Course content
Input sessions
20 interactive workshops of approximately one hour and 30 minutes each, amounting to 30 hours of input time. Participants are required to attend a minimum of 80% of the input sessions.
A selection of the topics covered:
- Child Development
- Planning for Young Learners
- Different approaches to the teaching of Young Learners
- Teaching Very Young Learners
- Teaching Adolescents
- Testing & Assessment
Teaching practice
Each participant will be observed teaching Young Learner classes for a minimum of 4 lessons at two different levels/age groups. There will be a minimum of 45 minutes tuition time (pre-lesson guidance and post-lesson feedback) given for each hour of teaching. This part of the course is seen by the most valuable by majority of candidates.
Observation of experienced teachers
Each participant will observe lessons taught by experienced YL teachers for a minimum of two hours. For each of the hours of observation, participants must complete an assigned observation task.
Peer Observations
Participants are also required to do a minimum of 2 hours of peer observation. This aspect of the course is normally highly popular with participants.
(Note: total peer + experienced teacher observation time must be at least 6 hours)
Portfolio Tasks
Each participant will be assigned 11 portfolio tasks. A minimum of 7 must be submitted to the assigned tutor for feedback and support as required.
Tutorials
Each participant will be given a minimum of two tutorials of approximately 30 minutes each – these will involve the discussion of observation tasks and trainees’ general progression up to that point of the course.
Written work
Each participant will need to complete two written assignments. These will be set and submitted during the course. A third optional assignment will be set during the course but can be submitted up to two years from completion of the course. In addition, there will be homework tasks set after some input sessions.
Summary of contact hours within the course:
- Input time in the form of sessions – 30 hours
- Individual support (lesson preparation assistance + feedback on teaching + course progress), etc. per trainee – 5 hours
- Teaching practice per trainee – 3 hours
- Observation of experienced teachers – 2 hours minimum
- Observation peers – 2 hours minimum
- Total hours of observation of experienced teachers/peers – 6 hours
- Minimum total number of contact hours per trainee – 50 hours
