170 Hour Online TEFL / TESOL Certification Course

Length of training:  11 Weeks

- Online TEFL Class: 150 Hours
- Student Teaching: 20 Hours

Total TEFL TESOL Certification: 170 hours

Optional two-week bonus modules (available at no extra cost):
-Young Learners and Business Professionals: 30 hours

Total TEFL TESOL Certification Available: 200 hours

Tuition: $1,395

(See our tuition discount special this month in TEFL Class Dates)

• Syllabus: Read more about our TEFL class syllabus.
  
  
• Course Content:  Read about the 150 hour TEFL course content.
  
  
• University-level Instruction: All ITA Online TEFL Certification classes are taught by highly qualified university instructors with advanced degrees and experience.  Please read Who Teaches International TEFL Academy's Online TEFL Certification Course?  to learn about our standards for our professors and to view video professor profiles. 
  
  
  
• Testimonials: Interested in what our Online TEFL Certification Class graduates have to say about our course?  Read their class testimonials.  
  
  Here are more testimonials listed in our Alumni Q&A and Alumni Articles from ITA graduates who took our Online TEFL Certification class and discuss how their online TEFL certification training prepared them for their current English teaching position abroad.
  
  
  
• Job Search Guidance: International TEFL Academy offers
  lifetime job guidance advice for all our graduates.
  
  
  
• Registration:  Read our Registration Procedure and Terms and Conditions prior to enrolling into a TEFL course.
  
  
  

The International TEFL Academy Online TEFL certification course is a fully interactive course taught by a seasoned university level professor.  It is the same curriculum, homework, Practicum and professional certification and accreditations used in our 4 week international on location courses.

The online TEFL / TESOL certification course is designed for students who are looking to Teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) internationally in a professional environment.  The ability to earn a TEFL/TESOL certification on a part time schedule appeals to those students who wish to continue working while completing their training.  Aside from being able to continue with work, the Online TEFL/TESOL course is very economical, allowing the student to afford the highest quality of TEFL/TESOL training at the professional certification level.   

Requirements:

1. 150 hours averages to 12-15 hours of coursework per week (11-week period).
2. 20 hours of student teaching (Practicum)
   
   170 Hour TEFL TESOL Certification awarded

Optional Add-On:

• 30-hour additional course add-on modules:
  Business Professionals & Young Learners (2 extra weeks at no extra cost)

200 Hour TEFL TESOL Certification awarded


Article:  What are the advantages of Online TEFL courses compared to in-person courses?

Article:  Is ITA's Online TEFL Certification Course Valid and Accredited?

Article (and video):  How will I complete my practice teaching

Overview:

One of the biggest advantages to the ITA online TEFL certification course is that you have access to the coursework 24 hours per day.  Within the course, students will find comprehensive methodologies for Teaching English as a Foreign Language as well as insight on second language acquisition.  You will correspond with your professor on every task, who will provide guidance on the subjects being covered to the entire class. 

Class sizes are limited to 20 students to ensure maximum professor/student correspondence.  Small class sizes also instill a sense of camaraderie amongst the students and opens up more opportunities for class interaction and discussion.  Students must complete all the reading material, tasks, and the final Thematic Unit to pass the TEFL course. 

In addition to the work listed above, students must also join a weekly discussion called Peer Participation.  A topic related to ESL teaching will be posted each week by your course instructor and each student is expected to post a thought or comment in the Peer Participation forum.  This is a great way to communicate with your peers and join an online discussion.

TEFL TESOL Course Components

ITA courses comprise of 3 main components that ensure the student’s success as a professional English language teacher.   Teaching Methodology, Language Acquisition, Student Teaching (Practicum).

1)  Teaching Methodology:

These are the skills that are essential to each teacher, and include:

• Classroom management

• Personality and language assessments

• Curriculum development

• Lesson planning 

2) Language Acquisition:

The components of language learning will be covered:

• Reading

• Writing

• Speaking

• Listening

• Grammar

• Phonetics and linguistic analogy are also thoroughly covered in the course.

3) Practicum:

20 hours of student teaching/observation/tutoring within a local ESL classroom

To successfully complete an online TEFL / TESOL certification course, International TEFL Academy requires that each student complete 20 hours of practicum.  These practicum hours allow each student to gain first-hand experience working with real ESL students, whether it is in an actual classroom setting, or by tutoring a non-native speaker privately. 

International TEFL Academy encourages our students to complete these hours while they are still enrolled in the course.   For these reasons, completing the practicum hours during the course allows the student to immediately practice what they are learning in the online class.  We do, however, automatically allow an additional 30 days after the course is finished to complete the practicum hours.

