TEFL Certification Course Cambodia

Country Overview

Cambodia has become one of the must-visit destinations in Southeast Asia. Pristine beaches, ancient temples and exotic jungle, are just some of the compelling attractions of the country.

As the capital Phnom Penh is the political and commercial center of the country, and the city is home to over one million people. It once was considered to be the most beautiful city in the French Indo-China, much of the city’s colonial charm has survived the violent decades that the country and its people have experienced since independence. Beautiful public buildings and private villas are a lovely part of the legacy left by the country’s French rulers. Phnom Penh also offers travelers the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda and the excellent National Museum, plus a wide selection of hotels, restaurants, cafes and bars.

While many areas of the city are blooming, with a beautiful riverfront and lively nightlife, it is hard to escape the poverty and the fact that many Cambodians are still struggling to survive. However, the economy is Cambodia is beginning to flourish, and its residents have a strong need and desire to learn English

The School

The 140+ hour, four-week course integrates the aspects of real teaching that we have found most important:

• Up to thirty hours of Teaching Practice and Observation

TEFL Institute Language and Cultural Awareness program is designed to:

• Give you the local language skills necessary for daily life in Southeast Asia
• Put you in the learner’s seat, re-acquainting you with the struggle to acquire a new language
• Let you be part of the learning process
• Provide a major cultural overview and orientation to Cambodian customs – what’s polite and acceptable, how to fit in, the importance of making an effort toward understanding, etc.

Our TEFL Practicum program is similarly goal-based:

• You will typically be seeing the same students on a regular basis for 8 to 10 hours each week, so your lessons will be continuous, one building-on and leading-to the next. The students you teach are actually your students, allowing you to plan from class to class based on student progress and need.
• Your teaching assignment will often be a local community resource (hospital, police station, city hall, orphanage, immigration office, etc.) so your teaching time directly benefits the community. By the end of the class, your students will have had thirty hours of English Language classes, free. This may not seem like much, but it is approximately the same number of hours a class in many public schools will get in one academic year.

Tuition Covers

• TEFL course fee – 4 weeks tuition
• Course materials
• Job placement assistance

Tuition does not cover:

• Living accommodations
• Meals
• Visa, immunization
• Airfare
• Personal expenses
• Medical insurance
• Airport pick-up/transfer to accommodations

Housing

During the four week training program, housing will be provided to TEFL Institute participants they will stay at in a villa, a six bedroom, six bath home about ten minutes from the training center, or at a local hotel. All accommodations have air-conditioning and western style bathrooms.

Costs are approximately $500 per month, and about $125 per week thereafter.

Job Placement Assistance

Most participants teaching positions will be in and around Phnom Penh. While we do not guarantee a job, placement assistance is available. Your local school directors will assist you in finding an English teaching job in Cambodia. Once your job assignment is secured, the hiring school will help you find an apartment.

An average workweek is usually thirty-thirty five hours, including class time and preparation. A typical teaching day consists of two or three lessons and then planning time. Benefits vary greatly from school to school. Most TEFL Institute graduates can earn enough to live very comfortably, enjoy local entertainment and restaurants and travel to local attractions.

Apartments tend to be small, but most are comfortable, stylish, and have air conditioning and Western appliances.

Students should be prepared to pay at the time of rental one month security deposit and first month’s rent.

Housing is sometimes but very rarely provided by the hiring school, though generally teachers prefer to find their own housing. School accommodations are typically Cambodian, and rarely meet the Western standards.

Food & Clothing

Phnom Penh offers plenty of choices at range of prices to suit pretty much any pocket, though we recommend that you acquire a taste for the local cuisine. Be prepared for rice and seafood, especially shrimp, crab, and freshwater fish dishes.

Cambodian cuisine is related to both Thai and southern Chinese cuisines. Ubiquitous soups include somlar machou banle (sour fish soup), somlar chapek (pork soup with ginger) and num banh choc (a noodle and fish soup often served for breakfast). Rice is often served with sach mon chha khnhei (stir-fried chicken and ginger), choeeng chomni chrouc chean (pork spareribs), or the spicy an sam chruk (pork and soybeans marinated with ginger and chilies.

In Phnom Penh, the large number of Chinese immigrants means that excellent Cantonese, Hokkien, Teochou and Hailam restaurants abound. Thai, Vietnamese, and French outlets are also available, of course.

Fresh vegetables and fruits - especially coconut, durian, mango, pineapple, rambutan, starfruit, and watermelon - are in abundant supply, as are vegetarian restaurants.

It's always best to drink bottled water and juices in Cambodia, while the beverage to indulge in is coffee.

What to wear

Light, comfortable, easy to launder clothing in natural fabrics such as cotton suits Cambodia. Good walking shoes and sandals that can be easily slipped off are recommended, as shoes are removed when entering temples and homes. No need to over pack, as high-quality clothes are strikingly cheap, while inexpensive laundry service is generally available wherever you go.

Teachers should adhere to the local culture and ideas of professionalism. “Casually smart” attire means that women should cover their shoulders (sleeveless shirts are acceptable, but very thin straps or tank tops are not). No low-cut necklines or very short skirts. Bare midriffs must not be visible, even when lifting arms up. Open-toed shoes are acceptable. Men should wear long pants (not jeans), short- or long-sleeved shirt with a collar (possibly with a tie), and loafers or dress shoes. Sandals and tennis shoes are not acceptable when teaching. Long hair should be neatly tied into a ponytail.