i-to-i TEFL Review: 3 Reasons to Take Their TEFL Course

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If you want to teach English as a foreign language, then it is a good idea to take an online TEFL course.

I-to-i TEFL courses provide a wide range of benefits for those who have already decided that teaching English abroad or online will be their next career move.

In this i-to-i TEFL review, we’re going to go over four reasons you should consider taking their TEFL course and what former graduates had to say about the course content.

What is TEFL?

As you probably already know, TEFL stands for “Teaching English as a Foreign Language.” If your goal is to teach abroad and work with children or adults who don’t use English on a daily basis, then it’s necessary that you successfully complete the courses required by the hiring school.

A TEFL course will give you the skills and qualifications needed to teach the English language online or in person.

Who can take a TEFL Course?

The good news is that almost anyone can take a TEFL course, regardless of your educational background!

There are many people who have taken i-to-i TEFL courses with little or no previous teaching experience. What’s important is that you’re dedicated to learning and improving your English language skills in order to teach effectively.

There are plenty of roles for non-native English speakers, but they need to demonstrate a high level of fluency. Non-native English teachers also have an advantage in understanding students’ struggles and, through this empathy, can encourage and motivate students to keep going.

There are so many advantages to being TEFL-certified

– You can do it from home

– It’s affordable

– Looks good on your CV

– The flexibility of online learning allows you to complete the course at your own pace.

– A TEFL certificate is globally recognized and opens doors for new opportunities abroad.

– Part-time and full-time opportunities are available online and abroad

Not only will you teach English as a foreign language, but you’ll also gain the confidence and skills required to do it.

What is i-to-i TEFL?

i-to-i TEFL is a leading TEFL course provider with over 15,000 graduates per year and over 200,000 TEFL teachers worldwide. They were established in 1994 and offer support and training to established and new ESL teachers.

If you would like to teach English as a second language, i-to-i TEFL has a range of commendable courses to choose from.

Is i-to-i TEFL Legit?

Yes, i-to-i TEFL is a legitimate company that has been around for over two decades. i-to-i TEFL is an accredited TEFL provider that is regulated by UK and US governing bodies. They offer affordable, level-5 qualifications that have made teaching in competitive locations accessible!

Benefits of Taking an i to i TEFL Course

Here are four reasons why taking an online TEFL course with i-to-i is beneficial:

1. Earn Money Teaching Abroad 

Teaching abroad can be extremely rewarding, both personally and financially. If you have a gap year, retirement, or you want to pay off your student loans, then teaching abroad is an awesome way to do it. Being TEFL-certified will give you the opportunity to teach English in another country and have a magical time during the process.

By being certified through i-to-i’s online courses, you will gain the know-how to work in a completely different country or teach online if you wish to do so.

Fortunately, i-to-i TEFL courses are internationally recognized and have received glowing reviews and praise from English language schools and companies that are established abroad.

One such review comes from Education First (EF), the world’s largest educational organisation operating in over one hundred countries, which has said that they “often advertise for teachers through i-to-i, as they provide the skills that they look for.” [Colin Smith – English First].

2. Expert Support From Their TEFL-Qualified Tutors

Gain professional support and feedback from highly experienced TEFL tutors at i-to-i.

The advantage of being in touch with a TEFL tutor throughout your online or in-class i-to-i TEFL course is that they have an abundance of insider information about the industry that will help guide you when making career decisions.

These passionate teachers have from 12 to 30+ years experience in the teaching industry and have taught in a vast array of countries around the world.

Whether you need academic advice and guidance, detailed feedback or some of your travel questions answered, you can simply shoot them a message, and they will help you every step of the way.

3. Teach Who You Want To Teach

Everyone has different preferences about who they want to teach.

Maybe you have a business background and would prefer to teach corporate clients or start a freelance teaching business. Maybe you love young learners and want to specialize in teaching kindergarten students. Perhaps you take an interest in teaching exams such as IELTS and general English.

The benefit of taking an i-to-i TEFL course is that they provide specialist modules with the TEFL course so you can become a qualified TEFL teacher and can specialize in a specific area of TEFL if you want.

i-to-i TEFL has specialist modules in teaching young learners, teaching Business English, teaching IELTS, teaching online and in other subjects. You can take these specialist modules as part of your i-to-i TEFL course.

The specialist TEFL courses are usually worth $170 each but you can get some of them free when you sign up for their 180-hour or 300-hour TEFL course.

i-to-i TEFL Reviews from Graduates

• 8.48 out of 10 Rating / 31 Reviews (Go Overseas)
• 8.69 out of 10 Star Rating / 68 Reviews (Go Abroad)
• 8.8 out of 10 Rating / 40 reviews (Indeed)

Overall average: 8.65/10 star reviews. Let’s take a look at some of the positive reviews and negative reviews in relation to i-to-i TEFL.

