On our four-week exploration of the TESOL world we examine the forms and phonology of the English language. We take a trek through the history of methodologies, and then discover the principles that underlie modern Communicative Language Teaching. Our experiential teaching path leads us into preschools, elementary schools, high schools, conversation schools, and universities. The trail comes to an end with a graduation celebration of your efforts and achievements and the award of an internationally recognized TESOL certificate. This certificate will be your passport to employment opportunities around the world. Come join the fun-filled, empowering, and educational course of TEFL International Tokyo.
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Teacher
⭐ Featured Review
Thank you so much Dave and Larry (as well as everyone part of the TEFL Tokyo family!) for all of the experiences I have had over the last month doing the TEFL International TESOL course. I have now sadly left Japan, but it's thanks to you and everyone at Hi5 English school that my time with you was an absolute pleasure.
The course itself is an interesting analysis of both the english language and how english should be taught to foreign speakers, and includes aspects such as the history of teaching methods, the psychology behind a student's progress in the classroom, the international phonetic alphabet and the intriguingly universal human language of supra-segmentals (which is just a fancy word for tone of voice, for example how you can laugh at the right part of a joke in any language just from the sound of the punchline). In this way, the broad range of the course means that it isn't just interesting to linguists and educators, but that people from all fields could also add their own interpretations.
The actual teaching I did for the course was also really enjoyable, my Japanese students were almost without exception engaged and -in the case of the little kids- adorable! I even received presents from a few to thank me for my time spent with them, which was particularly sweet.
As for the team running the course I could not have been luckier. Despite the fact I was the only student doing the course for the month of March I had plenty of great company and good times! I was even invited to go to the school's annual ski trip to Nagano which was a particular highlight, and the school usually has extra-curricular events, such as the big Easter egg hunt planned for April. TEFL Tokyo is also about a 5 minute walk from beautiful Mizomoto park, a breath of fresh air in what can sometimes be a stifling concrete Tokyo, and I was lucky enough to eat my lunch under blooming cherry blossoms there as often as I wanted to.
So all in all a great place and amazing people, which I would highly recommend! In fact I've begun bugging my older sister to come and do the course once she's finished her degree (so you may need to prepare for another member of the Rais family!).
Thank you again to Yuko, Vincent, Raymond, Olivia, Sean, Derek and especially Dave and Larry for such a lovely experience.
If I were to do the TESOL course again, I would do it at TEFL Tokyo (2nd conditional!).
The course itself is an interesting analysis of both the english language and how english should be taught to foreign speakers, and includes aspects such as the history of teaching methods, the psychology behind a student's progress in the classroom, the international phonetic alphabet and the intriguingly universal human language of supra-segmentals (which is just a fancy word for tone of voice, for example how you can laugh at the right part of a joke in any language just from the sound of the punchline). In this way, the broad range of the course means that it isn't just interesting to linguists and educators, but that people from all fields could also add their own interpretations.
The actual teaching I did for the course was also really enjoyable, my Japanese students were almost without exception engaged and -in the case of the little kids- adorable! I even received presents from a few to thank me for my time spent with them, which was particularly sweet.
As for the team running the course I could not have been luckier. Despite the fact I was the only student doing the course for the month of March I had plenty of great company and good times! I was even invited to go to the school's annual ski trip to Nagano which was a particular highlight, and the school usually has extra-curricular events, such as the big Easter egg hunt planned for April. TEFL Tokyo is also about a 5 minute walk from beautiful Mizomoto park, a breath of fresh air in what can sometimes be a stifling concrete Tokyo, and I was lucky enough to eat my lunch under blooming cherry blossoms there as often as I wanted to.
So all in all a great place and amazing people, which I would highly recommend! In fact I've begun bugging my older sister to come and do the course once she's finished her degree (so you may need to prepare for another member of the Rais family!).
Thank you again to Yuko, Vincent, Raymond, Olivia, Sean, Derek and especially Dave and Larry for such a lovely experience.
