Kate is a teacher and teacher trainer at our school in central Barcelona, Oxford House. She teaches adults and young learners at the school and in-company classes in the city. Originally from Lancashire in the UK, she has taught English in Honduras, Bolivia, Galicia and London. As Oxford TEFL Connect coordinator, Kate organises all the online events, ensures the platform runs smoothly and is your go-to person when you have any questions or need to request support from one of our tutors.
In this blog post, she explains how Oxford TEFL Connect can be your support network and go-to place for professional development.
We are excited to announce our new online teacher community Oxford TEFL Connect! This service has been designed with you – the teacher – in mind. Find out here why you should join this online community, wherever you are in the world.
Who is Oxford TEFL Connect for?
- Have you recently started your English teaching career and you feel you have been ‘thrown in at the deep end’?
- Are you looking for a way to continue developing your teaching skills regularly without the need to commit to a course?
- Would you like to be part of a vibrant online community of teachers?
Oxford TEFL Connect is suitable for all newly-qualified TEFL teachers. Teachers from all countries, nationalities, ages and backgrounds are welcome in our Oxford TEFL Connect community, including teachers who haven’t previously done an Oxford TEFL course.
If you are a teacher who has just finished a CELTA course (or similar) and you are looking for a continuation of the kind of support the CELTA course provides, Oxford TEFL Connect is for you. This community will also be useful to more experienced teachers who want to develop their skills and professional know-how and connect with other teachers.
What is Oxford TEFL Connect?
As a teacher, you may sometimes feel you need a support network or a place to visit where you can discuss your challenges with like-minded people and receive guidance from experienced professionals. This is why we have developed Oxford TEFL Connect – a go-to place where teachers can receive the support they need, especially in the initial stages of their career.
As a member of Oxford TEFL Connect, you will gain access to our system. This is where you will be able to connect with other teachers, receive links to join events, participate in the forum, find resources and request a coaching session from a tutor. We’ve got it covered:
- Need guidance planning one of your lessons or finding work? Request a coaching session from an Oxford TEFL tutor.
- Interested in developing your skills in a specific area? Attend one of our online workshops or webinars.
- Feeling isolated or need to vent? Join one of our monthly social events.
There is no long-term commitment (unless you want to), no high sign-up fee and no obligation to attend if you are not available.
What can you receive per month as a member of Oxford TEFL Connect?
- 2 x 1-hour dynamic workshops
- 1 x 1-hour webinar
- 1 x 30 minute coaching session
- 1 x online social event
- Access to all past webinars
- Access to workshops for up to 7 days
- Access to our bank of resources and articles
- Access to our community of teachers
Still not sure?
Here are our five reasons why you should join Oxford TEFL Connect
- You can develop your skills by attending regular live webinars and practical workshops on Zoom led by OxfordTEFL trainers on key areas of teaching
Oxford TEFL Connect workshops and webinars are led by teachers and trainers from Oxford TEFL on practical ideas for teaching in different contexts. Our webinars have an informative and instructional format and our workshops are collaborative and dynamic. These events could include (but are not limited to) Young Learners, Business English, teaching exam classes, using technology effectively online and classroom management. They are held on Zoom between 14.00 and 18.00 (Spain time) to allow teachers in different parts of the world to connect, or feel free to watch the recording. Pick up some tips and tricks to incorporate into your lessons!
- You can receive individual coaching sessions from our tutors
Coaching sessions will be provided via Zoom/ Skype, email or a combination. Our coaching sessions are there to guide you each month and provide specific support wherever you feel it’s needed. This could be support planning a challenging lesson, advice on finding work, guidance on moving your online classes face to face (or vice versa), or finding your next steps in ELT, for example. To request support, simply submit the coaching request form via our platform and we will put you in touch with a tutor. Take advantage of the experience of our Oxford TEFL tutors and help ensure you become a confident and in-demand teacher of English!
- You can become part of a friendly online community by networking with fellow teachers in monthly live events and forums
You will find opportunities to meet other teachers on the forums and ‘in-person’ in the regular online workshops and social events. Our quizzes and networking events offer important opportunities to meet other professionals in ELT. We think this will become increasingly important for teachers, especially as many of us are finding ourselves teaching from home which can be a very isolating experience.
In addition to being able to meet socially, networking can be an important source of opportunities in teaching English, both for finding work and developing your skills. Fellow teachers will point out opportunities and freelance teachers may even offer each other teaching work they can’t do. Attend a quiz, have a coffee & chat, vent about a class and network with teachers worldwide!
- You can have access to our archive of resources to stay up-to-date and find inspiration
Oxford TEFL has been training teachers since 1998 and our teachers, trainers and graduates have a wealth of experience to share. We have carefully curated materials including blog posts and articles, templates, tools and youtube videos. Creators of this content are not only well-known experts, but also teachers who are passionate about the ELT profession and have provided valuable content and practical ideas for the language classroom. This bank of resources will help you develop a broader understanding of language learning and methodology, as you start to apply ideas to your own classes. You will also be able to access our resources for finding work and keep up-to-date with teacher development opportunities in the profession with our handy calendar of face to face and online events around the world.
- You deserve it
2020 has been a tough year for many and, now more than ever, teachers are encouraged to come together to offer mutual support and a solid community. We can’t predict everything which will happen in 2021, but we can take control of a part of it. Let’s make 2021 a year of personal growth and productivity, and prove our professionalism to our peers, students and employers.
What are the fees?
Our goal is to provide a supportive and friendly go-to place for teachers. With this in mind, we are offering a low fee and no long-term obligation (unless you want to):
- 3 months: €60
- 12 months: €120 Save 50% (Includes Oxford TEFL Connect certificate).
What’s the next step?
Ready to join our vibrant teaching community, Oxford TEFL Connect? There is no need to apply, simply visit this page for more information or to become a member.
We look forward to welcoming you into the Oxford TEFL Community
All of our courses are 100% paper-free