Review of TEFL Plus
TEFLPlus is Thailand’s premier TEFL teacher training program located in Patong Beach, Phuket, Thailand, and has been conducting teacher training courses at Patong Language School since 2002.
Priced from only £359 ($569), TEFLPlus offers the highest quality and best value TEFL teacher training courses in Thailand. Train with TEFLPlus in Phuket to earn an internationally recognised TESOL/TEFL certificate and become a professional teacher of English. Our Phuket TEFL courses and professional staff have won awards for quality and outstanding service, so you know you are in good hands.
Why should you earn your TEFL at TEFLPlus?
- Learn from one of the most experienced trainers in the business. Our head TEFL instructor has over 25 years experience as an English teacher and a TEFL trainer. He has worked at schools and universities around the world and he has the expertise to answer all of your questions about teaching English as a foreign language.
- You’ll have more time to hone your teaching skills with an industry-leading 10 hours of teaching practice. Get a full two weeks of classroom experience with real students from a variety of levels at our language school in Patong.
- Experience the highest quality of services, administration and course content. Patong Language School has been Phuket’s leading language school since 1983. Our training centre, language programs and teachers are licensed by the Thai Ministry of Education. We’re also the only school in Thailand to receive the highest award for quality from the MoE’s Office of the Private Education Commission (OPEC).
- Be prepared for any situation you may find yourself in as a teacher. Our programs cover all aspects of modern English teaching methodology, theory and English grammar. We’re not only a TEFL training centre, we also a language school, and you will have several opportunities to observe real classes at our school and see our methods in action.
- You will always have someone available to answer your questions because we always maintain a low 3-to-1 student-teacher ratio. All of our English teachers have completed their training at TEFLPlus. They use our methods in their classrooms every day and they are also available to assist you during your training.
- We offer two courses to meet your schedule and budget. Take your choice of our 1 week introTEFL or our 4 week advancedTEFL programs.
In a few short years, TEFLPlus has developed to achieve local and regional prestige, offering English teacher training to those wishing to start a career in the exciting and challenging world of English language education.
If you are looking for a TEFL teacher training course in South-East Asia, you won’t find higher quality certificate courses than ours, and you definitely won’t find better value!
If you plan to TEFL in Phuket, then you need to TEFL train with TEFLPlus. Nowhere else comes close.
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130 Customer Reviews of TEFL Plus
Review by Mark Johnson, February 19, 2010
I did my TEFL course with TEFLPlus at the end of last year (2009) and had a great time. There were 8 other trainees on my course, which means class size was not too big. The trainers were knowledegable and were very helpful to the two or three people that had some problems keeping up with the class – so they really made sure everybody got through the course.
The practical side of the course was very good. We had plenty of practice classes supervised by the trainers or other teachers in the school. I particularly benefited from this practice, as I don’t know what I would have done if I had completed an online course as I originally planned.
All in all, I have only good things to say about TEFLPlus. I didn’t stay at their hotel, but did visit it to meet up with other trainees. It looked like good value for money.
Patong Beach was a blast! I doubt there are better locations for doing TEFL training.
I give TEFLPlus 10 out of 10.
Review by Paul Cowling, February 20, 2010
Overall the course was very good, the staff knowledgeable, with a good sense of humour. This was no easy course, where you just had to turn up and stay the duration and you were guaranteed an A pass, we really had to work very hard to get the results we did, the only minor criticism I have is that, I that I think that I would have benefited by doing some study on grammar before I started the course and I would have appreciated being told this when I was booking the course.
However in mitigation for TEFL Plus, I really had no Knowledge of grammar whatsoever, before I started the course, although I use English well, I had no clue about the mechanics of grammar, but most other students on the course did have some prior knowledge and I think that TEFL Plus assume that most people do have at least the bare rudiments before doing the course.
Anyway after the excellent course and with the tools of the trade that TEFL Plus put me on to I do have some knowledge of grammar which I am now building on whilst searching for my first teaching post.
The hotel was superb, the staff great, they really made me feel at home, they even shared their lunch with me a couple of times and also they tried to minimize some of the noise from rowdy guests and moved me to another room which was quieter.
To sum up, I feel that I now have a qualification worth having, which will be recognised as quality by potential employers. Paul
Review by Barbara Standing, March 31, 2010
Loved the course! Had a great time in Patong and made some terrific friends.
The location was good, the trainers excellent, and I enjoyed every minute of my time with Teflplus.
I got a job in Thailand just a week after completing the course and my training has already come in very useful.
If you are thinking of taking a Tefl course in Thailand, then I highly recommend Teflplus.
Review by Jenny Pavell, June 7, 2010
Just finished the course a couple of weeks ago and had a great time. All the staff took really good care of use from beginning to end. I’m glad I chose the accommodation option, because the hotel was fantastic. A couple of other trainees arranged their own rooms and were a bit jealous when they saw what the rest of us had to go back to each day!
The trainer, Stefan, was amazing. He brought out the best in every one of us and coaxed and cajoled us through. If I can be half as good a teacher as he is, I’ll be delighted.
The school itself is very busy, which was good as it meant we had plenty of language students to practice on. There were a few blank faces on my first practice class, but it all came together by the end of the month.
All in all, I would recommend TEFLPlus for TEFL training, and if you are thinking of going anywhere, then Patong has to be near the top of your list!
Review by Babs, June 10, 2010
Completed the teflplus 4 week course last month – loved it!
The driver met me at the airport and took me to the hotel. There is a small pool and the rooms are really nice. Free tea and coffee was welcome, as was the WiFi!
Driver took us to school and back every day – just a few minutes drive.
School staff were very helpful and supportive.
Trainers were terrific! Had a blast in Stefan’s methodology classes. Teaching practice was nerve-wracking, but I think I figured it out by the last day …
We had a welcome lunch, but no graduation party – we arranged that ourselves!
Patong is a great place to stay for a month, but bring plenty of sunscreen and cash, cash, cash!
Review by Debi Marks, June 16, 2010
I really enjoyed the course and think it gave me a good grounding to start working as an English teacher. Without the training I doubt my first lesson would have been much use!
The school is in a great location, being near the beach, and Patong is a great place to spend 4 weeks training.
All the staff were terrific and supportive, especially the lead trainer, Stefan. He would spend as long as necessary with you to make sure you understood and kept up with the course. He really gives a lot of himself to make your training a success. If you fail, it will be your fault, not his!
I certainly recommend the course with TEFLPlus and have already sent a couple of friends in that direction.
Review by Adrienne, July 2, 2010
Hi everyone!
I just finished my 4 week course at TEFLPlus last week – it was brilliant! Everything from the moment I arrived in Phuket was perfect.
A driver met me at the airport (he was cute!) and took me to the hotel, so I had two days to get settled before we started the training. There was a nice welcome letter waiting in my room and it explained about pick-up from the hotel and other useful stuff.
The staff at the school were great! Everyone was so helpful and friendly. Training was tough!! It wasn’t at all what I had expected, but the 4 weeks just flew by.
I really enjoyed the teaching practice and would have liked to have had more. I think this is a really important part of the course and could be expanded on. You get about 10 classes to teach in the last 2 weeks, but 20 would still not be enough!
I enjoyed staying in Patong even if the nightlife wasn’t to my taste. There are loads of restaurants though and lots of tours for the weekends (if you have time!). Patong Beach was OK, but some new friends showed me some even nicer ones.
Overall, I really recommend TEFLPlus and doing a course in Patong.
(I gave a couple of stars for job placement, cos that’s not something they do)
Review by Prissy McKindle, July 21, 2010
I finished the course and I found a job in Thailand- woo hoo!
The course just finished last week, but most of had already got jobs lined up to start right away. One of the lads is rushing off to start next Monday!
We all had a real blast on the course, but it was damned hard work. If you think a TEFL course is gonna be a piece of cake, be prepared! The practice lessons we got with Thai students were great fun and an eye-opener for me. Some of the others got mixed classes with Japanese and foreign students, but I think that was too challenging!
Anyway, I had a great time in Patong, learnt an awful lot and got a new job. So not bad for the girl from Brum!
Review by Mal Curtis, July 30, 2010
I’ve never written a review of anything before, but here goes!
My rating for the tefl course I did with teflplus in Phuket is 10 out of 10 for everything. They don’t really help people get jobs, but the manager was good enough to put me in touch with a couple of school locally that needed teachers. And I scored! I got a job in Phuket, which is right where I wanted to be.
The course was amazing and not anything like I expected. I worked in a call center before moving to Thailand and thought I was pretty good at communication. But the course has shown me so much about how to communicate with a class and get the message across.
The English lessons helped a lot because a couple of us were struggling with that. The teaching practice with some real students was pretty awesome! I hadn’t been that nervous about anything since I was best man at my brother’s wedding. It all worked out ok though and the trainers were there for us at every step.
If you are looking to do a tefl course in Thailand, then I reckon you should get to teflplus in Phuket.
Review by Patricia Greggs, August 3, 2010
Finished at last! The course is done and I’m now the proud owner of a TEFL certficate. Better still, I have a job lined up to start in a weeks’ time – so nervous!!
The course was terrific and so was everyone on it. The staff were great and helpful, and doing the course in Patong was amazing. I didn’t know I could party and study so hard – it was worse (better?) than uni!
The trainer – Stefan – is an amazing guy. He got the absolute maximum out of every one of the trainees and pushed us to the limit every day. Big up to Stefan!
The school location is really neat and it was an easy walk from our guesthouse to school, the beach, banks, bars, cafes and restauarants. I highly recommend the Sunset Mansion – they took great care of us for the month we were there.
I don’t know what else to say! The course was brilliant. Patong is awesome. I’ve got a job and I’m staying!
Review by Tessa Dowds, August 10, 2010
I give Tefl Plus top marks for everything! The course and school wewre great and I really enjoyed my four weeks with them. All the staff at the hotel and school were brilliant and helpful (even when i got sick!).
The course was a lot harder than I expected and a couple of other trainees said the same thing. By the last week we had all got it figured out tho, so we came through all right.
The practice teaching helped a lot. I’ got a job right away, which is why I’m a bit slow leaving this comment. I don’t think I could handle the job without the practical training we got in the last 2 weeks of the course.
Ian, the director, was great with advice and getting my visa sorted. He even arranged to get me picked up at the airport, which made it a lot less daunting (and kept my mum happy!).
I highly recommend tefl plus and suggest you taker a look if you’re looking for a tefl course in Thailand.
Review by Benjamin, August 11, 2010
The course director asked us all to leave a review at the end of the course, so here’s mine for what it’s worth.
The welcome at the hotel was good and the room was excellent value for the extra I paid. We had a welcome lunch on the first day and the Thai food was better than I’d found myself. Most of us continued going there for daily lunches throughout the course.
The main trainer was excellent and really knows his stuff. Materials were clear and well written. I really enjoyed the method part of the course and think I learned most from that.
The English grammar trainer was a bit boring, but I understand he has now been replaced. He knew what he was talking about, when he wasn’t talking about football.
The practical teaching part of the course was the most fun and I think I got a lot out of it. I can’t see how an online course could possibly make up for this experience, so I’m glad I didn’t take that option.
Exams at the end weren’t too hard and I got a good grade.
They don’t offer any job placements like some other tefl schools, but the help they give is more than enough. There are lots of jobs for teachers out there if you know where to look.
Overall, I enjoyed the course and have no complaints or regrets.
Review by Eddie, August 11, 2010
My four weeks with teflplus was well spent, and my four weekends in Phuket were a real blast! I chose the course mainly for the location, but I wasn’t disappointed by the content or quality.
I didn’t stay at the school’s hotel because I found a cheap apartment. Overall though, it probably worked out to cost about the same by the time I paid for laundry and transport. I visited the hotel to see some of the other trainees and it looked pretty good – they were all impressed with their rooms.
The school was very busy with lots of language students coming and going all the time. Some of the others claimed this was a distraction and thought we would be in a dedicated tefl centre or something. Personally I thought it was useful to see how a school operates and to meet with English teachers that had gone through a similar course.
