With English becoming a global language and a widely spoken and learned language, the demand for English language teachers has been on a rise across the globe. This is especially so in Southeast Asia where English is the official language for the ASEAN member countries. Currently, there is a shortage of classroom teachers who are trained in teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). There are also more and more graduates and other professionals who aspire to be certified in TESOL and suitably trained in teaching English to adult learners.

This 120-hour RELC Specialist Certificate in TESOL with Cambridge Teaching Knowledge (Foundation) is a widely respected and accepted qualification that is designed to support teachers throughout their careers – from early classroom practitioner to experienced professional.  Once you are a certified TESOL teacher, you will have access to a wide range of opportunities such as working in public schools, private language schools or centres, summer schools and universities with learners of different ages and abilities, including adult learners.

For private fee-paying applicants, the course is suitable for:

• other professionals with a bachelor degree but little or no teaching experience, and would like to consider a career change  in teaching English to adult learners; and
• university graduates who want to teach English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) abroad.

This 120-hour course comprises:

Phase 1: Four-week (96 hours) residential school at RELC in Singapore

a) 3-week (72 hours) Specialist Certificate in TESOL

• 20 input & supervised workshop sessions x 3 hrs = 60 hrs
• 4 online sessions & supervised lesson planning x 3 hrs = 12 hrs

b) 1-week (24 hours) Cambridge TKC Foundation

• 8 input sessions & test practice sessions x 3 hrs = 24 hrs
• TKT Module 1 Test & Closing

Phase 2: In-country Lesson Observation for Formative & Summative Assessments (3 to 4 days, with 24 hrs per participant)

• One lesson observation with feedback for formative assessment
• One lesson supervision with feedback for summative assessment, to be conducted in-country, at the course participant’s secondary/high school.

For private fee-paying course participants, special arrangements will be made for them to conduct lessons for their formative and summative assessments. 

The course aims to provide you with a solid foundation in the theory and practice of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). It will prepare you for serving the needs of English language learners, as well as enhance your teaching career.

By the end of the course, you will be expected to demonstrate the following learning outcomes:

a) Understanding of English Language Learning and Teaching in the 21st century

b) Awareness of, and the ability to use current language teaching approaches and frameworks

c) Understanding of an effective language classroom in which learners are actively engaged and appropriately supported

d) Awareness of the individuals and groups of language learners, and of the motivation of learners in various cultures and contexts

e) Awareness of, and the ability to respond to, specific needs of language learners for the current and possible future contexts

f) Knowledge of grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation and their use of terminology in the classroom

g) Knowledge of and skills in teaching listening, viewing, reading, speaking, writing and visually representing

h) Ability to draw on and extend own repertoire of approaches and techniques for developing learners’ skills and learners’ language

i) Ability to draw up lesson plans with clear and achievable aims and specific learning objectives

j) Ability to manage a class of learners and provide a conducive learning environment and learning opportunities in relation to their learning objectives

k) Ability to use and adapt published material, create own teaching material, and tap other print and non-print resources that can be used to support learning in and beyond the classroom

l) Awareness of, and the ability to use a variety of methods of assessment including formative assessment

The training strategies used in this course are highly interactive. They include lectures, task-based workshops, role-plays, discussions and micro-teaching sessions.