i-to-i TEFL Review by Alexia, November 13, 2008

This is a great quick course to do. I did the 40 hour on-line course for a basic beginner introduction to TEFL. I supplemented the course by reading 2-3 of the recommended text books, so I feel like I got a lot out of it. Course content was good, nice balance between challenging but not overwhelming. I completed the course in about 2-3 weeks, no worries. The best part was the personal tutor feedback - very useful suggestions and quick to respond. We did 1 lesson plan, which was really well taught, but the reason why I only gave 3 stars for this component was because there was only the 1 (can’t expect too much from 40 hours though I guess). A good starting course.

i-to-i TEFL Review by Mary, November 29, 2008

Now I do the I-to-I 100 hours TEFL course. It’s nice balanced and easy to access on internet page. But the best what I really like, it’s because the feedback tutor answer it’s in quick time and really helpfull. I plan to do some extra certificates courses with I-to-i. Thanks everybody.

i-to-i TEFL Review by Chris, January 7, 2009

I did a 20 hour course and a 20 hour grammar module, before teaching abroad, and it was a great way to get the qualification and the confidence necessary to jump right in at the deep end. The course was so accessible, the material really well designed and the instructor was excellent. However, in Ireland the Department of Education (ACELS) does not recognize i-to-i ’s qualifications, and now that I have taken training courses and a Masters TESOL course with other providers, I can see the limitations of i-to-i ’s training, with almost no lesson planning guidance, and no chance to teach real students, the end product is what you expect from a quick, cheap and easy TEFL course. The real hard work starts after the course when you try teaching for real.

i-to-i TEFL Review by Teflabc, May 7, 2009

Be careful of ‘online’ courses that promise that they are accepted worldwide and are accredited to a high standard. There are a number of issues that must be considered
before doing an i-to-i TEFL course;
1. There is no actual teaching practice on this course. The weekend course (20hours) , the only classroom segment of the full course, is amongst your fellow tutees, and there are no real students to practice teaching on. Therefore, the i-to-i course fails on one of the major requirements of most schools; a Tefl course with practical teacher training.
2. The majority of the main course (100 hours) is studied entirely online, with no opportunity to demonstrate what you learnt in a real classroom. It’s no better than buying a TEFL book and studying it.
3. The 8000+ job list that is provided is very out of date, has few contacts with email addresses and is no better than looking online for your own contacts.
4. Accreditation is poor; ODLQC is a paid monkey that doesn’t do much checking of the course standards. Compared to the University accredited Celta and Trinity courses, the i-to-i shrivels in comparison.
5. Most ‘good’ or ’semi-decent’ schools do not recognise i-to-i TEFL certification. The only certifications that are accepted worldwide and that are respected are the CELTA, Trinity Tesol and University degrees in TEFL related subjects. Most schools that ‘accept’ i-to-i certificates would employ you regardless of having this certificate or not. Remember, demand for ‘native’ speakers of English out strips supply in China, Korea and Thailand.
6.You may be considering i-to-i because it portrays itself as a sustainable and ethical company, however it is owned by the uber-travel corporation TUI, which is anything but ethical.

What you need to consider is, for 3-400 pounds extra, you could study the Celta or Trinity in Thailand, Japan, UK, Spain etc, in a classroom with a real trainer, with actual teaching practice.

i-to-i TEFL Review by Chris, May 11, 2009

I just wanted to respond to Teflabc— Most of the things you state, are things that i-to-i wouldn’t disagree with with the exception of #6. They are very clear about what they offer, what it is and what it isn’t.

Just yesterday, I completed the 20 hour weekend course–and I wanted to post my observations. I was nervous because I hadn’t seen many reviews and was prepared to be let down.

First–Karen, our teacher taught for 10 years in Japan, is head of a major organization that coordinates up to 300 teachers in England. She was amazingly qualified, and the hours literally flew by. Dynamic teaching methods and overall introduction to everything you would need to understand the different components to teaching English. We were a group of 14 and no one left disappointed.

Second–and this is for Teflabc: When the course was over, Karen discussed very openly what further training opportunities were there. She was very clear that i-to-i’s program will do fine for many rural areas and where the standards are not that high. She then reviewed Tefl, Celta and Trinity and explained that if we were still interested and wanted to be certified internationally that those were the routes to go.

Teflabc makes it sound like i-to-i is some scam: the fact is that they speak very clearly about what accredidation they have, they introduce very clearly what the purpose of the weekend courses are for. Because of i-to-i, I am beginning a month long celta training.