If I were to do the TESOL course again, I would do it at TEFL Tokyo (2nd conditional!).
Teacher
May 13, 2021
Like most people, I tried to do research and gather as much information I can when paying for something I don't know much of, especially online. This was the case with TEFL International. I wanted to pursue an English career in Japan and what better way than to take my TEFL certification in Tokyo. I narrowed my search to TEFL International, mostly because their website was the most organized and well-presented. But could I trust them?
The definitive answer is YES.
My personal experience with TEFL International can be summed up as one of the most worthwhile investment I've made, with my time, effort and money. It's easy to assume that getting my certification was a formality, but I was most pleasantly surprised that the instructors, the material, the course... are all legit - they want you to learn, they want you to get the most out of the course, they want you to grow in your experience as an English instructor in Japan.
Larry and "Coach" Dave have DECADES of combined teaching experience and were such a valuable resource both inside and outside the classroom. The other instructors and staff all were very supportive and everyone created a relaxed-yet-focused, supportive learning environment.
YES, you will be expected to put in work and effort. Afterall, it is an intensive month-long program, but all the work will be valuable, especially once you start looking for teaching positions in Japan. While they can't guarantee you will land a job, I personally was able to obtain a couple of teaching offers, due largely to how the TEFL course had preprared me as an English instructor to Japanese of all ages - from young children to middle schoolers and high schoolers, to adults and retirees.
Lastly, Larry and his wife Yuko (and the people of TEFL International) are genuinely good people. Not only do they care about each student young and old, but you can easily see they are an asset and blessing to their town with how they interact with their community. Things such as sponsoring a child in-need to holding sidewalk sales, whose proceeds go to mothers in-need, go well beyond the context of a school, but speak volumes as to the character of those in charge of TEFL International.
The definitive answer is YES.
My personal experience with TEFL International can be summed up as one of the most worthwhile investment I've made, with my time, effort and money. It's easy to assume that getting my certification was a formality, but I was most pleasantly surprised that the instructors, the material, the course... are all legit - they want you to learn, they want you to get the most out of the course, they want you to grow in your experience as an English instructor in Japan.
Larry and "Coach" Dave have DECADES of combined teaching experience and were such a valuable resource both inside and outside the classroom. The other instructors and staff all were very supportive and everyone created a relaxed-yet-focused, supportive learning environment.
YES, you will be expected to put in work and effort. Afterall, it is an intensive month-long program, but all the work will be valuable, especially once you start looking for teaching positions in Japan. While they can't guarantee you will land a job, I personally was able to obtain a couple of teaching offers, due largely to how the TEFL course had preprared me as an English instructor to Japanese of all ages - from young children to middle schoolers and high schoolers, to adults and retirees.
Lastly, Larry and his wife Yuko (and the people of TEFL International) are genuinely good people. Not only do they care about each student young and old, but you can easily see they are an asset and blessing to their town with how they interact with their community. Things such as sponsoring a child in-need to holding sidewalk sales, whose proceeds go to mothers in-need, go well beyond the context of a school, but speak volumes as to the character of those in charge of TEFL International.
Teacher
May 13, 2021
To anyone wanting to broaden their horizons by teaching English abroad and looking to enhance their abilities to teach in TESOL environments, or those looking to supplement their existing teaching experience with a TESOL certification, or even those hoping to start building their experience as a teacher to begin working in the field of education, I can wholeheartedly recommend the course at TEFL International Tokyo. I had a great experience here and think that is largely due to the knowledgeable, engaging, and supportive instructors who taught the course, which is to say, I truly believe that the experience you gain by doing this course at TEFL International Tokyo is experience that cannot be obtained anywhere else.
