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TEFL Core Modules

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The Core Modules will provide you with the knowledge and understanding of the basic concepts and key terminology used in ELT and how to apply this terminology to planning and teaching. 

The core modules are part of the following certified TEFL courses.

This Ofqual-regulated qualification is excellent for candidates looking to progress their studies further in the UK with transferrable credits.

The Advanced Certificate is a highly recognised TEFL programme suitable for candidates looking to start teaching EFL in most countries.

The level 5 Diploma is a gold-standard professional TEFL qualification with advanced teaching techniques and 6 hours of teaching practice.

This TEFL course is Ofqual regulated and includes 6 hours of teaching practice. Languages schools in the UK accept it as CELTA and CertTESOL Equivalent

What you will learn

The Core TEFL Modules consist of 11 themed units that cover the key areas of teaching English and provide the groundwork for effective language analysis, lesson planning and delivery within the two areas of teaching, i.e. language skills and language systems as well as classroom management. 

What we think is unique about the Core Modules is that the course content is presented using the same methodology being taught- The Communicative Methodology!

Course content

The course overview below outlines all modules and lessons included in the core modules. It will provide you with your overall progression as well as give you a clear understanding of the aims and objectives of each module.

Principles of Teaching English as a Foreign Language

This module introduces the basic principles of teaching English in the communicative classroom. It provides knowledge and understanding of the main characteristics of the Communicative Approach, and the different roles of the teacher in the communicative classroom. The Module requires a demonstration of competence in integrating skills and balancing language skills and language systems within a lesson as well as designing an effective lead-in.

Lessons

Principles of Teaching English Module – Introduction and Learning Objectives What We Teach When We Teach English Focus on The Student Focus on The Teacher The Communicative Classroom Ways to Begin a Lesson 1 Ways to Begin a Lesson 2 – Demonstration Lesson Devise Your Own Lead-in How to be an Effective Teacher Principles of Teaching English – Module Summary

Teaching Reading Skills

This module considers the teaching of the receptive skill of reading in the EFL classroom. The Module covers the competence required to design and stage a reading lesson. It contains materials on how to identify appropriate aims and reading tasks, and how to design effective comprehension questions. This Module also provides the knowledge and understanding of common difficulties that both students and teachers face when delivering a reading lesson as well as ways of addressing those problems in the classroom.

Lessons

Teaching Reading Skills Module – Introduction and Learning Objectives What, Why and How – Reading in Students’ Own Lives Reading Sub-Skills Why do Students Need Help with Reading – Difficulties and Solutions Reading Demonstration Lesson – Part 1 Reading Demonstration Lesson – Parts 2 & 3 Alternative Ideas for the Demonstration Lesson Structure of a Reading Skills Lesson Ideas for Tasks Tips for a Successful Reading Skills Lesson Writing Effective Comprehension Questions Designing Your Own Reading Tasks Reading Skills – Module Summary

Teaching Listening Skills

This module considers the teaching of the receptive skill of listening in the EFL classroom. The Module focuses on the essential skills required to plan an effective listening lesson, including identifying stages and aims, logical sequencing of stages and selecting and /or designing appropriate listening tasks. It will also equip trainee teachers with basic understanding of the role of top-down and bottom-up processes in foreign language acquisition. The Module also contains tasks and materials on the different listening sub-skills and the roles of the teacher when setting up and running listening activities.

Lessons

Listening Skills Module – Introduction and Learning Objectives What, Why and How – Listening in Students’ Own Lives Ways of Listening and Listening Sub-Skills Differences Between Listening and Reading Difficulties Students Face When Listening What Happens When We Listen- Top-Down and Bottom-Up Processing Listening Demonstration Lesson – Part 1 Listening Demonstration Lesson – Part 2 Listening Demonstration Lesson – Part 3 Listening Lesson Framework Ideas for Pre- and While-Listening Tasks and Task Aims Criteria for a Good Follow-Up Activity and Ideas for Tasks Guidelines and Tips for a Successful Listening Skills Lesson Designing Your Own Listening Lesson Listening Skills Module Summary

Teaching Speaking Skills

This module introduces the productive skill of speaking in the EFL classroom with the focus on two different approaches to teaching speaking- from fluency to accuracy and from accuracy to fluency.The Module has been designed to equip trainee teachers with the skills of effective lesson planning, including identifying aims and stages of a speaking lesson as well as designing effective and communicative speaking activities. It also considers features of spoken language and the related student difficulties when communicating in English, and it includes tasks and published coursebook materials focusing on how to use speaking prompts and stimulus in the classroom.

