Why you should study this course
Our course provides you with the opportunity for the following:
- Upon successful completion, gain a teaching qualification by the end of the second year: Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) or the Cambridge Assessment English accredited Teaching Knowledge Test (TKT). These qualifications allow you to apply for positions in particular countries overseas or in the UK as an English language teacher.
- Develop a thorough grounding in English language and linguistics, critical thinking, and skills in analytical, written and spoken communication, which is key in almost any career.
- We currently have significant links with a wide variety of employers such as secondary schools, magazines, newspapers and local charities, many of whom may offer professional experience opportunities.
- Gain authentic experience of teaching learners of English. A large component of the assessment in Year Two is centred on teaching practice with learners attending specially arranged classes at the university. In addition, in Year Two you will have the opportunity to try teaching online, and in Year Three.
- Apply for a year’s work placement for an optional enhancement year, which has led previous students to work as English teachers with the British Council in Spain and France or at partner universities in China, for example.
What you'll study
Year one
During the first year, we examine the theories of learning and second language acquisition (SLA). We focus on learners and their contexts; the reasons people have for learning English and the needs and expectations they bring to the classroom. We’ll consider the roles of teachers, leading into the study of classroom management and standard teaching techniques.
Modules
-
How Languages are Learned and Taught - 30 credits
-
Introduction to TEFL - 30 credits
-
Language Architecture - 20 credits
-
Discourse and Digital Media - 30 credits
- Add+vantage module - 20 credits
Year two
In your second year, you’ll continue to develop your teaching skills through weekly practice sessions, teaching members of the wider community who want to learn English and who attend specially arranged classes at the university. In addition, you will also have the opportunity to choose an Add+vantage module which can allow you to develop your CV by taking credits in an area of study that does not have to be related to your degree.
Modules
-
Language and Society - 20 credits
-
Principles and Practice of TEFL 1 - 20 credits
-
Principles and Practice of TEFL 2 - 20 credits
-
Writing for Success -10 credits
-
Online Language Teaching - 20 credits
-
Add+Vantage module - 20 credits
- Optional Modules (Choose 1 from 2)
Final year
In your third year, your studies will finish in a dissertation or professional portfolio through which you pursue and research an idea or issue that fires up your own interests. Past students have chosen exciting topics like the use of WhatsApp (and other apps) for teaching English, or the influence of teacher motivation on the learners’ motivation.
Modules
-
Language, Identity and Power -20 credits
-
Advanced Writing Skills -10 credits
-
Materials Evaluation and Design in a Multimedia World -20 credits
-
Teaching Young Learners -20 credits
-
Add+Vantage module - 20 credits
-
Optional Modules