EBC recently had the pleasure of checking in with Helga, one of our EBC Trinity CertTESOL graduates. She took the Road2Spain programme which allowed her to study Spanish for one year with a Cervantes Institute-accredited school. As part of the Road2Spain programme, she also took the EBC Trinity CertTESOL course, which certified her to Teach English as a Foreign Language. In this article, we find out how life is going in Colombia where she is teaching English at American School Way, a language school in Manizales. She tells us about how the Road2Spain programme helped prepare her for the best life she is now living in Colombia.
Teach in Colombia: Helga’s journey
The last time we spoke with Helga, she told us about her experience with the EBC Trinity CertTESOL course. She was in Colombia, working as a cultural ambassador and English teacher at American School Way. She shared that she is renewing with the same school, where she will continue to make an impact on the lives of her English language learners.
In our recent video call with Helga, she shared how the Trinity CertTESOL course prepared her for her teaching role in the real TEFL world. “The methodology helped and having done the practice sessions that we had to do in order to graduate,” she said. She also talked about how the Learner’s Profile taught her how to properly assess her students.
Lifelong learnings
“During our practice session where we had to pick a student outside of the program and do analysis of their level and then prepare a class based on that. That has really been helpful because before my certificate (cause I did teach a little before), I had never done it well–such an in-depth analysis,” sha shared. “And that made a world of difference in how I teach. And I still use it.”
Helga went on to talk about what specific skills and knowledge she gained from the course that have been most valuable in her TEFL career. As she looked for a notebook, she said, “Even though it’s been a couple years at this point since I left, I still use my notes (from the course).” She shared that to this day, she still finds herself referring to her old notes from the course to help her prepare for classes. “My classes as a cultural ambassador are all conversation classes. But of course, you know, you need to know grammar in conversation. So while it’s not an actual course on grammar, grammar is involved. So I still use my notes.”
Teach in Colombia: Memorable takeaways from the Trinity CertTESOL course
As for memorable experiences that were influenced by what she learned in the Trinity CertTESOL course, she shared that her key takeaways from the Unknown Foreign Language sessions have helped her a lot, as her students are Spanish speakers.
“Because when we were learning to teach, part of the TEFL program is learning another language. And my professor was Polish, so she taught us Polish. I recently had to teach privately beginner English to Colombians who did not know any English except, you know, hello, how are you, end of story. And one of them asked me if I could speak in Spanish to help them out. And I said no.”
She then shared that she told her student about how she had to learn an unknown foreign language too, saying, “In fact, I said that we had to learn Polish without ever having to have any instruction in English whatsoever while we were learning. Yeah. And fortunately, the institution I am working at now, they have the same philosophy. So if they hear us speaking Spanish, we get that look.
So we really can only speak in English and that helps, because before I always would fallback on Spanish and so having done the TEFL program, it really keeps me on the straight and narrow.”
Teach in Colombia: Helga’s cultural immersion experience
In our interview, Helga also shared her experience moving to yet another country. “I lived here before as a volunteer,” she said. “Columbia is different and yet not different from where I come from. But the Caribbean side of Columbia is pretty similar to where I come from. Actually, one of the national dances of Columbia is also a national dance of my country. Except our term is French and theirs is Spanish. And when I see the costumes in Cartagena that they use in the tourist brochures. That’s how people used to dress once upon a time where I came from.”
A cultural exchange
“So when we are doing intercultural programs here at the institution, there’s the idea to share our culture with the people through English,” she continued. “And we are always amazed at these similarities, and yet, the differences within these similarities.
But it was (still) a cultural change. Even though there were so many similarities. I think it doesn’t matter where you go, because I’ve lived in different countries now, and each time there is a period of acclimatization. Because I tell them all the time (that) we have coconut where I come from, and we have lemonade. And not once did we think to put coconut and lemonade together.
When they first told me, (I was like), no what are you talking about? I’m not trying it. And then my friend ordered it and I saw it and it looked good. And then I tried it. I was like, wow, this is good. It’s now one of my favorite drinks so I went home, I told my mother, she’s like, no, I’m not trying that. So, you know, it’s like we have these same things, but it’s such a different interpretation that is just, you know, just that’s culture.”
Teach in Colombia: Practical aspects of the Trinity CertTESOL course
As for practical aspects of the course that helped Helga become successful in her teaching career, she was quick to give us an answer. “Creating engaging activities,” she said, “And lesson planning.” She then shared that whenever she feels stressed about planning her lessons, she looks back at her notes from the EBC Trinity CertTESOL course.
“That is why I have my notes,” she said. “Because every time I do a lesson plan, I go over there to make sure I follow the format we use. I directly use this stuff.”
Teach in Colombia: Practise makes perfect with enough teaching practise sessions
When looking back at the course, Helga also spoke about how the teaching practise sessions of the Trinity CertTESOL helped her grow her confidence and effectivity as an English teacher.
“I built confidence by doing those practical sessions,” she told us. She also stressed how the class being online benefited her immensely. “What’s really important is the fact that I did it during Covid, where we had to do it virtually,” she said. “Had it not been Covid, I would not have had that virtual experience. There was a job that I had applied for (and) they called me back. And it was directly related to the fact that I had that (virtual teaching) experience.
