The Advanced Diploma with Teaching Practice in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) is suitable for experienced teachers of TESOL who require a diploma-level qualification, who want to extend their knowledge and skills both for their own personal development and to support other teacher trainers in the same organisation.

Learning at this level involves the achievement of a high level of professional knowledge and is appropriate for people working as knowledge-based professionals, professional academic management positions or in teacher training.

This internationally accredited course provides the candidate with an in-depth understanding of the relationship between the theories underpinning the practice of teaching English together with guided, purposeful observations of qualified and experienced tutors.

Perspective:

The Advanced Diploma TESOL courses provided by the Centres of The College should:

•    Be available to native and near native English speakers whose first or second language is English.
•    Be suitable for those who want to teach internationally.
•    Enhance the candidates’ practical knowledge of the theories and practical elements of contemporary English teaching practice.
•    Encourage availability internationally through both distance and face-to-face learning methods.
•    Makes candidates aware of the importance of further professional development throughout their career.
•    Reflect current approaches to TESOL.
•    Encourage the candidate to experience what it is like to be a language learner.
•    Provide the candidate with a deeper understanding about the relationship between the theories underpinning their practice.
•    Encourage candidates to develop self-evaluation techniques and record progress throughout their course.
•    Ensure candidates learn valuable work-life skills and help them develop a successful career.
•    Provide access to skills books for teaching reading, writing and listening; pronunciation books and the accompanying tapes; as well as vocabulary books.

Who is the qualification for?

The Advanced Diploma is designed for those experienced teachers of TESOL in their development of professional knowledge and expertise in TESOL. The Course should serve the teacher to enhance their skills as a TESOL teacher and refine their practical skills.

Each course will have its own entry requirements however The College recommends the following as a minimum:

•    The minimum age to enrol on an Advanced Diploma course is 21.
•    Trainees must have achieved a minimum ACOT TESOL with Teaching Practice or equivalent in TESOL.

Course structure:

This course covers a minimum of 150 timetabled hours and a minimum of 10- 12 hours peer observation, of which four should be live lessons or the rest can be video-based. There should be a time-tabled period of time to enable candidates to complete an additional 150 hours for the required reading/research, assignments and lesson preparation some of this time may be scheduled before and/or after the time tabled course for example, pre-course reading, pre-course tasks and completion of assessed elements. There must be a minimum of 120 hours where a candidate is interacting with a trainer, either in input sessions, tutorials, counselling or feedback sessions, if by distance-learning mode; the equivalent, using an appropriate combination of media: face-to-face interaction, video or internet other interactive mediums.

The practical teaching assessment must include planning and execution as well as showing an ability to reflect on the lesson. In assessing the quality of performance weighting given to the practical element must be no less than that given to the written element.

The candidate must gain an overall pass in both the written and practical elements in order to gain the Advanced Diploma in TESOL.
Assessment outcomes:

An Advanced Diploma TESOL will give the candidate the ability to employ effective classroom management techniques and have knowledge of current theories of language learning.
Level

Level 6 qualifications are at a level equivalent to honours Higher Education qualifications such as Bachelor degrees, graduate Diplomas and diplomas.

The College of Teachers' qualifications are independently valid and stand alongside the National Qualification Framework (NQF) and Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ).

On 5 July 2010 the Awards Committee further decided to combine the Diploma TESOL and the Advanced Diploma of Educational Studies TESOL (TCOT TESOL Level TWO) to make the qualification clearer to employers. The course which meets the requirements of a Level 6 (NQF) equivalent will be defined exclusively by Teacher Practice. For candidates that have still to complete their Diploma TESOL will be awarded an Advanced Diploma in TESOL at Level 6 (NQF) equivalent but will not receive the notation of ‘with Teaching Practice’.

The Diploma of The College of Teachers is equivalent in level to NQF level 6, FHEQ I (Honours).