TESOL Diploma
All of our levels contain two units and take 40 nominal hours to complete. The Advanced TESOL Certificate is the prerequisite for this level.
Reflection & Understanding
This unit examines the various methodologies of classroom practise and lesson delivery. We move from the “Sage On The Stage’ to the “Guide On The Side” methodology.
Outline
Not all TESOL teaching is straightforward with willing and well adjusted pupils. In many areas of today’s world there are thousands of displaced persons. Many of these will want to learn English so that they can live in an English speaking country and become an accepted part of their host society.
Outcomes
In this unit you are asked to provide insights as to how you would handle each situation. Your answers are expected to show your deeper understanding of the students’ learning needs according to their prior experiences and some insights into which strategies are more likely to be acceptable and valuable.
Next Steps
Developing Comprehension
The aim of this unit is to familiarise the TESOL teacher with strategies to facilitate effective feedback and assessment of understandings by their students.
Outline
As the holder of an Advanced Certificate in TESOL you can expect to be given intermediate learners to teach. This stage of learning has sometimes been described as the ‘Doldrums’. In other words it seems as though the students have lost the initial momentum of enthusiasm for learning, and have come to a standstill in their progress, just as a yacht going through the Doldrums of the South Atlantic Ocean loses momentum through lack of wind in its sails. Don’t be disheartened at this point. Remember that they are making a transition from the basic stringing together of words and articulation, to actual understanding. They are starting to formulate thoughts, words and sentences in their new language.
How many years did you hear English before you were reasonably fluent and understood by your family?
Remember how you learned, listening, repeating, remembering and most especially USING.
If you are a parent or have worked with young children, you know how often you model corrections, probably you have done it so many times that it’s a subconscious habit. In other words it’s repetitive and it should be continued until no longer needed. This probably accounts for most of your work on accent and vocabulary.
But what about understanding?
We call it comprehension or knowing. It is being able to analyse and gain a greater depth of understanding from a situation or a piece of prose, be it an advertisement or a short article.
Accent, vocabulary and comprehension can all be taught side by side.
Outcomes
You will be introduced to the teaching of accent as well as of the framing of sentences and paragraphs to carry specifics, rather than generalities that are open to the interpretation of the reader. The correct use of punctuation is included. Additionally exercises in engaging learners are used to introduce you to a graduating level of difficulty as proficiency at various levels of achievement is reached. Work on expanding and using vocabulary is part of this unit.