Unit 1: Introduction to TEFL

In the first part of the course you’ll learn about TEFL in different contexts, looking at:

• Teaching methodologies
• The eclectic approach
• Teaching and learning strategies and techniques
• The TEFL landscape

By the end of this module, you’ll be able to start applying knowledge of the background and theory of TEFL to your own teaching practice.

Unit 2: Lesson Planning

In this unit you’ll get right to the heart of planning a good English lesson for your students, looking at:

• Planning for different ages, levels and class sizes as well as different students’ backgrounds
• Learning styles, multiple intelligences, and the impact of the first language on learning English
• Lesson aims, objectives, and syllabus fit
• Anticipating problems

By the end of this unit, you’ll have a sound understanding of how to plan a great English language lesson for your students.

Unit 3: Structuring your Lesson

Following on from the lesson planning, in this module you’ll cover: 

• Practical ideas and examples of lesson content  Techniques for presenting form, meaning and pronunciation surplus 
• Enabling students to produce language and take part in controlled language 
• “Warmers”, “coolers” and end of session activities By the end of this module, you’ll know how to develop great activities and deliver great lesson content.

Unit 4: Making it Work in the Classroom

The best teachers are never forgotten, and pretty soon that could be you.

This section of the course explores how to give yourself the best possible chance of delivering your lesson successfully. 

This unit covers the following:

• Creating a positive classroom environment
• Relationship and classroom management techniques
• Using the board, giving instructions and questioning techniques
• Using individual, pair and group activities
• Monitoring students’ progress in class and giving feedback
• Error correction and testing
• Helping students learn outside the classroom
• Dealing with monolingual and multilingual classrooms

By the end of this unit, you’ll be set to make your carefully planned lesson go as smoothly as possible.

Unit 5: Teaching Vocabulary

Did you know that students require a receptive vocabulary of approximately 3,000 high-frequency words to be independent users of the language?

Teaching vocabulary is a very important part of teaching English as a foreign language.

In this unit, you’ll get to grips with creative ways to teach vocabulary in a range of lesson contexts. You’ll cover:

• Meaning, form and pronunciation of vocabulary
• Presenting new vocabulary
• Checking understanding and teaching students how to remember
• Enabling students to practise vocabulary
• Developing vocabulary teaching and learning activities

By the end of this unit, you’ll be armed with the top tips you need to create memorable vocabulary lessons.

Unit 6: Teaching Pronunciation

Clear pronunciation is a key element of speaking English – as a teacher, you’ll need to know to understand phonology and be able to teach the sounds and tones of the language. In this module, you’ll master teaching pronunciation in a range of lesson contexts. You’ll cover:

• The basics of phonology
• Phonology of single words and sentence
• The phonemic chart
• Minimal pairs
• Connected speech
• Practical ideas and content for teaching correct pronunciation

By the end of this unit, you’ll be equipped with creative teaching ideas to help students improve their pronunciation skills.

Unit 7: Teaching Grammar

Love it or hate it, it’s impossible not to teach grammar! Teachers need a good understanding of grammar and how to teach it in the classroom. In this module, you’ll become adept at teaching grammar in a range of lesson contexts. You’ll cover:

• Grammar basics: words, phrases, verb patterns and tenses
• Grammar and intonation for building sentences
• Language analysis
• Approaches to teaching grammar
• Shaping grammar lessons around your students
• Practical ideas and content for teaching grammar

By the end of this unit, you’ll be ready to tackle even the trickiest grammar points in your lessons.

Unit 8: Teaching Young Learners

Many English teachers find themselves teaching young children as well as teenagers and adults, so a very different approach is needed! In this module, you’ll cover:

• Theories of language acquisition
• Differences between adults and children in the classroom
• Learning and teaching styles, including classroom management, rapport and keeping children on-task
• Resources and materials for young learners
• Adapting teaching materials
• Setting boundaries, dealing with problems and cultural differences
• Safeguarding young learners and yourself

By the end of this unit, you’ll excel at teaching English to your young learners.

Unit 9: Teaching the Four Skills

We take reading, listening, speaking, and writing for granted in our own language. In this section we will look at the skills and techniques we can use to help our learners improve in these key areas.

You will learn how to improve students’

• speaking: Accuracy versus fluency approaches for teaching speaking, ideas, and top tips
• listening: Different types of listening, the structure of a listening lesson, types of activities
• reading: Different reading skills, choosing the right text, teaching ideas
• writing: Approaches to teaching writing, reviewing and correcting student work, top tips
• Safeguarding issues such as bullying and social media use

Unit 10: Using External Resources in the Classroom

Every day we are surrounded by authentic material and resources that we could use in our classes, but how do you choose what to use? In this unit, you’ll cover:

• Using course books
• Creating your own materials
• Using authentic materials
• Using music, film, sound and games
• Problem-based discussions
• Adapting materials
• Using online resources
• Your own professional development

By the end of this unit, you’ll have reached the end of the 180-hour TEFL training programme and a chance to reflect on your own key strengths and areas for development as a teacher. You’ll also be in a position to consider how TEFL training will impact on your career and what your next steps and longer-term career goals are.

TEFL stands for Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Typically, it involves a fluent English speaker teaching English to students in schools, language institutes, or workplaces. A TEFL course equips you with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to teach English.

Ofqual is basically the UK Government department in charge of regulating teaching standards.

Everyone’s favourite! We’ll teach you all the grammar you need. It won’t be too in-depth because you’ll probably be teaching conversational English so don’t worry if you’re not a grammar fan!

No worries! As long as you have an advanced level of English, you'll be able to take this course and teach English locally and abroad. For plenty of TEFLers, English is their second language so you can most definitely find a TEFL job if you’re not a native speaker.

Not at all! Most of our students have never stepped foot in front of a class so you won’t be expected to have prior knowledge of teaching – that’s exactly what this course is for.