 Article (and video): How will I complete my practice teaching

Practicum Locations:

Opportunities to complete your practicum can typically be arranged in your community in these types of venues:

• Community centers

• Community colleges

• Language schools

• Faith based groups that offer ESL classes

• Libraries 

Once the practicum hours have been completed, the student provides a detailed journal and time sheet to the International TEFL Academy Student Affairs Department.  After we have received the practicum documentation, along with notification of the completed coursework, you will be issued your TEFL / TESOL certificate via postal mail.  You will now be qualified to teach English to millions of students in thousands of schools worldwide; and with our lifetime job search guidance, you will be abroad in no time!   

Online TEFL Class Overview

The International TEFL Academy online TEFL course is a fully interactive, collegiate level course, taught by a university level professor.  From day one, students will be fully engaged in discourse not only with your professor, but also with all of the other students in the course.  This interaction will remain constant throughout the duration of the course, and the instructor will offer you feedback on your tasks and is always available to answer questions.

Through a series of course readings, tasks, peer participation, essays, and a final thematic unit, students will develop all the skills necessary to be a confident, well-resourced, professional teacher, whatever your background.

Instructors

International TEFL Academy Online TEFL Class professors are of the highest caliber, with a graduate level degree or Ph D. in TESOL or a related field, and extensive international teaching experience.

VIDEO: Meet Sam Bandy, an International TEFL Academy Online TEFL Course Professor

Students

Students who enroll in International TEFL Academy course come from all walks of life.  The age of a student can range from 17-77, and International TEFL Academy trains students from every continent on Earth (well, maybe not Antarctica).

Read our students Online TEFL Class Testimonials and see why they chose our class and learn about their experiences in their 11-week course.

Online Virtual Classroom

The International TEFL Academy online TEFL course is conducted in a virtual online learning environment, hosted by Moodle.com, one of the worldwide leaders of online distance learning.  There is no software to download, and as long as you have an Internet connection, your entire course content is accessible.  The course itself is very user friendly and easy to navigate.  Students do not need to be a computer expert to take the course; they just need a very basic knowledge of web browsing. 

Class Content

The following is the content found within the International TEFL Academy online TEFL course:

• Pre-Course Grammar Module
  

• Basic Principles of Teaching

• Grammar

• Resources

• Reading

• Listening

• Writing

• Speaking

• Classroom Management

• Lesson Planning

• Error Correction

• Visual Aids

Bonus TEFL Units:

• Teaching Young Learners

• Teaching Business Professionals

Course Tasks and Assignments

Graded:                                                                                                                                              

1. Tasks:  Each module contains its own set of tasks or assignments.  Tasks will be completed by taking an online quiz (Q) or by uploading to a forum (F).  Please see the course syllabus for an outline of tasks due for each module and how many points each task is worth.
2. Peer Participation: Each week your course instructor will post a discussion topic in the forum labeled Peer Participation.  Students are required to participate in the discussion each week by posting at least one thought or comment in the forum regarding the posted topic.
   
3. Evaluations: Students are expected to complete a Mid-Course Evaluation and a Final Course Evaluation providing feedback on various aspects of the TEFL/TESOL course.
   
4. Thematic Unit: In order to pass the TEFL certification course, students must complete the final project, the Thematic Unit. The Thematic Unit will cover three days of lesson planning that you will create.
   

Ungraded:

1. Self-Checks: Self-Checks are located throughout the reading as a way to practice what you have learned and test your knowledge.  Self-Checks are not required to complete however, they are recommended.
   
2. Practicum: Practicum is an essential component to a teacher's training process, as it provides valuable insight and experience prior to obtaining independent teaching positions. International TEFL Academy requires that all students accumulate a minimum of 20 hours for TEFL / TESOL certification.  These hours can be achieved through observation, tutoring, student teaching or a combination.  Practicum hours must be achieved in a setting in which non-native speakers are learning new English language skills. 
   

Grades

Final grades for the TEFL/TESOL certification course will be based on the sum of the total points earned and are shown in the chart below.  Students must receive 640 or more points (70%) to pass their TEFL/TESOL course.

Certification Awarded

The award of the certificate for International TEFL Academy courses is strictly for those who successfully complete all tasks, peer participation, thematic unit, practicum etc.   Your TEFL TESOL certification will include your final grade, a listing of the total class hours and practicum hours along with our accreditations. This will be mailed to your home.  

Advantages of the ITA Online TEFL TESOL Course:

* Affordability

Fees are designed to make teaching abroad within your reach and budget!

* Credibility

This is a university-level course, taught by university-level professors. International TEFL Academy represents the gold standard in international TEFL / TESOL certification! There is also an additional 20 hours of volunteer observation and tutoring in a live ESL classroom in your community to give you the practical classroom experience needed. The course is an accredited 170-hour certification, exceeding international standards by 50 hours. There is also the option to take the 30-hour Young Learner and Business Professional TEFL / TESOL modules.  You'll be prepared to teach around the world!

* Flexibility

Study on your own daily schedule, over an 11-week period. The program is ideal for people that wish to have a flexible daily schedule as there is no “live” classroom time.  It also allows you to work ahead of the scheduled task dates but you must submit tasks and peer participation by their assigned due dates.

