TESOL

LTD is able to access funding from a variety of sources for the Trinity College London TESOL Certificate. The amount of funding and eligibility requirements are unclear for potential clients wishing to undertake courses that finish after April 2001 at the moment we recommend you contact us by phone for details.

Course Structure

Initial TESOL training is of four weeks duration and is extremely intensive. There is no scope for outside commitments whilst on the course and a large amount of work is issued for completion in the evenings and at weekends. A typical day will last from 9.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. but, because of the need to accommodate our foreign students, some classes may have to be arranged in the evening, or at weekends. The course is very practically based and a great deal of emphasis is placed on performance in the classroom. From a very early stage, participants are expected to deliver classes to non-native English speakers. Approximately half of each day is spent either teaching or observing peers teaching. The remainder is devoted to input sessions on Language awareness, phonology, methodology etc. A minimum of six assessed lessons, often more, are required to demonstrate competence. The main components are:

• Teaching Practice - planning and delivery of a minimum of six 60 minute lessons including production and adaptation of materials. Much help will be given in planning early sessions. Candidates will be expected to take much more responsibility for later sessions.
• Language awareness (grammar) - Several input sessions are devoted to LA and a test is set in the fifth week.
• Phonology - The sound system of the English Language. An open book test is set in the 5th week.
• Learner Profile - a detailed study of one individual learner comprising a taped interview designed to elicit background information - age, nationality, education, previous English study etc. and, in particular, reasons for learning English. A short part of this tape is transcribed and analysed for grammatical and phonological errors. A written diagnostic test is then devised and given to the learner to complete. This should be structured to give information on writing ability and to ascertain whether spoken errors identified from the tape are carried across into written English. The results of the above, along with any additional information which can be gathered from peers, casual conversation, opinions of supervisors etc. is used to develop two one to one sessions for which the candidate is expected to produce a rationale, session plans and materials, critiques of the sessions and recommendations for future provision for the learner.
• L2 - Lessons in a language unknown to candidates - designed to show what it feels like to be on the receiving end. A short essay is set where candidates are expected to describe the experience and state how they will extrapolate what has been learnt into their own future teaching.
• Critical analysis of a published material or coursebook Candidates will be allocated a commonly used EFL material and expected to criticise the material as a whole, focus on one particular exercise, analyse its strengths and weaknesses, say how it might be adapted and improved for use at its intended level and also for use with students at a different level. The results are presented to a group of peers and supervisors.
• Evaluation of individual sessions and the course as a whole All sessions are evaluated by candidates themselves, and by their peers, as well as by tutors and external moderators. Candidates in turn evaluate the sessions of their peers. The programme of English tuition is evaluated by means of a questionnaire devised by candidates and completed by teaching practice students. Candidates use the results of their questionnaire to bring suggestions to a formal evaluation meeting where these are agreed or otherwise and candidates are expected to produce minutes of the meeting.
• Permanent Resource - A package including plans, materials and instructions for a lesson in a form in which it could be used by a teacher who was unfamiliar with its content at very short notice. This should also contain instructions for adapting the lesson for use at a different level. This resource forms the subject of a one to one presentation to the Trinity College moderator Assessment is on-going and the only formal written tests are in Language Awareness and phonology. Additional assessor questions are set to establish essential underpinning knowledge.

Materials

Candidates should provide an A4 lever arch ring bind folder and plastic wallet inserts. Candidates are advised to bring their own equipment for production of teaching materials such as scissors, glue etc. An OHP pen and NON PERMANENT whiteboard marker for your own use can also save time. Course books, audio tapes and videos are available. Video recording facilities are provided. Candidates are also required to purchase, for background reading, use during the course and as tools in their future work, three books: Jeremy Harmer - The Practice of English Language Teaching - Longman Raymond Murphy - English Grammar in Use - C.U.P. (Intermediate level, Blue Green) Michael Swan - Practical English Usage - OUP.

For further information please contact us.