Pro: Challenging Course

The course has tested and challenged new and experienced teachers on how to deliver effective lessons and manage classes.

There are also video observations of teachers at work, and their portal is user-friendly.

Feedback on assignments is prompt and detailed. The students have learned a lot of new skills and found the course helpful.

Con: Grammar Module Could Be Improved

It was noted that the grammar module could be improved as it was not very practical and only consisted of one module.

Reviewers feel confident that they can plan a grammar lesson, but as native speakers, they don’t yet feel confident enough to teach it based on this module alone.

Tip: Teaching grammar can be tricky for a native speaker. While we know the correct grammar, it can be hard to explain why it is the case.

This will be a continuous learning process for the teacher. The best way to prepare is to self-study the grammar before you teach it and prepare for potential questions students may have.

Some great resources are available to help understand and explain the peculiarities of English grammar, such as Michael Swan’s book called English in Use.

In the worst-case scenario, you can tell the student you will focus on this question in the next class.

Con: Doesn’t Mean You Are Hired

i-to-i TEFL can provide some job assistance with their free job board and hiring advice. Teaching opportunities are abundant in countries from across the globe that would be glad to hire a graduate.

However, if you want to teach online, you have to be very aware that each company has different needs and hiring requirements– where you are from, your education and experience are all taken into account.

Some graduates have felt disappointed not hearing back from the online English companies after applying.

Tip: A lot of online ESL teaching positions require at least one year of teaching experience and a bachelor’s degree in any subject.

Think about gaining some mentoring, coaching, or teaching experience first that you can add to your resume.

Alternatively, you could consider teaching online for a company like Cambly, which requires no experience and qualifications to get started.

i-to-i TEFL also have a course called TEFL Prime that provides expert CV help and resource packs to take the stress out of the TEFL course and help you prepare for your job.

Common Question: How much can teachers earn teaching online?

Native English speakers can earn approximately $15-$25 per hour teaching online. Non-native English speakers can expect to earn about $10-$20 per hour teaching online.

Teachers can earn more if they are freelance or work independently with their own private students. For example, I teach groups privately and earn up to $48 for every forty-five minutes of teaching.

Pro: The In-Class Hours are Recommended

Teachers enjoyed taking the weekend course in addition to the online course to build their teaching skills. While some teachers felt very confident in their skills and prepared to teach a class after the course, other teachers wished more teaching practice was involved (solo teaching).

Pro: Flexible Course

Students found the course very flexible where it could be completed anywhere at any time. Reviewers could even do it on their mobile phones when they found some time and even do it during their travels.

Tip: Take notes during the course to retain the information you have learned. This will help when you have to apply what you’ve learned when you reach the assignment for that module.

Con: You Have to Pay Extra for a Course Extension

While i-to-i TEFL students have many months to complete the course, this might not be enough time for those with full-time jobs and other responsibilities.

Students do not get the certificate unless they pass all courses. The pass rate is 99%, so it is very achievable, but you need to do all of the course within their time frame. For example, the TEFL Diploma has a 27-week access time and typically takes 8-16 weeks to complete.

Tip: The course extension fee can cost anywhere from $24.95 for five days to $114.95 for 90 days; therefore, pick a course you feel you would be able to complete given the time frame.

i-to-i Online TEFL Courses

Choose from a number of their best online TEFL certification programs:

TEFL Certificate

• 180 hours Online
• Level-5 Certificate
• Regulated and Accredited
• 100% Online Learning
• 4-8 week Completion Time

TEFL Diploma (Best Selling Course)

• 300 hours Online
• Level-5 Certificate
• Regulated and Accredited
• 100% Online Learning
• 8-16 week Completion Time
• Included: 60-hour Teach Online Course ($170 value)
• 60-hour Business English Course ($170 value)

TEFL Advanced Diploma

• Level-5 Certificate
• Regulated and Accredited
• 100% Online Learning
• 12-20 week Completion Time
• Included: 60-hour Teach Online Course ($170 value)
• 60-hour Business English Course ($170 value)
• 60-hour Teaching IELTS ($170 value)
• 60-hour Teaching Other Subjects. ($170 value)

i-to-i TEFL PLUS Courses

i to i TEFL have also introduced TEFL Plus Courses.

If you want to take a TEFL course with an additional course to learn digital skills for teaching online or digital marketing, this could be the course for you!

Maybe you want to start your online teaching business or freelance as an online teacher and want to know exactly how you can do that. Maybe you want to earn a full-time income online.

