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Specimen Regulations and Syllabuses

Accreditation Council for TESOL Distance Education Courses

Specimen Regulations and Syllabus for the

Certificate in the Theory and Methodology of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Cert(TM)TESOL

Accredited Teacher Status

Name of Institution Address etc.

This Certificate programme leads to award of the Certificate in the Theory and Methodology of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, Cert.(TM)TESOL. For a list of ACTDEC registration fees please refer to registration fees list.

Validated by the Accreditation Council for TESOL Distance Education Courses. (ACTDEC)

Regulations

1. All Cert.(TM)TESOL course participants are required to be registered with the Accreditation Council for TESOL Distance Education Courses.
2. Applications for assessment and examination will be accepted by the Centre on the understanding that candidates will be assessed according to the requirements of the agreed syllabus and that they comply with the examination regulations.
3. The candidate's completed Cert.(TM)TESOL course application form will be accepted as formal application for continuous assessment and examination by the Centre. An invoice for the ACTDEC registration fee will be sent to the candidate with the initial distance training pack (or may be included in the course fee).
4. An entry which has been made in the name of one candidate may not be transferred to another candidate.
5. Registration fees cannot be refunded.
6. Examination of the distance training units of the course is by continuous assessment regulated and moderated by the (name of centre) subject to the ACTDEC Code of Practice.
7. Essay assignments, practical projects, and end of course 'take-away' proficiency papers are completed on dates arranged by the Course Director of Studies.
8. The Centre will send each candidate advance notice of the date by which assessed assignments are to be completed.
9. The pass mark in all nine parts of the distance-training programme is 50%. Candidates must satisfy the examiners in all four parts before the Certificate in the Theory and Methodology of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages is awarded. Candidates who have failed Parts 2, 3, and 4, are permitted to re-take only those parts which they have failed. If they have not passed all parts of the examination within two years of the issue of the first successful result in part of the examination, they are required to take all three parts again. Candidates who fail to achieve the overall pass mark of 50% required in the case of Part 1 may re-submit unsatisfactory assignments for regrading at the discretion of the course director of studies, in consultation with the external moderator.
10. The course external moderator's decision is final.
11. The Cert.(TM)TESOL is a pre-diploma qualification testifying to the candidates' command and awareness of English and also their understanding of language teaching methods and techniques. The qualification is awarded by the (name of centre) and validated by the Accreditation Council for TESOL Distance Education Courses.
12. Successful candidates will receive a Certificate under the seal of the Centre. Certificate holders are entitled to use the postnominal designation Cert(TM)TESOL.
13. Successful candidates may also receive an ACTDEC Certificate under the seal of the Council if they have applied for a Certificate at the time of registration.

Aim of the Course For the Certificate programme as a whole, the overall aim is to provide a thorough introduction to the theory and methodology of teaching English to speakers of other languages. General Objectives The general objectives of the course require each student to be able to: demonstrate a sound grasp of the basic phonological, lexical, syntactical, and other aspects of modern communicative English, with particular reference to its rôles as a medium of communication. identify the needs of ESOL learners at various age and proficiency levels, and modify such a needs analysis in the light of observation and testing. write instructional objectives and prepare appropriate lesson plans. discuss intelligently a repertoire of teaching and learning resources. Requirements The Examination for the Certificate in the Theory and Methodology in TESOL consists of four parts. Part 1. Distance Training Programme Assessment. Candidates are required to successfully complete all the assignments contained in the units and modules of the distance-training programme. (See syllabus content.) Part 2. Post Mid-Course Essay. Candidates are required to submit a post-mid-course essay of about 1,500 words. A choice of topics is offered. Part 3. Practical Teaching Project. Candidates are required to submit a practical teaching project during the final phase of the course. A choice of assignments is offered. Part 4. Final Assessment Paper. At the close of the distance programme the candidate is required to complete at home, within a given period of time, a 'take-away' proficiency assessment paper. The following is a select list of units and topics normally covered during the Certificate distance-training programme. Study Skills: planning and organising study time; short-term and long-term memory; various learning techniques; note-taking and filing; task-work and essay writing; distance-learning methodology and procedures. The Study of Language: the nature and scope of general and applied linguistics, psycholinguistics, and sociolinguistics; the structures and functions of language, context of situation and use. The Study of English: use and usage; syntax and meaning; word classes and word formation; noun, preposition, adjective, and verb phrases; forms and functions of the tenses; cohesion; aspects of lexis; phonetics and phonology, including the articulation of vowel and consonant sounds; linkage and assimilation; stress and intonation, the International Phonetic Association symbols, problems of transcription, etc.; 'standards' and international intelligibility. The Teaching and Learning of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL): sources and problems of motivation at different age-levels; subject-matter and procedures; teaching-learning approaches, with particular emphasis on humanistic aspects and task-based communicative activities; receptive and productive skills, reading and listening materials; speaking and writing; integration of skills; discovery techniques; language games; oral and written forms of practice and interaction; problem-solving activities; simulation and role-play; pair-work and group-work; audiovisual aids. Lesson-planning: instructional objectives; writing lesson-plans; teacher and learner activities; classroom management and organisation. Testing and assessment: scales of attainment; the rôle of errors; policies of remediation; effects on motivation. Length of course The ACTDEC Level 3 Cert.(TM)TESOL course takes a total of 250 hours to complete. Since no two people work at the same pace, or have identical commitments and study time, a Certificate programme may take from fourteen to twenty-four weeks to complete. Course entry requirement For the Certificate programme a candidate needs to have a good general education up to the generally accepted level for university entrance. (In British terms this will usually include at least two passes at 'A' level.) The Certificate in the Theory and Methodology of teaching English to speakers of other languages - Cert.(TM)TESOL. Course accredited by the Accreditation Council for TESOL Distance Education Courses. (ACTDEC). Award validated by ACTDEC.

Associate Teacher of ESOL Status.

Sample ACTDEC certificate Level 3