The trainer was excellent and certainly knows his subject. He pushed everybody hard and we all appreciated it after the course!
All I have to do now is get a job, but i’m pretty confident that i’ll find something in or near Phuket within a couple of weeks. There seem to be plenty of jobs around just now.
If you are undecided about which course to choose, I say take teflplus. I enjoyed it and think it was good value for money.
Review by Robby (Roberta) Allan, August 18, 2010
Wow, what a rush! Imagine travelling to Thailand and aisa for the first time, doing a teaching course when you’ve never taught before, then getting a job in a small town school teaching foreign kids. Well, that’s what I did over the last 9 weeks, and I have to say a big THANK YOU to everyone at teflplus that made it possible.
Great hotel, great school, amaaaaazing trainers and all the help I needed, all the time. They even took me to the doctor when I fell ill!
I don’t know what to say in particular, because it was all such a terrific experience. And I got a job too, so it’s all worked out great!
Don’t bother looking at other courses – this one’s the tops and the people are terrific!
Review by Sue Normanton, September 6, 2010
Hi, I’m Sue and I finished my tefl teacher course at teflplus last month. I searched all over the net for the best course in Thailand and came across this one by chance. I booked through an agent, which as it turned out didn’t cost me any more than booking direct – lucky!
I stayed at a little guesthouse recommended on the school’s website and it was good value, if not the highest quality. I think I got what I paid for though, as it was pretty cheap and cheerful!
First day welcome lunch was great – my first ever taste of real Thai food. My group of trainees were all similar in age which meant we all got on really well from day one.
School staff were always helpful and the trainers were just terrific. Stefan’s methodology classes were a real inisght into English teaching, and I just hope I can remember at least half of it! The English classes were an eye-opener – I thought being English I would know all that. How wrong was I!
The practice classes we got to teach English were perhaps the most useful part of the course. I can’t imagine what it would be like going into a classroom for the first time if I hadn’t had this practice with a supervisor first.
Final exams weren’t too hard – anybody who has paid attention throughout the course should pass OK. All my group passed, some with better marks than others (Hi Mark!).
I think I got a great course for the price, so will recommend teflplus if you fancy a month in Phuket. The only other course worth looking at was TEFL International, but I found out they are in a housing estate in Phuket town – glad I didn’t end up there! Patong was amazing – something new every day and many things I’ve never seen (nor wanted to see in some cases!!).
Well done teflplus and well done to me for passing! Haha!
Review by Phil Egerton, September 9, 2010
I greatly enjoyed my month in Patong studying for my TEFL certificate. The course is aimed more at teaching young adults and adults than children, which is not great if you plan to teach young children. As this is what I plan to do now I am qualified, I hope my training will be adequate.
The trainers are great and really know their subject. The administration staff were very organised and helpful, and the teaching practice was enjoyable if not so relevant for me.
I chose to stay at the school’s hotel and was very satisfied with my room and the service there. A driver took us to and from school each day.
I recommend teflplus as a TEFL training course, but note that it is not aimed at teaching children. I must admit though that I don’t know if other courses would help in this respect either.
I recommend the course and know that every other trainee on my particular course was very satisfied.
Review by james aitken, September 15, 2010
I just started work at a small private language school in Bangkok (not my first choice, but will do for now) and have to say my training from teflplus is proving invaluable. Most of my classes are either ‘one on one’ or small groups of 2 to 4 young adult students. So far no problem!
I completed the course a few weeks ago and had a holiday up north of Thailand while looking for work. Teflplus eventually put me in touch with this school and I got an interview on the phone!
The course was good and I enjoyed the four weeks I stayed in Patong. The nightlife was a bit too much for me (I’m 62 and recently retired), but I had a good time overall.
I stayed at the school’s hotel and have to say it was everything they’d said andf more. The staff were terrific and helped me with any little thing I needed.
The school itself was very pleasant and all the staff were great. The trainers defenitely know their stuff and turned a couple of us ‘oldies’ into teachers! I didn’t feel old on the course as everyone was treated equally – this had been a concern. The ages of the other trainees on my course varied from just 21 through to me and a lady of 64.
My plan for getting my tefl certificate and then working in Thailand for a couple of years is working out weell so far, so my thanks go to teflplus for making it possible. Thanks everyone!
Review by Evelyn Standish, September 20, 2010
I chose the teflplus course after deciding on a gap year between uni and becoming a probationary teacher in Scotland (where I’m from!). Although I have a degree in education, I knew it wouldn’t be suited to teaching EFL. That’s why I chose a tefl course. I looked at CELTA, but imo they aren’t worth the extra expense – they won’t get you a better job.
I found my own room in Patong for two months, so I could combine the course with a holiday. It’s very cheap to rent a room and a motorbike. I did it for under 10,000 Baht for both.
The course passed very quickly – it seemed no sooner had we started than we were taking our final exams. The trainers were excellent and know their stuff. I take my hat off to Stefan for putting up with all our questions day in and day out!
The practice teaching was a joy after the type of classes I had experienced in Scotland. Here I was teaching adults instead of little ones – what a difference!
The school doesn’t offer jobs after the course like some other places, but I wasn’t bothered about that. I’d rather choose where I work than have it dictated to me. When you start looking in earnest is when you first realise there are so many jobs out there. I don’t see a problem killing a year (or more!) travelling and teaching.
The course and school were both great – I recommend them.
Review by Steve Reynold, September 23, 2010
I am a July 2010 graduate of the four week Patong course, now working in Nonthaburi in a small secondary school.
I thought the course was great, but now know that I needed more instruction for teaching kids. This is not a failing in the course, but something that I have found is missing from all training courses. None of them can possibly prepare you for teaching classes of 40 to 50 children! Anyway, I’m finding my way through and my training sure helps.
I booked the premier package with hotel and everything. The hotel room was great for the money, but the pool was a bit small.
Trainers and staff at the school were terrific – I don’t think you’ll meet a better bunch of people. And they’ve all been doing this a long time so they’re efficient, organised and know whatt they’re doing.
It took a lot of searching before I found a course I felt I wanted to book, including looking at CELTA. This tefl course is defo more than you’ll need for a year or two teaching in Thailand, so at this price I have to recommend it.
Oh, and they don’t do work placement or internships – your’re on you own, but it’s pretty easy to find a job really.
Review by Adrienne Breene, September 29, 2010
Mega – that’s all I need to say. From being collected at the airport to receiving my certificate it was a fantastic four weeks. The help I got from Ian before leaving home was excellent. He answered all my (sometimes dumb) questions, helped me sort my visa and arranged my hotel and pick-up.
The hotel was great value compared to the rooms some of my fellow trainees had. I suggest you take the ‘premium package’ – you won’t regret it. The pool (small but with jacuzzi jets!) was welcome after a long day, there were plenty of good TV channels, and the WiFi was invaluable.
The school staff were very supportive and well organised. Everything happened when it was supposed to and everybody was always in the right place at the right time. No small feat with that number of people. Welcome lunch was awesome – my first taste of ‘real’ Thai food.
We had two trainers, both of whom really know their subjects. Stefan is without doubt an experienced and knowledgeable professional when it comes to teaching methods and planning.
The teaching practice lessons that we had were ideal. I enjoyed them immensely and valued having an experienced teacher in the class with me. The feedback was great and helped me improve a lot.
Final exams weren’t too hard. I don’t think they want anybody to fail.
I certainly recommend teflplus. I checked out many courses in Thailand before parting with my cash, and this one didn’t disappoint.
(I gave a single star for ‘job placement’ ‘cos they don’t do that. I don’t see why it is relevant though, as this is a teacher training school, not an employment agency.)
Review by Abby Duncan (Peterhead, Scotland), October 1, 2010
Hello! I’ve never written a review before, but here goes!
I think being picked up at the airport is a big help, coz you don’t need to worry about getting to the right place in a strange town. I was really worried about meeting the driver, but he was waiting for me holding my name – I felt like a VIP!
The hotel was fab. My room was really big and I had a tv with loads of stations, there was free tea and coffee, a small pool, wifi, and other trainees to hang out with. We got taken to school each day by the same driver that picked us up. Hotel was a bit far from the beach, but we got used to finding our way around.
All the school staff were a big help and dead friendly. I promised a ‘hello’ to Som, so HELLO! Our trainers were literally amaaaazing!! Stefan is a guru and knows everything about teaching English. I feel really confident I can teach in any situation now I’ve done this course with him. Everybody thought the classes we got to teach were great fun, and the feedback from the school’s teachers was helpful.
All my group really enjoyed our month in Phuket with teflplus. I am sure you will too!
Review by Richard Hemmings, October 12, 2010
I retired earlier this year and moved to Thailand in April. Planning to stay for the foreseeable future, I decided to do some volunteer teaching at a primary school near my home. Not having any teaching experience, let alone qualification, I thought I should look for some training. I’d never heard of TEFL courses before I started searching, but admit I was baffled by the huge number of courses offered in Thailand. My main concern was that they are aimed at younger people and gap-year students. Luckily I came across the 1-week course offered by teflplus. This seemed to meet my needs and wouldn’t be as expensive as the month-long course (especially on a pension!).
Day one was amazing – I covered things in class I had never imagined. From teaching methods and lesson plans to English grammar – it was a whole new world. The instructors were very patient with me and Jenny (only 2 of us on this short course) and we soon got into the stride of it. We got some teaching practice towards the end of the week, and I think this will be a real help when I have to get in the classroom back home. The teachers that supervised us were very understanding and knowledgeable. I think we got all the help we could expect, and then some.
I really enjoyed my week in Patong with teflplus and all their staff, and don’t hesitate to recommend their courses. I am sure their month course is every bit as good as the 1 week course.
Review by Nicola Edmondson, October 17, 2010
Hi everyone! If you are on this website I guess you are considering doing a TEFL course, right? And if you’re reading these reviews you’re probably looking at a course in Thailand. That’s exactly where I was just 3 short months ago; searching the net trying to find the right course and make sure I didn’t get scammed. I came across teflplus by chance on a google ad on another site. After contacting them I was pretty sure I had found a gem, because they had never appeared in any of my other searches. Their website is very informative and answers just about all the questions you could have. I took the plunge and now I’m here telling you about it!
The welcome on day 1 was great. We were all taken for lunch in a local restaurant and had some great Thai food. That was a pretty good bonding session.
First couple of weeks was mostly teaching theory and English grammar – we even had some tests to make sure we were keeping up! We got to see some experienced teacher in classes and that was good.
By week 3 we were doing our own lesson plans and teaching practice classes with 3 or 4 students. This was quite challenging because we had a supervising teacher in the classroom keeping an eye on us! We then had feedback sessions to guide us in improving our teaching technique.
The end of the course was a couple of not-too-difficult exams and then the award of our certificates.
I think everyone on my course (11 of us) enjoyed it and nobody quit. I know at least 6 on the course had managed to get jobs in Thailand even beofre the course was finished. Good luck guys!
The school staff and trainer were terrific and gave all the help and encouragement we needed.
If you’re still looking for a course in Thailand, you can stop right now. This one is great and I highly recommend it.
Tell the school Nicola sent you!
Review by Heather Simmons, October 25, 2010
Hi all! If you’re reading this, then you’re looking for a course, right? Well, if you do find your way to my little review, then you’ll be glad you did. I wholeheartedly recommend the teflplus course in Patong beach. I’ve been there, done it and loved it!
I booked the course with another tefl provider in Phuket, but for some reason the course was cancelled almost at the last minute. Luckily I was offered the chance to attend the teflplus course at no extra cost. It turned out there were many of us in this situation because the other tefl course had gone bust!
First day welcome was great and we got a free lunch to boot. My group was 11 trainees and was a mixed bunch in terms of ages and nationalities. The trainers were amazing (I noticed the other reviewers have said the same thing, but it’s true!). The school staff were always supportive and helpful, whatever I needed (a dentist on one occasion). I enjoyed the practice classes and the feedback sessions, so now I feel confident to start teaching.
