The LADO TEFL Certificate is a 135-instructional-hour professional teacher training program that provides the necessary skills and experience to teach English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). The course is internationally recognized, surpassing the most demanding standards for an initial professional certificate program. As a result, LADO TEFL Certificate teachers are in demand by directors and administrators worldwide.

Fully accredited by ACCET, the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training, the LADO TEFL Certificate program qualifies for 13.5 Continuing Education Units (CEUs), which is an unbiased indication of the program’s comprehensive and rigorous training.

As important as the facts about it are, the LADO TEFL Certificate program is truly distinguished by its outstanding personalized attention and support both during and after the course. More than the means to a professional or personal goal, the LADO TEFL certificate grants a lifetime membership in a dynamic, international community. From the first class onward, our trainees join a vibrant network of thoughtful, interesting, and inspiring teachers and learners who are connected by the LADO TEFL Certificate all across the world.

When are classes scheduled? (1.1)
LADO offers you the choice of two different course schedules, a full-time intensive (four-week) program and a part-time (three evenings & Saturday) ten-week semi-intensive program. They are identical in content, cost, and admission requirements.

Intensive Program
4 weeks/20 class days
9am to 5:30pm

Jan 04 - Feb 01, 2010 applications due December 23
Feb 04 - Mar 04 applications due January 25
May 03 - May 28 applications due April 23
Jun 02 - Jun 29 applications due May 24
Jul 06 - Aug 02 applications due Jun 28
Aug 04 - Aug 31 applications due July 26
Nov 18 - Dec 17 applications due November 05

Semi-Intensive Program
10 weeks/40 class days
Mon/Wed/Thurs 7pm to 9:30pm;
Saturdays 10am to 5pm

Mar 01 - May 12 applications due February 19
Sep 08 - Nov 18 applications due August 31


Click here to apply.


TEFL's 2011 Class Schedule.

Intensive Program 2011
4 weeks/20 class days
9am to 5:30pm

Jan 04 - Feb 01 applications due December 28
Feb 03 - Mar 03 applications due January 28
May 05 - Jun 02 applications due April 29
Jun 06 - Jul 01 applications due Jun 01
Jul 07 - Aug 03 applications due July 01
Aug 05 - Sep 01 applications due July 29
Nov 18 - Dec 19 applications due November 11

Semi-Intensive Program 2011
10 weeks/40 class days
Mon/Wed/Thurs 7pm to 9:30pm;
Saturdays 10am to 5pm

Feb 28 - May 09 applications due February 21
Sep 05 - Nov 14 applications due August 31


Click here to apply.

How can I use the certificate? (1.2)
The LADO TEFL Certificate will open doors to an exciting future. For some of our graduates, it represents their start as professional teachers. For others, the certificate offers fresh perspectives on teaching and opens new doors. And for the vast majority, the LADO TEFL Certificate is the passport to a new life living, working, and traveling abroad.

Over 95% of our trainees find employment at schools and locations of their choice, and many do so while still in the program. Graduates of our internationally recognized program are qualified to teach in thousands of schools, institutes, and organizations in the United States and in countries around the world. Some TEFL graduates in the US and abroad also teach and tutor independently at home or in their students’ workplaces. Other graduates, because of their training and continued teaching experience, find positions as administrators and curriculum designers, bi-lingual education professionals, materials writers, teacher trainers and even overseas TV and radio hosts.

Throughout the course and afterward, we advise and assist our trainees in achieving their goals. Many keep in touch with the LADO TEFL staff years after they have left the
course. Graduates seek help with new career goals, job search, or continuing their education and professional development.

A LADO TEFL certificate grants its holder a kind of lifetime membership.

Click here to learn how the LADO TEFL Certificate assists and supports trainees before, during, and after the job search.

Who takes the course? (1.3)
Some trainees have an extensive teaching background, while others enter without any teaching experience at all. For some trainees, the program provides the teaching
credentials that open up professional opportunities in schools where they want to work and in countries where they want to live.

