The TEFL course is Internationally Accredited by ITEFLAC. ITEFLAC accreditation assures that Costa Rica TEFL's courses, policies and procedures adhere to generally accepted international standards of quality.

The faculty is combining its 22+ years of experience in teaching foreign languages to offer you a unique opportunity to earn an internationally recognized certificate that will qualify you to teach EFL / ESL in Costa Rica or anywhere in the world.

Mission Statement

It has been said, "Good teachers are born, not made." Teaching is an art, and like any art, requires both innate talent and dedicated practice and study, in order to bring it to its full potential. However, there are artists who are born with amazing innate talent who need little practice or study perfecting their abilities, and there are teachers alike.

Unfortunately, the majority of us need to acquire the skills to be good and hopefully great teachers by learning a variety of teaching styles to accommodate a variety of learning styles and student groups. There are certain traits that help people become good teachers such as patience, willingness to help others, people skills and the ability to communicate effectively and in a variety of ways. It is also important that teachers continue to learn and take an active position in research and investigation in the art of pedagogy.

The best teachers are the ones who demonstrate a true passion for what they teach, and a genuine interest in their students. They are the ones that get excited about the material, look the students in the eyes and are truly concerned whether the students understand what they are saying or not. They are the ones that challenge students to think for themselves, and to become educated in a variety of ways, by asking questions, researching and playing an active role in their education. Good teachers offer a variety of activities in order to reach a variety of learning styles and maintain a classroom environment, which makes the students feel comfortable and eager to learn. The best teachers are the ones that take the time to get to know their students and make an effort to treat them like individuals; not just names on a roster.

A good teacher never stops learning and is always open to trying new techniques and "tricks" of the trade. Each student is different from the last and the excitement of reaching them and helping them learn something new, is what keeps the passion for teaching alive. A good teacher has to love what they do in order to excel at it. Every new class you receive is like a new canvas, you have to first observe, understand, imagine and then begin to test the colors and in union with the students, begin to create a new work of art.

Our goal is to instigate the aforementioned passion for teaching and to aid our trainees in the acquisition of the necessary expertise to be skillful, compassionate, creative and most importantly, effective English teachers.

Barbara Miller, M.Ed.
Founding Director of Playa Samara