Lessons

Speaking Skills Module – Introduction and Learning Objectives What, Why and How – Speaking in Students’ Own Lives Difficulties Students Face When Speaking Features of Spoken Language. Speaking Sub-Skills and Strategies Speaking Skills – Demonstration Lesson 1 Speaking Lesson Framework Two Approaches To Teaching Speaking – Demonstration Lesson 2 Features of an Effective Speaking Activity- Example Activities Ideas for Speaking Tasks Feedback on Speaking Activities Tips for a Successful Speaking Lesson Designing Your Own Speaking Lesson Speaking Skills Module Summary

Teaching Writing Skills

This module introduces the productive skill of writing in the EFL classroom. The Module considers two main approaches to teaching writing- The Product Approach and The Process Approach. It provides knowledge and understanding of features of a written text with the focus on the differences between spoken and written texts. It also contains tasks and materials on how to provide feedback on written work, including the use of a correction code. The Module requires competence in effective lesson planning, including sequencing stages in a logical way and identifying aims of the stages of a writing lesson and writing sub-skills.

Lessons

Writing Skills Module – Introduction and Learning Objectives Writing in Students’ Lives and Different Text Types (Genres) Differences Between Writing and Speaking. Features of a Written Text Features of a Written Text – Discourse Helping Students Improve Their Writing Skills – Your Turn Approaches to Teaching Writing 1 – Product Writing Approaches‌ ‌to‌ ‌Teaching‌ ‌Writing‌ ‌2 ‌- Process‌ ‌Writing‌ Sub-Skills and Stages in Writing Feedback on Writing – Correction Code Tips for a Successful Writing Lesson Writing Skills Module Summary

Teaching Grammar

This module considers the principles of language analysis, including meaning, form and pronunciation, and the teaching of grammar in the EFL classroom.The Module provides knowledge and understanding of key terminology used and the steps involved in the analysis, presentation and clarification of language structures for teaching purposes. It focuses on the concept of elicitation and introduces trainee teachers to the basic approaches to teaching grammar, including Guided Discovery, PPP, TBL and TTT models. This Module requires a demonstration of competence in planning a logically staged grammar lesson, including a clear and effective language presentation stage. It also contains tasks and materials focusing on identifying different types of practice activities and designing effective concept checking questions.

Lessons

Teaching Grammar Module – Introduction and Learning Objectives What is Grammar Students’ Perspective and Learner Needs Analysing Grammar for Teaching Purposes Presenting Grammar 1 – Stages and Aims of the PPP Approach Presenting Grammar 2 – Guided Discovery Approach Features of a Good Presentation Clarifying Grammar 1 – Meaning Clarifying Grammar 2 – Form Clarifying Grammar 3 – Pronunciation Alternative Approaches. Test-Teach-Test Grammar Practice Activities Analysing Grammar for Teaching Purposes – Your Turn Teaching Grammar Module Summary

Teaching Lexis

This module considers the teaching of the language system of lexis in the EFL classroom. This Module introduces the basic teaching terminology used and aspects of lexis commonly addressed in the classroom. It covers the competence required to carry out language analysis and present and clarify lexical items to students. The Module provides knowledge and understanding of the basic teaching approaches used when teaching lexis. In this Module, trainee teachers will look at a logical sequence of a lexis-based lesson, lesson and stage aims and objectives, a variety of practice activities as well as the difficulties they may experience when delivering a lexis lesson.

Lessons

Teaching Lexis Module – Introduction and Learning Objectives What is Lexis and Types of Lexis Identifying Collocations, Fixed Phrases and Idioms Criteria for Choosing Lexis to Teach in the Classroom Problems Students Have with Lexis Introducing Lexis – Strategies for Conveying Meaning Clarifying Lexis 1 – Meaning Clarifying Lexis 2 – Form and Pronunciation – Demonstration Lesson Your Turn – Analysing Form Stages of a Lexis Lesson Approaches to Teaching Lexis Strategies for Recording and Recycling Language Lexis Practice Activities Analysing Lexis for Teaching Purposes – Your Turn Teaching Lexis Module Summary

Teaching Functional Language

This module considers the teaching of the language system of functions in the EFL classroom. This Module has been designed to equip trainee teachers with basic understanding of the relationship between language and context, and the difference between structural and functional approaches to teaching language structures. It also includes language analysis practice and introduces the terminology and methods used in the classroom for functions presentation and clarification purposes. The Module requires a demonstration of the skill of effective lesson planning, including logical staging, identification of aims and accurate labelling of practice activities.

