With so many different TEFL courses out there, it can be difficult to choose the best one! I’m Jamie from ESL Teacher 365 and I review TEFL courses to help you select the perfect course for your teaching goals: abroad, online, or both!
In this blog post, I’ll share what The TEFL Academy’s level 3 and level 5 courses are like, the pros and cons, and my personal recommendation of who this accredited TEFL course is best for. If you are dreaming of teaching English abroad or online, getting TEFL certified is your first step.
Disclaimer: This blog post is NOT sponsored, but I was given free access to check out this course. If you decide to purchase a course through one of my affiliate links, I may receive a small commission. This helps me to continue to provide free content for teachers. Thank you!
Post Contents
What is The TEFL Academy (TTA)?
The TEFL Academy is an accredited organization offering online and hybrid TEFL certification courses that are recognized worldwide. There are two different level courses offered by TTA:
- Level 3 TEFL Course: A shorter, more basic course that’s perfect for beginners or those looking to teach casually. This course is 120-hours which is the minimum required to teach abroad or online. This course is offered online.
- Level 5 TEFL Course: A deeper, more comprehensive course that’s often required for higher-paying teaching jobs abroad and online. You can also add on teaching practice to your level 5 course which more schools are looking for when hiring new teachers. This course is offered both online and hybrid in select locations.
Both courses are self-paced which is great if you are completing your course while working, studying, or traveling. You get 6 months’ access to complete your course, but you can complete it in only a few weeks if you prefer.
Other courses I have tested out have strict deadlines which can be difficult to manage depending on your schedule.
What The TEFL Academy Course is Like
So, what is the TTA course actually like?
- The courses are broken into modules that cover everything from classroom management to grammar basics to lesson planning.
- Each module ends with a quiz and there are a few assignments in each course. Quizzes can be attempted more than once and you can resubmit assignments up to 2 times. Tip: If you need help with the assignments, check out the the official TTA YouTube channel for info on each assignment.
- The platform itself is clean, easy to navigate, and you can go back and review any section whenever you need.
- You won’t receive a grade – just pass or fail.
- If you need tutor support, there is a ticket system that you can use to get help.
The Level 3 TTA course includes some short videos, readings, quizzes, assignments, and discussion boards. The Level 5 TTA course also includes links to job boards and CV and lesson plan templates.
The TEFL Academy Pros
1. Accreditation You Can Trust
TTA is accredted in the UK by Qualifi and regulated by Ofqual. It is also recognized in the US by DEAC which is recognized by the Department of Education. You can find out more here.
2. Flexibility to Study Anywhere, Anytime
I loved that I could log in and work through the course whenever it suited me. This was much less stressful than other courses I have taken that have strict deadlines.
3. Affordable Pricing
Compared to a lot of other programs I looked at (some charging thousands), TTA’s prices felt really reasonable. TTA also holds sales throughout the year. Plus, enrolling in your course through this link and using the discount code ESL365 at checkout will get you an additional 10% off!
4. Practical and Useful Content
I found the information helpful in this course and the video content is better than other comparable courses at similar price points. This course covers teaching both kids and adults, as well as information about teaching abroad and online.
The TEFL Academy Course Cons
Even though I had a great experience overall, there are a few downsides you should know about:
1. Not a Lot of Instructor Interaction
Since it’s mostly self-study, there’s very little live interaction with tutors. If you’re someone who needs a lot of real-time feedback or mentoring, this isn’t the course for you. In this case, I suggest looking for local in-person courses.
2. You Have to Be Self-Motivated
Without set deadlines, it’s easier to put things off. I worked on my course a few nights a week and was about to complete it in 2-3 weeks.
3. You’ll Need to Add On Teaching Practice
More schools abroad are looking for teachers who have teaching practice as part of their TEFL course. The only way to do this through TTA is to add it on to a Level 5 course. It doesn’t come as part of the course like CELTA or International TEFL Academy.
Is The TEFL Academy Right for You?
If you’re wondering whether TTA is the right fit, here’s my honest take:
You should take a TTA course if you …
- Want an accredited certificate without spending a fortune.
- Need the flexibility to study on your own time.
- Want to complete your course quickly (you can complete this course in as little as 2-3 weeks whereas other courses are 10 or 11+ weeks long).
- Are a teacher of any nationality and want to teach online.
- Are a native English-speaker with a degree and want to teach abroad. (If you don’t have a degree or are a non-native and want to teach abroad, I recommend investing in CELTA or International TEFL Academy. Learn more about these courses by watching this video.)
Final Thoughts
With so many TEFL courses out there, it can be difficult ot select the best one based on where you want to teach, your other qualifications, and your budget.
Still not sure which course to choose? Schedule a 30-min Teacher Help Call on Zoom with me to discuss your options and answer your questions. Book your Teacher Help Call here.
Happy teaching!
Jamie
