Emily Ricklefs | Online TEFL Course Instructor

I hold BA degrees from Cornell College in International Relations, Latin American Studies, and Spanish, and I was fortunate enough to study and travel abroad throughout my undergraduate years.

After graduating with my Master’s Degree in TEFL/TESL and Education from Colorado State University, I traveled across many parts of South America and Europe and lived while working in South America for a few years before coming back to the United States to work.

My name is Emily Ricklefs.  I am originally from Colorado, but I have traveled to and lived in many other countries and states before I came back home for good. I have a son and we enjoy many aspects of the beautiful state we live in. We love to hike, bike, ski, snowboard, kayak, camp, and travel. My BA degrees are in International Relations, Latin American Studies, and Spanish, and I was fortunate enough to study and travel abroad throughout my undergraduate years. After graduating with my Master’s Degree in TEFL/TESL and Education, I moved to South America and taught EFL in Bolivia for several years. Since then, I have taught in many different venues including; high school, elementary school, adult education, and I currently teach at the college level.

I lived abroad in Germany to study the language and then I also traveled to Guatemala to study anthropology and Spanish for a semester during college.  I worked for the Red Cross in Mexico during grad school and after graduating with my Master’s Degree,  I moved to South America and taught EFL in Bolivia for several years.

I've also visited Belgium, The Netherlands, Ukraine, Canada, Bolivia, Peru, and Chile. 

I have been teaching ESL for almost ten years in many different venues. I taught in the community for a non-profit organization and I also taught in elementary, middle, and high schools for several years. I now teach ESL, English Composition, Reading, Grammar, and Advanced Academic Achievement at the college level.

The best advice I can give is to get involved. Get to know your students and the families of the students you teach,  engage in community activities, and accept offers for dinners, sports, music, cultural events, etc. By immersing yourself in the lives of those who live there, you will learn a great deal about the culture and be less likely to experience homesickness while away. Your stay will be exponentially more rewarding, fulfilling, and enjoyable.