Worldport ESL :: Skills Training and Certificate, Teaching English Learners in ESL / EFL Classrooms

Focus
The teaching of English as a Second Language (ESL) is the focus of this course. The training covers practices for teaching students who wish to learn not just English as a Foreign Language (EFL) or point of interest, but for teaching students who require skills for authentic English transactions. ESL teaching encompasses EFL but EFL teaching does not always cover the needs for ESL, when learners must be able to function in English. This is often the case for learners in more than 75 countries now deeming English necessary for education and commerce, and for students who plan to live in an English- speaking environment. So often, learning ESL also means living in a new language and in a new culture. Consequently, English-speaking culture has deep implications for ESL teaching. The course reflects this premise, with approaches that involve cultural learning along with language learning, adaptable for classes in different settings. Issues in teaching adult learners are specifically addressed, though much of the training is applicable to learners of all ages. Regardless of your classroom, you'll gain a wealth of information from which to draw.

Features
Teaching ESL can be very rewarding. That's not to say it's easy! Skills key to this multi-faceted profession are covered in the course. The training is task-based and highly practical, exemplifying the many aspects of a job teaching ESL. Some of the features in your Worldport ESL training include:

up-to-date methodology, founded by current principles and research, and effective, communicative classroom practices

focus not on endless historical reviews, but on discussing and applying successful ideas, for approaches you orchestrate to best suit your learners

language acquisition and developmental stages in language learning, with linguistic analysis including phonology, phonetics and morphology

assessing and meeting the language needs of learners

assessing, selecting and adapting materials, teacher-made, learner-made, commercial and authentic

planning individual lessons, creating and sequencing learning tasks as the building blocks of lessons, and developing series of lessons

solid grammar knowledge, with a multitude of effective means to address technical aspects in class, rarely covered though often requested by teachers

class management and attention to the human side of learning and teaching, including presentation and motivation techniques essential to promote learning

evaluation of learners, curriculum components, and yourself as a teacher

resources and direction for post-program professional development

Requirements
Along with the course readings each week, your training involves applying and exercising your skills in the Grammar Worksheets, unit Assignments and Lesson Plans you send to us. It generally takes about 10 - 12 hours to complete a week's work, with 12 weeks of work in total. You submit your work in the pre-labelled envelopes supplied. To conclude the course work you write a final test, with a proctor you arrange according to guidelines we provide.

Evaluation
An overall mark of 72% is required to pass the course in good standing and gain your certificate. Grade weights are:

22 Grammar Worksheets     20%
33 Assignments     30%
16 Lesson Plans     30%
Final Test     20%

Components
So you know how the program is actually structured, to better understand the training you'll receive, we offer a look at the eight main components:

Grammar Instruction
Grammar Worksheets
Grammar Teaching Tips
Learner
Teacher
Tools
Sources
Lesson Plans

The Stand-Alone ESL Grammar Guide is exclusive to the Worldport course. Grammar Instruction, Worksheets and Teaching Tips cover areas that teachers seek but teaching programs typically neglect. These components together form a self-contained teaching resource which you can later pull from the course to use over and over.

The Grammar Instruction has 22 units in total, each with a Grammar Worksheet. Each week, they are followed by Grammar Teaching Tips. The Learner, Teacher, Tools and Sources components each have 12 units, one appearing every week of the course and covering a specific topic within the component. These units are augmented by 33 different Assignments which comprise a substantial part of your training. The Assignments are task-based, providing opportunities to apply your new teaching knowledge in concrete ways. In the Lesson Plan component a total of 16 lessons are developed. Throughout the course, you'll also find many example lesson plans, as well as references to teaching resources and suggested readings which provide further insight and help to equip you as a teacher. Combined, the components cover theory and practice for ESL/EFL teaching. Here's a description of the main course components with a preview of individual course units.

Grammar Instruction units offer straight-forward explanation of basic grammar points, including word formation and colloquialisms (everyday, informal English), as vital knowledge for teachers. As the basis of your subject matter, the grammar coverage is thorough. Consider it background knowledge, for no matter what approach you take in teaching ESL/EFL, a solid understanding of grammar contributes to your ability. Being comfortable with it allows you great flexibility when it comes to incorporating it in your classroom. Regardless of how well-spoken you are, you should notice that your awareness of the English grammar system heightens.

Grammar Worksheets always follow Grammar Instruction units. Each Worksheet consists of exercises to practise the grammar point you just learned, which you complete and hand in. While you do the Worksheets, you will also find examples of exercises you can adapt for your classroom.

Grammar Teaching Tips outline ways to transfer each week's grammar points to an ESL/EFL classroom, with an indication of what's appropriate for learners of different competence levels. They suggest ways to incorporate and address a grammar point in class and how to take advantage of situations where the grammar naturally occurs. Putting grammar into the context of an ESL/EFL classroom, the Tips offer ideas to help you approach technical aspects of English in ways that are accessible and meaningful for learners.

Learner units are dedicated to increasing your awareness of learners as people, since it's necessary to understand your students to be an effective teacher. Units in this component have information about learners in general and ESL/EFL learners specifically. Topics range from second language acquisition to learning strategies and styles. Information about the TOEFL® Test is also covered here. This component offers insight into learners themselves and what makes them tick, developing sensitivities which ultimately make you a better teacher. The units also offer many practical ideas for your classroom.

Teacher units offer real substance applicable to ESL/EFL situations. Certainly all components of the course contribute to your development as a teacher, though each week here you'll find topical discussion in areas such as feedback and phonetics. Through these units, your theoretical and practical knowledge expands as we address ways to teach vocabulary and the language macroskills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. With many sound ideas in relevant areas, including many specific activities for your classroom, these units help develop your understanding and your repertoire as a teacher.

Tools units can be considered collectively as your classroom tool kit, with tools of the trade to help you build a supportive environment for the learning process. As a teacher, you're responsible for creating a climate that facilitates learning. It's one thing to have the knowledge, another to know how to use it so your classroom operates effectively, with optimal exposure for learners. Here we focus on aspects of organisation and class management, including curriculum development.

Sources units explore particular sources you can tap as vehicles for teaching ESL/EFL and for practising language skills in your classroom. With concrete examples in practice, they offer ideas to get you started, the impetus from which you'll develop your own creative applications. By the time you finish the course, you'll have many ideas for using different materials to motivate learning.

Lesson Plans are developed every week but the first. Here you'll put the knowledge you gain to further practice, with opportunities to create lessons for different learner levels and topics. Each lesson plan incorporates aspects of the week's material. The introduction of this component in the first week provides lesson plan guidelines and sample lessons. Throughout the course you'll find many other lesson plan examples.