Category Archives: Dodgy TEFL courses

How’s your ultimate job and/ or life going?

Posted on 04/06/2009 by alexcase

Not got either, you say? Well, maybe you should try a job with is “the most exciting employment opportunity of your life” which is “not hard” and “pays well”. Apparently you can “forget the commute, over-time …missed lunches… jammed photocopiers and … Continue reading →

Posted in Bruce Veldhuisen, Dodgy TEFL courses, finding good TEFL jobs, first TEFL job, links, Teacher training, Teaching English Abroad, Teaching English in Thailand, TEFL, TEFL career planning, TEFL celebs/ TEFL heroes and villains, TEFL certificate, TEFL International, TEFL qualifications, TEFL scams, TEFL working conditions, TESOL | Tagged | 2 Comments

A bit of TEFL justice

Posted on 08/05/2009 by alexcase

Paul Lowe and his former sidekick Ashley Arnold have been given fines, community service and (for Paul) a suspended sentence for the notorious time when Windsor Schools took money off students for a Trinity TESOL course knowing full well that … Continue reading →

Posted in British Council accreditation, Cambridge ESOL, CELTA, Dodgy TEFL courses, Dodgy TEFL school owners, Teacher training, TEFL, TEFL certificate, TEFL in the UK, TEFL qualifications, TEFL scams, TEFL villains- Paul Lowe, Trinity, Trinity CertTESOL, Windsor Schools, Windsor TEFL | 7 Comments

How to really improve the standard of TEFL courses

Posted on 01/05/2009 by alexcase

The Guardian reports (uncritically, as ever when it comes to TEFL) on the setting up of yet another organisation meant to, apparently, boost the standards of TEFL in the UK- this one called The Association for the Promotion of Quality … Continue reading →

Posted in British Council, British Council accreditation, Cambridge ESOL, CELTA, Dodgy TEFL courses, Guardian TEFL, links, Teacher training, TEFL, TEFL certificate, TEFL in the UK, TEFL qualifications, TEFL scams, TESOL, Trinity, Trinity CertTESOL | 6 Comments

An interview with Bruce V of TEFL International Part 5

Posted on 14/04/2009 by alexcase

This is pretty old now as it was part of the same interview that eventually became Parts One, Two, Three and Four. Unlike them, I couldn’t be bothered updating or sending the third set of follow up questions this time, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bruce Veldhuisen, Cambridge ESOL, CELTA, Dave Sperling's ESL Cafe, Dodgy TEFL courses, Dodgy TEFL school owners, Teacher forums, Teacher training, Teaching English Abroad, Teaching English in Thailand, TEFL, TEFL celebs/ TEFL heroes and villains, TEFL certificate, TEFL chains, TEFL forums, TEFL International, TEFL qualifications, TEFL scams, TEFL School Reviews, TEFLwatch, Trinity, Trinity CertTESOL | Tagged | 9 Comments

What to Do If You’ve Been Had by Your TEFL Course

Posted on 15/03/2009 by alexcase

A guest piece by “TEFLista” “No doubt about it, being ripped off sucks. And that goes double for TEFL cert courses. Putting your life on hold, flying to a foreign destination, and setting up temporary accommodation are all part of … Continue reading →

Posted in Dodgy TEFL courses, Online TEFL certificate, Teaching English Abroad, TEFL, TEFL certificate, TEFL qualifications | Tagged | 4 Comments

Craptus TEFL and the Guardian are up to their tricks again

Posted on 31/01/2009 by alexcase

“It’s also worth remembering that in some places in the world your online certificate will actually be enough to get you work. These tend to be places where there is a huge demand for teachers, and where any Tefl qualification … Continue reading →

Posted in Cactus TEFL, Dodgy TEFL courses, Global TESOL, Guardian TEFL, TEFL, TEFL certificate, TEFL qualifications, Trinity CertTESOL | 3 Comments

Bruce Veldhuisen of TEFL International Interview Part 4

Posted on 17/01/2009 by alexcase

Or do I mean part 40? Anyhow, this was basically completed months ago, but did nag Bruce into answering a couple of extra questions that had occured to me since and got his reply last week. I still think there are … Continue reading →

Posted in Bruce Veldhuisen, Cambridge ESOL, Dodgy TEFL courses, Dodgy TEFL school owners, IATQUO, Teacher training, Teaching English Abroad, Teaching English in Thailand, TEFL, TEFL celebs/ TEFL heroes and villains, TEFL certificate, TEFL International, TEFL qualifications, TEFL scams | Tagged | 108 Comments

6 Ways TEFL Certificate Course Providers Try to Rip You Off – Part 2

Posted on 14/01/2009 by alexcase

by guest writer “TEFLista” 3. Call Anyone a Trainer (and count on most people not asking about their qualifications). Arguably, the most important part of a good TEFL course is its trainers. Good trainers might be able to save a … Continue reading →

Posted in Cambridge Delta, Cambridge ESOL, CELTA, Dodgy TEFL courses, links, MA Applied Linguistics, MA TESOL, PGCE in TEFL, SIT TESOL, Teacher training, Teaching English Abroad, Teaching English in Asia, Teaching English in Indonesia, Teaching English in Thailand, Teaching English in Vietnam, TEFL, TEFL career planning, TEFL certificate, TEFL qualifications, TEFL scams, TESOL, Trinity, Trinity CertTESOL | Tagged | 30 Comments

The voice of the “free TEFL course” speaks

Posted on 10/01/2009 by alexcase

After my disbelieving post about the truth of claims of free TEFL training (followed by disbelieving comments by my regular readers, both of them), I got a reply from someone in the parent company and sent off some questions that … Continue reading →

Posted in Dodgy TEFL courses, Global TESOL, links, Online TEFL certificate, Teacher training, Teaching English Abroad, Teaching English in Asia, Teaching English in Korea, TEFL, TEFL career planning, TEFL certificate, TEFL conferences, TEFL qualifications, TEFL scams | Tagged , | 24 Comments

6 Ways TEFL Certificate Courses Try to Rip You Off – Part 1

Posted on 17/12/2008 by alexcase

The first of hopefully a new batch of guest author pieces, this one sent to me by “TEFLista” “No doubt, there are a lot of dodgy TEFL certificate courses out there, but have you ever stopped for a minute to ponder the question … Continue reading →

Posted in Cambridge ESOL, CELTA, Dodgy TEFL courses, finding good TEFL jobs, links, SIT TESOL, Teacher training, Teaching English Abroad, TEFL, TEFL career planning, TEFL certificate, TEFL qualifications, TEFL scams, Trinity | Tagged , | 40 Comments