Lessons

Teaching Functional Language Module – Introduction and Learning Objectives What is Functional Language? Identifying Functions Features of Functional Language Analysing Functions for Teaching Purposes Demonstration Lesson and Staging Assessing Coursebook Material Designing Your Own Functional Language Lesson Teaching Functional Language Module Summary

Teaching Pronunciation

This module considers the teaching of the language system of pronunciation in the EFL classroom. This Module has been designed to enable the trainees to understand the importance of teaching pronunciation and the different ways of doing it. The Module covers the competence required to identify and analyse features of pronunciation for teaching purposes, including individual sounds, word and sentence stress, weak forms, intonation and connected speech. It also introduces the IPA chart and contains materials on how to use it effectively in the classroom. The Module focuses on student difficulties with pronunciation and common problems teachers have when teaching phonology. Trainees will have an opportunity to assess coursebook materials for teaching purposes by identifying and analysing pronunciation activities.

Lessons

Teaching Pronunciation Module – Introduction and Learning Objectives What is Pronunciation – When and Why Teach it Features of Pronunciation 1 – Sounds Phonemic Chart and its Classroom Application Features of Pronunciation 2 – Word Stress Features of Pronunciation 3 – Sentence Stress Identifying Strong and Weak Forms Features of Pronunciation 4 – Connected Speech Features of Pronunciation 5 – Intonation Drilling Tips for Pronunciation Teaching Your Turn – Identifying Features of Pronunciation Teaching Pronunciation Module Summary

Lesson Planning

This Module introduces the principles of planning for effective teaching. The Module has been designed to equip trainees with the essential skill of planning logically sequenced lessons using coursebooks and authentic materials, demonstrating understanding of different kinds of lessons. It focuses on the purpose of planning and the different approaches to lesson planning.This Module requires a competence in designing lesson plans which include a statement of aims, anticipation of problems and suggested solutions,staged description of procedures, description of interaction patterns and anticipated timings.

Lessons

Lesson Planning Module – Introduction and Learning Objectives Why Lesson Plan? Planning Considerations Lesson Planning 1 – Identifying and Defining Aims Practise Writing Lesson Aims – Your Turn Lesson Planning 2 – Writing a Lesson Plan Procedure Lesson Planning 3 – Stages and Stage Aims Lesson Planning 4 – Anticipating Problems – Language Analysis Lesson Planning 5 Anticipating Problems – Classroom Management Formal Lesson Plan – Guidelines for Completing Lesson Plans Approaches to Lesson Planning Planning with Coursebooks Using Authentic Materials Lesson Planning Module Summary

Classroom Management

This module introduces the essential skills required to effectively manage a classroom. This module provides knowledge and understanding of the basic principles of classroom management, including setting up tasks, monitoring students, giving instructions and error correction. The module also considers ways of maximising student interaction through effective classroom layouts, ways of grouping students as well as an appropriate balance of teacher and student talk time. The module covers the competence of effective elicitation as the fundamental feature of communicative teaching. It contains tasks and materials to equip newly qualified teachers with useful tips and guidelines for future reference.

Lessons

Classroom Management Module – Introduction and Learning Objectives Maximising Student Interaction – TTT and STT Teacher Positioning in the Classroom – Setting Up Activities and Effective Monitoring Giving Instructions 1 Giving Instructions 2 – Your Turn Error Correction 1 – Types and Sources of Errors Error Correction 2 – The What and The When Error Correction 3 – The Who and The How Error Correction 4 – Golden Rules of Error Correction. Your Turn Elicitation Techniques Classroom Management Issues and Guidelines Classroom Management Module Summary

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Have a question?

Each module starts with the presentation of clear learning objectives introduced through an animation video so that you know exactly what you can expect to learn. These objectives will also help you to reflect on learning and progress as you complete each module.

Progress will be achieved through practical hands-on learning, including multimedia delivery with authentic materials such as in-class demo lessons videos, informational animations and videos, real-life audio recordings, images, text, worksheets and a final assessment.

