ESL Course from Scratch

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Jemineye
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Joined: 31 May 2012, 16:18
Status: New Teacher

ESL Course from Scratch

Unread post by Jemineye »

So, I work for a training and employment company in a very multi-lingual area. As such, it isn't common for people to come in off the street and as if we run English course. We don't.

I am, however, a recently qualified English teacher and my boss considered that I could run a beginner course in house and teach groups of people.

Now I don't mind doing this, but at the same time, I'm not sure.

a) Is it legal? Does our establishment need to be licensed to run English courses?
b) Could I use a premade course or would that be copyright infringement? Would it be better to design my own?
c) If it is better to design my own, what versus what would be useful?
Alex Case
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Joined: 17 Aug 2007, 01:53
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Re: ESL Course from Scratch

Unread post by Alex Case »

Needing a license would depend on the country - where are you? Also, what kind of business does your company do now?

No problem with running a course with published materials, though each student would need to buy their own textbook. Would they be actual beginners, or just Elementary?
Jemineye
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Posts: 23
Joined: 31 May 2012, 16:18
Status: New Teacher

Re: ESL Course from Scratch

Unread post by Jemineye »

I'm from the UK.

My company is a training and employment company so we do courses already. Now that I think about it, it would probably be for both. A lot of the people who walk through our doors can speak some English though, but to be on the safe side, I'd rather generate a course for complete beginners.
Alex Case
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Posts: 539
Joined: 17 Aug 2007, 01:53
Status: Teacher

Re: ESL Course from Scratch

Unread post by Alex Case »

You would need accreditation for things like sponsoring visas, but I can't see any reason why you couldn't teach English as just another subject from tomorrow. Would it be EFL (people who are planning to return to their own country) or ESOL (immigrants)? If the former, you could simply base your course on Headway Beginner or English File 1, more or less taking the syllabus from the front page of the book. When you had a bit more idea what their particular needs, strengths and weaknesses are, you could then make more of a syllabus of your own. Things are rather more complicated for ESOL.
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