TEFL Plus Digital Skills (ideal for freelancing and digital skills)

• Level-5 TEFL Diploma
• Digital Skills for Online Teaching
• Building your own lessons and courses
• Make your teaching engaging
• Digital technologies, platforms, and apps
• Planning and class evaluations

TEFL PLUS Marketing (for successful marketing campaigns)

• Level-5 TEFL Diploma
• Learn a wide variety of marketing skills
• Promote yourself on social media
• Create a marketing strategy
• Build, deliver and measure marketing campaigns

Other i-to-i TEFL Courses

You might also want to check out i-to i-TEFL’s other courses, such as:

• Specialist Courses (IELTS, Business English, etc.)
• Online Teaching Practice Call
• TEFL Prime (Resource Pack, CV Checking and Job Interview)
• Paid TEFL Internship

Commonly Asked Questions

Still unsure whether or not to take a TEFL course? Let’s see if we can answer your burning questions below!

Why take a specialist course?

Specialist Courses allow you to specialise in an area of TEFL and command a higher rate of pay. Essentially, instead of teaching general or conversational English, you are certified to teach a skill, for example, IELTS exams.

By specializing, you can command a higher rate of pay, whether you decide to teach in a school or take your own private students. For example, IELTS tutors can charge students anywhere from $25 to $65 per hour one-on-one, so the specialization can definitely pay off.

Why take a TEFL internship?

The TEFL internship enables you to get certified while teaching in another country. With i-to-i TEFL, you can do a TEFL internship in countries like Vietnam, Thailand, South Korea or China and get paid for doing so!

i-to-i TEFL sorts out all the travel details, including accommodation and in-country orientation.

This essentially does all the work for you in finding your first job and provides a life-changing experience in another country with other interns.

Alternatively, you could complete a TEFL course and find your own teaching job online or abroad.

Is i-to-i TEFL accredited?

i-to-i are accredited by the ODLQC (Open & Distance Learning Quality Council), an independent body that assures high-quality standards and assesses course training.

They have also reached Approved Quality Curriculum (AQC) status which is a review undertaken by higher education experts to ensure course quality.

Is i-to-i TEFL regulated?

Having both an accredited and regulated qualification is important to choose because it assures quality and accountability, providing you with a more advanced level qualification and teaching course that will meet your training needs. i-to-i TEFL have both of these!

The i-to-i TEFL qualification is recognized by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual), which is a UK governing body that regulates qualifications and examinations, such as the GCSEs in England.

They are also regulated by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) which is recognized by the Council For Higher Education Accreditation and the US Department of Education.

Is i to i TEFL recognized?

Yes, they are recognized by US and UK governing bodies. The certificates are internationally recognized, so you can live and teach abroad or work for a foreign company online.

Do TEFL certificates expire?

i-to-i TEFL certificates are valid for life.

Do I need previous teaching experience?

No, but it is useful. I-to-I’s online courses come with training in lesson planning and creative strategies, which will help you become a more effective teacher even without any prior knowledge or experience in the classroom.

It might also be helpful to gain some voluntary teaching, coaching, or mentoring experience before your first teaching job but it is not essential.

Is it worth getting TEFL certified?

Yes, it is absolutely worth getting TEFL certified because it will improve your career prospects, and you get a chance to teach students from all over the world.

Teaching online is no secret anymore, and it can be a great way to earn some income. With a TEFL certificate, you can teach and travel while earning an income from doing so.

You can choose to work with adults or kids, and teaching English as a foreign language is very fun and engaging.

Is the TEFL course difficult?

i-to-i TEFL’s course is not difficult, but you will need to put in the work. The course material is well organized so that you can complete the training easily without any prior knowledge or teaching experience. The expert teacher trainers are also always available for questions and to provide detailed feedback on class assignments.

Do TEFL jobs pay well?

TEFL jobs pay well, depending on your location and experience. There are tons of jobs as teachers are continuously demanded throughout the world. Most TEFL employers will provide accommodation, airfare reimbursement, health insurance, and a salary that can range from $600 to $5500 per month, depending on the school or program you choose.

In Conclusion

That concludes this i-to-i TEFL review.

If you want to be able to teach anywhere at any time, becoming an ESL teacher might be a suitable job opportunity for you. The demand for teachers is high, and there is no better time to become one!

i-to-i TEFL courses can be taken anytime, anywhere. All you need is a computer or mobile device with internet access to complete coursework online.

Teaching and traveling is a life-changing experience and an exciting career opportunity that can really take you anywhere. All you need is fluency in English and a TEFL certificate to get started!

Useful Links

• How to Get Started Teaching Online (Guide)
• 7 Cheapest TEFL Courses
• 21 Best Countries to Teach Abroad