University of St Andrews - Online
Course in Introduction to Teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL)
Online, United Kingdom
Course
DURATION
41 days
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Jan 2027
TUITION FEES
GBP 300
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning
Key Summary
About: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) covers fundamentals, teaching strategies, and language acquisition theories. This short course helps you support English learners and gives practical tools to teach English as an additional language. In five units you'll move from lesson planning to applying the four skills. Exit tickets let you practice and get feedback from peers and tutors in an online programme at The University of St Andrews.
Career Outcomes: This course can lead to roles such as ESL teacher, language tutor, classroom assistant, teaching assistant, curriculum support officer, educational coordinator or support progression to postgraduate programmes.
Learn the fundamentals of TESOL, focusing on effective teaching strategies and language acquisition theories.
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages is essential for educators. This short course provides a comprehensive introduction to TESOL principles and practices.
In this course, you will develop your awareness of how to support the learning of English.
You will gain key practical tools and strategies to teach English as an additional language.
The course is structured in five units that will guide you from the basic principles of lesson preparation to practical application of the four skills in the classroom.
You will have the opportunity to put your newly developed knowledge into practice through ‘exit tickets’.
These are activities at the end of the unit, designed to bridge the gap between theory and practice, allowing you to receive feedback from peers and tutors, making this course a collaborative experience.
This course is open to anyone interested in understanding elementary TESOL principles.
You may want to choose this course if you are:
- considering studying an MSc in TESOL
- a Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) graduate preparing to work abroad as a Teaching Assistant
- an MFL graduate preparing to work in the UK with learners who use English as an additional language.
As this is an introduction to TESOL, you don’t need to have a background in language, linguistics, or teaching.
This course will help you raise your awareness of TESOL principles and maybe even inspire you to pursue a TESOL career in the future.
Teaching format
This course is designed to be completed in five weeks.
You will explore a different TESOL area each week.
Course activities include:
- Short videos or texts are designed to develop your understanding of key topics like classroom management or what happens in our brains when we read a text.
- Comprehension questions to help you check your understanding of key ideas explored during the course.
- Practical teaching scenarios and reflective questions to deepen your teaching practice.
- Collaborative discussions to share your ideas with your colleagues and tutors.
Learners typically spend six to eight hours per week in this course.