United States 
Alexandra
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Q. How satisfied were you with your TEFL Tutor?
A. Thomas was very knowledgeable and provided an environment where we all felt welcomed.
FLASH SALE! - 50% off all courses - starts midnight Sunday 22nd September, ends Wednesday 25th September
Course availability
Select the date and time slot for TEFL Courses in Chicago
The USA's leading level 5 TEFL course
The one and only course you need - 168hrs and you're done!
What our combined level 5 TEFL course includes:
- 20-hour Weekend Classroom TEFL Course in Chicago
- 148-hour Online TEFL & Grammar Course to further your TEFL training (6 months' access)
- Free 30-Hour Top-up Course in Teaching Young Learners, Teaching Business English or Teaching Online & 1:1
- 198 hours of TEFL training
- Level 5 DEAC (U.S. Department of Education recognized body) approved qualification
- Tutor support from EFL professionals
- Help with finding TEFL Jobs abroad on completion of the course
Accreditation FAQ
Is the course accredited?
Our Level 5 TEFL Course is DEAC-approved as meeting the criteria for Approved Quality Curriculum (AQC) status. The DEAC is a U.S. Department of Education National Accreditor. Our course is regulated by Ofqual (UK government department) and awarded by Qualifi, a UK government recognised awarding body.
Who are the DEAC?
The Distance Education Accrediting Commission was founded in 1926 and is a U.S. Department of Education National Accreditor. DEAC's goal is to ensure a high standard of educational quality in the distance education institutions it approves by requiring compliance with its published standards, policies and procedures.
Our Level 5 TEFL Course is DEAC-approved as meeting the criteria for Approved Quality Curriculum (AQC) status.
You can find out more about the DEAC on their website: https://www.deac.org/
Who are Qualifi?
The TEFL Academy is fully accredited by Qualifi an Ofqual (The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation, a UK government department) regulated awarding body. Qualifi have robust quality assurance systems and procedures in place which all course providers must successfully pass in order to be accredited under the scheme.
Potential TEFL course students should remember that their prospective employers are likely to be based outside the USA. This means that accreditation bodies based solely in the USA may not be recognized by employers abroad. This is why The TEFL Academy has chosen Qualifi, as they offer international accreditation for training course providers.
You can find out more about Qualifi on their website: https://qualifi.net
Who are Ofqual?
The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England and vocational qualifications in Northern Ireland.
Ofqual is a non-ministerial UK government department.
You can verify our qualification on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications here.
Ofqual recognize Awarding Organisations like Qualifi and regulate qualifications like ours. An Ofqual regulated TEFL qualification will be recognized worldwide and is highly respected by employers.
What is a level 5 qualification?
When you hear about “levels” this refers to the UK government’s framework for qualifications. This framework allows learners studying UK government regulated qualifications to understand where their qualification sits in comparison to other qualifications. A regulated level 5 qualification means that Ofqual (UK government), have approved the qualification to be at a recognised level of achievement. Our Level 5 TEFL Certificate (168hrs) is the same level as the following qualifications: a diploma of higher education (DipHE), a foundation degree and the CELTA and Trinity CertTESOL qualifications.
What does "regulated" mean?
A regulated qualification means that it is officially recognized by government and sits on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications. You can view our qualification on the Ofqual register here.
Why do other providers offer so many course options and different levels?
The simple answer is, we just don't know! Recruiters offering the best opportunities with the most competitive packages are now asking for level 5 TEFL qualifications. All regulated level 5 courses are 150hrs+ in length. We have never seen a single employer ask for more than 168hrs of TEFL training.
We know that navigating your way through the TEFL web of courses is very confusing. This is why we offer just one course, exactly what you need to get the best jobs around the world!
What benefits does studying a regulated qualification offer learners?
Choosing to study a regulated qualification is your guarantee of quality. Course providers offering regulated qualifications must comply with very tough quality assurance rules and procedures. This ensures that:
- The staff delivering and assisting students are suitably qualified
- The course provider has the resources to effectively deliver the qualification
- The course itself effectively teaches and assesses the qualifications aims
- The contents of the course have been written and designed by industry professionals and peer reviewed
- The feedback and grades given to learners is fair, moderated and meets modern academic standards
- Officially regulated by the UK government, therefore the qualification will be internationally recognized by schools, employers, foreign embassies and governments of most other countries.
How do I know if a qualification is regulated?
Any qualification that is officially recognized by the UK government will sit on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications. Make sure to ask your course provider to provide a link to the register for their qualification.
You can view our qualification on the Ofqual Register of Regulated Qualifications here.
What's the difference between TEFL and TESOL?
TEFL and TESOL are both acronyms for teaching English to non-native English speakers. Both acronyms can be used to describe qualifications which certify you to teach English as a foreign language. To a large extent, "TEFL" and "TESOL" are used interchangeably.
- TEFL - Teaching English as a Foreign Language
- TESOL - Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
Are cheap TEFL courses on daily deal websites like Groupon and Amazon too good to be true?
