FAQs

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  1. What does TESOL mean? Teaching English to Speakers of Second or Other Languages. It’s a bit of a mouthful, which is why we say TESOL. There are other acronyms you may have seen: TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) and TEAL (Teaching English as an Additional Language). But basically, they’re all the same thing.
  2. What is TEFL Lab? TEFL Lab is a dedicated teacher training centre. We specialise in training people to become teachers of English as a foreign language (hence the TEFL bit in our name). If you’re wondering about the ‘lab’ bit, don’t worry, we’re not going back to those language labs of the 1960s with their massive reel-to-reel tape recorders and big, chunky headphones. Instead we use conventional teaching methods supplemented by the odd bit of modern technology - such as interactive white boards in our Bloomsbury facility and online modules in our Distance Learning courses. This way we aim to re-appropriate the word ‘lab’ for the digital age.

Our 4-week and part-time TESOL courses

  1. Why choose the Trinity Cert. TESOL? Every employer knows and trusts it. And they should. Trinity College standards are the highest. For a school to be allowed to teach TESOL, they have to be excellent.
  2. Can I do the course by correspondence or online? No. The Trinity Cert. TESOL is a practical teaching course. However, if you would like to study online, you can take our Associateship in TESOL or Advanced Certificate in TESOL.
  3. What kind of people take the course? Mostly native speakers of English. But also non–native speakers who are fluent English speakers. Age-wise, several people in their early twenties, some who are recent graduates and want to work abroad to get work experience. Older trainees may want a career change. People around retirement age who want another string to their bow. Importantly, Seminar input and guidance for teaching practice will assume no prior teaching experience.
  4. Do I need a university degree to take the course? No. But you do need a certain academic ability. Whilst the course is essentially practical, we recommend that applicants should have formal qualifications in order to cope with the academic side of the course. In some cases, work experience may be accepted in place of qualifications. Your application will be judged on whether we think you are capable and motivated enough to meet the demands of the course.
  5. Does the course cater for people with a lack of grammatical knowledge? Yes. There are books we recommend you read before the course starts. There’s also a pre–course task to complete. And during the course, we have language analysis input sessions to help you.
  6. Is age a factor? You must be 18 years or over. But there is no upper age limit.
  7. Can I do the course if English is not my first language? Of course. As long as your awareness and competence in written and spoken English enables you to follow the course without hindrance.
  8. Do I need to be able to speak a foreign language? No. The TESOL programme uses the universally accepted Communicative Approach to teacher training. This means that English is the only language used in the classroom for all levels of foreign language students taught.
  9. Do I need to have taught before in order to do the course? No.
  10. What books should I read? We’ll give you a reading list.
  11. If the TESOL is designed for people with no previous experience, why are there interviews? The main reason is to make sure that this is the right course for you. It will also help us to assess your language awareness and potential. And finally, it gives you the chance to meet a teacher trainer and ask any questions you may have.
  12. What do I need to bring to do the course? Some simple office supplies. (Card, scissors and glue for example.) Some “authentic material” from your place of origin to be used with learners. eg, tourist brochures, newspapers, magazines, video with TV programmes/adverts, city maps, family photos etc. You will not need to bring any textbooks with you, as the course library contains all you need for essay assignments and lesson plans. To help you during the course you will also have access to computers and the internet for study purposes.
  13. Are the course fees refundable? Click here to see our terms and conditions.
  14. What does the Pre–Course Task involve? It's designed to raise your awareness of issues and terminology associated with the study of English grammar, vocabulary and phonology.
  15. How much work does the course involve? It’s very, very intensive. Expect to be at the school for about eight hours a day. PLUS you can expect to spend a couple more, on average, working at home. It is strongly advised that you have no other professional or personal commitments during the course as these could seriously compromise your ability to cope within the demands of the course.
  16. Who are the practice students? They’re from all over the world. And they’re fully aware that the lessons will be taught by trainee teachers. Class sizes vary, with an average of 10–12 students.
  17. We look forward to working with you soon. Good luck!

Our Weekend Introduction to TEFL Courses

  1. What are the benefits of doing the Weekend TEFL course? Great question! First, you’ll get to meet other people with the same interest in language teaching. Second, you’ll be taught by highly qualified tutors who, apart from teaching you during the day, can give you a personal perspective on language teaching abroad. Third, you’ll learn a lot in a very short space of time, and leave wanting more. Fourth, you’ll get a buzz from being in an invigorating learning environment. Fifth, all we do is train teachers, so you can be sure to get the very best information possible and an extremely enjoyable learning experience.
  2. Once I have completed the Weekend TEFL course will I be a qualified teacher? With our Weekend TEFL course you will be able to teach on community projects overseas and run private language classes, normally one to one. In order to become a fully qualified English language teacher we recommend our Trinity College London Certificate in TESOL (Full or Part Time) and our 150 hour Distance course, which is accredited by The College of Teachers.
  3. Is there any homework? Yes, you will be asked to complete one reading, a short grammar research task, and to prepare a three minute teaching session (which you will give to your colleagues on the course).
  4. How many tutors work on the Weekend TEFL course? Normally one. But occasionally one tutor will run the Saturday and another will run the Sunday.
  5. What are the entry requirements? You need to be interested in language and language teaching, have an open mind and be prepared to have fun and work hard. If English isn’t your first language then you will need to demonstrate that you can cope with the level of English used on the course. We ask that you have an IELTS score of 6.0 in speaking and listening, but not necessarily in reading and writing.
  6. Why should I choose the Weekend TEFL? Because it’s an excellent way to cover the basics in a relaxed but focussed setting. We spend our working days training teachers, and our shorter courses are designed to whet your appetite for taking it further. But even if you don’t, you can still work on community projects abroad with our Weekend TEFL course.
  7. Will my tutors be suitably qualified? All of our tutors are either qualified to Masters level or to Diploma level, and have considerable teaching and teacher training experience both in the UK and abroad. Not only that, but they are passionate about what they’re teaching.
  8. Is there anything I should read before I come on the course? There’s absolutely no harm in doing some background reading, but it isn’t essential. The course is designed as an introduction to TEFL and starts from scratch anyway. If you want to browse a good book on the subject then we recommend Jim Scrivener’s book Learning Teaching.

Our One-day TEFL Taster

  1. Once I have completed the TEFL Taster will I be a qualified language teacher? The TEFL Taster is designed to give you a taste for what it’s like to be a teacher. So it’s not a qualification but a great way to get your feet wet and find out what’s involved in teaching English as a foreign language.
  2. Is there any homework? No, but be prepared for lots of fun and good day’s work.
  3. What are the entry requirements? The TEFL Taster course is open to anyone. If English is not your first language then we ask that you have an IELTS score of at least 5.5 so that you can follow everything that happens during the day.
  4. What are the benefits of doing the TEFL Taster? Great question! First, you’ll get to meet other people with the same interest in language teaching. Second, you’ll be taught by highly qualified tutors who, apart from teaching you during the day, can give you a personal perspective on language teaching abroad. Third, you’ll learn a lot in a very short space of time, and leave wanting more. Fourth, you’ll get a buzz from being in an invigorating learning environment. Fifth, all we do is train teachers, so you can be sure to get the very best information possible and an extremely enjoyable learning experience.

"I really enjoyed the TEFL Taster, I found out I definitely want to teach."

Liz Brown, Kent

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