For each module, you will be given the opportunity to see experienced teachers in action. Some modules have full demo lessons which have to be watched in order to complete all lesson tasks; other modules have shorter clips from real lessons.

At the end of each Module, you will also be required to post reflective notes on the Module and what you have learned, using the online TEFL Forum as well as to comment on another post. This is an important part of the learning journey and, while it is not assessed, it allows you to benefit from peer-to-peer learning as well as being supported by GT online tutors.

The Modules get more difficult as you work through the course. Some Modules will take you longer to complete and the content will be more technical, such as the grammar, lexis, phonology, functions and lesson planning content. 

At the end of each module, there is an End of Module Test consisting of multiple-choice, gap fill and true or false questions. The pass rate for these tests is 50%, and they can be retaken as many times as needed in order to pass it; it is impossible to progress to the next module until the test has been completed.  

Before the End of Module test, there is a summary of what should be remembered from the module presented via an animation video; this is to help you organise your learning before you attempt the End of Module test. You will also be able to download PDF handouts summarising all you have learned in each lesson, to help you prepare for the End of Module test. 

The content of each lesson is presented via Guided Discovery in order for you to experience the same process of learning as students in the EFL classroom. This means that:

Each lesson starts with a TASK to complete in order to elicit what you already know, as this is one of the main principles of the Communicative Methodology that you will be required to apply in your teaching after you have completed your chosen Gallery Teachers TEFL  course. 

A reference glossary is used throughout the course, helping you to get comfortable with the common terminology and phrases you will need to learn.

There are a variety of tasks throughout the Core Modules course; some are based on text, some on audio recordings and some on videos and visuals. These tasks require you to engage in different activities to complete them, including worksheets provided as fillable PDFs that can be downloaded and/or printed. Some tasks are presented directly online to interact with and complete, and some will require you to post your ideas and reflections on the forum. Some lessons only have one task to complete, other lessons may even have four or five tasks. All the interactive tasks must be completed in order to unlock the lesson quiz. 

Each task provides answers and a trainer’s commentary which is intended to help you understand and reflect on what the task teaches you. The commentary also helps organise your knowledge by summarising the main points from each task. 

Most of the lessons have a Lesson Quiz at the end. The pass rate for these quizzes is 50%, and there is no limit to the number of attempts you have. You have to pass them to progress with the Core Module course.

The aim of the lesson quizzes is to help clarify what you have learned in each lesson. The Trainer’s Commentary sections further clarify and highlight key information, and assist you in completing the end-of-module tests.

Recommended Reading

Before you start the course, we recommend acquiring one language book and one methodology book from the lists below

Methodology books:

  • Harmer, J (2007) How to Teach English; An Introduction to the Practice of English Language Teaching 2nd Edition, Pearson Longman
  • Riddell, D (2010) Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Teach Yourself; Hodder Education
  • Scrivener, J (2005) Learning Teaching; Macmillan Education
  • Watkins, P (2005) Learning to Teach English. A Practical Introduction for New Teachers; Delta Publishing
  • Gower, Walters & Philips (2005) Teaching Practice Handbook: A Handbook for Teachers in Training 2nd Edition; Heinmann

Language books:

  • Murphy, R (2004) English Grammar in Use; CUP
  • Parrot, M (2010) Grammar for English Language Teachers; CUP
  • Swan, M (2005) Practical English Usage 3rd Edition; OUP
  • Thornbury, S (1997) About Language; CUP

Reviews

I love this course

I have learned a lot from this course, thank you!

John Blake

TEFL or TESOL? Never mind!

When I started this course I wasn’t even sure if I wanted a TEFL or a TESOL (ah ah) and it’s not so long ago I enrolled. Now I have a better understanding of this industry. It’s not just about improving my teaching skills and refressh my grammar, but how to find a job, where are the openings, and so on. Gallery Teachers is very focused on the practical aspect, because they recruit people and give you practical experience.

Ebrar

180 hours online TEFL course – Just right for me

I have just completed my 180 hour online TEFL course. The course is easy to navigate and full of useful resources. It’s complete. What I especially liked about it is that you feel like it’s made of multiple voices. What I didn’t like in other online courses I took in the past, is that they told you How to do things or How NOT to do things, like there was just one way to do them. This course is more opinionated, it gives you a guideline, sort of “This is a good way to do things, start using our method to develop your personal one”. I like it. Very original. Definitely recommended!

Emma