Haven’t got a job yet, but it’s early days. I’m quite sure with the teflplus course behind me I am ready for anything!
Review by Alex Glazer, October 31, 2010
I just completed the TEFL course during the month of October and I would recommend this course to anyone! The instructors here are amazing, they are intelligent and have so much experience. My instructors were Kim, Stefan and Tin and they were all SO encouraging. At first, I was a bit nervous to teach English, but now I am so confident and have learned so much from these teachers. In particular, Kim was AMAZING at taking time out of her busy day to meet with anyone to answer questions and to look over resumes and cover letters! It is only a 2 minute walk from the beach, so the location is incredible. Everyone gets 2 weeks of practice teaching and you become much more comfortable with teaching. It’s such a rewarding experience. Before coming to Thailand I looked at many TEFL programs and was actually switched to this program. It someone is looking to take a TEFL course, you should take this one. The people who run this program are there is answer any questions and are very encouraging. Thank you Patong Language School for such an incredible experience!
Review by David Garman, November 8, 2010
Well, here’s my tuppence-worth!
My course had 12 trainees, so the training room was pretty full. We had three trainers in all: Stefan who taught us how to teach, Kim who taught us English(including those of us who thought we knew it all – you know who you are!), and Tin who tried to teach us a little bit of Thai. They were all awesome.
The practice teaching classes we got were a terrific experience, and they really topped off the course for me. I can’t imagine how an online course could make up for missing the practical aspect of being in a classroom with eager students handing on your every word!
Patong was as expected – full-on and great to party at the weekends.
I can only recommend this course wholeheartedly. The staff and trainers all go a long way to make sure the course is a success and that everyone gets the most out of it.
If you’re looking for a course in Thailand, I say choose this one.
Dave Garman
Review by Julia Mendes, November 11, 2010
Just finished by four weeks training with teflplus in Patong. Great training and a wonderful holiday! I stayed at the school’s hotel and was ferried back and forth every day by their entertaining driver Noom.
As many others have mentioned in reviews here, the trainer are really first class – I can’t fault their knowledge or delivery. They gave as much time as any trainee needed and nobody got left behind. Stefan taught us all about how to teach English and manage a classroom. Kim led us through the intricacies of English grammar (I thought that was going to be dry and boring, but no!). Tin tried hard to teach us some Thai, but I don’t think our brains could take in any more information!
The school administration staff were excellent throughout the month of the course and Ian was very patient in answering all my dumb questions.
I was a very ‘green’ traveller before this course/experience, but now feel I can go anywhere.
If you’re taking a TEFL course, you’ve got to look at this one. I loved it!
Review by Mark Hibbing, November 13, 2010
My fiance and I just finished the course and were both very impressed by the whole experience. Patong was about what we expected. Hotels with a monthly rate were easy to find and eating out was pretty cheap. Getting around is expensive if you can’t ride a scooter.
We’ve given the course 4 stars out of 5 overall because teflplus doesn’t do job placement and this is something we were promised by the company we booked with. teflplus told us they only do training and told us to contact that company because they are the ones who arrange work. We’ll try that, but not so sure it’ll work out.
The training and trainers were terrific. All the teaching experience we got was very useful. I think we both learnt an awful lot about preparation and lesson planning, and how to manage a classroom and speed of instruction. Being able to assess learner level is another very useful skill we were taught.
So, we would have given full marks if it hadn’t been for the guaranteed job placement, but that may not be teflplus fault after all.
We recommend the course for its content and instructors, and Patong is not a bad place to spend a month while training.
Review by Gene Hart, November 14, 2010
I just completed a one week course with the teflplus trainers in Patong. In fact, I’m writing this on my final day in the school’s hotel before I move on to Surat Thani and the job I have got there.
I chose the shorter course because I wasn’t sure if being an English teacher was for me, but the course has convinced me I can give it a go.
My stay here at the hotel and with everybody at the school was excellent. I have no complaints or negative comments. All the staff, from the driver to the trainer have been great and delivered a really good course.
I can’t compare my week of training with that given on the longer course, but I imagin it would be to the same high standard.
Good luck to anybody who takes on a tefl course and tries teaching in Thailand (or elsewhere). Have a look at the teflplus website and see what you think for yourself.
Full disclosure! The school directed me to this website, as they apparently do with all trainees. It is up to us trainees that have done the course whether we leave a review and whether it is good or bad. I wasn’t surprised to see there are no bad ones here for this course. Gene Hart, November 14 2010
Review by Amanda Grace, November 18, 2010
I did the one week tefl course with Gene (above) and two others. We had a great time together and all of us really enjoyed the course and our short holiday in Phuket. The training was great, but we could have had more teaching practice. I know there is a lot more in the four week course, but the four lessons we got in this course weren’t enough for me. Teflplus doesn’t do job placement either, but you can’t expect everything for the small amount we paid for the course. I didn’t stay in the school’s hotel, but did visit a couple of the other trainees there. It looked like they got a similar deal to what you can arrange yourself to be honest, although they did have free internet, which was a plus. There isn’t much free internet in Thailand – be warned! The trainers and staff were all great, as everybody here has said. School building as clean and well maintained; I had some strange idea that it would all be a bit backward! I’ll give them 9 out of 10 only because I could have used more practice. Now I’m off to get a job!
Review by Katy Poulson, November 19, 2010
I did the shorter tefl course with Gene and Amanda, and I loved it. There was so much help from everyone involved. We got terrific support and assistance at every step.
The hotel was awesome and I loved being chauffered to school every day. I agree that the trainers really are terrific. They put in a lot of effort to make sure we got as much out of our 5 days as possible. Thanks Kim for all the explaining! And thanks Stefan for being so patient with me!
I recommend teflplus, specially if you are thinking of doing the short 1 week course, because there are no courses like this out there. Depending on how I get on I may yet come back for the full tefl course in the future.
Have a look at the website and tell them Katy sent you!
Big up to Gene, Amanda and Kerry!
Review by M D White, November 25, 2010
Just finished the one week short tefl course at teflplus last week. There were just two of us on the course but there was another course going on at the same time with about 8 trainees doing a four week course.
My week passed very quickly as we were busy from morning to afternoon every day. It was pretty hectic, but pretty much what I expected from a course done in such a short time.
I think the amount of information squeezed in during the week was remarkable and I am surprised how much we covered. We had four teaching practice classes each, plus one last one as part of our final exam. This is probably not enough for some people, but I think it was good enough to get me started. I now have a good foundation to build on.
Now in Bangkok waiting to start work next Monday! Finding a job in Thailand is the easy part.
If you have the time (and money I suppose) then you probably ought to take the longer course. If like me you don’t have time, just remember that you won’t get a full course in just one week of training.
Review by Jenny McMillar, December 4, 2010
Hi everyone! Just did the one week tefl course this week and it was a blast! I hadn’t really cosnidered what might be included in the course, but imagined that a week of training couldn’t be too hard. Well, it was tough and full on all week! It was great fun though and everybody at teflplus made it a success. There were only two of us doing the course, so we got a lot of facetime with the trainers and they were always available when we had questions or needed help with a lesson plan or something. The school staff were all great and made sure we had all we needed.
The school is in Patong, which is maybe not the best place if you don’t like partying at night. I do, so that wasn’t a problem! Phuket is great for holidays, so mixing it with a tefl course is a good idea. Better than being stuck in the boonies!
I give the course full marks except for job placement only because that’s something they don’t do. That’s not a criticism or a problem, because there are loads of jobs out there.
Review by Richard Monroe, December 10, 2010
Just a quick note cos I’m checking out of the school’s hotel today. I enjoyed the course immensely and recommend teflplus if you are thinking of taking a course in Thailand. I doubt if there is a better place to do your course than Patong/Phuket. It has been a great four weeks here and I’m a little sad to be leaving.
The course content was great and I learnt an awful lot. I’m now more confident about my English and ability to explain it. I can control and direct a classroom of students towards a learning goal, and I can even assess student learner level. Some of the things I learned, I didn’t even know they existed or mattered!
School was really neat, everybody was helpful and friendly. Hotel was great, if not a little noisy at times, but hey, it’s a holiday resort.
Two of us from the course are off to Krabi and Surat now to see if we can shake up jobs. Wish us luck!
Review by Simone Neely, December 11, 2010
Just finished the course – loved it! It was a great experience, challenging, fun, entertaining and very instructive. The tefl teachers were really exceptional and all the other school staff helped with anything I needed. The school is in Patong Beach, which means it is a great place to mix the tefl course with a holiday. I stayed at the tefl school’s hotel along with 4 others on the same course as me. The rooms were big and comfortable and we got free internet. I taught a lot of practice classes in the last two weeks of the training course and got a lot from them. The teachers supervised our classes and gave us feedback after every lesson we taught. I recommend this course!
Review by Daniel, December 12, 2010
Just finished the course with Rich and Simone above and agree with everything they say. I didn’t take the hotel option as they did but I found a nice place near the school that was a bit cheaper. There are loads of hotels and such in Patong so don’t worry about getting somewhere to stay.
The trainers were as good as everybody on here has said. I think its the traioners that make any course, tefl or otherwise. And teflplus has a couple of very good trainers in Kim and Stefan.
The course books could do with improving cos they look a little out of date, but the content was fine and more than enough. I enjoyed the practice classes but would have liked the chance to teach larger groups. The biggest class I got to teach was only six students and that won’t help if I get a job in a Thai school. Bit worried about that to be honest!
The school, classrooms etc were all good. Patong was great for partying at the weekends, but you have to be careful not to get distractyed in the week too.
Overall, I enjoyed the course and now ready to teach. Bring it on!
Review by Nathan (Nate) Kristensen, December 12, 2010
And me! Just finished teh course too and agree with everyone else. It was a terrific experience and Patong was amazing. I almost booked a course in Phuket town – how sorry I would have been! ha ha! Didn’t stay at the school’s hotel, but booked a small apartment recommended on their website. Cost less than 250 quid for a month all-in. Used the pool at the hotel with everybody else though! Loved the training course and trainers. I struggled a bit with the English grammar, but got a lot of help and support with that. Havent been to school for more than 10 years so it was all a bit of a shock. I liked the English teaching practice that we got with Thai students. That made the whole course worthwhile for me and I enjoyed it a lot. I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to manage in a classroom with real strudents now. The school manager put me in touch with some schools in Phuket and I have interviews with two of them tomorrow. Fingers crossed! Take the teflplus course and you won’t regret it. Thanks Ian for all the help.
Review by Alexandrea Campbell, December 14, 2010
Sorry I didn’t have time to do this before I left Patong! Just catching up on emails now I am in Krabi and saw Ian’s request to leave a review here.
The school, staff and trainers were all great. Everyone was approachable and helpful. The trainers were really clued up on their subjects.
Loved Patong, especially the nightlife. Did a couple of tours at the weekends. You gotta try the white water rafting!
Ian was a big help after I booked the course. He helped with my visa and had me picked up at the airport. The school’s hotel was neat and good value. I’m glad I paid the extra instead of searching myself.
I loved the course and I think you will too!
Review by Michelle Britt, December 17, 2010
Just finished the one week tefl course today and heading off to Bangkok tonight by bus! The school asked me to leave a review, so this is gonna be real quick before I head off.
The school, staff and trainers were brilliant. Course content was good considering it was only 5 days. We managed to pack a lot in (there were 3 of us on this course). I would have liked more teaching practice, but I guess it’s my own fault for choosing a short tefl course like this.
I think what you get for the money is great. You’ll certainly be better off than not doing any course at all, and probably better than doing an online course, which I had planned to do.
Good luck Allie and Steve! Hope you get a job!
Review by Allie Pattinson, December 17, 2010
Loved it! Loved it! Loved it!
Did the short course in just 5 days with 2 other trainjees. Had a blast! Patong is crazy and not to be missed.
