TESOL Course Aims

The aim of the 4 Week TESOL course in Ayutthaya, Thailand is to thoroughly prepare you for teaching EFL in any overseas environment. You will be able to prepare lessons for all age groups and levels and feel confident when selecting materials and activities. Equipped with a variety of techniques and methodologies, you will be a positive and resourceful teacher.

Eligibility

To be accepted onto the course you don’t need to have prior teaching experience or teaching qualifications. This is an initial teaching qualification in the specialized field of TEFL / TESOL. If you do not hold a university degree, you should hold qualifications for entry to tertiary level education (e.g. A levels, High School diploma, etc.), although exceptions are made with those candidates who demonstrate their suitability for the course through the questionnaire questions in the application form. Non-native English speakers will be accepted onto the course on equal terms to native English language speakers provided that they demonstrate a high command of the language. Applicants need to be at least 18 years old.

In Preparation

Once you have been accepted on the TEFL / TESOL course and you have paid your deposit we will send you a pre-course task consisting of a grammar workbook covering the most essential aspects of the grammar of English with corresponding exercises so you can practice in preparation for the course.

Here is some recommended literature so you take full advantage of the course:

• The Practice of English Language Teaching, J Harmer, Longman (this is the set book for the course) The Practice of English Language Teaching, J Harmer, Longman (this is the set book for the course)
• Learning Teaching, J Scrivener, Heinemann
• Teaching English Pronunciation, J Kenworthy, Longman

Please note this is merely a list of recommended reading for those willing to start ahead. The different concepts in the recommended literature will be introduced and revisited often during the course.

Your Arrival

On arrival, you will be given a welcome pack consisting of all sorts of practical information on how to get about in the city (map, public transport timetables, places of interest, local doctors who speak English, hairdressers, restaurants and shops where English is spoken, essential and emergency telephone numbers, cell phone information, etc). Plus all our staff will always be there to help you with their extensive local knowledge.

An Intensive Course

The TEFL / TESOL course is both intensive and demanding. There is lot to be learned about teaching and learning in just four weeks. We are highly committed to producing the best teachers possible and we will be working with you so that your teaching meets the highest of standards. This means that during the course you will be mainly concerned with lesson planning and different areas of the course. So, time for sightseeing may be limited. You will also need to sleep and eat properly to be able to cope with the stress of working long hours. Therefore we recommend you leave any plans concerning extensive tourism until after the course. Having said this it is our experience that if you follow our recommendations you will be able to enjoy both the course and the city life. Very often trainees comment that despite the hard work they found the course to be an invaluably challenging and rewarding learning experience.

Weekly Schedule

Our schedule is specially designed for the best learning experience. Each week unique to help acclimatize you and prepare you for the next stage in your journey.

Here is a sample schedule for your new program:

09.00 – 12.00: Input sessions
12.00 – 13.00: Lunch
13.00 – 14.00: Preparation for teaching practice
14.00 – 15.00: Lesson planning
15.00 – 16.00: Teaching practice

TESOL Course Contents

The TESOL course consists of both theory lessons and teaching practice. In the theory lessons an experienced teacher trainer will introduce a number of different methods and approaches. In these theory lessons you will also learn about the grammar and phonology/pronunciation of English as well as reflect on ways to reconcile TEFL concepts with day-to-day classroom practice. Special workshops will also be run to give you an insight into teaching young learners and teaching Business English. Both theory sessions and workshops are designed so that you take part in dynamic activities and discussions where you are encouraged to actively participate and learn ‘through doing’. We can guarantee you won’t be bored!

Course Syllabus

Unit 1: Study Skills
(not assessed) – how best to organise your study time.

Pre Module Grammars
Self-assessed tasks with answers provided to help with Unit 2 The Study of English.

Unit 2: The Study of English
Module 1 – grammar-tasks on the understanding of grammar, tense & structure – to be completed with the use of a grammar book.
Module 2 – phonetics – tasks relating to the phonetic alphabet(given), stress & intonation.
Module 3 – lexis – tasks relating to the presentation of vocabulary, compound words, word stems, language appropriacy & frequency.

Unit 3: The Teaching and Learning of ESOL
Module 1 – basic principles – answers from your own experience, the course materials & handbook on
– 1) the blocks which may prevent learning
– 2) motivation
– 3) communicative competence.
Module 2 – reading and listening – tasks based on exploitation of authentic materials i.e. magazines, newspapers, radio broadcasts etc. Module 3 – speaking and writing – tasks based as above but with a more productive bias – getting your students to produce language Module 4 – visual aids – study of all the audio-visual aids available. Production of your own flashcards and aids to be used with a simple flannelgraph.
Module 5 – error – looking at authentic student errors, classifying them, using a correction code, producing remedial exercises and improving your own practice.

Unit 4: Lesson Planning
Module 1 – classroom management – task relating to student teacher relationships and how to achieve genuine communication inside and outside the classroom.
Module 2 – lesson stages and plans – putting all the above into a lesson; timing; warm-up; input; practice and production stages of your lessons.

Unit 5: Teaching Practice
Observation sessions.

Unit 6: Teaching Practice
Lesson Planning. Observed, assessed teaching & feedback sessions.

Observed and assessed teaching practice

You will complete a minimum of six hours teaching practice with real English language students, which is observed by your trainer. You will be graded on different aspects of your teaching performance, and receive an overall grade for the lesson. This practical side of the course will enable you to learn from first-hand experience. It will equip you with the techniques and teaching tools necessary to become a versatile TEFL / TESOL teacher and deal with a range of different teaching situations and environments when teaching English abroad.

As well as learning from your own and your peers’ teaching practice, you will have the privileged opportunity to observe experienced teachers deliver lessons to the very students you will be teaching.

Observation of Experienced Teachers

Apart from learning from your own and your peers’ teaching practice, as part of your TEFL / TESOL training you will be able to observe experienced teachers deliver lessons to the very students you will be teaching. These will normally be your own trainers and you will then have the privileged opportunity to learn from a professional in the field of TEFL / TESOL doing what they do best: teaching English as foreign language to a group of non-native English language speakers.

Unknown Foreign Language

As part of your TESOL course you will be asked to step into the shoes of a ‘foreign’ language learner and take a three-lesson course in a language unknown to you. This will give you the opportunity to see things from a students’ perspective, enabling you to identify a number of needs you will need to cater to when teaching your lessons. The unknown language experience is often an eye-opener that sensitises you to learner needs and develops your empathy towards the way students feel in the EFL/ESL classroom.

Assessment and Grading

The theoretical components of the TEFL / TESOL course are continually assessed – there are no written examinations. You will be set tasks throughout the course, which are submitted for assessment by your tutors. These tasks are graded and returned with comments and guidance for your development. The course sessions are always conducted in small groups with on-going support and instruction, helping to ensure your successful completion of our course.
At INTESOL we pride ourselves on personalized support and small groups; and we are constantly available to offer individual support and coaching. These two things together mean that your success on the TEFL / TESOL course is virtually guaranteed.

After Completion – Award of Certificate

Upon successful completion of the course you will receive:

• Level 5 Certificate in TESOL with Teaching Practice (CELTA/Trinity alternative), accredited by ALAP
• INTESOL Certificate in TESOL (graded)
• Course Transcript, issued by ALAP

Certificates are graded as follows:

• A1 – Distinction
• A2 – Excellent
• B1 – Very Good
• B2 – Good
• C   – Pass

In order to earn your Certificate in TESOL you need to pass both the theoretical and practical components of the course. Full attendance is also required.