Mandeep Kaur
Successfully completed May 2011
|
If you’re up for a challenge, the Cert TESOL is definitely worth it. I have a teaching background but haven’t been in the classroom for years, so this course was a great way to gain new skills and broaden my horizons. By far, the best thing about SGI is the support and encouragement you receive from the trainers. They equip you with the skills you’ll need and instil you with the confidence to try new things and not to be afraid of making a mistake. You’re teaching from day one, which sounds daunting, but looking back, it’s actually quite an adrenaline rush. The foreign language students were so enthusiastic and were always willing to take part - even when things weren’t going to plan! The one month course is intense and you do feel tired and drained at times but my fellow trainees were brilliant in terms of pulling together and supporting one another and I’m still in touch with them now. I highly recommend the course.
^ up |
Sarah Heathman
Successfully completed Jan 2011
|
I was looking to make a career change when I signed up for the TESOL Cert course in January 2011. I wanted to gain a qualification that would allow me to work and travel and I have certainly done that. I now live and work in Hong Kong as a kindergarten teacher. I’m enjoying every second of my new career and I couldn’t be more thankful to the entire SGI team for helping me to get here.
The course had been recommended by a friend and I was warned that it would be an intense few weeks with a large workload. They weren’t wrong! But it was completely worth it and I am still amazed by how much I learnt in four short weeks. With no prior teaching experience I was hoping that I would enjoy the course and enjoy teaching, but by the end, I was delighted to discover I had found something I loved doing!
Taking this course was, without a doubt, one of the most positive learning experiences I have ever had. The support and knowledge that all the teacher trainers impart is totally invaluable. As a team they were so friendly and supportive that going into college, even when I was totally exhausted, was a pleasure. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this course to anyone interested in developing or discovering their teaching skills.
^ up |
Carwyn Jones
Successfully completed Apr 2011
|
I signed up for the intensive certificate course in April 2011 at SGI. In terms of education, it's like nothing else I've experienced before. Believe them when Steve, Jo and Barney tell you it's exhausting and unrelenting. It is. Yet it's hugely rewarding on so many levels and something well worth the moments of pain and despair. Each of the eight students helped one another through it, albeit with the help of a drink or two at the end of each week in the local. Don't expect much sleep on the intensive, but do expect to learn new skills that can be immediately valuable. Since qualifying, I've found work in Spain. Keep your sense of humour and enjoy the highs and lows.
^ up |
Justyna WISNIEWSKA
Successfully completed Aug 2011
|
I am a university student and during the past holidays I decided to do the course to gain an extra qualification that would complement my studies.
The course was an eye-opener. I had done some tuition before but after the course I realized what a professional and effective English lesson should look like. I got answers for everything I struggled with previously: how to structure my lessons and how to select parts of the language I want to teach. I also learnt ways to help students remember and practice the language and it really worked!
I feel much more confident now and know how to approach and plan my lessons to make the learning dynamic, fun and memorable.
Right after the course I got a part-time job in a language school while still at university.I feel delighted I did the course with SGI and got a job so quickly!
^ up |
Laura Spinozzi
Successfully completed Jun 2011 
|
The course was very demanding especially while working full time. However, the moral support from the teachers and the peers really kept me going.
I learnt an unbelievable amount not only from the teachers but also from my fellow classmates with whom I have become friends with.
Never in my life had I thought I would be able to stand in front of people and actually teach them. I have always played the role of the student!
The course has been challenging and rewarding. Having gone through it I feel much more confident and happy to have learnt a new skill.
I am currently looking for a charity that operates in Africa where I can do some teaching practice and fulfill my dream of doing charity work there.
^ up |
Barbara Thomas
Successfully completed Jun 2011
|
After 30 years working as a French teacher, I really needed a new challenge in my life. I therefore decided to do the part-time TESOL Certificate with a view to hosting foreign students in my home and tutoring them in English. Six months later, I can honestly say that I have used every aspect of the course in my lessons eg rules of English grammar, phonology, teaching methodology and, most useful of all for me, the one-to-one student profile.
St George International has equipped me with everything I need for my present work and I am pleased I chose this particular place to qualify. The friendliness and professionalism of the staff made the course very enjoyable and rewarding. It’s hard work at the time but the benefits are great!
