I'm a little bit of a social networking geek and I love blogging so I figured that I might as well make the most out of my i-to-i TEFL experience and use all its amenities.
I have purchased the 140 hour combined TEFL course. It's pretty much the whole works with the book and TEFL TV included. It was £353 in total which is not bad going. I'm aware that the course is going to be pretty intense. However it has been a while since I did a course or had to learn something so I'm kind of looking forward to it.
I guess I should probably write about what prompted me to do a TEFL course... I never in a million years thought I would ever get the opportunity to go travelling. I've never been the best at saving and I guess it's quite daunting to think about the preparation and what you have to do in order to get out there. I lived in a house in Manchester with 4 fantastic housemates. Two of them had been travelling before in past and they were currently at a bit of a loose end with their lives and what they wanted to do. Then they decided they wanted to go back to South East Asia, the place they loved so much, for an extended period of time. Obviously staying in a foreign country for an extended period of time is going to cost you so they decided to teach English over there. I was around my housemates whilst they were preparing for the big move, and also I was about when they were doing their i-to-i TEFL course. Watching them do all this was inspiring me to do something with my life instead of being stuck in my dead-end job which was not stimulating in the slightest. One of my housemate's suggested that I and another housemate should come out and visit them whilst they were living and working in Bangkok, Thailand.
The idea of going to Thailand had never really entered my head before. However the more I thought about it and how exciting it sounded, I decided it was what I wanted to do. However, saying you want to go Thailand is a lot easier than actually doing it. Obviously I needed to save up for a flight and then I needed spending money for however long I was going out there for. It was all rather daunting! However I guess you could say that I got pretty lucky. My housemate and also my best friend had just been given a lump sum of money and he decided to book mine and his flight to Bangkok using that money and then I would pay him back. As soon as you have a planet ticket to fly out there booked it is literally all systems go! There is no more messing about and umm'ing and aah'ing about it. You have no choice but to save up.
Anyways, I worked my ass off and saved up a lot of a money and it changed me as a person to become more responsible with my money and more saving money orientated. I paid my best friend back for the plane ticket and saved up enough cash for the 5 week trip we had planned.
We had originally planned to be there for 5 weeks only, however we ended up extended our stay to 4 months and having the time of our lives. I could blog forever about what I did on my travels. It was well and truly an amazing experience.
Unfortunately the 4 months came to an end and we came back to the UK on March 28th. It was a sad sad day indeed. England was cold and miserable and I really didn't wanna be back. I had major post-travelling blues so when trying to snap myself out of it I decided some lifestyle changes were needed. I decided that I had to make of my young life and do what I wanted to do instead of just working a rubbish dead-end job in the UK. So I decided to do what both my housemate's did the year before, move there and teach English. So I guess it's my turn now...
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I think it's the same thing?? I paid for it but there was an offer including the TEFL TV when I called at the end of August.
Nikki
Is the course book and tefl essentials book the same or different? Did you pay for the TEFL essentials book?
Sorry missed this "How are you finding Bulgaria? I don't actually know all that much about Bulgaria as a country come to think of it. What made you choose there? Let us know how you're getting on with your course as you pretty much got yours the same time as me. :)"
I've answered it here to save this one going off topic
Why Bulgaria?
200% agree with you Nikki ;-)
It can't hurt to be doing something can it Beatrice :)
Haha, I think we will both be needing advice that's for sure :)
Cassie
Thumbs up for you ;-). Could be later I will ask you some advices
Nikki
I started the grammar too since I'm stuck too on CP1. I do understand your point ;-)
I am doing it yes, I have done the first 2 modules, and because I'm stuck on CP1 I thought I would love onto them. I guess you can do it how you like, apart from unlocking the modules in a certain order by doing the CP's one by one, but I don't feel ready to do that yet, but I want to be doing something at least. :)
Well done Cassie!!!
Nikki
Can we do the grammar awareness first then complent the core course? I am stuck with my CP1. I feel that my answers are irrelevant.
Beatrice
Beatrice, yeah I have done checkpoint one. I actually found it ok and not that difficult. I got good constructive feedback and also I passed meaning I can now move onto module 3. :)
Beatrice
That is a shame you have to wait for so long for the book, I hope that they can send it before as from what I have seen so far, it looks like it is going to be my bible for a while! The TEFL TV is listed on my account page with all the other lessons/modules/grammar awareness and Cp's etc.