Like Michelle said, the school and everyone there are great. I got a lot out of the course, cos I knew damn all when we started! Some more English grammar would have been good, but not enough time. Likewise with the teaching classes. I only taught 5 lessons and that is maybe not enough. Overall I rate it 5 stars, cos I think you get at least what you expect and maybe more.
Anyway, we’ll soon see when we start work! Thanks everyone at teflplus!
Review by Steve Paller, December 17, 2010
Just checking out of the school’s hotel this morning, so leaving a quick review while I have the chance. Hotel rooms are great value and there’s even a free computer with internet.
As the girls said, the school and everyone were great throughout the week we were there. No problems, course was fairly intensive but not too bad. Enjoyed the teaching classes, but would have liked more. The trainers really know their stuff, and I think that is what made it such a worthwhile course. I’m glad I chose the 1 week course – it suited me just fine.
Got very little time for surfing, which is the main reason I came to Phuket. Never mind, I’ll be back!
Review by Jem Cummings, January 10, 2011
Finished the short tefl course last Friday, had an interview today in Bangkok and got the job! Everybody at the school were great throughout the week I spent with them. My trainers were very knowledgable and supportive – I couldn’t have asked for more in a course starting the week after new year. The school is in Patong, which was really busy over the time I was there. It seemed like all of europe had come for xmas and new year holidays! I really recommend this one week course if you are in a hurry or strapped fore cash like me!
Review by Janie Plover, January 15, 2011
My boyfriend and I just finished the one week course this week and both enjoyed it very much. Overall it was a positive experience – our only complaint would be that we needed more classroom time, but there is clearly a limit to what can be covered in a single week of training. Everyone at teflplus was friendly and welcoming; there was a nice feeling amongst all the staff and trainees (four of us on our course). The trainers are truly first-rate and know their stuff – I can’t fault them. We’re going to start our job hunting now, so wish us luck!
p.s. We stayed in the school’s hotel for just over a week and can recommend it. It was a bit expensive because it was January, but a lot cheaper than most other places we tried. Best of all, you get free wifi and a computer to use in reception if you don’t have your own.
Review by Jim Gardiner, January 15, 2011
Just did the course with my girlfriend and thought it was great. The amount of stuff we covered in a week was impressive, but I would have liked more actual teaching classes. Basically, they give you all the theory and a little bit of practice to make sure you understood it all. It might be better for some to do the full course to get better experience and practising.
The school and all the teachers were great too and we all got on really well.
The hotel the school arranged for us was good for the price after we saw what other places are asking. We had a driver to take us to the school every day as well.
Thanks to all at teflplus for a great experience.
Jim Gardiner
Review by Jennifer Sommer, January 16, 2011
Finished the course last Friday and just leaving the hotel and Phuket today. Start work a week on Monday in Hadyai – yay! Thanks to Ian and everyone at the school for all their help in setting me up with the interview and all the great advice.
The course was hectic even though there were only 4 of us in the group. More teaching practice would be good but I suppose that’s all we could get in a 5 day course. Also, my classes were only with 4 students, so it’s not ideal if you plan on teaching large classrooms.
Our trainers were really, really good. Stefan is a great tutor and had lots of time for us outside the classroom with all our dumb questions.
The school is in a great location if you like the beach, like me. I spent every lunch hour on the beach with a cool drink – it doesn’t get better than that!
So, thanks again everyone, especially for thye help finding the job. I’ll keep recommending teflplus to everyone I meet.
Review by Andrew Marsh, January 17, 2011
Hi everyone! Sorry I’m slower than the others on my course – I see they already left reviews. Had a terrific time in Patong and at the school. I wish the week could have been longer and we could have covered even more than we did. As it is, I think the one week course is only a really basic introduction to tefl, and is probably ok if you are a confident kind of person. If you need more thorough training, I don’t think this is the course for you, so you should take a longer one.
As most people agree here, the teflplus trainers are first class. I enjoyed every session I had with Stefan and Kim, had fun and learnt a lot. The practice classes were useful but insufficient, the feednack was good, and I got a lot out of preparing my own lesson plans. The course materials were clear and easy to understand, especially the grammar module, which is going to come in very useful.
I already got a job in Bangkok (a stopgap I hope) thanks to Ian at teflplus. Thanks for the recommendation and the reference! Good luck to Jenny and Jim & Janie. Hope to see you guys again.
Review by Sharon Ingolson, January 23, 2011
I had a great week in Patong with all at the school and a terrific course. Made some (hopefully lasting) friends on the tefl course, and did some serious partying in Bangla!
Training was great and the week went by really quick – it was done before I knew it. The school, the training lessons, the trainers, the practice, were all great. Could have had a bit more practice teaching and a bit less English grammar, but otherwise it was perfect.
I stayed in the school’s hotel and it turned out to be a great deal. Room was good and got free wifi as a bonus.
I really recommend taking a tefl course at teflplus.
Sharon
Review by Matthew Havers, January 24, 2011
Very, very, very nice place and people. You will be surprised by how welcome you are made at the teflplus school in Phuket. Although it is a busy place with many students, all us trainees felt like we were being treated personally and getting great attention from the staff and trainers.
I only took a short course of 5 days, but the experience was great and I highly recommend it.
I give them 5 stars for everything!
Review by Kieran Macfarland, January 25, 2011
Hi all! I know I’m a bit slow, but I’ve been running round to interviews since we finished the course. Hope to have news on a job this week.
The course was great fun, but I only did the one week one, not the month one. I think it is sufficient even though there werent so many actual classes for us to teach. Some of us got 8 classes, but other got just 6.
The course teachers and all the people at the school were friendly an helpful. I thought Patong was a neat place to spend a week, but its really expensive. Doing the course in January means I paid a lot more for a room. The guesthouse I got wasn’t great, but wasn’t cheap.
The school was helpful about finding jobs in Thailand and gave me some good leads. I already had a couple of interviews and hope to hear back soon.
It was a good experience for me and I recommend this course.
Review by Geoff Aldridge, January 28, 2011
Just finished the one week TEFL course at teflplus in Patong yesterday – loved it! There were five of us on the course, with me being easily the oldest at 56. The others were all in their twenties and a couple had only just graduated uni. I wish I had this opportunity 30 years ago!
I booked the school’s premium package and so was met at the airport by a very friendly driver and taken to Hillside hotel (where I am writing this now on their free computer). The driver also took me back and forth between the hotel and teflplus each day. Hotel room is very nice and I think good value given the time of year (high season just now).
The school building is a good size (and they are building a new one in the same street right now, planning to move this year) and the training rooms and classrooms are all air-conditioned. There is no food or drink available at the school, but there are plenty of cafes and restaurants around.
All the staff were friendly, welcoming and helpful throughout the week. Our trainers (we had three for: learning to teach, English grammar, and feedback) were all great people and knowledgeable. They have a real passion for their subject.
The books and materials we used were good. We covered a lot in a short time and I learned more than I imagined possible.
The school doesn’t guarantee teaching jobs like some places, but they will help you find vacancies and point you in the right direction. I know a couple on my course already have interviews for this coming week.
Overall, a great experience and one I can definitely recommend.
Review by Gail Law, February 2, 2011
Did the course last week with four others and had a really good time. School, staff and trainers all terrific. The course materials were more than enough for the 5 days we had, but I would have liked more classroom time.
Talking to the others on my course, it seems we all chose this course because it takes less time and is much cheaper than a month long course. Obviously I can’t compare directly, but I think the week of training is more than enough to prepare you for teaching English in Thailand.
I’ve had my fill of partying in Patong, so I’m off to Bangkok now to start the job hunt. Wish me luck!
Review by Simon, February 4, 2011
It’s been a busy week since the course finished last Friday. The school lined up a couple of job interviews for me here in Phuket and I found another 2 on my own. Looking good for working and living in Phuket!
Great course and great people at teflplus and Patong Language School. Everybody was terrific and couldn’t do enough for us all through the week.
Course content was just right for me and the course covered everything. I’m glad I chose the shorter course – it saved me time and money.
One word of warning – Patong is very expensive in high season (November through to February) so you’re going to pay a lot more for everything, and I mean everything.
Overall 10 out of 10 for teflplus. Highly recomennded.
Review by Maggie Woods, February 5, 2011
Hiyall! Did the week course a week ago and already got a job in Petchabun starting in a week. Big thanks to teflplus for the job pointer and the recommendation.
Course was awesome and I had a really great time in Phuket. You’ve got to choose this location for your course, cos nowhere else comes close to being this much fun and offering so much to do. Yes, it’s expensive in high season (i know that now!), but still way better than Bangkok or Pattaya. And who’d go to Chiang Mai? Danny?
The stuff we did on the course was all really useful and the trainers were very good. There was a month course going on while we did our course, and it seems like the materials are similar but compressed and more full-on. I can’t imagine I would’ve learned more in a month than I did in that week.
I recommend doing the teflplus course and Phuket, but better come after all the tourists have left …
Review by Lisa Adderman, February 11, 2011
I did the four week tefl course at teflplus and completed it today – quite an experience! I chose the premium package, so I’ve been staying at the school’s hotel for the last month. The room is good and all the staff are friendly. Could maybe have got a slightly better deal if I’d shopped around, but overall it has been good value.
The school itself is near the beach, so that was good for lunch breaks! We studied most days from 10am until around 5pm, so it was pretty long days. The school staff and teachers were all very helpful and friendly. A lot of us met up for evenings out quite a few times.
The course trainers were terrific. They both were really very, very good and I have to thank them for a great learning experience these last few weeks. I enjoyed all the training and the practice classes.
I have to mention Ian who was a great help from when I first enquired about the course. He answered all my questions at great length and helped me with my visa, innoculations and many other small details. Thanks a lot!
I enjoyed the teflplus course and don’t hesitate to recommend it.
Review by Jan Sonner, February 11, 2011
Did the full course with teflplus over January and February. It’s a busy place, with many short courses going on at the same time every week. They’re turning out a lot of teachers, but everybody seems to be finding jobs ok. I think everyone on my course already has a job arranged, and we only got our certificates yesterday!
I booked the package with the hotel and have been very comfortable here. It has been very useful to have a computer and internet to use free of charge, cos I didn’t bring a laptop. There is wifi everywhere in Patong, so bring a laptop if you can.
The school and training was a fun time. This is the first kind of training course I’ve done since high school, so I wasn’t too sure what to expect and how I’d cope. The trainers were very supportive and had individual time for any of us that needed it.
I think the training was good – at least I know I now have the confidence to get in front of a class.
Take the teflplus course. You’ll enjoy the course and Patong.
Review by Dave, February 13, 2011
Bags are packed and taxi booked. Checking out of the tefl school’s hotel and heading for the airport in about 10 minutes time. Interview tomorrow in the big mango – wish me luck!!
The hotel and school have been great and a real pleasure to meet all these great people here in Phuket. I want to say a special thanks to Mrs Pin at the hotel who has been like a second mother to me, and Ms Bebe at the school for sorting out my lost baggage and visa extension. Thanks girls!
The training was brilliant and I now feel like a real teacher. I enjoyed all the lessons in the training and particularly the English grammar with the lovely Kim.
Thanks everyone – hope to see you again sometime!
Review by Mike Thomas, February 14, 2011
I wanted to learn how to teach English so that I could work and travel, hopefully making my way around asia over 2 or 3 years. The tefl course in Patong has made this dream a reality – thank you teflplus!
The location they have in Patong is just great. I spent most lunchbreaks on the beach and even did some of my lesson plans there. This is a serious training course, so you’d better come prepared to work hard. It was intensive and challenging, but nobody dropped out, so I guess they got the level of difficulty about right.
There is no guaranteed job with teflplus – you’re on you own. Some people might see this as a drawback, but I don’t think it’s a problem. There seem to be enough jobs around for everyone.
I didn’t stay at their hotel, but did visit some other trainees there. It was about what I got for the same money, except they had a small swimming pool.
