Page 12 - ELG2210 Oct Issue 482

TEACHER TRAINING .

Upskilling in ELT

Ready for the next step in your teaching career?
Gerald Nikolai Smith explores what’s out there

oving up in the ELT world is more Another programme worth highlighting
confusing than ever. Instead of is Bridge Education Group’s IDELT Online,
having the simple step of certificate which offers a way to apply course credits to an
Mto diploma, now teachers have MA in TESOL from various US universities.
many options. This is both a gift and a curse. At NILE you can sign up for a modular MA
Teachers no longer need to shell out £3,000 offered in partnership with the University of
to slog through an eight-week diploma Chichester and pay module by module. If you
course. Training sites have begun offering withdraw you can get credits or a university
micro-credentials in continuing professional validated Postgraduate Certificate.
development (CPD) that could only take PHOTO SAM LION/PEXELS
a weekend. Upskilling courses provide an Specialisation courses
opportunity to show potential employers and You don’t need to get a diploma or a Master’s
students how knowledgeable and serious you to be taken seriously in ELT, especially online
are about specialising. ELT. Instead, why not find an area you’re
interested in, such as business English, English However, there are plenty of courses which
Providers for Academic Purposes (EAP), or test prep for can help you get started.
There are different types of providers for ELT TOEFL or IELTS? Let’s dive into what’s out If you’re looking to become an assessor, it
upskilling. The most established institutions there. may be worth going for NILE’s Assessment,
include International House (IH) London, Business English One of the more popular Evaluation and Testing course. The two-month
Trinity (often through other organisations) specialisations, business English is valuable course goes in depth on what is effective testing
and TESOL. Some like NILE in the UK and especially for those wanting to work at a and how to practise this in classes. It also costs
Bridge Education Group in the US count the private language school or to strike out as a less if you are taking a Trinity CertPT.
online Training accreditor Aqueduto among teacherpreneur. Teachers who want a short introduction
their other accreditations. IH London’s certificate of International to certain tests, like TOEFL or IELTS, might
There are also unaccredited online course Business English Training is by far the most do well to take Bridge’s £40 micro-credential
providers. None of these is necessarily better expensive, but also rather prestigious. They courses. Similarly, International TEFL Training
than the others, but some are more expensive provide an IBET certificate upon completion. Institute (ITTI) offers a bundle course for
and may be more or less prestigious Trinity’s course is similar, though much longer TOEFL and IELTS for £86.
Before deciding on a course, read through and there’s a little more leeway for other options, IH World offers a self-paced IELTS course
the description carefully! One site’s IELTS such as part-time versus full-time study. for £350. The course follows four modules (one
training course we came across said the four There are courses which work as an for reading, writing, listening and speaking). If
sections were “speaking, reading, writing introduction to business English as well as a you just want to brush up on how to teach one
and pronunciation”. Another site’s customer way of showing that a teacher is serious about section, you can join any module for £95.
support said their business course was their specialisation. Bridge has a reasonably EAP Working for universities and colleges
accredited by IATEFL, which of course does priced accredited course with self-paced is one of the better career paths for an EL
not accredit any courses. individual learning. ITA offers a quick cohort teacher. While many pre-sessional teaching
course, but it’s unaccredited. positions advertise DELTA or MA TESOL
Special programmes Test prep With so many students wanting grads preferred, teachers without diplomas get
There are a few special programmes for to study in English, tests proving English level hired all the time too. Upskilling can give a
CPD. Trinity’s CertPT offers teachers the are more important than ever. Maybe more teacher the edge needed when applying.
opportunity to choose modules/courses often interesting for teachers is that IELTS, TOEFL Surprisingly, there are few EAP-focused
at a reduced rate and then gives them a and Cambridge exam prep is quite lucrative. courses. Oxford TEFL offers a one-to-one self-
certificate upon completion of a set number Where you teach will determine which is study EAP course for £307. It covers topics
of hours. This could be good for someone who the best for you, but for much of the world, such as Learners & Contexts and Developing
doesn’t want to get a full diploma, but wants IELTS is the standard. That being said, there is Learner Independence. The course takes up
more than one specialist course. no such thing as an IELTS teaching certificate. to six weeks to complete depending on how

Business English Price Duration Format Online or in person Accreditation
IH World £470 3-4 months Cohort Online Yes
£1,345 +
IH London £139 2 weeks Cohort Both offered Yes
Bridge Education £158 Self-paced Individual Online Yes
International TEFL Academy (ITA) £270 2 weeks Cohort Online No
Trinity (through Work in English) £835 5-10 weeks Both offered Both offered Directly by OFQUAL
London College of Teachers £110 Self-paced Individual Online Not this course
ITTI £86 Self-paced Individual Online Not this course
12 October 2022