ENGLISH Language Teaching Qualifications

English language teachers are expected and required to hold TEFL qualifications.

Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA)

• Exam Board: UCLES
• The certificate forms part of the new CILTS (Cambridge Integrated Language Teaching Syllabus) and replaces the old Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (Cert. TEFLA).
• It is aimed at those without ELT experience, but with a standard of education which would allow entry to Higher Education.
• Candidates must be at least 20 years old at the start of the course.
• Courses have a minimum length of 100 contact hours, 6 hours supervised practice teaching and 8 hours directed observation of live lessons.
• Full-time courses last four to five weeks. Part-time up to one year.

Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (Cert. TESOL)

• Exam Board: Trinity College London
• A first qualification for those with little or no previous experience.
• It qualifies the trainee to teach both adults and children and is available to both native and non-native speakers.
• Courses usually last for 1 month (intensive) or part-time from 3 months to 1 year. (Trinity College stipulates a min. of 130 hours of tuition, with at least 6 practical teaching experience.)
• Each institution sets its own entry requirements, but a good standard of general education is expected by all of them. In general, preference is given to students aged 20+.

Certificate in English Language Teaching to Young Learners (CELTYL)

• Exam Board: UCLES
• The CELTYL is an introductory course for candidates who have little or no previous experience of teaching languages.
• Entry requirements follow those of the CELTA.
• The Certificate course programme focuses on teaching young learners either from 5-10, 11-16, or 8-13 years old.
• It involves a minimum of 100 contact hours, 6 hours supervised teaching practice and 8 hours directed observation of lessons taught by experienced ELT professionals.
• Full-time courses last 4 weeks, part-time courses last 4 to 5 months to a year.

Certificate of Endorsement in English Language Teaching to Young Learners

• Exam Board: UCLES
• This pilot extension course allows recently qualified holders of a CELTA to extend this to work with young learners.
• Full-time courses last 2 weeks. Part-time up to 6 months.

Certificate for Overseas Teachers of English (COTE)

• Exam Board: UCLES
• COTE is an in-service training course for practising teachers who have relevant classroom experience with children or adults.
• It is aimed at non-native speakers of English outside the UK.
• Candidates should have a level of English approximately equivalent to Cambridge First Certificate in English or Certificate in Communicative Skills in English, Level 2.
• Courses are usually a minimum of 150 hours and run part-time over six months or a year.

Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults (DELTA)

• Exam Board: UCLES
• The Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults (DELTA) forms part of the CILTS review and replaces the Diploma in Teaching English as a Foreign Language to Adults (DTEFLA) and the Diploma in Overseas Teaching of English (DOTE).
• It is an in-service qualification for those with at least two years full- time (1200 hours) experience of teaching English as a foreign language.
• Candidates should have a standard of education which would allow entry to higher education and will normally have formal ELT training.
• Courses have a minimum length of 120 contact hours, 10 hours teaching of ELT to adults (4 of which are supervised) and 10 hours directed observation of lessons.
• Candidates are expected to give substantial time to reading, research and assignments.
• Part-time courses tend to last about 8 months, but some centres also offer an intensive 10-12 week course.

Diploma in English Language Teaching to Young Learners(DELTYL)

• Exam Board: UCLES
• The Diploma course is intended for candidates who have substantial experience of teaching English to young learners and has the same general entry requirements as the DELTA.
• The courses includes 120 contact hours, 10 hours teaching practice, 4 of which are assessed by a course tutor, 10 hours directed observation of young learner lessons and 150 hours of reading, research and assignments.
• Courses will be available on a full-time or part-time basis.

Diploma in Business and Professional English Language Teaching (DipBPE)

• Exam Board: UCLES
• Currently in pilot, the DipBPE has the same entry requirements as DELTA but additionally candidates should have substantial business English teaching experience, and be over 21 years of age by the course start date.
• The course is a minimum of 140 hours.
• Courses will be available on a full-time or part-time basis.

Advanced Diploma in English Language Teaching Management (ADLTM)

• Exam Board: UCLES
• The Advanced Diploma is an award at a higher level than DELTA, DELTYL and DipBPE.
• The focus is shifted away from the practicalities of the classroom to more specialised areas of management and planning.
• The course involves 100 hours course contact time, 220 hours guided study and 130 hours to complete assessed course work.
• Full-time courses last 3 months, part-time courses up to a maximum of 2 years.

International Diploma in English Language Teaching Management (IDLTM)

• Exam Board: UCLES
• 325 hour course which enables English Language teaching professionals to apply skills derived from management theory and practice to their work as Language Teaching managers.
• Candidates must have a degree or equivalent, a minimum of three years’ language teaching experience or 5 years’ working experience in a language teaching context.

Certificate in Teaching English to Young Learners (TEYL)

• Exam Board: Trinity College
• Intended for practising teachers of primary level children who wish to add a TESOL specialism to their existing skills.
• Trainees must follow an approved course. Minimum tuition time: 140 hours (20 of which are teaching practice), usually over a six week course (full- time).
• Open to native and non-native speakers.

Specialist Certificate in Teaching English for Industry and Commerce (CertTEfIC)

• Exam Board: Trinity College
• This certificate was launched in the summer of 1998.
• The course is open to candidates with at least 6 months full time teaching experience who hold an initial TEFL qualification.
• It consists of 50 hours tuition plus a post-course project.

icentiate Diploma in TESOL (LTCL TESOL)

• Exam Board: Trinity College London
• For teachers with at least two years teaching experience, wishing to pursue a career in TESOL.
• The examination is open to anyone with the relevant experience, but it is recommended that candidates follow an approved course.
• These normally last eight to ten weeks (intensive) or 1 year part-time.
• Exam consists of two written papers (on the nature and use of the English language + the practical aspects of teaching), an oral interview (on the characteristics of spoken English + aspects of language teaching) and classroom teaching observation (1 full lesson).
• Open to native & non-native speakers.
• NB: This qualification has recently been revised. Key changes include the replacement of the written examination Paper 2 with a coursework portfolio and the inclusion of internal assessment by the course providers. City College Manchester is the first centre to receive provisional validation for course provision of the revised LTCL Diploma TESOL.

Diploma in the Teaching of English to Speakers of Asian Languages (DipTESAL)

• Exam Board: Trinity College
• Developed with Curtin University, Australia, for experienced teachers working or intending to work in Asia.
• The 150 hour programme includes observed and assessed teaching, a classroom research project and practical assignments.
• It is of an equivalent standard to the LTCL (TESOL).

Foundation Certificate for Teachers of Business English (FTBE)

• Exam Board: London Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• For qualified general EFL teachers intending to specialise in teaching English for Business Purposes.
• Open to both native and non-native speakers.

Certificate in Teaching English for Business (CertTEB)

• Exam Board: London Chamber of Commerce and Industry/Arels
• For teachers with little or no experience of teaching English for Business (50 hours tuition)

Certificate in Professional Skills for Language School Teachers

• Exam Board: English Speaking Board(International) Ltd.
• Exam for non-native speakers wishing to update their spoken English.

The ARELS Certificate in Teaching One-to-One

• Exam Board: ARELS / Trinity College
• For candidates with an initial TEFL qualification, and preferably some experience of teaching one-to-one.
• The course lasts 25 hours (1 week full-time) plus a follow-up project.

ARELS Diploma in ELT Management

• Exam Board: ARELS
• Designed for the UK ELT sector of the market, looking at UK legislation for employment, health & safety etc.
• The course runs from September to June and consists of 10 intensive one day training sessions in London combined with self study.
• All assignments are practical and of direct relevance to the organisation in which the course participant is working.
• There is no final exam and no purely academic essays.