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teach english as a foreign language (tefl / tesol) examinations / qualifications |
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Language schools, both in the UK and abroad, increasingly expect
their teachers to have TEFL qualifications. There are numerous
exams on offer, the two most widely accepted being the Certificate
in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA formerly CTEFLA)
and the Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other
Languages (Cert. TESOL).
The details of these exams are given
below, as are those of the other main qualifications available.
Please note: TEFL Certificates and Diplomas do not confer Qualified
Teacher Status (QTS). This means that holders of these
qualifications will be unable to work in British state schools, unless
they have a relevant B.Ed. or P.G.C.E.
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View TEFL Examination Boards' Contact Addresses
TKT (Teaching Knowledge Test)
- Exam Board: Cambridge English Language Assessment
- TKT is a modular and flexible course, allowing students to fit their studies in around their work and other commitments.
- You can take the modules over a period of time to suit you.
- As well as covering all the basics of good teaching practice, preparation for TKT can be adapted to your own teaching requirements. TKT centres can set their own syllabus to meet the needs of your local teaching environment.
- The TKT can lead to further exam study, such as the CELTA/DELTA exams.
Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA)
- Exam Board: Cambridge English Language Assessment
- The certificate forms part of the new CILTS (Cambridge Integrated
Language Teaching Syllabus) and replaces the old Certificate in
Teaching English as a Foreign Language (Cert. TEFLA).
- It is aimed at those without ELT experience, but with a standard of education
which would allow entry to Higher Education.
- Candidates must be at least 20 years old at the start of the course.
- Courses have a minimum length of 100 contact hours, 6 hours supervised practice
teaching and 8 hours directed observation of live lessons.
- Full-time courses last four to five weeks. Part-time up to one year.
Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (Cert. TESOL)
- Exam Board: Trinity College London
- A first qualification for those with little or no previous experience.
- It qualifies the trainee to teach both adults and children and is available
to both native and non-native speakers.
- Courses usually last for 1 month (intensive) or part-time from 3 months to 1 year. (Trinity
College stipulates a min. of 130 hours of tuition, with at least 6 practical teaching experience.)
- Each institution sets its own entry requirements, but a good standard of general education is expected
by all of them. In general, preference is given to students aged 20+.
Certificate in English Language Teaching to Young Learners (CELTYL)
- Exam Board: Cambridge English Language Assessment
- The CELTYL is an introductory course for candidates who have
little or no previous experience of teaching languages.
- Entry
requirements follow those of the CELTA.
- The Certificate course
programme focuses on teaching young learners either from 5-10,
11-16, or 8-13 years old.
- It involves a minimum of 100 contact
hours, 6 hours supervised teaching practice and 8 hours directed
observation of lessons taught by experienced ELT professionals.
- Full-time courses last 4 weeks, part-time courses last 4 to 5 months
to a year.
Certificate of Endorsement in English Language Teaching to Young Learners
- Exam Board: Cambridge English Language Assessment
- This pilot extension course allows recently qualified holders of a
CELTA to extend this to work with young learners.
- Full-time courses
last 2 weeks. Part-time up to 6 months.
Certificate for Overseas Teachers of English (COTE)
- Exam Board: Cambridge English Language Assessment
- COTE is an in-service training course for practising teachers who
have relevant classroom experience with children or adults.
- It is
aimed at non-native speakers of English outside the UK.
- Candidates
should have a level of English approximately equivalent to
Cambridge First Certificate in English or Certificate in
Communicative Skills in English, Level 2.
- Courses are usually a
minimum of 150 hours and run part-time over six months or a year.
ICELT (In-service Certificate in English Language Teaching)
- Exam Board: Cambridge English Language Assessment
- ICELT is a teacher training course for those already teaching English to speakers of other languages.
- It is a qualification for those wanting to improve their skills in their current role.
- ICELT will deepen your knowledge and develop your ability to reflect on and improve your teaching.
- The ICELT course is usually offered part-time and can take from a few months to over a year.
- Courses may be delivered either entirely face-to- face or a combination of face-to-face with distance learning support.
- The combination of contact hours plus distance learning support must be at least 120 hours.
Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults (DELTA)
- Exam Board: Cambridge English Language Assessment
- The Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults (DELTA) forms
part of the CILTS review and replaces the Diploma in Teaching
English as a Foreign Language to Adults (DTEFLA) and the Diploma
in Overseas Teaching of English (DOTE).
- It is an in-service qualification for those with at least two years full-
time (1200 hours) experience of teaching English as a foreign
language.
- Candidates should have a standard of education which
would allow entry to higher education and will normally have formal
ELT training.
- Courses have a minimum length of 120 contact hours, 10 hours
teaching of ELT to adults (4 of which are supervised) and 10 hours
directed observation of lessons.
- Candidates are expected to give
substantial time to reading, research and assignments.
