Charlie Trottman

“Alongside teaching abroad, I have been given the opportunity to volunteer.”

I am currently mentoring an Iraqi student and after finding out about their interest in James Bond, I was able to create a lesson plan using the TEFL format which would incorporate this interest. We now regularly practice various skills through ‘cloze gap’ worksheets and choral learning exercises which were unfamiliar to me before undertaking the course.

Through the teaching element of the programme, I have been able to consider the various needs of TEFL students and taught how to address behavioural problems in a way that would still allow students to be given the opportunity to learn. If my current student seems tired or frustrated with a particular problem, I now know how to address this fully by assessing their needs, taking into account the skill level and background of my pupils.

Recently, I have also held a talk at Waun Wen primary school on my time in Zambia which required me to put together a relevant and educational PowerPoint while speaking confidently as a teacher, a skill vastly improved by learning how to hold the attention of a class through the classroom management element of the TEFL programme. Before, I had relied upon experienced educators to help guide lessons and now feel confident speaking in front of a class at any age or skill level.

I’m now able to take a functional approach to teaching, instead of  relying upon the teaching resources which are available at the time. The essays also helped me to research my lessons and think about which approach was appropriate for different age groups and skill sets. As I’ll be working with adults and teens in Ikorodu, this aspect of the course is invaluable to me as a teacher.

It is a great pleasure to be able to confidently work with a student and see their development in learning English, knowing that I have acquired the knowledge to help better their skills, while also gaining practical skills that could never have been acquired without taking a TEFL course. I’d recommend The TEFL Academy to anyone who has a burning ambition to teach English as a surefire way to begin pursuing their goal, as I am still using skills gained through the course in every lesson.