About Your Teacher

A Wild Ride

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I wasn’t listening.

 

My face was glued to the window watching all the motorbikes, colors, and the madness of Saigon.

 

I had just arrived in Vietnam after a 27 hour journey and was on my way to my hotel in a taxi.

 

ILA had sent a teacher to pick me up from the airport and take me through the company welcome pack.

 

I didn’t hear a word he said.

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Humble Beginnings

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I'm Keith. I didn’t plan to become a teacher.

 

I grew up in a very quiet village, surrounded by farms. I was going to be a musician. 

I fell in love with the drums as a child, and it was all I cared about. 

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I took lessons and practiced every day for 8 years, before studying Popular Music and Recording at the University of Salford. 

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I played in several bands, wrote a lot of songs, and ended up teaching the drums. 

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But something was missing from my life. 

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I felt stuck. Running my business was expensive. I wanted some new experiences. 

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So, at 28, I got my CELTA (Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults, Cambridge), packed my bags, and got on a plane to Vietnam for a bit of adventure.

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That was nearly 13 years ago.

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New Shores, New Career

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I found myself in the middle of Ho Chi Minh City, an exciting new environment with 12,000,000 people and a 24-hour lifestyle.

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I started my first teaching job at ILA, and since then, Saigon has become home.

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It’s where I’ve grown both personally and professionally, made friends for life, and learned more about myself than I ever expected.

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Over the past decade, I’ve taught more than 4,000 students at ILA, VUS, Wellspring International School, and Tieng Anh Nghe Noi, and helped design curriculum materials for DTP Education Solutions.

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I even took a year out of Vietnam and taught at STAR Exeter in the UK, where I worked with students from Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Colombia, Japan, Italy, Angola, Switzerland, China, and Oman.

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Everything I’ve learned - in classrooms, staff rooms, and coffee shops - has shaped how I teach today, and the curriculum I have built for you.​

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Lesson Time

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I believe students learn best when they’re enjoying themselves.

 

My lessons follow a clear, structured path - but every class includes a new game, a creative activity, or a topic to get you talking. I find that when students laugh, they relax. And when they relax, they learn.

 

Every student who joins my class is treated as an individual. I listen, correct, and make sure everyone feels comfortable enough to speak.

 

My goal is for students to leave every lesson smiling, motivated, and a little more confident than before.

 

I want to offer more ways for adults to learn and practice English.

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Whether you want private lessons, a structured course, online programs or a mentor, I’ve got you covered.

 

Because learning English isn’t just about passing tests.

 

It’s about confidence.

 

It’s about connection.

 

And it’s about creating your future.

 

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