Our TEFL course has been designed to achieve the maximum amount of result, in the most time efficient manner. We are certain that everyone who graduates with a TEFL certificate from Archer College will walk into that first ESL classroom with a confident smile and a suitcase full of ideas. So whether you are seeking to broaden your skills or starting from scratch, we believe the content of the TEFL course you select will exceed your expectations. While the classes and course content will vary slightly depending on the chosen program, all of the courses will address the following topics:

The full and part-time TEFL programs have three main aspects:

• input sessions,
• observations, and
• practicums.

These TEFL 'input' sessions, which take place primarily in the morning, give your trainers a chance to share the insights we have gained during our many years in the global ESL classroom. In addition to covering the topics outlined in the course content (see above) we use this opportunity to practice what we teach. Each topic is covered in an engaging, interactive input session, either followed or preceded by a demo lesson.

These sessions are never dull or passive experiences, as you will constantly be doing hands-on activities to reinforce what you have learned. Perhaps you will be experiencing how a foreign language learner feels, or standing up at the front of the class presenting a grammar point with your partner, or engaged in any number of fun, interactive activities designed for the ESL classroom, but often adapted for the TEFL classroom. The ESL classroom is a dynamic, action-packed, student-centered environment, and so are our training sessions. Get ready to have some fun while you learn.

Archer College is a fully functioning ESL school, running quality ESL programs. We have ESL students from most of the Pacific Rim countries including: Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. In addition we have a large Central and South American contingent, as well as a growing student population from Europe. We give you an opportunity to observe first hand what it is really like to be an ESL teacher in such an environment. You will have an opportunity to meet our professional instructors: observe their classes, get involved in activities, pick their brains about lesson objectives, discuss overseas working conditions and so on. While observing, you will also perform tasks that will provide starting points for discussion in feedback sessions with your classmates.

We are incredibly proud of our practicum. We believe it is the number one reason why Archer College is head and shoulders above other TEFL training establishments. Here are three reasons why:

• The students you will be teaching are all genuine ESL students with real needs and typical language concerns. Since 1997, Archer College Vancouver (formerly Winfield) has been working closely with non-profit agencies in Vancouver to help these adult learners with their language skills. You will be their teacher. They are here to learn and are extremely eager to advance in English. The relationship between you and them is truly symbiotic. They learn English from you and you learn how to be a teacher from them. Everyone gains in this equation!
• Your teaching schedule is designed to mirror as closely as possible the experience of working in an authentic fast paced language school, for this reason you will be doing lots of teaching! We feel this is the only way to be fully prepared for those first hectic months in a new ESL job. You will teach a minimum of two afternoons a week, always with at least one teaching partner. You will take turns teaching, so you will also be observing your partner's teaching and taking notes for yourself and your partner.
• The students we have for you to teach at Archer come to our school especially to be taught by student teachers, so they know that your teaching may not be perfect. Besides being understanding of your situation, they are also eager to get to know you and share their cultures with you. By the end of the month, you might have shared food from their countries and maybe even taken part in a cultural event or two.

Here is a picture of four members of the January 2006 graduating TEFL class with six of their students:

The course is divided into two key components: the input sessions and the practical teaching assignments. Each is as valuable as the other as theory and experiential teaching practice has to be learnt simultaneously. Here is an example of a typical week three schedule in the full-time program.

Homework - This in an intensive program. There will be nightly reading assignments and lesson plans to work on. You will be busy!