Category Archives: Teacher training

TEFL or Tefl?

Posted on 07/05/2013 by alexcase

The latter seems to be becoming more and more common, including in quite serious contexts. I’m none too keen on that, though, because it reminds me much too much of the very un-serious expression “Tefler”, which is only one or two … Continue reading →

Posted in Cambridge Delta | Comments Off on TEFL or Tefl?

Guardian still up to their TEFL advertorial tricks

Posted on 26/04/2013 by alexcase

I’d just finished a story on the end of Guardian TEFL Update for TEFL News via TEFLnet when into my inbox popped a Google alert for a piece in that very same paper called How to Choose a TEFL Course That’s Right For … Continue reading →

Posted in Guardian TEFL, Teaching English as a Foreign Language, TEFL England, TEFL qualifications | 1 Comment

IATEFL recommends Cambridge and Trinity

Posted on 24/04/2013 by alexcase

I also do, if only because that’s what employers ask for. However, I’m not very comfortable about an international teaching association taking such a clear position on which TEFL course to take. From their FAQ: “Do you accredit any courses? … Continue reading →

Posted in CELTA, Trinity CertTESOL | Comments Off on IATEFL recommends Cambridge and Trinity

Kaplan join the TEFL course bullshit party

Posted on 18/04/2013 by alexcase

Kaplan is a huge educational company that is most famous for exam-prep courses. They now seem to have decided to branch out into TEFL courses, and given their size it could well spread until it is also somewhere near you. … Continue reading →

Posted in Kaplan, TEFL certificate | 3 Comments

Taking the Cambridge Delta in 2013

Posted on 15/01/2013 by alexcase

There are many caveats about the list below (see the bottom for them), but what I can say is that it is much better than the information available on the actual Cambridge ESOL website, where about 50% of the links … Continue reading →

Posted in Cambridge Delta | 5 Comments

Has TEFL International been taken over by ITTT?

Posted on 14/01/2013 by alexcase

It would be big news if it were true, because they are two of the many organisations claiming to be the biggest in some way – ITTT the biggest online provider with 100,000 graduates and TI the biggest face to … Continue reading →

Posted in TEFL International | 54 Comments

The thin line between CPD and neurosis

Posted on 02/12/2012 by alexcase

It’s difficult to argue with the fact that remaining critical about your teaching and constantly trying to improve is better than spending years churning out the same old crap. However, being constantly unsatisfied and always looking for things that you have … Continue reading →

Posted in CPD | 3 Comments

TEFL International and me

Posted on 01/11/2012 by alexcase

I got really tired of people avoiding the issues in my posts on TEFL International by claiming that the number of posts on that organisation proves (on its own) that I have it in for them. So tired was I, in … Continue reading →

Posted in Bruce Veldhuisen, TEFL International | Comments Off on TEFL International and me

Cheating on online TEFL courses?

Posted on 27/10/2012 by alexcase

How much of a problem is it? Well, enough for i-to-i to give this very strong but unconvincing warning about the consequences of trying to do so: The REAL consequences of cheating on your TEFL (LINK BROKEN removed 5 March 2017) … Continue reading →

Posted in i-to-i TEFL, Online TEFL certificate | 1 Comment

CMU and Unitefl – The greatest TEFL soap opera?

Posted on 14/10/2012 by alexcase

Now that Unitefl have made a few changes (some at my suggestion) to their course and (especially) website, I’ve rewritten my “Do not study with Unitefl Thailand” post as “A History of Chiang Mai University and Unitefl” – and quite a … Continue reading →

Posted in Chiang Mai University, unitefl | Comments Off on CMU and Unitefl – The greatest TEFL soap opera?