TEFL Course Overview

Course Description

The aim of this course is to provide the student planning to teach TEFL with practical hands-on training. The fundamentals of this course are similar to the TEFL program undertaken by our new hires in Taiwan. The main difference is that the Taiwanese certification includes culture-specific content and school-specific curriculum. The Hess Canada TEFL can be used to teach EFL in any country.

Students enrolled in the Hess Canada TEFL program are expected to do all assigned readings and homework, participate in class, present lesson plans and instruct assigned teaching demonstrations.

At the end of the course the student will have a list of language acquisition activities which s/he knows how to use and adapt for different levels and situations and lesson-plans for a variety of topics.


Method of Instruction

We believe the best way to learn is to do

To help make you the best teacher possible we will provide you with many opportunities to put into practice what we teach


Attendance Policy

As this is an intensive course, 90% attendance is required


Evaluation

Students will be evaluated on each of their teaching-demos. The evaluation will be a pass with distinction, pass or fail 

Students must pass one 10 minute teaching-demo and one final 20 minute teaching-demo

Students must pass the evaluation of the written lesson plan their teaching-demo is based on

Students must participate in making long term and short term unit plans with their group

Students must complete the assigned homework and readings which will be taken up in class


Teaching Component

Students take turns presenting ice-breakers/language learning activities each class

Each student will do one to two 10 minute (or longer) teaching-demos in front of the class. One must be passed.

Each student will have the opportunity to demonstrate and discuss their teaching-demo with their group and individually with the instructor

Each student will do a 20 min teaching-demo in front of the class (must pass)

Course Content

Topics are not suggested in any particular order

  • Language Acquisition Activities (Icebreakers, warm-ups and fillers) (repeated throughout)
  • Describing good teachers 
  • Theories of first and second language acquisition
  • ESL methodologies, approaches 
  • The communicative (student-centered learning) approach 
  • Learners, learner variables and culturally determined learning styles
  • Multilevel classrooms, determining and meeting the diverse needs of learners
  • Multiple intelligence theory, Brain-based learning and learning strategies
  • Classroom management and conflict resolution
  • Culture shock and adaptation – living and working overseas
  • Cross-cultural and multicultural teaching
  • Co-planning and teaching – hands on practice
  • The adult vs. the child learner
  • Lesson Planning 1:  conditions, components, objectives and sequences
  • Teaching children 
  • Child development and stages
  • Teaching though games, art, songs and activities
  • Dealing with parents
  • Teaching teenagers
  • Social and biological actors that affect adolescent learners
  • Creating a motivating and supportive classroom
  • Lesson Planning 2:  Long and short term Lesson planning –macro and micro (hands-on practice) 
  • Lesson Planning 3:  segues between sequences and lessons (hands-on practice)
  • Teaching reading 
  • Teaching writing 
  • Teaching listening 
  • Teaching speaking 
  • Teaching vocabulary 
  • Teaching pronunciation
  • Teaching grammar 
  • Creative use of resources –games, media, songs, authentic materials
  • Feedback through assessment, testing and evaluation
  • Job Search - Resume, cover letter, interviews, contracts