Whereas I had another friend who didn’t have that experience, who applied for the job, and she didn’t get her call back. So yeah, it translated in the world, which we are in right now.”
Though Helga had some teaching experience prior to taking the Trinity CertTESOL course, she shared that the things she learned enhanced her initial experience, helping her feel comfortable with both face-to-face and online classes.
“The (course) just enhanced that (initial) experience,” she said. “I taught a hybrid class sometimes where some people were online and some people were in the classroom at EBC. So I would say that combined with the practical experience I had before, I knew that it would have to be different. A couple weeks ago (for example) we had to do a cultural workshop and I used one of my online classes. I adapted it to in-person class. So it definitely was not the same.”
Teach in Colombia: Students from ages 12 to 70
Helga also gave us a look into what her teaching life is like right now, sharing the wide age range of students she teaches. “I work at an institution, not a school. (So) my youngest is 12. Before it used to be 14, but now I have a 12 year old,” she shared. “In some of my classes, I think I have students in their seventies. It’s a wide range. But I would say the average age is about 25, between 25 and 30. A lot of my students are university students because I am in Manizales, Colombia, which is a university town. And recently there’s a company who signed on to the program, so we have like 64 students from that company alone.”
Teach in Colombia: Why choose the Road2Spain Programme?
As Helga looked back on her journey with EBC, she also spoke to us about what factors made her choose to get her TEFL certification with us. She shared that the Road2Spain package offered her exactly what she wanted. “Truly, it was the entire package that EBC offered,” she said. “And while a lot of the packages sound similar, after talking with the team at EBC and also getting in touch with the Spanish language institution, which I used as well…that combination is what sold me. Because I did want to study Spanish. It was a big factor. It wasn’t just the Trinity CertTESOL, but the Trinity CertTESOL along with Spanish.”
She also added that EBC’s graduate support system as well as its job placement programme are things she appreciates. Helga even mentioned that Tita Ashton, the owner and CEO of EBC is very supportive and helpful even to this day. “If I have questions, I can, email her and she helps and she answers my questions,” Helga said.” You know, it doesn’t matter if I am in school or (a graduate of) EBC now. It’s like a support system. A lifetime support system.”
Teach in Colombia: The best part of the job
Helga also went on to share what she feels is the most fulfilling part of her job as someone who teaches English as a foreign language in Colombia.
“Seeing the improvement of my students,” she said. “When my students come back to me and say, thank you, they’re so appreciative. I mean, sometimes you’re treated like a rock star. Actually as cultural ambassadors, besides teaching, we work in admissions and so when people come to find out about the programme, we meet with them and we explain that we are cultural ambassadors and we are native English speakers, and we start talking. I’ve had people who say, can you talk again?
“And a lot of them say that some people sign up just because you know, there are native English speakers at the institution. And having those who’ve gone on back to their jobs or schools or whatever, having completed the program. They often say that doing the conversation and sessions with us, native English speakers, help them to improve their English faster. And one of the success stories–and there are quite a few–this student, he used to do deliveries and now he works with a travel agency. Because of his English level. I mean, yes, I enjoy teaching, but more importantly, I enjoy the results that my students get from learning English. It is life-changing.”
Teach in Colombia: When cultures collide
To Helga, the connection between language and intercultural relations is essential. “It’s funny because I live next to an English professor,” she shared. “In my building, it just so happens that my next-door neighbor is an English professor. She was teaching at a prestigious secondary school here in Manizales. And then one day I saw her leaving with a suitcase and I’m like, oh, what are you doing? And she said, she said to me, Uh, I’m moving to Kuwait. I just got a job, um, teaching English in Kuwait. And I thought, wow, this is so international.
“I actually wrote on my resume that I saw English as an important part of fostering intercultural communication,” Helga shared. “So it was kind of neat that I got this job because even though I didn’t know I was looking for it, when they contacted me and told me, you know, what the position was. Well it was like, oh wow, this is exactly what I would like to do. It was right up my alley. I think language is essential, especially teaching the way we do because then you come to a common ground. And then you explore from there.”
From all of us at EBC, we are so honoured to know such a pure soul like you, Helga! Your passion for teaching English as a foreign language is evident in your satisfaction at seeing your students succeed. We are so happy for you. Wishing you the best of luck on your next school year in Colombia. Until the next check-in!
Enrol in the Road2Spain programme today
Check out the Road2Spain programme and enrol today! Learn Spanish and get certified to teach English as a foreign language. The Trinity CertTESOL certificate is accepted and recognised by the British Council, which works in over 100 countries around the world. So, who knows where you could end up? The world of TEFL is an exciting adventure. Come and join us!
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Accredited TEFL Training Courses
- Accredited online TESOL certification course, a face-to-face live-streaming TEFL course
- TEFL course in Madrid Spain, accredited TEFL course, the Trinity CertTESOL
- Trinity CertPT CPD courses courses for practising teachers
- Accredited teaching Business English course, a Business English CPD course
- Accredited CLIL course – Content and Language Integrated Learning, a CLIL CPD course
- Accredited CLT course, Communicative Language Teaching, a CLT CPD course
- Accredited teaching English online course, a teaching English online CPD course
- Online TEFL certification course in TESOL & TEFL, a 200-hour course with trainer-marked assignments
- EBC short TEFL skills courses with certification