Overall, a great course that I really enjoyed.
Review by Toni Gallaher, February 14, 2011
I spent several weeks searching the internet for TEFL courses in Thailand. There were many websites that just seemed to be agents, rather than the actual schools that do the training. Trying to work out was was genuine and what was just an agent was very difficult. I finally narrowed my search down to 3 courses in Thailand, and then settled on the Phuket TEFL course thanks to Ian’s answers and help via email. He really convinced me that the teflplus course would be the best choice for me, and having now done it, I have to say I really agree! It turned out to be a great decision.
I loved everything about my nearly five weeks in Phuket. The nightlife, beaches, school and hotel were just excellent. I was on a course with 7 others and we all had a great time. Our trainers were great and worked us hard. I really liked the practice classes we got – I had a mix of Japanese, Russian and Thai students in the same classroom!
It took a while to make a choice, but I can now truly recommend teflplus in Phuket.
Review by Brian G Smith, February 17, 2011
Great tefl course – can’t fault it. I did the four week course with them and had a great time. School building was good, my trainers were the best, the school staff and teachers were all helpful – even my practice students were gtreat!
I can’t compare this with other courses because it’s the only one I’ve done, but I can’t imagine any other course could give you more than this. It was a terrific experience and I really enjoyed all the time I was in Phuket. I only wish I could work here too!
Review by Johno, February 18, 2011
I have just finished the one week course, literally 30 minutes ago! Now back in the hotel by 5pm with my freshly minted TEFL certificate and raring to go job hunting.
Enjoyed every minute of every day this week and highly recommend teflplus trainers and staff. The course was amazing and a lot more than the ‘quick fix’ I thought it would be.
Review by JT Brown, February 20, 2011
My wife and I completed the tefl plus course last week and are now in Bangkok to begin our job search. We feel the course and trainers have prepared us well for our new careers as English teachers.
The school was a joy to attend every day and we never felt like we wished it was over sooner. That’s quite something for such a long course.
We booked the package with airport collection and a hotel room. It was good to be picked up and not have to worry about finding our way around. The hotel room was as advertised and more than adequate.
Our trainers were great – we can’t praise them enough for the effort they all put in to making the course a success.
If you’re looking for a tefl training course in Thailand, we don’t think you’ll find better than teflplus.
p.s. we got a 50% discount for the second person when booking together. It’s not advertised, so ask about it.
Review by Stephanie Hooly, February 26, 2011
My boyfriend and I did the one week tefl course this last week and had a fantastic time learning and teaching. We chose the shorter course because of the expense for two of us to do the full tefl course. We feel the training has given us as much as we’ll need to get started as English teachers.
We didn’t stay at the school’s hotel but found ourselves a room in Patong (again to save some cash!) and it was pretty good value and easy to walk anywhere we needed to go. Avoid tuk tuks and motorcycles!!
Eating out can be really cheap once you find the right places – just stay away from foreign restaurants and you’ll save a fortune.
The school and everybody there were totally terrific and couldn’t do enough for us. There were only the two of us and an English girl on the course, so we got a lot of individual time with the trainers.
We’ve done this on a really tight budget, so if you’re in any doubt about coming to Thailand with limited funds, believe us – it’s possible!
Stef & Dominic
Review by Marilyn, February 28, 2011
Did the week course with Stef and Dom last week. Now in Bangkok attending interviews.
Course was a blast and i’m really glad I chose this over a longer course. Pretty sure it’s given me all i need in terms of training and confidence.
Don’t have time to write any more, but just wanted to say that teflplus is great and this is the course you should attend!
Review by Greg Mayhew, March 4, 2011
Being an English teacher with more than two years experience but no qualification, I chose the teflplus one week course. The course is aimed at people in my position or those looking to do volunteer work and not wishing to over-invest in training. Having completed the course I can say that it is thorough, but is perhaps not sufficient for those without any experience.
We were four trainees with two different trainers, one for the teaching methodology part of the course and the other for English grammar. Both trainers were very capable and experienced.
The course materials were well presented and easily understood. Including a copy of Murphy’s Essential English Grammar is a great idea and a good starting point for most new teachers. I have found it invaluable since I began teaching.
Finding a room and getting around in Patong Beach is relatively easy as there are many options. Dining out likewise, there is something for every taste and budget.
I enjoyed the course more than I expected to and learned quite a bit more than I thought I would. The number of teaching practice classes were fine for me (having some experience), but could be too few for some new teachers.
Overall I found it a very good expereicne and worthy of recommendation.
Review by Terri Perle, March 6, 2011
I had a truly wonderful time in Phuket with teflplus and would certainly recommend them for your training.
I chose the premium package, so was collected at the airport and taken to the school’s hotel. The room was huge and had everything I needed including wifi and tv. Most important it was clean and modern, and not like some of the run-down hostels I’ve stayed at in Bangkok. The driver took me to school and back every day too, which was better than getting a tuk tuk or sitting on a crazy motorcycle taxi!
The school’s trainers are really amazing people who clearly love what they do. They have a lot of time for everyone on the course and make sure you all keep up.
Teaching practice was great fun and I got a lot out of it. The six lessons you get in the one week course seem adequate to me – I know some others felt more would be better.
The school’s tefl co-ordinator put me in touch with three schools that are looking for teachers, and I have an interview with the first of them today. Hopefully I’ll be staying in Phuket!
Review by Yvonne Parne, March 19, 2011
Mega course! What can I say? Enjoyed every minute of my week’s training at Patong Language School, made some great friends and learned a hell of a lot!
The course was pretty full-on being just 5 days to complete, but the trainers made sure we got in an awful lot.
The school was terrific, Patong was loads of fund, and I really, really recommend doing your TEFL training with teflplus in Patong.
Review by Jintana Sa-Gaew, March 26, 2011
I am a Thai that grew up in the states with my stepfather’s family. Since returning to Thailand I have been trying to get accepted on a TEFL course, but with no success. Nobody would take me seriously and said that TEFL was for foreigners. I am pleased to say that teflplus didn’t see it that way and let me complete a one week TEFL course with them in Patong Beach.
Their school is very professional and well-managed. The trainers and staff are all extremely friendly and helpful, and I really enjoyed every day of the course.
I give their course top marks and recommend it to anyone looking to get into English teaching.
Review by Michael Chorn, April 3, 2011
Just spent a great two weeks in Patong, the second of them with teflplus for the short tefl course. Had a great time all round. Patong is a terrific place with lots to do and see. Plenty of restaurants and hotel to choose from.
The school was better than I expected and very professional. I enjoyed my time with the trainers and particularly the practical teaching experience I got.
Don’t waste your time on a 4 week course – this one is great and more than enough to get you started!
Review by Sarah Handon, April 7, 2011
I chose the four week long tefl course and really enjoyed my entire time in Patong. Everything went perfectly – I got great weather, a nice room for the month, and made some good friends during the course.
Our tefl trainers were brilliant and very entertaining! Stefan made sure we all kept up and Kim sorted out our English grammar.
Teaching practice with Thai students was challenging fun. Final exams weren’t too stressful, so overall I have to say it was a 10 out of 10 experience.
Review by Tom Calmot, April 12, 2011
I thought the teflplus course was vetry good. The whole month I spent in Patong was great, and I really recommend Phuket for English teacher training.
The tefl scholl was excellent and professional. All the sessions were well organised and everything was scheduled properly.
The training was first class and the trainers were great too.
I liked the practice we got with real students and think this is a big benefit over taking a tefl online.
I was the oldest on my course by a long way, but don’t feel my age hindered me at all. I’m 66 years old now and if I can do this course, so can you.
Review by May Ealing, April 17, 2011
I chose teflplus after more than two months of researching tefl courses in Thailand. I am pleased to say I think I made a great choice, and I’ve since heard some horror stories about other courses.
Finding a place to stay in Patong was really easy as there are so many rooms to rent, and cheap guesthouses everywehere. Your room and living expenses won’t break the bank compared to home, but it is quite a bit more expensive than other partys of Thailand.
The school and all staff were terrific all through my four weeks in Patong. I enjoyed all my sessions with Stefan and he made it very interesting and entertaining.
The teaching practice was great fun and I think it has given me the confidence I needed to stand in front of a class. I’m glad I gopt that out of the way!
I think teflplus is a great choice for your tefl training and have no hesitation in recommending them.
Review by Stephanie, April 19, 2011
Great place, great people and a great TEFL course.
I picked the teflplus course from amongst 4 on my shortlist of TEFL courses in Thailand and am very glad I did. The entire experience from beginning to end has been exceptional and I got more than I thought possible for my money. Teflplus charge a lot less than some competitors, but is very professional and well organised.
My trainers were a hige help throughout the four weeks of training and the school’s teachers were there to guide us through teaching practice with plenty of useful feedback.
Patong is a little expensive compared to some other parts of Thailand, but it is a tourist resort which means you get all the good stuff like foreign restaurants, fast food (you will need it!) and lots of tours for the spare time at weekends.
This was an amazing experience for me and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it every bit as much.
Review by Sylvie Emmers, April 21, 2011
I have to give teflplus 5 stars across the board! It really is a super place to do your training.
My course was booked as a package through an agent, so I wasn’t too sure where I was going to end up. I’m delighted to say the arrangemnts had all been made with the teflplus centr5e in Patong Beach.
I was met at the airport by private car and taken to the hotel – that was gtood because I got in at nearly midnight! Hotel was much, much better than I had imagined I would get for the price. Thanks to everybody there for making my stay so comfortable and friendly.
The training centre is in a language school in the middle of Patong Beach, so there was a lot of coming and going of students all day. The school staff and teachers were a huge asset to us trainees as the course went on – we got a lot of support and advice.
Our trainers were just brilliant – especially Stefan. Looking back, it hard to believe we covered so much material in that short space of time. I taught a good number of classes and feel confident now in the classroom in front of students.
I was given a bit of help to find work during the course too. This course doesn’t have a job guarantee, but they were able to help out some of us on the course with places.
I have zero regrets about taking this course and have only positive things to say about it.
Review by Mags, April 23, 2011
Did the short one week tefl course to save cash and had a great time doing it.
School and trainers were great fun and well organised. The school’s teachers were very helpful and supportive in the practice sessions and with advice about working as an English teacher in Thailand.
Overall, it was a brilliant experience, very cheap and completed very quickly.
Review by Simon Corr, April 30, 2011
I loved the course and only wish I had waited a few weeks longer so I could have done it in their new premises. teflplus and Patong Language School is moving just a few doors down the street to a new building that looks just great.
My trainers were awesome and know their stuff – I enjoyed every moment in Stefan’s class learning how to teach and plan a class. Thanks to Kim I no know English grammar, even after speaking English all my life. I am amazed at how liuttle I knew!
Patong Beach is great fun and has endless entertainments to keep you occupied both day and night.
I found my wn room for the month of training, as did most of trhe other trainees on my course. We all seeme to have got good deals for similar cost to what teflplus offers its own hotel. Having seen a couple of the other places that people were staying at, there is a lot of difference in standard for the same money.
This was a great expereince and I have no complaints about my time on the course.
Review by Sondra Davies, May 15, 2011
I just finished the full four week tefl course and had the best possible time in Patong. Everything was so much better than I had anticipated, from the weather and food, to the course and hotel. It was all top class, well organised and a fun experience. Teflplus is a very professional place, so don’t get taken in by some of the other cowboy places in Phuket. This is the place to go!
Review by Judy Fernan, May 22, 2011
Hi all! Did the full tefl course in Patong a few weeks ago and wanted to let everyone know how good it was. I’m now working at a great school in Surat thani on the east coast of Thailand and loving every day.
The school was just amazing. It is right near the beach and surrounded by restaurants and guesthouses. There’s plenty of choice of places to stay and hundreds of places to choose for eating. The teachers, office staff and trainers were all helpful and always had time for us trainees whenever we had a question, needed advice or were in need of help.
