my tutor and I was extremely chuffed to hear that I had passed! The mark on my final exam was 82%. Not bad at all.
Attached to my congratulatory email was my personal feedback; an extremely clear and concise, two-page document showing how my tutor had reviewed my submission.
It was easy to see all the positives – and any potential negatives – in my lesson plan with explanations and further support if required. It further cemented what I had learnt myself and my understanding of how to teach others English as a foreign language in a classroom environment.
My certificate arrived in the post the following week.
LoveTEFL Are The Ones
Overall, I am extremely happy with LoveTEFL and couldn’t thank my tutor enough for the support during my course.
The course material was comprehensive and, for just £149, the opportunity to teach English as a foreign language – another way to fund my travels in the near future – is priceless in comparison.
I would highly recommend LoveTEFL to anyone who’s interested and I actually have done many times.
So, if you’re dreaming of distant shores but wondering how you could fund your trip, consider teaching English as a foreign language and learning more with LoveTEFL.
Thanks for taking the time out to read my LoveTEFL 120 Hour Online Course Review – see you in the classroom!
Get Your Free TEFL Guide
Want to find out more about TEFL? Grab your free TEFL Course Guide Download and get to it!