^ up |
Catrina Trim
Successfully completed Nov 2010 
|
I have fond memories of my time at SGI. The hours were long and there was a great deal to get through within one month. However, the experienced and down-to-earth teachers fuelled our enthusiasm with the fun that they injected into every lesson. I had to resign myself to a month with no social life, but the intensity of the course brought the class together and I made very good friends in the classroom.
Since completing the course at SGI, I have worked as an English teacher with both adult and teenage learners. Each of these experiences offered its own set of challenges and both were very rewarding. As I was not working abroad, I particularly appreciated having the opportunity to learn about other countries, cultures and customs from the students in my class.
I would recommend SGI to anyone thinking of doing a TESOL qualification. The intensity of the course makes it challenging and you need to be disciplined to see it through, but the opportunities that will arise from completing the course make all the hard work worthwhile.
^ up |
Bruce Chaban
Successfully completed Aug 2010
|
This course was fantastic! I came all the way from California to earn my TESOL certificate at St. George International. A number of my colleagues had highly recommended their intensive course. As a dyslexic and a tactile learner I was very apprehensive about taking such a course. It was incredibly challenging and difficult for me, however, it was by far one of the most rewarding educational experiences I have had to date. The faculty were excellent, in fact outstanding. As well, they were supportive and encouraging. I was so grateful to have been able to observe their teaching methods and to have had the opportunity to learn from them. My fellow students were all very kind and supportive of one another. There was a wonderful sense of camaraderie amongst the group. I walked away with a huge sense of accomplishment and pride.
^ up |
Jamie McNulty
Successfully completed Aug 2010 
|
As an American with aspirations to live and work abroad, I knew that pursuing a TESOL Certificate would be a smart way to develop my experience and educational background. After some research online, I came across SGI and found that their course was exactly what I was looking for.
The 4-week intensive course ending in August 2010 fit my schedule well while I was living in London for the summer. Although the course was demanding, I really enjoyed hearing the advice and insights from all of the teacher trainers. With a background in foreign language education, I was able to build on my methods for teaching language with the material learned in this course. The daily classroom experience teaching non-native speakers and practising what was learnt in lessons was also invaluable to our progress and development.
After completing the course, I worked in a French high school as an English teaching assistant for the year, where I was able to utilise the techniques I learnt at SGI. These techniques will continue to be useful in my career as a language educator as well. Thanks again SGI for such a professional and well-organised CertTESOL experience!
^ up |
Jack Porter
Successfully completed Aug 2010 
|
To be completely honest the TESOL course has been the most useful and rewarding endeavour I have ever undertaken and the doors it has opened and possibilities it has given me have been too numerous to mention. Sure, it was 4 weeks of hard work. But it made up for the 3 years of playing computer games and learning how not to pour a pint at Uni! The skills and techniques that you are taught are incredibly relevant and adaptable - from teaching different age groups, levels of ability, types of classes such as reading, writing, grammar etc, problems to expect and how to deal with them, problems associated with specific nationalities, phonetics...essentially to borrow an American phrase, all bases covered. The teachers are superb. Not only are they extremely professional, helpful and knowledgeable they are also a great laugh, although conspicuously absent when it's their time for a round. I can say now to anyone who is thinking of doing this course. DO IT! It will be the best 4 weeks of your life, and you will not regret it.
^ up |
Sam Clarke
Successfully completed August 2009
|
I found the experience of the TESOL course run at St George International to be an extremely rewarding one. My memories of the course are of a challenging and fun experience facilitated by a team of teacher trainers who were very supportive and professional. The course certainly was hard work at times and once or twice I can remember waking up in the morning and thinking 'oh not again' only to feel happy upon getting stuck in to the course once again. I feel this is partly a credit to the teacher trainers who always gave me the sense that no difficulties I encountered were insurmountable, and partly to the other students I studied with who were very helpful. Above all the course at St George's has left me with the belief that teaching can be a fun and creative experience for both student and teacher alike.
^ up |
Shenise Adam
Successfully completed March 2010
|
I completed the TESOL Cert March 2010 at SGI.
The course was very demanding and you have to be solely dedicated to learning. The teachers were very professional and always available to help you with your work and to give you any moral support you may need!
The course was extremely rewarding, I managed to find work almost straight away.
SGI was a great experience and thanks to the course I have found a very rewarding career!”
^ up |
Steven Calvi
Successfully completed Nov 2009
|
Bored of that 9 to 5 routine, I decided to make a change. I did the 4 week "intensive" TESOL certificate course ending in November 2009.
