Ampersand: Program Comparison

Our TESOL Training Offerings provide you with the skills, knowledge, and connections to explore the world, share experiences, and be transformed.

In order to be a good teacher, you have to practice a lot – just like a language learner. The books are only part of the story. Alongside your study, we give you a supported space to develop your skills & confidence – and you’re supporting newcomer families at the same time.

Accredited TEFL Certificate

English for the World Accredited Certificate (EFTW)

The English for the World Accredited Certificate is our 150- hour TEFL program. It includes a 30-hour practicum with unlimited teaching practice, coaching, and guidance for as long as you want to hang out with us. You’ll get familiar with teaching theory and methods, but you’ll also get extensive guided experience—far more than through any other recognized  TEFL program—working in classrooms or 1:1 with ELLs of various language backgrounds and levels. Plus, you can serve the local immigrant and refugee community while learning how to facilitate classroom spaces and guide proficiency development.

The EFTW is designed for those who want to teach English outside the United States – whether you’re planning on making a living abroad, looking to make a little extra money while you travel, or teach English online. It can transform you into a confident, competent, knowledgeable, and responsible classroom facilitator or personal language coach, provided you do your best:  We’ll show you the path, but you’ll have to walk it.  Our extensive cohort of supportive interculturalists and network of thousands of paid English teaching opportunities will allow you to map your own global sojourn with a perpetual squad of fellow travellers.

Learn more about the EFTW here.

TESOL Apprenticeship

English for the Community Apprenticeship (EFTC)

If you want to become a competent classroom facilitator and serve the community of non-native English speakers here in Greater Portland (or anywhere online), you can pursue the full EFTC Apprenticeship. You must complete the EFTC to receive paid contracts through P-P-T (unless you already have a TESOL credential of some sort – if so, ask us how you can speed up the process).

The EFTC requires a minimum of 50 facilitation experiences (Classroom Facilitator Quest) or 100 hours of 1:1 language coaching (Proficiency Coach Quest). You can blend the two, or for the full multi-class. It incorporates a supportive community of other coaches and facilitators-in-training and an abundance of guidance, resources, job leads, and learning opportunities. We punctuate it with a dynamic, immersive media experience called the Role-Learning Game which reinforces your real-world experiences with readings, videos, reflective activities and challenges.

Learn more about the EFTC here.

Practicum Options

Many TESOL/TEFL programs require a “practicum” component that involves some practice teaching. Our Classroom Confidence Practicum (CCP) and the Proficiency Navigator Practicum (PNP) fulfills these requirements and more, at no cost to you if you are already enrolled in a knowledge-based program. Upon completion, you’ll have two certificates: one from the partner reflecting your knowledge, the other from us reflecting your skill. This will make you a very attractive hire for English schools worldwide, and deliver transferable skills that are increasingly important for living and working in the US.

These Practicum programs are tuition-free if you plan to use them as a volunteer working to support immigrants and refugees in community settings.

Classroom Confidence Practicum (CCP)

The CCP is designed for facilitating multilevel groups of adult language learners in community-based settings. It emphasizes creating a joyful, dynamic, multilingual, collaborative learning environment that promotes listening and speaking skills.

You’ll shadow 4 classes with experienced Facilitators and get to know what we do. Next, you’ll teach your first lesson with a detailed lesson plan we provide to you. You’ll complete the practicum with 10 classroom leadership experiences with real language learners to help you get over your nervousness-  putting some of that theory into practice if you are combining with a TESOL program. Upon completion, you’ll receive a certificate, and we’ll verify your practicum hours for any concurrent training program. You can continue to hone your skills through our English for the Community Apprenticeship (EFTC), or volunteer in a single location with an organizational partner.

Due to the pandemic, the CCP is not currently available, though we plan to restart it in January, 2021. The CCP will be available for both digital and physical classes.

Proficiency Navigator Practicum (PNP)

The Proficiency Navigator Practicum (PNP) is designed to teach you how to assess the needs and levels of specific learners from a range of backgrounds, and select the most effective route to motivate and guide your Learner to realize their dreams. You will work with learners one-on-one, develop Proficiency Plans that chart their goals and progress, and learn how and when to use various techniques for rapid skill development.

You’ll shadow 4 sessions with experienced Coaches, and then attain 25 hours of one-on-one teaching experience with learners representing at least 3 different language backgrounds and 3 different proficiency levels. Upon completion, you’ll receive a certificate, and we’ll verify your practicum hours for any concurrent training program. You can continue to hone your skills through our English for the Community Apprenticeship (EFTC), or volunteer to work with individual language learners.

Due to the pandemic, the PNP is currently offered through digital means, but transfers well to physical (face-to-face) settings. For those struggling with online language teaching, you will develop broad competencies with digital tools like Zoom and What’s App. You don’t need to come with any digital skills (and your Learners will often be in the same boat!). Tech-phobic, tech-agnostic, and tech-challenged are all welcome.

The CCP and the PNP are two different branches (“Quests”) of Stage1 of the EFTC. To begin, either sign up to Shadow a class/sessions or get started with the Role Learning Game.

What do I do now?

Check out our current classes and sign up to Shadow a class!

Play the Role Learning Game!

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