I haven't put in my CP1 yet, as I still feel my answers aren't complete enough, but will let you know how I go when I do, for now though I think I will concentrate on the grammar awareness, and try and build up more understanding.
Nikki
Hey Cassie
Just wrote back to the Helpdesk and waiting for their answer now. Did you finish your Checkpoint one?
Hi Beatrice,
That's a shame that you have to wait so long for your course book! Maybe you should send them an email requesting it earlier? I guess if you don't try or ask... You don't get! Gooc luck with the course though miss!
Hi Cassie
Thank you for your time to reply to all my questions.... Ok so we can access online only the TEFL TV resource and I will have my Weekend course in December... Sigh I wanted to have a look at the course book.... I am pretty rusted in learning I should say since it's been ages I left secondary school.
Hi Beatrice,
No worries about bothering me... I received some TEFL TV resources via my online portal. They're basically videos of examples of how to run a class successfully and keeps kids in control etc. They're quite helpful in my opinion. I am taking the weekend course this weekend coming (10th - 11th September 2011) so I'll let you know how that goes! I think because you are in Hong Kong it is a little different for you, meaning you'll receive the book at the weekend course. When are you doing yours?
Nikki, that sounds ace but also very daunting at the same time! Good on you for doing it though? How are you finding Bulgaria? I don't actually know all that much about Bulgaria as a country come to think of it. What made you choose there? Let us know how you're getting on with your course as you pretty much got yours the same time as me. :)
Hi Cassie
Sorry to bother you again. Did you receive the TEFL TV resource too? Or you can access it online only? I did write to the Helpdesk and they told me that the TEFL TV resource can be accessed online only and I will receive my course book when I will attend the weekend TEFL course. When will you take the weekend TEFL course?
Thanks a lot.
Beatrice
Hi Beatrice,
I enrolled on the 30th August and my TEFL Essentials arrived this am (I am in Bulgaria) It does say to allow 28 days for outside of the UK posting :)
Hi Cassie
Me and my hubby, decided to move here in 2006, just for a change of life basically. We were fed up with the UK's greed and how hard it was becoming to work but still have fun, and felt like we were wasting our lives. So although it was a scary decision as we left our 2 grown up kids who were still living with us at the time, we ummed and ahhd and just went for it!
So I didn't think that anything could ever be as scary or as challenging as that again....until I started this course ;)
I have to say that I am not very academic and so it has thrown me that TEFL says "If you can speak it, you can teach it!" hmmmm! ;)
Thanks and good luck to everyone who has started this mammoth task lol
Nikki
Hey Cassie
I think it is the same offer and they did tell me that the course book and TEFL TV is inclusive but still did not receive anything. May be because I live in Hong Kong :-/. Is it mentioned in the invoice that they sent by email?
Sorry to bother you with all my questions.
Thanks
Beatrice
Hey Nikki
Glad you enjoyed reading my first blog post, I really appreciate it. :)
Ahh you already live in Bulgaria but you're from the UK originally? What made you choose to live in Bulgaria? You might as well make the most of the fact that you speak English and go for it! I'm lacking confidence myself a little but I know in time I'm sure I'll develop some. Also after talking to several friends who have taken the leap into the world of teaching English they did say that as time goes on, you get more and more confident and it becomes much more easier. :) Also wishing you the best of luck with your course!
Hey Tsang,
I rang up the i-to-i hotline and purchased my course via the telephone they told me about a special offer on at the moment which was a TEFL course guide book and TEFL TV. The book is quite handy and tells you everything. I'll definitely be taking that with me when I go. Also the TEFL TV is handy and helps show you examples of successful ways to teach and how to keep the class focused etc. I think you migth be able to purchase it separately if you ring them up. :)
Hi Cassie
Is there a course book included?
Thanks
Beatrice
Hi Cassie
I really enjoyed reading about what inspired you to jump into the world of TEFL. I can already tell that you're destined to go far and wish you all the luck with your goals.
I have just started the 120 hours myself, I already live abroad; Bulgaria, and I need work here, so when a friend told me they teach online and in a local school here, I looked into it and discovered the world of TEFL.
I doubted my abilities before enrolling, and now I know why as I'm already feeling like a fish out of water! Just because I speak it what makes me think I can teach it?! My school days were many moons ago!
However, I am determined to see this through, I just need to build up my confidence in myself to do this!
Wishing you loads of luck, and I will be keeping an eye out for your posts :)
Nikki
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