The course was great, hard work, but gave me good background knowledge and the possibility to start my new life and career.
My experience with St George International was a positive one, to say the least. At SGI, I very quickly learned that there was a lot more to teaching than I had expected.
My enthusiasm for teaching came as a bit of a surprise to me, since I had always had quite a large phobia of public speaking and I’m certain that if it wasn’t for the encouragement of my teachers, it wouldn’t have been so easy for me.
I learnt an unbelievable amount not only from all the teachers but also from my fellow classmates. I consider them all as friends now. Also, getting to know the students we taught was just as rewarding as seeing them nod in understanding.
I am currently teaching in China and loving every moment of it.
^ up |
Elif Yildrim
Successfully completed April 2010
|
I did the CertTESOL course at SGI as a part time course. All SGI tutors were extremely helpful and experts in their given fields; namely Steve, David, Jo, Barney and Roger. Although part time, the course was very intense, but always enjoyable. Located so close to Oxford Circus Station, SGI was a great college to train at! Thanks SGI, I am now Trinity CertTESOL qualified!
^ up |
Salil Shah
Successfully completed April 2009
|
I came from Kenya specifically to pursue the Trinity TESOL course at SGI. The teaching was excellent, the staff friendly and always helpful. There were no issues and I would attribute my current teaching skills to the training I had at SGI. I would definitely recommend it!
^ up |
Telford Wallace
Successfully completed January 2009
|
I completed my TESOL certificate at SGI one cold snowy day in January 2009 after a challenging but very rewarding four week course with a great bunch of people. It was definitely the best January I have ever spent in my career since leaving university 25 years ago. I had previously worked in retail and construction management, but wanted to find a more fulfilling and enjoyable career - and I have!
After qualifying, I found a job very quickly and have been teaching in a school in the West End since then. I was amazed how relevant all of the course was, and how easy it was to move on from the training classroom to the real McCoy. My next step is to start teaching business classes, where I will be using my industry experience to help students to learn business English.
SGI prepared me well before starting the course, so I knew exactly what to expect and there were no surprises during the well co-ordinated course. It did require a lot of time commitment, but the four weeks passed in a very enjoyable flash of learning, comprehension and presentation. I think the best part was probably teaching a group of genuine students on the first afternoon. This represented a microcosm of the course as a whole: learn something, put it into practice, and observe others doing the same.
The whole course ran like a well-oiled machine, with mentors and coaches providing positive support and enthusiasm in copious doses. The other trainees were all really interesting and there was a great spirit of helping each other through the course. The best thing about the course is, without doubt, the professionalism of the SGI team.
^ up |
Anita Micucci
Successfully completed June 2001
|
Since gaining the TESOL certificate at SGI, I have taught English in both Paris and Madrid. These were hugely rewarding experiences and the course provided a solid base on which to build up my teaching skills. Now that I am back in the UK, I am still teaching English. I have become involved in teaching and assisting in ESOL classes that are run by further education colleges and local authorities.
I completed the Trinity Cert TESOL course in 2001 and although it was only for four weeks, it was an intensive and well structured programme that covered a lot of ground. I found the theory really interesting and I was taught how to plan and give successful lessons for a wide range of levels of ability. The actual teaching practice was the most challenging part, but the tutors were really supportive and I grew in confidence as a speaker. Now, I am at ease when giving presentations to people and teaching in front of large classes. For me, teaching is about helping students to learn and improve on their English skills and the TESOL course gives you the ability and confidence to do this.
^ up |
Paul Harper
Successfully completed January 2005
|
I was already a qualified School Teacher when I did my Certificate in TESOL at SGI in January 2005 and was very impressed by the professionalism of the staff and the excellent standard of teaching. I proceeded to work for SGI Polska in Katowice for five fantastic months, and on my return I worked at SGI London for almost a year. It was a very good, supportive place to study and work, and a pleasure, while there, to be surrounded by people who are very good at what they do. I am currently studying full-time, taking an MA in Literature: American Poetry and Prose.
^ up |
Saheefa Jaleel
Successfully completed July 2007
|
Hello. My name is Saheefa and I did my Trinity Cert TESOL with SGI in July 2007. It was my first time in England and I think SGI is the best place for first time students in the marvellous city of London. I faced no problem with accommodation, finding the administration at SGI extremely helpful. My course was very rigorous but my excellent teachers made every step a profound learning experience. They made me work at my best as they made our learning fun.
