What Is TEFL? My Honest Experience as a Certified Teacher

So… what is TEFL, exactly?

TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language — and as of Monday, June 16th, I officially completed my 150-hour TEFL course through CIEE TEFL program!

As someone who’s been teaching for six years, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’m already an elementary and special education teacher, but now that I’m preparing to teach abroad, I figured it was worth seeing how different the approach might be. And let me tell you — it was different, but in the best way.

The course helped me reflect on what I already know and pushed me to think more globally about language learning. I gained valuable insight into how students acquire a second language and how to build a lesson plan that supports that journey. I learned how to use speaking, listening, reading, and writing to not just teach grammar, but to truly bring topics to life for English learners.

In my role as a special education teacher, I’ve already focused on scaffolding and differentiation — but TEFL added a new layer. While both require clear objectives, structured support, and engaging activities, TEFL emphasizes cultural awareness and language immersion, which felt refreshingly new.

What’s the course like?

Each week, you complete a module with 4–5 sub-modules that cover both interpersonal and intrapersonal teaching skills. There’s a quiz due each Sunday and a written or oral project due the following week. What made it manageable — and honestly, enjoyable — was the instructor support.

Speaking of which, I have to give a huge shoutout to Colby Toussaint, our course instructor. She was amazing — funny, understanding, and made every Monday Zoom session engaging. I usually hate online courses, but I’d take this one again in a heartbeat if she was teaching it!

This TEFL course didn’t just check a box for me — it helped me grow, both as an educator and as a future international teacher. If you’re considering TEFL and want a program that’s flexible, practical, and well-supported, this is it.