Our trainees range from recent college graduates who seek traveling opportunities to people making a mid-career change to retirees in search of fulfilling experiences that keep them active. The program also attracts and trains many non-native English speakers who meet our proficiency and admission requirements.

What does the course cover? (1.5)
New teachers graduating the LADO TEFL Certificate can enter the ESOL classroom with confidence. They acquire the skills and expertise necessary to teach a wide range of
students: beginners to advanced levels, children to senior citizens, immigrants in the U.S. as well as language learners living abroad. For experienced instructors, the program is an ideal professional development opportunity that builds on their knowledge and skills and provides expertise in bi-lingual education methods and practices.

Our curriculum is based on professional TESOL standards and practices for ESOL teaching. Throughout the course, participants study and use a variety of proven language teaching techniques and methodologies. Additionally, they learn the rules and patterns of English grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.

Trainees apply what they learn with six hours of teaching practice, and often more, with non-native learners of English in real classroom settings. Our talented and experienced trainers observe and evaluate the practice lessons. Afterward, trainees receive individualized oral and written feedback, which they discuss with trainers.

Teaching practice is based on professor of linguistics Dr. Robert Lado’s pioneering, world-renowned techniques. Dr. Lado’s Total Approach for teaching is non-restrictive; it integrates reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills to enhance the learner’s communicative competence.

As a bonus, trainees have numerous opportunities to interact with experienced teachers, observe ongoing English classes, and meet English language learners both in and outside of the classroom. Lessons occur in a dynamic, lively environment, as LADO is a world-famous international school that hosts students from across the globe.


Click here for a syllabus with details on class topics and educational resources.

Click here for more information on course methodology, requirements, and assignments.


Where are classes held? (1.6)
All LADO TEFL Certificate classes are held at our Washington, D.C. Center.

Who teaches the class? (1.7)
The LADO TEFL Certificate Program attracts outstanding trainers, lesson observers, and planning coaches. All of these professionals were hired because they consider it their personal responsibility to develop close, one-on-one mentoring relationships with each trainee.

Since our trainees come to the program with a variety of goals for using their TEFL certificate, our training staff’s expertise and professional experience are as diverse as our students’ interests. Among our staff’s professional experiences are the following:
• teaching abroad
• teaching locally
• tutoring individuals privately
• working with companies and employers
• serving the public sector
• educating children
• educating refugees
• working with families
• helping those with literacy and basic education needs
• teaching diplomats and professionals
• working in bi-lingual educational settings, using distance learning and teaching technology
• preparation assistance to students taking standardized tests such as the TOEFL exam English for Special Purposes experience

All LADO TEFL Certificate trainers have advanced degrees and have been recognized and awarded in multiple contexts for their dedication and excellence as teachers of English to speakers of other languages.

Why are the 13.5 Continuing Education Units so valuable? (1.8)
Most TEFL Certificate programs have not undergone independent academic reviews and they cannot offer any course credits. However, the LADO TEFL Certificate has been reviewed and recommended for 13.5 Continuing Education Units (CEUs). In awarding these CEUs to the program, ACCET, a principal academic reviewing body in the United States, has acknowledged the LADO TEFL program’s high standards and its rigorous, thorough training.

Some of our graduates have gone on to pursue a Masters Degree in TESOL and their universities have accepted some or all of the LADO TEFL program’s credit hours toward the degree. Some public school systems have also accepted these credits toward certification for teaching children. However, you may find that some universities and public school programs will not apply these credits. You should contact any institution directly to inquire as to what types of credit hours they will or will not accept. Quite often, a TEFL certificate coupled with teaching experience will count more toward a Masters
in TESOL than a TEFL certificate alone.


Would you like to know more? Click on the topics below:
Admission Requirements
Tuition & Fees
Course Syllabus & Resources
Course Requirements & Assignments
Employment Assistance
About Us

Application for admission

To get in touch with the LADO TEFL Certificate staff, please call our Washington, DC Center at (202) 333-4222 or email.