I can’t recommend the teflplus course enough. If you’re looking for a tefl course in asia, I don’t think you’ll find a more professional company, a nicer place to do your training, and a great expereince for not too much expense.
Review by Mark Hawkins, May 31, 2011
Only have time for a quick note before I leave the hotel and head off to Samui and start work teaching English. Had a great time here in Patong. Hotel was brilliant, as were the staff. School and teachers were terrific, and training was challenging, fun, interesting and went by very quickly. The four weeks just flew by.
Don’t waste your time looking at other Thailand tefl courses – this is the one!
Review by Helen Tomlin, June 4, 2011
I just completed the teflplus course in their brand new school in Patong!
Having booked the full package, I was picked up at the airport (the driver was waiting) and taken to the hotel. Check-in was smooth despite some language problems, and my room was great. Air-con, satellite TV, wifi, safebox, great shower, and even coffee and tea! The hotel has a (very) small pool, but it was neat to cool off there each day with a long cold drink. The same driver took us to and fro between the school anmd hotel each day too, so no transport problems.
The school building was just opened in May, so of course everything is shiny and new. The classrooms are large, bright and comfortable. There is a lift to all floors, but their coffee-shop wasn’t yet open while I was there. Looks like it will be good!
My trainers were terriific and certainly know their stuff. We got some very thorough training and plenty of practice with the schools students.
I am very glad I chose teflplus and have no hesitation in recommending them to you.
Review by John Keynes, June 27, 2011
The 4 week course is the one to go for. I finished it laast week and had a brilliant time.
Everybody at school was great and the course went past so fast I couldn’t believe it! There is plenty of theory if you have doubts about your English like I did. You get lots of chances to see experienced teachers in the classroom and then you get to teach classes yourself. I chose this course mostly on being in Patong and cos of the price, but it is a very professional outfit.
Review by Kaye Marsden, July 10, 2011
Completed the 4 week advanced tefl course and now looking for work in Thailand. Had a brilliant time in Patong and training at the school. All the school staff, teachers and trainers were great and helpful. The school and classrooms are all new and look very smart.
Patong will cost you more than staying in other places, but its worth it for the great training and the nightlife and tours available.
Review by Jasmina Bahtic, August 29, 2011
I decided to do my TEFL at TEFL Plus after doing research for maaannnyyy months! I chose TEFL Plus because of the positive and helpful e-mails I exchanged with Li and Ian for a few weeks. I am SOOOO glad I chose this program because it was everything I expected and nothing like I had imagined. My group consisted of 7 people and we really got along and enjoyed each others company and support through a strenuous four weeks. Although the course is challenging (be prepared to study and work for four weeks!), we all made it out alive and had a wonderful time! Stefan is an amazing teacher and I think we spend more time laughing and joking than stressing over grammar. The course is worth the money because of the support you receive from the staff and fellow students. Patong is a fun, exciting, and entertaining city to spend a few weeks studying. Most schools and hotels are impressed by a TEFL from TEFL Plus so make the right choice and pick TEFL Plus!
Review by Anthea Mirren, September 7, 2011
This has to be one of the best experiences I’ve had in a very long time. It’s not often that anything lives up to your expectations, let alone goes beyond them, but that’s what this course did. I absolutely loved every minute I spent in the school.
From the first day to the last I learned something new. The trainer was terrific and all the school’s teachers made it a great course for us trainees. We got plenty of help and advice and a couple of us even got jobs lined up thanks to their suggestions and pointing us in the right direction.
I’ll be starting work in the new school term after a well-earned break over the next couple of weeks. I searched and worried over making a bad choice of tefl course. I can save you some time – just book this one!
Review by Badger, September 18, 2011
I think that after about an hour into the first day I started wondering if I would be able to do this course. There seemed to be so much to take in and it all appeared very challenging. By the third or fourth day I’d made some friends and was feeling a lot more comfortable. The trainers were a big help in making sure some of us kept up with the group. Some found it easy going but I had to work hard at it.
The course is actually at Patong Language School and Teflplus is just the name for their training course. Don’t let that put you off because the school is just amazing! There are great teachers and staff there and the atmosphere is absolutely great.
We did a lot of teaching in the last two weeks of the course. It was a huge test for me but I’m glad I did it as it helped a lot. This experience with students is really important.
I enjoyed it and recommend the Teflplus course.
Review by Nadia Hawi, September 19, 2011
One of the best decisions I’ve ever made. A full on course covering everything you need to know about basic and mid level grammar and how to teach it. Extensive practice at teaching with real Thai students, insights into things that can go wrong in the classroom and what causes them and tips on how to overcome the pronounciation and cultural interferences we’re sure to encounter. Stefan and Kim among the other teachers at the school are a complete inspiration and taught us far more than just the basics. Everyone at the school is clearly passionate about what they do and were never too busy to help out or answer our endless questions. Plus you get 10 hours of Thai Language and Culture with the mot adorable Thai teachers thrown in for good measure!
Review by Kelsey Dayton, September 19, 2011
I just finished my 4 week TEFL course through the Patong Language School. It rocked! The staff is supreme, the building is beautiful, and the course itself is very effective. Patong is a great place to spend 4 weeks acquiring new teaching skills, learning the TEFL Methodology, and getting a re-cap on your English Grammar while sun bathing on Phuket’s beautiful beaches. The 4 week course includes lodging at a lovely hotel (with an awesome staff), pre-departure support (thanks to Li!), airport pick-up as well as contstant feedback and support while you attend the school (and after). There are no doubts in my mind that I chose the right school for my certification and I highly recommend anyone looking for an adventure or a life change to take this course!
Review by Steph, September 23, 2011
What an amazing experience! I had been searching for TEFL courses for nearly 4 months before I found TEFL Plus, and wow, I’m so happy I did! Everything about this course is great, the classes are very professional, the staff is helpful and extremely friendly, and everyone does their best to make you feel welcome and supported in your new Thai life! Do this course. For people who take the ‘premium package’, the Hillside is a very cute, clean hotel in a quiet but nice area of town. It is a little far from the school (30-40 min walk), and is a little overpriced (I had friends find better priced places once they arrived), but all-in-all, it’s a good deal if you don’t want to have to worry about accommodation. Overall, I don’t think this course can be beat. I don’t have a single complaint about this TEFL program! I really enjoyed my time in Thailand!
Review by Angel Eyes, September 28, 2011
You really must do this course!! I wasted no end of time scouring websites and forums to find the right tefl course in Thailand. In the end I chose this one after a friend of a friend recommended it. And I’m so glad I did!
From the first day to the last I had a great time, learnt a lot, made loads of friends, and can honestly say it was super value for money. The school itself is new and clean, the staff, teachers and trainers are tops, and there’s even a coffee shop for breaks between lessons.
I got to teach my own classes for the last two weeks of the course and that was an amazing experience! I’m so glad I was able to do this during the training course instead of having to do it once I get a job. I know I could never have taught English without the confidence this course has given me.
Go ahead and book it and tell them Frankie sent you!
Review by Dean Mcguire, October 19, 2011
This’ll be short and sweet. Loved the course; had a terrific time in Patong/Phuket; great school; really worthwhile training; learnt an awful lot; made some good freinds; now looking for work. Deano
Review by Luke Stephan, November 1, 2011
Overall feeling after doing this course… satisfaction! I really couldn’t have chosen a better course. The staff are permanently happy and go out of their way to help you in any way they can from visa’s to health insurance to looking for jobs.
The content itself is very good, I thought I knew the english language but I was amazed at how little I knew about grammar and how much I learnt in the space of 4 weeks.
The practical teaching component is very good, you will spend the last 2 weeks teaching a class each day including a review of how the class went. The course is hard work but it is constantly interesting and if you attend every day you are almost certain to get good results, they know how to teach!
The main instructor is very very good. He has something like 14 years experience in Thailand and 12 in Japan. He did an amazing job not just teaching grammar and teaching methodology but instructing us in how to actually be a decent and effective teacher and how to succeed in thailand.
Nothing I wouldn’t recommend about this course, though if you do it ask early in the course about job searching if your staying in thailand and start it early in the course. Also don’t stay at hillside, it is a half hour walk from the school and there are better value options much closer.
Review by Doug, November 28, 2011
Holy sh**! What a course! That was the toughest 4 weeks I’ve spent for a looong time. I don’t know why, but I guessed a TEFL course would be a piece of cake. I was put right from day one!
The organisation, the school itself and all the people involved are great. Everybody put everything in to making this course a success for us trainees.
The Teflplus course will REALLY prepare you for teaching English and I REALLY recommend it.
Review by Paul, December 18, 2011
This was a really great course and a hell of an experience. Everyone at the school was great, helpful and really professional. The trainer was just brilliant and I want to thank him specially for all the effort he put in to our course.
Patong was a great place to do the course, but a bit distracting at weekends. If you like to party, this is the place to come! I managed to fit in a couple of weekend tours as well, which were great fun.
I found a very cheap guesthouse in the same street as the school and paid a lot less for the month than I nearly paid for the school’s hotel package. The schools hotel might be better, but what I found was ok.
Overall it was very good, excellent value and a great TEFL course. Thanks to everyone at Teflplus!
Review by Anne Grantham, December 25, 2011
There was me and 14 others on my course, but we got separated into 2 groups. That was good, cuz I don’t think more than 8 of us would have learned as much as we did if it had been more in the class. We got 2 trainers, 1 for the teaching method and 1 for English grammar. They were both really good and made the classes fun even though we were learning.
The teaching practice was with staff from some hotels near to the school. I enjoyed that a lot and it made me feel like a real teacher after the first few lessons.
Teflplus don’t line up a job for you, but they do give you a lot of help in where to look, schools in Phuket and how to get through an interview. About 3 people on my course got jobs in Phuket before we finished the course.
Patong is THE place to be for nights out and tours at the weekend. I don’t think I can afford to live here, but I’m very glad I did my tefl training here.
Review by Paul Stoneleigh, January 8, 2012
I had a really great time in Phuket and I’m really pleased with the choice of tefl course I made. Trying to choose a course was a bit of a nightmare until somebody recommended a couple in Thailand and I narrowed it down by visiting both places. Once I saw the tefl school in Phuket I knew I’d found the right place. It is much more professional than anywhere I’ve seen.
All the trainers and people involved in the course were first class. I did a good amount of teaching students with someone looking over my shoulder. The feedback was really helpful and helped us all make progress and improve every day. By the last few days of the course I felt really confident.
I would give teflplus 5 stars for everything except they don’t do job placing. No biggy though, because there’s plenty of work out there. The only other slight negative is not about the course, but the cost of staying in Patong if you come in high season like I did. Other than that, brilliant!
Review by Charlie and Matt, January 10, 2012
My husband and I took this TEFL course a few years back and were amazed by the quality of the course and the skill of the lecturers. We now work in Japan and have done for the last few years. The course really gave us the confidence to instruct and plan lessons efficiently. It was informative and easy to understand yet covered a huge variety of information crucial to becoming a good teacher. Great resources, lovely people and whole lot of fun.
Review by Margaret Sewell, January 19, 2012
I had the best time ever doing my training at teflplus!
My friend and me booked together and got a good deal on price for two of us. We arrived in Phuket a few days before the course began and found ourselves somewhere to stay – not difficult because there’s a lot of choice even when you’re budget is tight.
The place we got was cheap, easy to walk to school every day and near the beach, so we were sorted!
We loved our trainers and enjoyed every minute in the class. Getting to teach our own students was a big challenge, but really great fun and a great experience. I think we learnt most from this part of the training course.
Our group had a mega graduation party on the last Friday. Patong is really the best place to be for that kind of night.
We loved the course and we’re sure you will too!
Review by Garth Mackay, January 30, 2012
There are stacks of tefl courses to choose from in Thailand on the internet, but as we found out, a lot of them are agents. Be careful when you book and try to visit the place before paying a deposit. We managed to get a discount by booking direct and there are 2 of us.
