ITA PRACTICUM GUIDE

The practicum is a required part of your online 11-week TEFL course where you put into practice the theories and methodologies you have learned. You’ll complete 20 hours of teaching, tutoring, and observation with non-native English speakers. 

Teaching your first class can be nerve-wracking for many first-time teachers.  Therefore, we believe that hands-on experience with English language learners provides an opportunity for teacher trainees to apply teaching principles to real-life situations, build confidence in skill and pedagogical style, gain exposure to various learning styles and classroom situations, and acquire valuable teaching experience. These components will assist teachers in feeling more prepared, as well as add a competitive edge during the job search and interview process (completing practicum hours is absolutely something you can include on your international resume!)

ITA’s 20-hour practicum requirement exceeds the six-hour international standard requirement for fully accredited TEFL courses. 

Read more: ITA’s Accreditation

You must complete 20 hours of teaching, tutoring, and observation with non-native English speakers of any age and demographic, as long as English is not their first language. You can mix and match between tutoring, teaching, and observing, as long as you tutor or teach for at least 6 hours. Observation isn’t mandatory, but if you do choose to observe, you can apply a maximum of 14 observation hours.

So to break that down for you:

• 20 hours of practicum 
• 6 hours minimum of teaching/tutoring
• No more than 14 hours of observation
• Work with non-native English speakers only, no blended classrooms

The deadline is 90 days from the last day of the 11-week TEFL course.

Yes - enrolled students may request a practicum extension up to 365 days after the end of their 11- week course. You can do this within the Practicum section of Moodle. 

Look for the confirmation on the screen after submitting the request. A confirmation email will also be sent to you.

When to get started with the practicum is completely up to you! Once your TEFL course begins, you may work on your practicum hours whenever you feel ready. Most students wait until the end of the course, but it’s a good idea to at least start securing your location/student(s) before then.

Have previous teaching experience? We do allow for up to ten hours to be waived if If your previous teaching experience meets the practicum requirements and took place within six months of the start of your TEFL course, you may apply up to 10 of those hours toward the practicum. You’ll address these hours in the Write-Up and provide contact information for verification during submission.

On average it takes students about 2 - 3 months to complete their practicum requirement, with the majority of them starting to complete their hours after the course.

You can mix and match between tutoring, teaching, and observing as long as you tutor or teach for at least 6 hours. Observation isn’t mandatory, but if you do choose to observe, you can apply a maximum of 14 observation hours.

No - you may complete all 20 hours by teaching and/or tutoring.

No - a maximum of 14 hours of observation can be applied to the practicum.

Yes - as long as their first language isn’t English, and the subject you’re working on is English.

No - as long as your opportunity meets the practicum requirements, you are free to proceed. ITA will not approve your practicum experience beforehand.

There is no minimum or maximum number of students you need to work with to meet the practicum requirement. You can work one-on-one, or in a large classroom. The choice is yours!

No - the subject being taught must be English to meet the practicum requirement.

To meet the practicum requirement, you will need to work exclusively with non-native English speakers.

No - only the hours spent actively teaching, tutoring, and observing will count when English is the subject matter, and the students are non-native English speakers.

No - It is up to you to find a practicum location using ITA’s resources or by using your personal/professional networks.

A couple of ways to help you find a practicum location:

• You can find online or local opportunities through our Preferred Online, USA and International Practicum.
• Using search engines to find ESL teaching opportunities is also acceptable. Try searching “ESL classes near me” or advertise yourself as a freelance ESL tutor on sites like Craigslist or Facebook.

While the ITA staff does not coordinate or place you with an organization or student to complete your practicum, we offer a plethora of resources that make finding your ideal practicum experience a breeze!  

Completing your hours at an organization - you are more than welcome to complete your hours anywhere that offers English language acquisition courses to non-native English speakers. This means that you are welcome to find an organization in your area (whether it is a non-profit, faith-based organization, community center, library, etc.) that has ESL courses and does not have to be listed on any of ITA’s resources. This can be completed online or in person.  You are not required to verify your location with ITA as long as it meets the basic requirements listed above in the previous section.  

And don’t worry!  Once you enroll in your course, ITA will offer you further resources for finding an organization. 

Completing your hours as a private tutor - you are eligible to complete all 20 hours as a private tutor to non-native English speakers should you wish.  This means that you are welcome to tutor English language learners that you know personally (friends, family, neighbors, co-workers) or through an organization that offers a tutoring match service either online or in-person. You are not required to verify your tutoring with ITA as long as it meets the basic requirements listed above in the previous section.  

A few resources that ITA offers once you enroll in a TEFL course: 

1. A one-on-one tutoring program option that Student Affairs can assist you with.
2. A list of online tutoring platforms and language exchanges
3. Tips on how to approach private tutoring

The application process will vary by location. Some organizations will require:

• An application

• Volunteer training

• A clean background check

• A formal job application process for paid tutoring positions

Yes - you can find online opportunities through our Preferred Online Practicum Locations.

No - In order for it to count, the class must be live and cannot be a recording of a live class. 

No - you can complete your practicum anywhere as long as it follows the requirements.

No - you can complete your practicum anywhere as long as it follows the requirements.

If you’ll be working live and exclusively with non-native English speakers, and the subject being taught is English, it qualifies.

Yes - paid or volunteer experience will count towards your practicum as long as it meets all the requirements.

No - you can work with more than one organization or student by observing, teaching, or tutoring to fulfill the 20-hour requirement.

Feel free to forward the Practicum Requirement Letter, and reach out to your Student Affairs Advisor if a customized letter is required.

This will vary from location to location. It can take from a couple of days to a few weeks to hear back from them.

Yes - if you are teaching exclusively to non-native English speakers, and the subject being taught is English.

If your previous teaching experience meets the requirements and took place within six months of the start of your TEFL course, you may apply up to 10 of those hours toward the practicum. You’ll address these hours in the Write-Up, and provide contact information for verification during submission.

Once you have completed all 20 hours, you only need to submit two things to ITA, a 550-word write-up detailing your experience in an online forum and a Practicum Completion form. You will have access to both the forum and form once you begin your TEFL course.

Upon successful submission of the write-up and form, Student Affairs will review your submission within five business days.  

• If you submit your practicum after the end of your TEFL course, you will receive your digital certificate in your email inbox within 7-10 business days from the date that your practicum is approved (provided we have received your final grade from your course instructor).
• If you submit your practicum before the end of your TEFL course, it will take approximately 3 weeks to receive your TEFL certificate from the last day of your TEFL course. 

ITA prefers that all practicum submissions are completed 90 days after your TEFL course.  However, the hard deadline for submissions is 365 days after your TEFL course. 

For complete details on both of these steps, refer to the Submitting Your Practicum section in Moodle.

Once you are ready to submit your practicum, you will fill out the Practicum Completion Form with contact information, along with the Write-Up.

During the review, ITA may reach out to you or the contact(s) listed in your submission to confirm or clarify any information, including the hours completed. 

We may contact them on an as-needed basis. 

Upon successful submission of the write-up and form, Student Affairs will review your submission within five business days.  

• If you submit your practicum after the end of your TEFL course, you will receive your digital certificate in your email inbox within 7-10 business days from the date that your practicum is approved (provided we have received your final grade from your course instructor).
• If you submit your practicum before the end of your TEFL course, it will take approximately 3 weeks to receive your digital TEFL certificate from the last day of your TEFL course. 

Please note, we do not mail out hard copies of certificates. Learn more about your digital TEFL certificate here.