I had the
opportunity to train within the first EDI Cert TEFL Teacher Training Course
ever held in Romania and I can tell you, the challenge and the professional
satisfaction were immense. My co-trainer, Maria Keeley and I find that the
theoretical input and practical knowledge that the programme offers truly
encourages excellence in language teaching.
We would like to
introduce you into our discovery and experience, through offering you a few
insights about the programme.
“My name is Bogdan Stefan and I am a teacher of English at Simone
Educational Center, Craiova. I was very happy to join Gyongyi and Maria in
their first EDI CertTEFL training programme. It was an amazing course for
teachers and the input-sessions were
interactive. I came back to school as a student and I did my best to learn to from
the best. The programme was a great opportunity for us to grow professionally, even
though we had a lot of assignments to write and many tasks to perform. I would
do the programme again any minutes as it helped my professional growth greatly.
I would advise everybody to go for the course!!!!” (trainee
comment)
We can say that
the degree of challenge of the programme can easily be under-estimated by
trainees, whether part-, or full-time. You
need to be very organised and have a great sense of time-management in order to
fit into the deadlines given for completing each Portfolio task that you are
assessed on. This programme needs your full attention and devotion; otherwise
you cannot reach your full potential.
“To be able to participate as
a trainer in the first CertTEFL course for Romania was a great honour. It was
and is a great achievement for me as a person to be able to guide, help and
pass on some of my knowledge to future TEFL teachers. As it was the first
teacher training course and a first of doing this type of work I was very
nervous and excited about it. My expectations were high for the students and
they really achieved these and beyond. They made me proud in how hard they
worked and how much effort they put into the course. The course overall was
wonderful to follow through the various topics and see teaching from many
different angles. By the end of the course I was wishing it would continue as
it was very difficult to let the students leave and be on their own, but the
knowledge that they are great teachers and they will be my first group will
stay with me and I will cherish it. The TEFL is a great opportunity for any teacher
to expand their knowledge and horizons of the teaching world and I am very
grateful that I can be part of this.” (Maria Keeley, EDI CertTEFL Teacher
Trainer)
But let’s have a closer look at the
programme and at what it offers …..
What
is the EDI CertTEFL Teacher Training Course?
The EDI CertTEFL
is a Level 5 (Cambridge CELTA equivalent), highly practical teacher training
course designed to provide you with the initial skills needed for teaching
English to adult speakers of other languages. The EDI CertTEFL English teaching
qualification is valid and accepted worldwide.
Who
is the programme addressed to?
The EDI Cert TEFL Teacher Training Course
is particularly suitable for you if:
·
you have little or no
experience of teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) but may be thinking
of a career as an EFL teacher
·
you are passionate about the English
language and culture and wish to become a qualified EFL teacher
·
you wish to boost your
professional portfolio with an internationally recognised teaching qualification
·
you already are an English
language teacher who is passionate about your profession and wish to further
improve your teaching skills
·
you already are an English
language teacher who need an internationally recognised teaching qualification
to teach abroad
What
will the course include?
The EDI Cert TEFL curriculum consists of 6
units, delivered and assessed in 120 contact hours:
Unit 1: Teaching and learning in an EFL context
Unit 2: Developing teaching skills and managing
the learning environment
Unit 3: Teaching language
Unit 4: Teaching language skills
Unit 5: Planning and evaluation
Unit 6: Assessment of learners
How
will the course be assessed?
Your assessment during
the course is continuous and integrated, taking into account teaching skills,
written assignments and professionalism. Each of the 6 assessed units contributes to
your overall grade. Within the teaching practice component of the programme you
are requested to observe a min. of 4 hours and to teach a min. of 6 hours. You
will be given feedback by the trainers on your teaching and opportunities to
discuss your progress individually.
Achievement of the EDI CertTEFL will
confirm that you:
·
have a good understanding of
the essential aspects of the EFL teacher’s role
·
can organise and manage
effective learning
·
have developed professionally
through on-going reflection and evaluation
What
are your entry requirements?
No previous teaching experience is
necessary. But, if you are a non-native English speaker, you must be able to
demonstrate a C2-level (proficient) level of English.
What
are the benefits of the Part-Time and Full-Time courses?
The advantages
of the part-time training programme are that the contact hours are
shared across 5 intensive training weekends, rather than a one month full-time
commitment. This format allows you to carry on with your normal day-to-day
activities with minimum disruption. The course is also supplemented by our online
learning platform (Bridge:Online) that includes additional training and
reference materials. Bridge:Online can also be used to submit your assignments
for grading and communicate with your Mentor.
The full-time
training programme is most suitable if you can take a month off work or
from your studies. The main advantages of this type of programme are that you
can fully concentrate on your teacher development without any other distracting
factors. You will spend a whole month within the language institute hosting the
training programme, thus you will be able to familiarise with the insights of
how a language centre operates. Some say that the full-time experience offers
more efficiency in preparing as a teacher, however, if you can manage your time
efficiently, the part-time programme can be just as successful.
Who
will your trainers be?
Your trainers
are highly experienced in the field of teaching English as a Foreign Language
as well as teacher development and have acquired relevant Cambridge DELTA,
TESOL or Cert.Ed. qualifications.
When can you join the next course?
After the
success of the first course, we have decided to
continue with another course between 21
February and 30 June 2014. The
course will be a part-time training programme that will take place on the
following weekends: 21-23 February,
21-23 March, 11-13 April, 9-11 May and
6-8 June 2014.
Gyongyvér Pillich-Wright
Director of Studies at Bridge Language Study House
I