The curriculum does a great job of preparing you to teach English. Topics covered include history of foreign language instruction techniques, principles of language teaching, teacher language, phonology, and English grammar. I found the grammar sections to be taught in a way that was remarkably engaging and relatively painless, so don't let the fact that grammar is one of the subjects covered in the course intimidate you, the instructors do a great job not only of presenting the content but stressing the points that will help you be better able to teach your future students about these topics.
You will also begin working with students in your first week of the course, which I believe is one of the benefits of taking the course in person. You will be able to put the skills you learn during class to use immediately in a practical setting, which serves as good reinforcement for the material and also lets you evaluate your own performance as a teacher.
I think this course is great for anybody who would like to teach English anywhere in the world, not just Japan; though the course is taught in Tokyo and the material is often introduced from the standpoint of how best to work with Japanese learners of English, the course covers topics in such a way that you will be able to apply the teaching principles covered in a broad range of contexts, countries and cultures around the world. With that said, Dave, Larry, and the other instructors on the course have decades of experience between them teaching in English in Japan, so if you are interested in teaching in Japan yourself after taking the course, you will have a world-class team of teaching professionals ready to offer you advice and guidance about how to break into this vibrant industry and help you in taking the next steps to find employment in Japan.
Lastly, if you have the opportunity, staying at the TEFL Residence for the duration of the course is a great experience, as you'll not only get to know your classmates and instructors better and have a very quick walk to get to class, but you'll also get to experience urban living in a fantastic neighborhood of Tokyo. You'll have access to nearby amenities like grocery stores, restaurants, and a jaw-dropping athletic center, and the huge Mizumoto park is also nearby, which is a real treat for a morning run (or just an afternoon stroll).
All in all, I highly recommend this course for those looking to obtain a TESOL certification, and especially those looking to get a taste of Japanese culture in the process!
The curriculum does a great job of preparing you to teach English. Topics covered include history of foreign language instruction techniques, principles of language teaching, teacher language, phonology, and English grammar. I found the grammar sections to be taught in a way that was remarkably engaging and relatively painless, so don't let the fact that grammar is one of the subjects covered in the course intimidate you, the instructors do a great job not only of presenting the content but stressing the points that will help you be better able to teach your future students about these topics.
You will also begin working with students in your first week of the course, which I believe is one of the benefits of taking the course in person. You will be able to put the skills you learn during class to use immediately in a practical setting, which serves as good reinforcement for the material and also lets you evaluate your own performance as a teacher.
I think this course is great for anybody who would like to teach English anywhere in the world, not just Japan; though the course is taught in Tokyo and the material is often introduced from the standpoint of how best to work with Japanese learners of English, the course covers topics in such a way that you will be able to apply the teaching principles covered in a broad range of contexts, countries and cultures around the world. With that said, Dave, Larry, and the other instructors on the course have decades of experience between them teaching in English in Japan, so if you are interested in teaching in Japan yourself after taking the course, you will have a world-class team of teaching professionals ready to offer you advice and guidance about how to break into this vibrant industry and help you in taking the next steps to find employment in Japan.
Lastly, if you have the opportunity, staying at the TEFL Residence for the duration of the course is a great experience, as you'll not only get to know your classmates and instructors better and have a very quick walk to get to class, but you'll also get to experience urban living in a fantastic neighborhood of Tokyo. You'll have access to nearby amenities like grocery stores, restaurants, and a jaw-dropping athletic center, and the huge Mizumoto park is also nearby, which is a real treat for a morning run (or just an afternoon stroll).
All in all, I highly recommend this course for those looking to obtain a TESOL certification, and especially those looking to get a taste of Japanese culture in the process!
Teacher
May 13, 2021
"Coach" Dave and Larry are fantastic instructors who go above and beyond in helping you when you need it. The month-long class went by fast, but I also felt like I learned several months' worth of how to be an effective English teacher. The instruction content included educational theory, grammar, and the phonetic alphabet; and our April class also gained invaluable hands-on teaching experience in a conversation school, a women's university, and a preschool. The experience was indeed intense, but fun as well in a great neigborhood! Highly recommended!