TEFL / TESOL courses

[J osborn6]

Hi there,

I am considering studying for a TEFL or TESOL course; with the proviso that the studies could improve my EAL teaching.

Although I am also aware that I already don't seem to have much 'free' time!!

I'd appreciate your thoughts / experience.

Thanks

Jen

Mrs Jennifer Osborn

EAL Coordinator

Teacher of Maths & French

Tutor to 94O  / Apple Teacher

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[a.ki...@gmail.com]

My first degree is in TEFL, second in Bilingual Education. I think it's a perfect combo. Especially when working with older students, KS3-5. 

[Graham Smith]

The distinction between TEFL/TESOL and EAL is very important. Learning English is not sufficient. Pupils need to learn how to learn in a curriculum delivered in English. So the focus has to be on accessible curriculum as well as English. https://www.theealacademy.co.uk/services/training/onlinecourse-copy/ does precisely that.

Best wishes,

Graham

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[helen_s_drummond]

Hello Jen - maybe too far from you or there might be elements delivered online:

https://www.ed.ac.uk/education/graduate-school/taught-degrees/inclusive-education/structure/bilingual-learners

Helen 

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[stephe...@hotmail.co.uk]

Dear Jennifer,

I agree with Graham's comment above that there is a distinction between TEFL/TESOL and EAL. For a bilingual learner in schools in the UK, learning just 'English' is not sufficient. They will need to learn the language required to access the curriculum as well as 'general English.'

In  my experience learning academic language related to national curriculum subjects is not studied within the TEFL 'Certificate' or the higher 'Diploma' courses. It should also be understood that TESOL  courses are usually aimed at supporting the teaching of English to adult learners and so again, curriculum language is not part of the TESOL experience.

The part-time EAL Academy online courses advertised on the EAL Academy website would be something for you to consider as not only would the content be very appropriate for your needs, but your learning could also be tailored to you own work-life commitments. 

I hope this is helpful.

Stephen Bray

Better Bilingual

www.betterbilingual.co.uk    

[Stuart Scott]

I think Graham is right. I did a TEFL qualification shortly after my first degree and although it gave me excellent training in linguistics pure and applied and helped me to set up English language programmes in universities abroad, I needed a very different set of skills for EAL work in London schools. 

Stuart

Collaborative Learning Project. A teacher network sharing talk for learning resources.

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[J osborn6]

Thank you all for your advise and suggestions; all very informative.  There's lots of food for thought there.

Thanks again,

Jen

[Ann Horton]

I'd also add that I think your knowledge of teaching a language is more of a help with EAL than TEFL would be. I'm originally an MFL teacher myself. Even though it doesn't specifically help you with the task of helping pupils to access the curriculum in all subjects, I found it gave me a much better understanding in general of how people acquire a language as well as the frustrations and problems involved in that process! That does help, for example, when you come to consider what structures are needed to complete a particular task in, say, history or science.

Ann

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[Dawn Cremonese]

Thanks to all who have contributed to this. 

To clarify - what is needed is either an MA in TESOL with applied linguistics or an MA in TESOL with a focus on EAL/Young learners etc. There are many Universities that offer this. 

The need to teach general English language development along side Academic English is clear - and this is something that Masters programmes in TESOL WILL address as most of them cater for students wanting to teach or who have taught in EMI schools or have some experience of EAL teaching either in the UK or abroad. I would stress though that with the above comments about TESOL tending to be geared towards adult learners is not accurate - I have taught on the TESOL MSc at two major unis and we would never have made this distinction - there is generally a good balance between understanding the needs and appropriate pedagogy for young and adult learners in these courses.

Additionally, if the TESOL is coupled with applied linguistics then this offers more of an insight into SLA (second language acquisition and SFL - Systemic functional linguistics - very useful for EAL teaching).

Regards,

Dawn 

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[Graham Smith]

I agree about the value and importance of SFL. theealacademy.co.uk/course/3l-language-literacy-learning/ is a 25 hour course based around SFL.  www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ab90Nuyz44&t=27s is a Birmingham headteacher talking about the impaact of SFL based training in his school. You can get a download of Gail Forey's article about the approach taken at the school in the Journal of English for Academic Purposes at https://researchportal.bath.ac.uk/en/publications/a-whole-school-approach-to-sfl-metalanguage-and-the-explicit-teac.

Best wishes,

Graham

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[Catherine Brennan]

Dear Jennifer & all,

An interesting discussion with lots of valid points and varied opinions - with everyone working towards the same goal of ensuring our multilingual learners access the curriculum as rapidly as possible and succeed in school in every way.

I agree with Stephen Bray (my Better Bilingual colleague) and Graham Smith (my EAL Academy colleague) that the integration of English language acquisition with curriculum learning is key - and pastoral support is part of that too.

For our part, we are offering an interactive and school context-embedded way forward for EAL middle and senior leads in Bristol & South West schools. You can find details of our Better Bilingual 'EAL Champions' CPD Programme (now starting next Tues 28th Sept, with just 2 days left to book) here:

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/new-better-bilingual-cic-eal-champions-cpd-programme-price-below-tickets-153357184467

Perhaps there are similar courses in your area, Jennifer? Wishing you all the best in your EAL CPD quest and I hope you find the right pathway for you!

Best,
Catherine

Catherine Brennan, Director - Better Bilingual CIC

cath...@betterbilingual.co.uk

www.betterbilingual.co.uk

[Catharine]

I endorse Graham and Dawn- a TEFL course may be a starting point- it was for me - then mainstream QTS/PGCE qualification ( looks as if the OP has this already) and then one of the above mentioned courses. 

The Open University used to do an MA Applied linguistics with a strong focus on SFL - which was the best learning experience I have ever had!  They still offer something similar, but the modules have changed. Anyone else out there know what's in them? 

Catharine

[Graham Smith]

https://www.theealacademy.co.uk/course/3l-language-literacy-learning/ is a 4 day SFL course.

Best wishes,

Graham

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[eowyncr...@gmail.com]

At Oxford Brookes we have a (campus or distance) MA TESOL which includes a pathway on working with multilingual learners, through the SLA/Multilingual Learners modules. We also have a one-year part time PG Cert Teaching Multilingual Learners. I teach on both these, and would be happy to answer any questions you have - my background is in ESL/EAL and I agree that a standard MA TESOL might not give you what you need, but many now have adapted and you can choose trajectories that allow for developing knowledge around working with multilingual students and EAL. 

Eowyn