So, if you think you may be interested in teaching english–Definitely spend the money for the 20 hour weekend course–a great experience that would be a great first step!

i-to-i TEFL Review by ZGM, June 26, 2009

I purchased and began work on the I-to-I TEFL 100 hour course in June 2008. By October I had completed it. I then left for Spain to get a job with it. I went for a few interviews but was unsuccessful, as they all wanted someone with at least some experience, I didnt have any, and the course didnt contain any practical experience. After 1 month in Spain I ran out of funds and had to return to the UK bitterly dissappointed. I was determined to try again in the future (I was desperate to leave the UK) and I did. In May 2009 I left for South Korea, and thats where I am now. I had a definite job, contract and accommodation set up for me before I left. I was also accepted without having any teaching experience, you just need a university degree in any subject.

Looking back, I know consider the I-to-I course as a waste of time and money, as I could have got this job in Korea without spending £395 on I-to-I’s online course. Their course may be a good introduction to what TEFL is like, but certainly not worth the money especially when you can do the proper recognized CELTA or TRINITY course for another £400. The reason I bought I-to-I’s course was because I was taken in by their ‘internationally recognized course’ and ‘accredited’ claims. I really should have been more careful and done more research before I got my wallet out, but that doesnt excuse I-to-I from making misleading claims. Let this be a lesson any TEFL newcomers.

i-to-i TEFL Review by Ash, July 14, 2009

What matters is both your qualifications AND experience. I am teaching in South Korea AS I take my online 100 hour i-to-i certification.

You can have the experience and not have a certificate, and most places won’t take you [because of the demand, it will set you apart from most]; you can have a certificate and no experience and be utterly at a loss.

What’s needed is both. Yes it’s good to do your research before you start, but if you’re egnaged in an online program, it’s your responsibility to go out there and get the experience. If you’re taking a weekend course or college course before you begin teaching then it’s no different than obtaining a cert. online and getting in the field experience simultaneously or right afterward.

i-to-i TEFL Review by Sarah, September 28, 2009

I did the 120hour course in January, I was talked into it by one of i-to-i’s sales reps on the phone. I even thought I got a good deal with 20% off, but now realise they offer this every month.

The course was OK, but definitely not worth the 400-odd I paid. The only good part of the course was the weekend course, the rest of it isn’t really useful.

I tried to get a job in Japan with this certificate, however most schools wanted a minimum of 120hour in classroom training (like the CLETA, I think it’s called). At the moment, I managed to get a volunteer placement with a school.

I would suggest people go for a 120 hour course (in-classroom), which is accepted worldwide. From what I’ve heard from existing teachers here, i-to- courses are just a paper-mill.

i-to-i TEFL Review by Lucy, October 18, 2009

Thought I’d add my own thoughts on this subject. As an English graduate with a PGCE I am already recognised as a qualified teacher, however I have no experience in teaching TEFL so thought I’d do the 100 hour course to boost my knowledge and make me more prepared for teaching abroad.

I actually think that the i-to-i course is pretty good; so it’s not CELTA or TRINITY- but have you seen how much they cost?! All for, at the end of the day, a slighty different bit of paper!

The i-to-i course is thorough; they do not just pass everyone; you have to complete each module to a certain standard or retake it ( you can only resubmit twice), and you are given very good feedback from the well-qualified tutors; so you become more aware of your strengths and weaknesses. I am now almost finished on the course and have taken advantage of the Job Placement Service offered to register to work in Czech Rep. Normally this country requires the 120 hour course (inc practice), the i-to-i rep who spoke to me recognised I had a PGCE, saw common sense and said she was sure that was fine (if they were so “money-grabbing”, surely I’d have been pressured to add the 20 hour course?).

I honestly feel that i-to-i offer good value. They explain from the beginning what is included, and don’t try to con anyone. I think CELTA and TRINITY are charletans, they charge a lot more than i-to-i, and you still only get 6 hours of practical teaching! At the end of the day a lot of schools abroad are more bothered about you having a degree than a TEFL cert, whatever TEFL you take; it does more to prepare you, than give you any clout when applying for jobs.

i-to-i TEFL Review by Keith, December 23, 2009

I did only a short course on multilevel classes with i-to-i (because I did my TEFL certificate through a university) and I was satisfied. I learned a lot.

To ZGM: Any preparation for working in Korea is appreciated, especially in the public schools. I work in a public school and in Korea I feel there are way too many people coming to teach these wonderful children and don’t have a clue what to do. ZGM, you made an investment and probably you are a better teacher for it.

About Spain: I have heard that it is a tough place to get an English teaching job. You have to be super-credentialed and super-experienced because there is a lot of competition. But it makes sense because many people want to go to Spain because of some idealized notion of life there.

Korea is a great place to get teaching experience, but I hope that people at least get some fundamentals under their belts before coming here. I would not advise anyone to take an expensive course like Trinity or CELTA if the plan to teach for a short time. If you want to make teaching English a career, by all means take one of those courses or do a Masters in TESOL or ELT.

I am American and I taught English in Germany and Finland without any certification. I wish I had taken some course before…things would have gone much smoother.