You start teaching and observing classes in your first week of the Will-Excel TESOL Diploma program. This is crucial to the TESOL learning process as it gives you the opportunity to immediately apply what you are learning in the course. Teachers who study TESOL courses without the opportunity to teach real classes are not able to develop a true understanding of the theory they are studying in the classroom and will have therefore wasted their time and money.
Teaching Practice
Before going on to your employer for your 500-hour TESOL teaching term, you teach at least 10 – 12 hours of evaluated teaching practice during the TESOL training month. While in Harbin, you will gain experience working with:
Teaching Practice Evaluation
Teaching practice is evaluated in three ways: by an experienced Will-Excel TESOL Course Evaluator, by your students, and by your Teaching Assistant (TA). TESOL Course Evaluator feedback provides insight on how to better apply the teaching theory discussed during input sessions. Student feedback tells you what the students liked and disliked about the class. TA feedback gives you an idea how your teaching style will be perceived by students, parents and staff.
Lesson Planning
Going into a class with a detailed and well-written lesson plan is crucial to teaching a successful class. As such, you will spend at least 30 – 40 hours preparing lesson plans throughout the TESOL course. A substantial amount of these hours is spent under the guidance of your instructors. You receive immediate feedback on your lesson plans during these guided lesson planning sessions.
You are provided with ample resources, course books and sample lesson plans from which to prepare your lesson plans. You will be required to write up an original and detailed lesson plan for each class. Throughout the TESOL course, you will learn to quickly and confidently write your own lesson plans. Teachers who are simply given a canned lesson plan do not develop the ability to create lesson plans which make course content suitable for any age or level, nor do they develop the ability to achieve long-term teaching goals through lesson plans which build on each other. This is why the Will-Excel TESOL Diploma program focuses so heavily on lesson planning.
Observe Experienced Teachers
You will spend 12 or more hours observing experienced teachers instructing real language learners. The notes you take during these observations are part of the course`s professional development projects, and are reviewed during input sessions. Additional classes are available if you want more observation opportunities.
Teaching Term
The Will-Excel TESOL Diploma program is truly unlike any other TESOL course in that it offers you six months of on-going support while you complete over 500 hours of evaluated teaching practice.
The TESOL teaching term is an integral part of the Will-Excel TESOL Diploma program as completing the teaching term is a requirement for being granted the Will-Excel TESOL Diploma.
Employers recognize the Will-Excel TESOL Diploma as signifying that you have a substantial amount of teaching experience.
Whether you are employed by a Will-Excel TESOL sponsor school or you choose your own employer, Will-Excel TESOL will be in contact with your employer during your entire TESOL teaching term to gather evaluation feedback.