Although it was a four week course, I learned so much from the academic and cultural experience that my teaching style has been revolutionised. My teaching efficacy has increased noticeably and my classes are more satisfied with my new teaching techniques. Not only had I learnt teaching styles but also so much about English language itself. I personally most liked the grammar lessons, the unknown language learning and the phonology sessions.
I also cannot forget ‘bagelmania’ where my friends and I went every day at lunchtime to have coffee. If you come to SGI, don’t forget to enjoy this and other wonderful places nearby.
An amazing part of the experience was to make friends from many countries. We had seven nationalities in the class of 15, and we made a wonderful group. On the last day of the course, we all went to dinner…and then a disco!!!
I enjoyed London because SGI is in a wonderful location near Oxford Street. I suggest every potential teacher of English join SGI and be a part of this wonderful experience. I miss you SGI!!!!
^ up
|
Adam Loft
Successfully completed April 2007
|
I had been in the same job for years and was stuck in a rut, but I was determined to change things. A friend suggested taking a TESOL course; it was a complete change of direction, so unlike my previous work, but I`m so pleased I enrolled at SGI, choosing the part time course. Even with a full time job, it was possible to complete the course, the work load being quite evenly spaced and the deadlines realistic.
It was a total breath of fresh air, so rewarding and enjoyable.
The instructors were both supportive and constructive, help was always available and the feedback after our teaching sessions was invaluable. I made some wonderful new friends too, my fellow trainees providing support and ideas for each other, many of whom I am still in contact with, from their various locations around the world!
I could not have imagined this 12 months ago, but enrolling on the TESOL course at SGI was just the beginning of the life changing experience I was looking for, as I am now living and teaching in Japan.
^ up |
David Green
Successfully completed January 2006
|
I can still vividly remember my time at SGI. The full-time course remains one of the most intensive and rewarding experiences of my life. The quality of the teaching was excellent on all levels, with staff able to handle students of differing ages and backgrounds, allowing us all to have a laugh and learn at the same time. (And I’m not just saying that because I had a crush on Madeline – is she still there?) Maybe I was just lucky, but the group of people I was with got along really well. We would always stumble out of Saint George International on a Friday evening, flushed from the excitement of finishing our lessons, to have a drink or two in the pub down the road. That kind of convivial atmosphere ensured I looked forward to everyday of training, even the grammar lessons.
I took a lot more away with me than just the fundamental knowledge of how to teach. I felt much more confident in my ability to speak in public, as well as organize myself and others. When I arrived in Taiwan and started to look for teaching work, I quickly realized many of the other people out there didn’t have any teaching experience, and my time at SGI put me well ahead of the game when it came to picking up work. It also made that first lesson much less of a strain as I had a very clear idea about what I was going to do.
Now, I am no longer teaching. I work for the China Daily newspaper in Beijing. However, our edition is aimed at university-level English learners and while my office is a far cry from the chaos of the classroom, my experience as a teacher means I have an inside track on how to help my readers learn the language, albeit remotely.
^ up
|
Tina Parisi
Tina Parisi: successfully completed April 2007
|
I did the Certificate course last summer when I had already been teaching for four years in schools for foreign languages in Croatia. To be honest, I did not expect this course would almost entirely transform the teaching methods which I had been taught at the university or that it would define me as a teacher for future. However, it did and that is why I would recommend this course to all those teachers who want to boost their confidence, increase their teaching efficiency and encourage their students in active involvement during the learning process.
Since there were input sessions to be attended in the morning, and early afternoon, followed by the teaching practice, which is probably the most stressful and at the same time the most useful part of the course, we certainly all had to redouble our efforts to manage to get through those four tough weeks. However, all that and even the observations, evaluations and occasional disapproval by fellow teacher trainees and trainers at SGI proved to be very constructive and worthwhile. Personally I believe that I have benefited from the course even more than the other trainees from my group because I have a chance to apply all these methods and rules to teaching both English and Italian, which I do on a daily basis.
So, thanks are due to the SGI team and the work they do, because this experience made me realise how easy it is to create conditions and environment in which effective learning takes place and how much I can teach without wasting precious lesson minutes on giving detailed explanations and tiring long activities, but simply by being concise and straightforward, by nodding, bringing a picture into class, and using my creativity to the utmost.
^ up |
