Courses to be a certified ESL Teacher Trainer

Discussion about courses, qualifications etc

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Hendrex
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Courses to be a certified ESL Teacher Trainer

Unread post by Hendrex »

I've been teaching English in the Czech Republic for over 6 years now and I'm constantly surprised at the lack of practical training given to 'soon-to-be' teachers during their studies at university. Of course, they're taught general methodology but it tends to be mainly theoretically. I'm interested in becoming a certified ESL "teacher trainer". Any suggestions regarding schools, academies or online institutions which offer "teach-the-teacher" certificates or degrees would be most appreciated. Thank you.
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ICAL_Pete
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Unread post by ICAL_Pete »

You may be interested in the ICAL TESL/TEFL Certificate with TP (Teaching Practice). The course is designed for teachers with a few years experience who wish to gain a first qualification in the subject. The approach is more in-depth than the standard TESL/TEFL Cert. and the course includes monitored TP (using videotaped lessons). Some schools favor certification which includes the assessment of the candidate’s teaching practice through close monitoring of actual lessons carried out in a classroom. This course gives scope to those teachers who wish to have such a component included in their training.
Alex Case
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Unread post by Alex Case »

Pete, I think the OP wanted to train to teach such a course rather than take the course.

There are certificates than claim to train you to be a teacher trainer, but I have been a teacher trainer and met lots and never met someone who got into the profession that way.

The best ways of becoming a teacher trainer are:
- Take a teaching job at a school that trains teachers, e.g. offers the CELTA, and then volunteer to help by having trainees observe your lessons etc. and hence build up your role
- Apply for teacher training jobs even if you don't have the experience and qualifications they ask for.
- Take higher teaching qualifications such as the DELTA or an MA
- If you know what kind of qualification you want to be a trainer for and you don't have exactly that qualification, consider taking it even if you already have another qualification that is meant to be "higher"
- Take part in as much other training as you can, e.g. short courses like the CELTA YL extension or the LCCI FTEB or local workshops, and look at how the trainer does their stuff
- Get relevant experience by taking a TEFL management job where you give workshops and observe teachers, giving workshops for your local chapter of TESOL etc.
- Read and write for teacher training journals
- Suggest to your school that they start to offer teacher training. Via Lingua and Trinity are two organisations that give you a fair amount of help in setting up a new course.

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ICAL_Pete
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Unread post by ICAL_Pete »

I understood what Hendrex is after but perhaps my reply wasn’t clear enough.

The course I was suggesting - though not specifically a teacher trainer course - offers the opportunity to be trained by knowledgeable teacher trainers who will be able to assess and comment on your existing teaching skills allowing you to improve and maximize your teaching potential. Being advised and trained by an experienced colleague can only add to one’s awareness of how to best train others. I guess it is the equivalent of your suggestion to “take part in short courses and look at how the trainer does their stuff.”
Kootvela
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Unread post by Kootvela »

In Lithuania it is also a problem. Very few teacher trainers are of any good, and sharing experience with peer teachers is sometimes not enough. The majority of teacher training conferences held by publishing houses are pure promotion.

So, this is what I do:
1) I write articles experssing my views on ELT. I hope some will get published.
2) Self-study by reading books and attending language development and methodology courses.
3) Reading authentic materials.
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