Introduction
With two billion people expected to be using or learning English by 2020, the need for teachers with high quality, internationally recognised English language teaching qualifications has never been greater.
Trinity’s position as a leading provider of international qualifications for TESOL teachers (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) means that these qualifications are ideally placed to meet your professional teaching needs, no matter where you are in your teaching career. Courses leading to Trinity qualifications are delivered by over 100 validated course providers worldwide, 8 of which are located in Spain.
The Trinity Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL) is a TESOL or TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certificate designed for those with little or no experience of teaching English, and for those with experience who require an internationally recognised initial teacher education qualification. It equips candidates with the skills and knowledge needed to take up a post as an ESOL teacher. It gives an introduction to the theory and practice of English teaching and an insight into the challenges facing the learner and the role of the teacher.
The CertTESOL is accepted by FECEI (the National Federation of Private Language Schools in Spain) and the British Council as a TESOL or TEFL qualification for teachers in its accredited teaching organisations in the UK and in its own teaching operations overseas. Credits are also awarded towards degree programmes offered by universities in the UK.
It is rated at Level 5 on Ofqual’s Regulated Qualifications Framework, a comparable level to the second year of an undergraduate degree, and comprises a minimum of 130 hours, with an expected minimum of 70 hours further study required (Total Qualification Time: 200 hours).
Course Content
The main course content is delivered and assessed through five units. The work for Units 1, 2, 3 and 5 is marked by your course tutors and moderated or sampled and checked by a member of the Trinity moderators panel at the end of every course. The moderator externally assesses the work for Unit 4.
Unit 1: Teaching Skills
Assessed through:
- Tutors’ evaluation of six hours of teaching with real learners
- A journal including trainees’ own lesson plans, with self- and tutor-evaluation
- A journal covering trainees’ reflective comments following observation of four hours of ESOL teaching by experienced teachers
Unit 2: Language Awareness
Assessed through:
- An end-of-course test (grammar, lexis and phonology)
- Ongoing use of spoken and written English
Unit 3: Learner Profile
Assessed through:
- The preparation of a simple linguistic profile and needs analysis, including some basic phoneme transcription, of a single learner
- The planning of, and reflection on, a one-to-one lesson
- The preparation of recommendations for the learner’s future development
Unit 4: Materials Assignment
Assessed through:
- Written rationale for the development of one piece of teaching material
- Written evaluation of use of this in classroom teaching
- Interview with a Trinity moderator to discuss the above and the ways in which materials development is beneficial to the development of teaching skills
Unit 5: Unknown Language
Assessed through:
- A journal covering trainees’ reflective comments on four hours’ tuition in an unknown language from the point of view of the beginner, including an analysis of the key aspects of methods and classroom management that affect the learner
Professional awareness and development are ongoing themes. Successful trainees must demonstrate an awareness of the needs of other colleagues in the team, teaching and non-teaching, and the value of mutual support in the teaching, learning and training environment. They must also demonstrate an awareness of the need for professional development during and after the course, based on a constructive response to training input and feedback from tutors and peers.