Training was great, can’t fault it. If I can remember half of what we covered I figure I’ll be ok in the classroom. They have a couple of trainers and a lot of teachers on site, so there’s always someone to ask when you need help or advice.
Patong is more expensive than other places in Thailand, but it is a lot easier for those who have just arrived. Let Phuket settle you in to Thailand before you take the plunge and move off into the sticks.
Was a good course, we really enjoyed it and learnd a lot. Can’t recommend it enough.
Review by Gayle Pickering, February 6, 2012
Without question, the best choice i’ve made in years! I was really nervous about booking training in Thailand and almost bailed and did it back in the UK. I’m glad I didn’t though, because it was a fantastic time.
Everyone at Patong Language School was so helpful and friendly, and a lot of effort was put into making the course a success for all us trainees.
I’ve read a lot of the reviews on this site for teflplus and can honestly say I agree completely. This is a first class place to do your tefl training.
Review by Red, February 20, 2012
This course was wonderful. The content knowledge of the teachers was impeccable. There was always immediate help available from any of the instructors or all the staff in general. Very pleased with the course and the family oriented atmosphere the program provided. Any question you have will be answered thoroughly, and most of the time, immediately. If not, research will be done and the question will be answered due to persistent diligence. I strongly recommend this course if you’re looking to teach ESL in Thailand. No complaints!!
Review by Jimmy, February 21, 2012
I must admit before I started the course I was a bit worried. As I’ve been out of education for some time. After the first week had past I was starting to get more confident though. I would put this down to how thorough the teachers are at there job and how well they know there subject. Friendly and energetic they truly make learning fun and very achievable. As for the rest of the staff at PLS, they are all great, very friendly and I’m sure will be friends for the rest of my stay in Thailand if not forever.
There are many different schools in Thailand offering the TEFL course, I cannot comment on these as I have never tried any of them. But if I had the choice to do it all again I would defiantly not change my decision. After doing the 120 hour course at PLS I really feel like I’ve learnt a lot and took a lot from the course. Defiantly no complaints. O, and many good nights out with the staff and other students, so much fun!!
Review by Kyle G, February 21, 2012
I just finished this course 2 weeks ago. All of the instructors were helpful and passionate about teaching. The material I learned such as the methodology of teaching opened my mind to a lot of English language that I never considered. I highly recommend taking this course if you have interest in learning to teach any language of any skill level.
Review by Arthur Hall, February 22, 2012
I did my TEFL here in Patong and must admit it was better than I’d hoped. The course is very intensive and I fear that I’m now a grammar nerd. Patong is fun but incredibly busy. Its almost too much to deal with but it is very fun for the month you are here. I did the deluxe package and absolutely loved staying at Hillside. The rooms are clean and spacious. Great experience all across the board.
Review by Willie Moraal, February 23, 2012
TEFL plus was a great experience. I learned a lot more than I bargained for. The teachers were helpful, fun, and supportive. All the teachers and students shared lots of laughs. The school was very helpful even after I graduated. If I ever have a question about my resume, job openings, or lesson planning the people I met through TEFL plus are always available. I would recommend this school to anyone who is looking for an opportunity to teach and travel. Earning a TEFL certificate at TEFL plus was well worth the money and the work.
Review by Fred, February 23, 2012
Excellent course. I chose TEFL Plus because I wanted serious training by committed ESL teachers who love what they do. I could tell from the reviews that I would find this in Phuket, so I went halfway around the world for it. The course was a real challenge for me, especially learning how to correct students in a way most useful for their learning, and minimize my explanations of vocabulary and sentence structure, but day by day my work paid off and I saw myself developing useful teaching practices. The teaching approaches of our methodology and grammar instructors complemented each other well, and I found my class time with each of these instructors to be extremely valuable. This course was very worthwhile to me and an unforgettable experience.
Review by Ben McG, February 24, 2012
Just finished the one week course there. Tough course with 9 to 6 every day but the instructor was incredible and all the staff were extremely helpful and friendly!Theres alot to take in in just 5 days but I genuinely feel I could go into a classroom and teach now. All the practical aspects of teaching were covered from lesson prep, to instruction method and classroom performance. It includes 4 teaching sessions so you get a good idea of what prep would be like in a full time gig as well as teaching non native learners. Its a really good choice for anyone looking for the confidence to go teach and is a brilliant starting block for language teaching method!
And you’re in Patong beach!!
Review by Black Garrett, February 28, 2012
This was an amazing course. Just to give you all an idea, this is a letter I wrote to the staff at TEFLplus upon completion of the course:
Dear PLS staff,
I had been researching Thailand and millions of different TEFL courses for about 3 years before I came her on Jan. 13th. When all the stars aligned, I finally pulled the trigger and paid for the TEFL course at PLS and bought my plane ticket. I figured that I could do research till I was blue in the face, but it was time to stop talking and take the plunge.
What a relief it was to walk into PLS. I felt it my first day. I had made the right choice. I wish I had words to describe how amazing each and every one of you are and what a pivotal role you all play at PLS. Warm, helpful, kind, smart and family oriented are all words that come to mind, but they are all understatements. It is no mystery why PLS is the huge success that it is, because of all of you and all of the students that we observe and teach, and even the ones we do not. I couldn’t believe how professional, educational, helpful, and beneficial the entire process was in every way.
You can guarantee that I will sing the praise of TEFLplus and PLS to anyone interested in making a successful journey or anyone pondering the thought. And if ever, you need any type of review, just let me know. Also, let me know of any openings that come about at PLS in the future if any!
Without more babbling, thank you ALL for all of your hard work and dedication, and making my transition into this journey a smooth, memorable, and amazing one!
Cheers!
Review by John, March 26, 2012
This course was a blast.The staff was excellent and the school/hotel was exactly what it said it was going to be. For someone moving to a foreign country they’ve never been to before, it means a lot. The methodolgy professor Stefan, was hands down one of the best teacher’s I’ve ever had. I marked a one star on job placement because they teach you how to teach, not to get you a job. If you have a college degree and a TEFL certificate then you will get a job. I highly recommend this school.
Review by Robin Ashworth, April 4, 2012
I’m so glad I chose TEFLPLUS! I spent ages going over the websites of loads of courses before going for this one. It’s hard to choose from just looking on the internet, and it’s not just the money you’re risking if you make the wrong choice. You can really easily end up on a rubbish course.
I made my choice and I can’t be happier. The school and evryone there are great, helpful and supportive. You can’t ask for a better place to do your training.
The course and the trainers were great too. I learned a heck of a lot that I could never have imagined would be included (English grammar was a major eyeopener!).
One of the main reasons I chose TEFLPLUS were the great reviews I read on sites like this. I hope my review helps you make the right choice for your training.
Review by Tim Hardy (Tardy), April 17, 2012
I was made redundant at short notice just after new year. I invested what little cash I had in an online TEFL course and a ticket to Thailand. After doing a bit of part-time work and applying for many full-time jobs it became clear I wasn’t employable without some better training and skills. I considered doing the teaching practice course with teflplus, but eventually chose the full 4 week course.
I am really glad I did because I got so much out of it. The difference between this practical training and the online course I’d done were black and white.
The school, trainers, the course and everything in Patong was just perfect and I enjoyed every day I spent in class.
Thanks to my better training and a bit of help from teflplus staff, I got a job at a school in Phuket working full time.
teflplus worked for me and I highly recommend it.
Review by Angelina, April 23, 2012
Overall this is quite an excellent course and school. Everything I encountered was way beyond my expectations and nothing like I imagined it would be. This school would stand out as a very organised and professional outfit back in Ireland or anywhere else in the west. To find it here in asia is quite something.
I can’t recommend Patong Language School and Teflplus enough. There really is no need to look any farther.
Review by mouse, April 26, 2012
I graduated recently from college and couldn’t find a job in England, so at the suggestion of a friend I decided to try teaching abroad for at least a year, and perhaps even longer.
I’m very nervous and skeptical about booking or paying for something on the internet, so it was always going to be a problem getting myself on a course. I spent about 4 months researching courses, asking questions in forums, reading reviews, and gathering as much info as I could. Once I’d settled on doing my training in Thailand I very quickly made my mind up to go with Teflplus in Phuket.
This must be the first time that something I bought or booked on the net has turned out to be better than I thought it would. Everything was exactly as described and promised, from the guesthouse to the training. I thoroughly enjoyed the tefl course and the four weeks went by in a flash. My practice students were great fun to work with and have given me the confidence boost I needed.
Teflplus is highly recommended by me as a first class training school which cares about the people who take their courses.
p.s. I wanted to give them 5 stars for everything, but the school doesn’t provide job placements. They will tell you that this is because there are so many jobs to be easily found, and it is quite true.
Review by Dave Norrit, May 7, 2012
I’ve bin busy job hunting since finishing the course so this is a bit late coming. I arived with no idea at all of what I was getting into. I didn’t now what to expect, but was really happy and settled in by the end of day 1. The staff here are good at making you welcome and lunch on the first day let us all get to now eachother.
All the training and trainers was great and I specially enjoyed the teaching we go to do with some students and school staff. I got a lot out of that.
I booked my hotel with the course and the room I got was great. I only had a couple of minutes walk to get to the school and it was in a good location.
I recommend teflplus for training in Phuket.
By the way, I was offerd 3 jobs inside 2 weeks. Result!
Review by DougG, May 8, 2012
I want to begin by saying I highly recommend this TEFL course. I completed the 120 hour TEFL certificate course this March and have to say it was everything I had heard it was and more. I had been researching extensively online before coming here and quickly realized that, especially for teaching in Thailand, a simple TEFL/TESL online course without any actual teaching practice with students wasn’t going to lead to the better paying and more respectable teaching jobs. I looked at several programs but was impressed at how many positive reviews that the TEFLPlus program had received. I was also pleased with how responsive and helpful the staff was with the questions I had before arriving in Thailand.
Stefan, the methodology teacher is amazing. He has years of experience teaching English and his classes are not only extremely informative and well taught but also contain invaluable teaching and cultural insights and are also very entertaining. It’s hard to imagine from your first day in class that you will be teaching in four weeks, but with the quality of the classroom instruction, extensive teaching practice with actual students, and yes, hard work, you will be fully prepared. You get 10 hours of teaching actual students who represent a wide variety of skill levels which will better prepare you for the different types of classes you will experience in the teaching world.
Likewise Kim, the grammar teacher, does an excellent job of teaching a subject that is more difficult than you would think, being a native English speaker, but makes it interesting and is always available to help students with any questions or problems. She is also very willing to answer any job application questions as well as general issues that may arise about teaching, and is always willing to take the time needed to make sure everyone is grasping the grammar concepts.
Both Stefan and Kim were always full of enthusiasm about the classes and never showed any signs of “just going through the motions,” even though they have taught this course countless times. I think this speaks volumes about the professionalism at this school. They are both dedicated to giving you the tools and knowledge you will need to be a successful teacher. The Thai lessons during the first two weeks were also very helpful and Tin was a very enthusiastic teacher as well. The friendly and helpful atmosphere also extends to the rest of the staff, from the front desk to the coffee shop, including Li, Nadia, and Vanessa, to name just a few. Li was especially helpful in assisting with accommodations, resume preparation, and other general questions that arose.
In summary, I believe this school really does provide a family type atmosphere. The teachers here are truly invested in their students and I never felt like just a number. This even applies after you graduate as I have dropped by to ask additional questions or advice and everyone is always willing and ready to help. If you are looking for a quality TEFL course with a solid history, excellent teachers, friendly and helpful staff, and practical teaching practice to help you get the more desirable teaching jobs, look no further than the TEFLPlus program at Patong Language School. I highly recommend this course.
Review by Karyn, May 22, 2012
After a divorce I went to Thailand for a working holiday and did the course with Stefan in 2007 and got a job straight away in Bangkok. After six months I moved to Spain and was teaching there for a year and a half. Since coming back to Australia I have done some summer school/study tours in Brisbane, some IELTS preparation in Sydney and now I’ve been in the Outback for over two years teaching Literacy skills to Indigenous Children.