* Interactive and Hands-On

Daily interaction with your professor and classmates via email and discussion boards allows the coursework to come alive. You will learn via written tasks and peer participation - all completed on a weekly schedule to keep you and the class together and interactive. The class structure adheres to your daily schedule so there is no need for “live time”.

* Video

1) Live Webcast: Your professor will host live webcast lectures that you can participate in.  Each lecture will be taped and can be viewed at any time if you are not able to attend.

2) Video demonstrations: Each module will have corresponding video segments to compliment the reading materials.

3) Video Tutorials: Enrolled students will be provided with video tutorials on how to navigate different aspects of the course. 

* Live office hours

Weekly "live chat" functions with your professor and other classmates to discuss topics and questions.

* Support

There is continuous International TEFL Academy support, materials, and advice throughout your certification. International TEFL Academy also provides lifetime job search guidance.

*Qualified Instructors

The International TEFL Academy training course is moderated by highly qualified trainers with at least a Master’s Degree or PhD in the field and extensive professional teaching experience.

* Accredited 

International TEFL Academy is externally accredited and is the same content as our 4 week in person classes.

Learn more about our Accreditation.

* User-Friendly

The course is hosted on the most popular online university platform, Moodle. It's simple to use and a great learning tool.

Class Materials:

International TEFL Academy provides all the materials needed for your certificate course.  All materials are available online, No textbooks are needed to complete the course. However, students who wish to purchase the course textbook may do so in a paperback or PDF format.

Paperback version can be purchased at an online bookstore here

PDF version can be purchased here

Materials include: 

• All course training units

• Resource Pack consisting of examples of ESOL exercises and lessons

• Comprehensive back to basics grammar

• Games pack - tried and tested games for all levels complete with teacher and student materials

• Lessons Pack - tried and tested lessons at various levels complete with teacher and student materials

• Certification on successful completion

• Links to online teaching resources

ITA TEFL / TESOL Course Curriculum

Pre-Course Grammar Module

A thorough overview of various grammar points.  The Pre-Course Grammar Module is provided upon registration and is highly recommended to read and utilize before, during, and after your TEFL certification course.

Unit 1: The Study of English

Module 1 – Grammar:  Reading and tasks on the understanding and importance of grammar. This module will also focus on the issues involved with teaching grammar to ESL students. It is recommended to complete this module with the use of a grammar book or online grammar resources.

Module 2 – Pronunciation, Stress, and Intonation:  Reading and tasks related to communicating with good pronunciation, the importance of teaching good pronunciation, and some teaching ideas on how to incorporate pronunciation, stress and intonation into your lessons.

Module 3 - Lexis: Reading and tasks helping future ESL teachers begin to think about the language they will be teaching. This module also helps give a basic understanding of the importance of word formation and teaching the appropriate language. Future ESL teachers will also learn possible difficulties their students will have with vocabulary choice and how to help these students.

Unit 2: The Teaching and Learning of ESL

Module 1 - Basic Principles:  Reading and tasks related to the principles of good ESL teaching. This module includes information on how to provide a caring classroom environment and why this is essential to language production and progress. The module also touches on the topics of communicative teaching and communication versus correctness.

Module 2 - Reading and Listening:  Reading and tasks based on training and helping ESL learners develop successful extensive and intensive listening and reading skills. This module also gives future ESL teachers authentic material ideas (newspaper, radio broadcasts, etc) to promote these skills.

Module 3 - Speaking and Writing: Reading and tasks related to teaching successful oral and writing skills by being able to identify problems with achieving these skills and by designing activities in the classroom to promote them.

Module 4 - Visual Aids: Reading and tasks that detail various audio and visual aids that can be used in the classroom. This module gives future ESL teachers a variety of ideas for using visual aids in the classroom. The pros and cons of various visual aids will also be discussed in this module.

Module 5 - Error:  Reading and tasks focusing on authentic student errors, classifying them, using a correction code, producing remedial exercises and improving your own practice with correcting errors.

Unit 3: Lesson Planning

Module 1 - Classroom Management:  Reading and tasks related to the overall aims of TEFL/TESOL. This module focuses on student teacher relationships and how to achieve genuine communication inside and outside the classroom.

Module 2 - Lesson Stages and Plans:  Reading and tasks focusing on the importance of lesson planning including timing, warm-up, input, practice and production stages of your lessons. This module also touches on how to be aware of teacher and student roles in your lessons and how to become a reflective teacher for your future career.

Additional Bonus Modules (Optional)

Business English

- Business English in relation to EFL/ESOL
- How to carry out a Needs Analysis
- Matching course content to target group
- Creating materials for Business English
- How to write a Business English syllabus

Young Learners

- Differences between the ways in which adults and children learn
- Features in the stages of development of young learners
- Classroom management strategies for use in the Young Learners classroom
- Teaching techniques for use with Young Learners

To learn more about teaching abroad and TEFL Certification go to our form to request a brochure and free guest login to evaluate our online course.