TEFL International – Course Description

I. Foreign Language Experience.

The trainee will have 6 hours of a foreign language experience which they will reflect upon in a learner’s journal to show:

Critical reflection on their own learning
Insight on how their learning experience might be applied to teaching

II. Language Awareness

Grammar. (6 hours) Inputs cover word classes, simple sentence elements, complex sentences and clauses, verb time and tense, aspect and conditionals and modals, phrasals and voice.
Phonology. (2 hours) Covering: phonemics, rhythm, stress, intonation, place & manner of articulation and connected speech.

III. Student Profile. (2 hours with student)

The trainee will meet twice with a student.

Meeting #1 – to profile the student’s life and interests
Meeting #2 – to obtain a spoken language sample

IV. Teaching Techniques. (30 hours)

Teaching technique inputs normally cover:

approaches to language learning
warmers and modeling – with peer teaching
controlled speaking practice
interactive blackboards
lesson planning models
appropriate language and comprehensible input
language in context – with peer teaching
vocabulary: cotext and context – with peer teaching
communicative speaking activities
theater techniques
textbook review and evaluation
classroom management
listening activities
managing group activities
songs and chants
reading activities
writing activities
feedback and testing

V. Teaching Practice and Observation.

All teachers do:

4 hours of observing experienced teachers
2 hours of student profiling
20 hours of classroom observation
8 hours of individual teaching practice

VI. Materials Project. (10 hours)

All trainees must develop four sets of materials used during the teaching practice. This will include vocabulary cards, board presentation, and listening materials. These will be assessed for effectiveness during teaching practice. The summation of this project is a write up describing how the materials were used, and how they could be improved.

* Please note that inputs covered may vary from location to location.