We’ve been teaching TESL courses in Toronto for over 25 years, and have helped thousands of students obtain TESL Ontario and TESL Canada qualifications giving them the freedom to teach in English Language schools all over the world. We are extremely proud of the quality of courses we deliver and we’ve highlighted a few of the many testimonials we’ve received from TESL Students and TESL employers.

TESL Student Testimonials

After graduating from the program, CCLCS gave me my first opportunity by bringing me into the team to support CCLCS’s application to become a LINC site, as part of the first round of ministry LINC approvals. As we nervously waited to hear, we prepared curriculum and materials and set up the first group of teachers. CCLCS was successful in receiving approval and we went into full preparation for the first cohort of LINC students. Several months in, I achieved my dream of being an ESL teacher and became part of the LINC teaching team. Over the years, a lot of people have asked me what makes a good teacher; I always say the same thing: you need to be in a place that really knows what teaching is about. I had the good fortune to do that at CCLCS – it was the best professional learning I could have wished for.

CCLCS then gave me my next great opportunity by inviting me to join the TESL teaching team and eventually to take on the coordinator role where, again, I got to learn and enhance skills and mindsets that I use to this day as an educational leader. In those early years, CCLCS quickly gained a reputation for being a place of integrity and passion, and of exceptional teaching and teacher preparation. As such, when TESL Ontario launched its landmark accreditation journey in 1994, for both ESL teachers and TESL programs, CCLCS was invited to the table as a valued stakeholder. Thanks to the strong reputation of CCLCS, I had the opportunity to represent the CCLCS community on both accreditation processes, eventually serving a term as chair of the TESL Ontario accreditation working groups. This was a recognition of the respect CCLCS had gained in a relatively short period of time. During this period, we worked to enhance the TESL program in alignment with the new standards for training and were successful in our application for approval. It was an exciting time, full of creativity and collegiality, all of us feeling that we were building something really good, for the organization, for Toronto, but most of all for our learners.

Vera Beletzan

Associate Vice-President, Teaching and Learning
Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning

I graduated from CCLCS in 1995 and have been teaching ESL ever since in a variety of settings, including college English programs, job training programs, and adult education and community-based classes. The CCLCS training gave me a good foundation in lesson planning and delivery and the theory and practice of language teaching, as well as strategies and tools to make language learning fun. I have continued to build on my training at CCLCS through many years of on-the-job learning. Thank you, CCLCS.

Suzanne Schiller
Instructor, English Language Programs, North Island College, Comox Valley

The TESL program at CCLCS provided me with the down-to-earth quality instruction and hands-on experience that I was looking for. Through the course and the subsequent practicum I was fully equipped for the responsibilities of teaching English well, both here and overseas.

J. Serson
ESL/EFL Teacher

Dawn Michael and her team put on a real show! Packed with didactical information, real-life examples, and a dynamic teaching method, it gave me all I needed to know for a successful career in Teaching English as a Second Language, in a fraction of the time and price of traditional TESL Programs. I believe this was attained through their small class size and sensitivity to the needs of every student. I certainly felt that my particular strengths as a teacher were amplified and my deficiencies strengthened.

Karen Landmann
New York City

Were it not for the solid foundation in teaching English I learned at CCLCS ten years ago, there is no way I could be the good English teacher everyone in Beijing tells me I am.

Dave Robinson
ESL/EFL Instructor, Beijing

Though I graduated from the TESL Certificate program more than 15 years ago, I still have fond memories of the interactive discussions and the friends I made. The Certificate program introduced me to the adult ed learning model that has guided me in my profession both as an instructor and as an administrator. I was always impressed by the care the trainers and staff had for their students, which you often cannot find at much larger schools.

Bill Hodges
ELP Academic Coordinator, University of Guelph

In the fall of 1993, I had the travel bug something fierce and yearned for adventure, but I needed a means to fund my travels.I took the course at CCLCS and thought I would travel a few years, see what I needed to see, then return to Canada. The “few years” is now 23! The TESL Course I took at CCLCS provided me with a much needed theoretical and linguistic background, as well as a solid foundation in practical ELT methodology. It covered all necessary aspects of teaching, with a special emphasis on communicative language teaching and developing practical, learner-centred materials. Beyond the course itself, the small classes enhanced the learning environment, making it easier to participate and ask questions. I will always be thankful to CCLCS for providing such a helpful course at such a reasonable price. It has truly served me well in countries I’ve taught in so far: Thailand, Mexico, South Korea, Japan, Ethiopia, Syria, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. 

Brad Little

Back in 1992, I had the opportunity to complete my own course of study in TESL. For me it was a lot more than just a certificate, it was an unforgettable experience.

Upon completion of the program I had an opportunity to work with newcomers to Canada for a few years, assisting them with learning English. Later in life I changed my career goals and now I can proudly say that I am a successful entrepreneur. One thing that contributed to my success was the culture your organization embossed in me. Through your program, I learned how to communicate better and how valuable people from other cultures are in our society. Not to mention that in my line of business, I come across people with communication barriers and I am once again using what I learned in your centre to assist me in better connecting with them. For me, CCLCS is more than just a learning centre. It is a cultural establishment that provides life lasting experience to both its ESL and TESL students. I am proud to be one of the graduates from your organisation and now I look forward to having my daughter receive the same outstanding experience I had twenty five years ago. 

Reza Pourseyed

TESL Employer Testimonials

We’ve been using CCLCS … for the past 8 years. It’s been very successful, and all the teachers have reported … that they’ve been able to use their techniques in the classroom …. So it’s been a very successful relationship and I highly recommend CCLCS as a program.

Shane Finnie
Canadian Connection