Offering a high quality TEFL course that provides students with qualified tutors and leads to a government regulated qualification doesn't come cheap! Course providers selling on daily deal websites must heavily discount their course fees and then split what they make 50/50 with the deal portal such as Groupon, Wowcher & Amazon.
With such small revenues it’s impossible for TEFL course providers selling on daily deal websites to:
- Offer on-going support from experienced & qualified tutors
- Have fair & moderated marking/grading systems
- Develop and continually update quality course content & resources
- Offer a course that leads to a government regulated qualification
- Offer job support and on-going assistance after course completion
TEFL courses sold on daily deal websites are unregulated, unaccredited, lack academic credibility and will not be respected by employers.
Is a level 5 course always a level 5 course?
You may see cheap TEFL courses advertised online that claim to be a “level”, such as “Level 5 140-Hour TEFL Course” (often advertised on daily deal websites), unfortunately these courses are not the level they claim to be and are highly misleading.
The level of a course tells learners where the qualification sits on the UK’s Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF). If a course is not listed on the Register of Regulated Qualifications, then it is not really a level at all. You can find our qualification on the register here.
Make sure you ask any TEFL training provider that claims to be offering a “level” of TEFL course to provide a link to the Register of Regulated Qualifications. If they cannot provide this, then the qualification is not the level they claim it to be and will not be accepted by foreign embassies and employers.
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Graduate Testimonials
Read Testimonials from our Graduates
Magnus
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Q. How satisfied you were with the classroom element of the course?
A. Instructor was great. Extremely helpful, knowledgeable, encouraging, gave great criticism feedback.
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Q. How satisfied you were with your TEFL tutor?
A. Great teacher. Very easy to talk to.
Michael Brigham Olson
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Q. How satisfied were you with the classroom element of the course?
A. Our teacher did an amazing job of keeping the class interesting, and I really learned a lot during this time together.
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Q. How satisfied were you with your TEFL Tutor?
A. He was always on task, and made the course interesting and fun. He never lost his energy during the entire weekend.
Kenneth Zimny
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Q. How satisfied were you with the classroom element of the course?
A. Overall I was extremely satisfied with the course. However, this question is rather vague and I am not sure what is meant by "classroom element".
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Q. How satisfied were you with your TEFL tutor?
A. Thomas was a fantastic instructor. He has a great understanding of the material and is a great instructor. He really made the days fun, enjoyable, and memorable. If not for him, I am not sure how excited I would be able teaching English.
Ekaterina Koide
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Q. How satisfied were you with the classroom element of the course?
A. Our teacher - Mark - prepared an excellent professional course. The balance of individual work, group work and lector's explanations was perfect. Our teacher managed to create a friendly and effective working atmosphere and to maintain it for both days of the training. I learned a lot of new useful methods of language teaching, many great hints. Teacher's feedback after our teaching practice was positive, supportive and very useful. Course's location and setting was well-thought. Group's size felt just right for our purposes.
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Q. How satisfied were you with your TEFL tutor?
A. Mark is a highly professional and friendly tutor. The course itself and the way it was presented by Mark were great examples of how teaching has to be done.
Lauren Infusino
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Q. How satisfied were you with the classroom element of the course?
A. While I was already familiar with the majority of the class material, I definitely learned about useful tips, activities, and resources for TEFL teachers. The instructor, Kelly made sure the class was interesting and relevant to the students in attendance.
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Q. How satisfied were you with your TEFL Tutor?
A. Kelly was professional, she created a comfortable learning environment for her students, and she made sure to focus on keeping students engaged and on teaching relevant information.
Alice Hunn
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Q. How satisfied you were with the classroom element of the course?
A. The teacher was fantastic. She was really good and putting you at ease and I loved her style of teaching. She made you feel confident and comfortable in the classroom.
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Q. How satisfied you were with your TEFL Tutor?
A. Our teacher, Liz, was fantastic. She instantly made you feel comfortable and she gave us so many tips on how to teach. I found her really inspiring! I felt I learnt more than I ever have from any teacher in such a short period of time. She was amazing!
Emma Williams
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Q. How satisfied were you with the classroom element of the course?
A. The course leader, Liz, was excellent. She provided thorough information and made everyone feel comfortable in the room within minutes or arriving. I learnt an amazing amount within 2 days and my confidence grew hugely.
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Q. How satisfied you were with your TEFL Tutor?
A. Liz was entertaining and interesting to listen to. She was always positive and brought the group up when they needed to be given some motivation.
Faye Mills
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Q. How satisfied were you with the classroom element of the course?
A. It was a very enjoyable experience. I feel that I have learned a lot, I met wonderful people and our tutor was a very warm and gentle person.
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Q. How satisfied were you with your TEFL Tutor?
A. The teacher, Harvey, was welcoming, well prepared, upbeat, helpful and approachable. He was prompt with timings and managed student expectations well. The course content was very useful to help gain understanding of what eventualities to expect in the wider world of TEFL; Harvey's delivery of the course was pitched perfectly to the group. Harvey was particularly encouraging to our enthusiasm for fulfilling our dreams whilst also informing us of realistic expectations. A very patient but equally firmly standing knowledgeable teacher. This was a memorable course I shall not forget!
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