- Part-time
courses tend to last about 8 months, but some centres also offer
an intensive 10-12 week course.
Diploma in English Language Teaching to Young Learners(DELTYL)
- Exam Board: Cambridge English Language Assessment
- The Diploma course is intended for candidates who have substantial
experience of teaching English to young learners and has the same
general entry requirements as the DELTA.
- The courses includes 120
contact hours, 10 hours teaching practice, 4 of which are assessed
by a course tutor, 10 hours directed observation of young learner
lessons and 150 hours of reading, research and assignments.
- Courses
will be available on a full-time or part-time basis.
Diploma in Business and Professional English Language Teaching (DipBPE)
- Exam Board: Cambridge English Language Assessment
- Currently in pilot, the DipBPE has the same entry requirements as
DELTA but additionally candidates should have substantial business
English teaching experience, and be over 21 years of age by the
course start date.
- The course is a minimum of 140 hours.
- Courses will be available on a full-time or part-time basis.
Advanced Diploma in English Language Teaching Management (ADLTM)
- Exam Board: Cambridge English Language Assessment
- The Advanced Diploma is an award at a higher level than DELTA,
DELTYL and DipBPE.
- The focus is shifted away from the practicalities of the classroom to more specialised areas of
management and planning.
- The course involves 100 hours course contact time, 220 hours guided study and 130 hours to complete
assessed course work.
- Full-time courses last 3 months, part-time courses up to a maximum of 2 years.
International Diploma in English Language Teaching Management (IDLTM)
- Exam Board: Cambridge English Language Assessment
- 325 hour course which enables English Language teaching
professionals to apply skills derived from management theory and
practice to their work as Language Teaching managers.
- Candidates must have a degree or equivalent, a minimum of three years’
language teaching experience or 5 years’ working experience in a
language teaching context.
Certificate in Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYL)
- Exam Board: Trinity College
- Intended for practising teachers of primary level children who wish
to add a TESOL specialism to their existing skills.
- Trainees must follow an approved course. Minimum tuition time: 140 hours (20 of
which are teaching practice), usually over a six week course (full-
time).
- Open to native and non-native speakers.
Specialist Certificate in Teaching English for Industry and Commerce (CertTEfIC)
- Exam Board: Trinity College
- This certificate was launched in the summer of 1998.
- The course is open to candidates with at least 6 months full time teaching
experience who hold an initial TEFL qualification.
- It consists of 50 hours tuition plus a post-course project.
Licentiate Diploma in TESOL (LTCL TESOL)
- Exam Board: Trinity College London
- For teachers with at least two years teaching experience, wishing
to pursue a career in TESOL.
- The examination is open to anyone with the relevant experience, but it is recommended that candidates
follow an approved course.
- These normally last eight to ten weeks (intensive) or 1 year part-time.
- Exam consists of two written papers (on the nature and use of the
English language + the practical aspects of teaching), an oral
interview (on the characteristics of spoken English + aspects of
language teaching) and classroom teaching observation (1 full
lesson).
- Open to native & non-native speakers.
- NB: This qualification has recently been revised. Key changes include the
replacement of the written examination Paper 2 with a coursework portfolio
and the inclusion of internal assessment by the course providers. City
College Manchester is the first centre to receive provisional validation for
course provision of the revised LTCL Diploma TESOL.
Diploma in the Teaching of English to Speakers of Asian
Languages (DipTESAL)
- Exam Board: Trinity College
- Developed with Curtin University, Australia, for experienced
teachers working or intending to work in Asia.
- The 150 hour
programme includes observed and assessed teaching, a classroom
research project and practical assignments.
- It is of an equivalent
standard to the LTCL (TESOL).
Foundation Certificate for Teachers of Business English (FTBE)
- Exam Board: London Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- For qualified general EFL teachers intending to specialise in
teaching English for Business Purposes.
- Open to both native and
non-native speakers.
Certificate in Teaching English for Business (CertTEB)
- Exam Board: London Chamber of Commerce and Industry/Arels
- For teachers with little or no experience of teaching English for
Business (50 hours tuition)
Certificate in Professional Skills for Language School Teachers
- Exam Board: English Speaking Board(International) Ltd.
- Exam for non-native speakers wishing to update their spoken
English.
The ARELS Certificate in Teaching One-to-One
- Exam Board: ARELS / Trinity College
- For candidates with an initial TEFL qualification, and preferably
some experience of teaching one-to-one.
- The course lasts 25 hours
(1 week full-time) plus a follow-up project.
ARELS Diploma in ELT Management
- Exam Board: ARELS
- Designed for the UK ELT sector of the market, looking at UK
legislation for employment, health & safety etc.
- The course runs
from September to June and consists of 10 intensive one day
training sessions in London combined with self study.
- All
assignments are practical and of direct relevance to the organisation
in which the course participant is working.
- There is no final exam
and no purely academic essays.
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