This year I’ve completed my Certificate 3 in Education Support and I’m currently undertaking studies to gain Certificate 4 in Training and Assessment. I’ve also studied Educational Psychology and Professional Practice in Primary Education at University.
I would say that the course at Phuket Language School set my life on a new path and opened up a new career opportunity for me. I’ve met some amazing people and had incredible experiences in my time as an English teacher/tutor in exotic locations around the world. I really enjoyed the course and have enjoyed my teaching and tutoring jobs since then. I would recommend this course as being the best one for someone wanting to study in Thailand. It’s so easy – now you can even stay with them which seems like a good bonus.
With Kind Regards
Karyn
Review by Casey, May 22, 2012
An excellent course that I would highly recommend. I had Kim and Stephan for teachers. They were some of the best instructors I have ever had. The course was a lot more difficult than I expected, but having such excellent teachers and staff made the experience truly fun. Expect to work hard and have a great time. Thanks PLS
Review by johnnyboye (jb), May 22, 2012
since i have been living and working in phuket (patong) around 15 years i can only say and guarantee that if u want to do the tefl course in phuket, there is no better place to do it. Many others providing it are amatours, closing down, having bad teachers.
Patong language school is fun, friendly, experienced, helpfull, professional.
I must say i found it as hard work that whole month, but then again i am also a perfectionist and in the end i got the highest score with an average of 96% on all 4 exams as the only non native speaker in the class.
If u want the best play with the best. Prepare ur grammar at home and get the fullest out of it.I had a bad accident last year while studying thai in the school.They were very nice and understanding and said i could come back and continue my many hours left at anytime.If u want to teach english, this is the place were u start ur qualification.
JB.
Review by Madeline Crossley, June 5, 2012
I agree with all the other reviewers – Teflplus is quite an extraordinary place with some very special trainers. From the first minute of the first day I knew I was in the right place and had made a good choice for my training.
The school itself is in a little street near the beach, it is modern and spotlessly clean. Other than my hotel room, the toilet at school was the only other one I used in Patong! The classrooms are big enough for you to be comfortable despite the long study days, and there’s aircon, free drinking water and a coffee shop too.
As I already mentioned, the trainers are just the best. My group of teflers had quite a mix of abilities, but the trainers and school staff got everybody through the course on way or another. A guy that wanted to give up in the first week was convinced to carry on and ended up getting great marks at the end. The staff really do go that little bit farther for the students.
Patong beach was pretty much as I remembered it from the year before. Great nights out and even more fun with new friends from school.
I really, really recommend Teflplus! I loved it and I’m sure you will too.
Review by Taylor, August 13, 2012
Now back in blighty after a fantastic 6 weeks in Thailand, 4 of them doing the teflplus course at Patong Language School. Saving hard to get back to asia and find a job – 2013′s looking good!
I’d seen the school and checked out the tefl course on an earlier trip to Phuket. After some asking around and talking to others that had done the course, I was sure this was the one for me. I wasn’t disappointed.
The school is right in the middle of Patong Beach and quite near the beach. The premises and classrooms are perfect, everything is like new and very modern and clean.
Our trainers were just terrific. We had Stefan to teach us how to teach and Kim to teach us English (boy, did we need that!). Tin tried to teach us some Thai, and then we each had a kind of teacher mentor when we did our teaching practice.
All the training was fun and I learned a lot. The classes that I got to teach were a real eye-opener. I made the most progrees once I got started with the practical side and think this is probably the most important and useful part of the course.
I highly receommend the tefl course in Patong and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
Review by Elisabeth Codington, August 28, 2012
Very pleased with the course content, instructors, and practice included in the course. The material we learned and the practice and instruction we received will be very useful in our teaching in the future. Many thanks for the service you provide.
Elisabeth Codington
China
Review by E Balloch, September 21, 2012
Fantastic school, staff, trainers, course and location!
I’m so pleased that I chose teflplus to do my training after all the time I spent deciding. From the minute I arrived in the school I felt sure it had been the right decision. The office staff are very efficient and helpful, and the school is smart and clean. Our trainer was just great – he really made the course for me and I’m pretty sure the other trainees would agree.
We did a lot of classwork before teaching classes ourselves. I got to teach two different sets of students at different levels. These practice sessions helped a heck of a lot and really built my confidence. Knowing that I was practicing in a real school with real students gave me a chance to see what it’s going to be like teaching in the ‘real world’.
This is a 5 star course I don’t hesitate to recommend to anyone thinking of taking the plunge into teaching abroad.
Review by Russell Johnson, November 2, 2012
Everything was really great! The course was definitely very challenging but it will be well worth it. I feel very qualified after taking the course. I would suggest this to anyone.
Review by Ellen, November 12, 2012
Simply brilliant! My four weeks in Patong with Teflplus were way better than I had dreamed it could be.
First off, I was picked up at the airport and delivered to my guesthouse. Being on a tight budget I had booked the lower cost hotel, but it turned out to be just fine. I got a decent size room, private bathroom, tv and wifi, and all within minutes of Teflplus and the beach. A few minutes more gets you to the middle of town where the restaurants and all the action is.
Training was an eyeopener! I discovered I knew nothing about my own language beyond the ability to speak it. The grammar classes were a big help and confidence building. With a couple of weeks of teaching methodology under our belts we were set loose on some real students. This was great fun and really showed us all how much progress we were making.
The final tests were a challenge, but not too hard. We picked up our freshly minted TEFL certificates on the afternoon of the last day and celebrated with a final party in Bangla!
Review by May, December 28, 2012
Absolutely brilliant experience! This course was everything i’d hoped for and a lot more too.
The school is very smart and modern and quite near the beach. Everything you could want is nearby, from minimarts to banks, bars and restaurants. The welcome in the office was delightful and we all felt at home from the very first day. The classrooms are comfortable and there’s free wifi all over the building. There’s a nice little coffee shop on the ground floor where the prices are more reasonable than others nearby. I just wish they did a frappuccinno!
The trainer was amazing and dragged along those (like me) who struggled to keep up in the first week. There’s just the right amount of difficulty mixed with loads of encouragement. We got ample time teaching our own classes with students from the school. This is a very valuable part of the course and I really benefited from it.
The four weeks finished with our exams and award of certificates, then we partied hard all Friday night on Bangla Road.
This is a super training course in an amazing beach location. Patong is a good introduction to Thailand if you’ve never been before – much easier to adapt than somewhere out in the sticks.
Highly recommended!!
Review by Cassandra, February 20, 2013
I had a great experience with the TEFLPlus course. All of the staff at the Patong Language School were helpful with anything that I needed, from local directions, to printing lesson plans, or helping correct my poor excuse for Thai. Everyone seemed to always be in good spirits and it was a great learning environment. The coffee shop is nice to visit during the short breaks, Champ makes a mean mocha! They have sandwiches and other snacks too. The facilities are very modern at PLS, don’t worry about air conditioning or drinking water, they have it all.
Our teacher, Stefan, was highly knowledgeable and could answer any question about grammar/English that we threw his way. The course content is a lot to soak in in the 4 weeks, but Stefan made it fun and interesting so that I still wanted to learn. The direct teaching method will come in very handy when I decide my time in Thailand is over and I move to another country, because you can use it anywhere in the world. The only thing I feel that was missing from the course was alternative teaching methods. I know that I will not always be using strictly the direct method, so it would have been nice to learn of other ways to teach the students.
Overall, I would highly recommend TEFLPlus if you are looking to take an English teaching course abroad. The certificate you will receive upon completion will enable you to teach in other countries as well, not just Thailand, which is a huge advantage over other programs. Thanks PLS!
Review by Caroline, February 27, 2013
The TEFL course at Patong Language School was brilliant right from day one and all the way through. I was a bit nervous about the course before it began but after the first day I was more than comfortable with how it was run. On the first day we were taken out to lunch with everyone from the course to get to know each other. The school is small, modern and has all the facilities that you need. The staff are all extremely friendly, knowledgeable and willing to help with everything from studying, to finding work after you have completed the course. The first two weeks flew and we started our first teaching practice lessons. By this point we all felt comfortable and at ease with each other. We were given a lot of help, advise and support. Coming out of the course I feel that my grammar knowledge, confidence and teaching abilities are way beyond what I expected to get from the course. I loved every minute of it and would recommend PLS to anybody thinking of completing a TEFL course. On our course there were students of all ages, nationalities and of various degrees of experience. I am fairly confident in saying that every one of us thoroughly enjoyed the experience and will get great benefits from completing the course.
Review by Rich Sirrs, March 8, 2013
I cannot fault this place. I studied there in back in Sep 2011. Since that time I haven’t taught that much, however, I recently landed a job and thought I best get back up to speed with grammar before I rolled into class. I emailed TEFLPLUS and asked them if they could send me some of the course material, you know so that I could revise a little before I started my new job. They emailed me back the very same day, supplied me with course material and an account for their online learning portal. I was well impressed. They are still looking after me now, remember I studied there almost 2 years ago. It’s a really great place to study, I cannot think of anything negative to say about this place. Very professional outfit. Everyone plays there part, there are no weak links in this company. Brilliant.
Review by Greg Stephens, March 22, 2013
This was a great course! I just got my certificate today and I would recommend it for anyone who is serious about teaching TEFL. The course instructor, Stefan, is a great teacher and has 28 years of experience with TEFL. He’s entertaining to listen to as well. I will warn you however, this course is not for anyone who just wants to get an easy certification. It is an extensive course and lessons last from 9am to 6pm with an hour break for lunch. However, the certification will get you prepared to teach TEFL in a hurry. It is definitely worth the money and you will not regret it.
Review by Morgana, March 26, 2013
I completed the 120 hour TEFL course in March. This course was excellent preparation for teaching English as a foreign language – not just in Thailand and South East Asia but worldwide as well. The instructors were extremely knowledgable with plenty of experience and went above and beyond teaching us; we received regular emails with information, guides to job seeking, templates for CVs, lesson plans, lists of schools and contact details throughout Phuket and many others.
The school is in great location to Patong Beach, restaurants etc. We had two full weeks of teaching practice in order to help prepare us. The only things I think could be improved upon are lessons that touch on how to teach absolute beginners or some information on teaching in Europe etc. I absolutely recommend this course for anyone who wants to become a qualified TEFL teacher, while studying and living in one of the most beautiful parts of the world.
Review by Deirdre Brooks, March 26, 2013
I was very pleased with the TEFL Plus course at Patong Language School in Phuket.
I just completed the training (Mar 2013) and can attest to the integrity of the program. Many courses out there seem less than credible but TEFL Plus was outstanding.
This course is not for you if you are not prepared to WORK. The days are long, there is homework, studying and lesson plans to do outside of the classroom.
If you want to teach English as a Foreign language, you will be properly trained at TEFL Plus. Again, be prepared to roll up you sleeves and do the work! Four weeks is a very short time to learn and integrate the knowledge given to you in this intensive training program.
Review by Ruan Loftie-Eaton, May 15, 2013
If it was not for Patong Language School and the TEFL course I did there, I would have been lost to all that is Thailand. I would have been alone with no one to guide me through the little things that people take for granted. As quite a big change in my life has occurred with me immigrating to Thailand on a permanent basis, I can not see any better way of being introduced to Thailand. The staff at PTS, every single one of them, were some of the greatest people I have had the privilege to meet. I made new friends, and in a foreign country, friends are what you rely on the most. Having done the course at PTS has made friendship easy, and with the pure nature of all the staff and people there,I know that if I am ever lost or in trouble, someone at PTS will be able to give me good advice to deal with the situation. I realize that the review section is primarily for reviews on the actual course and so forth, but I feel that the information I provided here is just as important as the course content that these wonderful people will help anyone through if they so wish to take a course at PTS. Cheers to everyone at PTS and keep up the good work. You are all making people happy, you should be proud of that.
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