Professional Practice - TESOL

This unit of study will involve a 25-day placement (equivalent to 200 hours)  in an approved ESL teaching context under the supervision of an experienced supervising teacher who holds a post-graduate TESOL qualification and who has taught ESL for at least two years. Placements can be undertaken in primary or secondary schools or a variety of adult settings. Student placements should be according to the sector they intend working in. The 25 day practicum should comprise a minimum of 20 days where the student teaches planned lessons and a further 5 days of focussed observation of qualified and experienced ESL practitioners. During the placement, the student must be visited on at least one occasion by a university supervisor. It is a requirement that students participate as fully as possible in the ESL program during their placement. As well as observing and teaching classes, activities must include: familiarisation with policies and procedures of the program; study of the curriculum documents used with the learners; familiarisation with assessment procedures and practices; observation of learner placement interviews; assisting individual ESL learners / small group work within a class; correction of learners’ work; preparation of teaching resources; participation in excursions and other special activities; attendance at staff / planning / department / curriculum meetings.

20 days have to be spent in the classroom teaching (minimum 2 lessons of 50 minutes each per day) and 5 days have to be spent on observation.