"Joining the CertPT course was a very rewarding decision. I started the course with academic goals and ended the course with those goals accomplished and new goals set. The tutors are extremely helpful, and the course is structured to support your success during and after the course. If you desire advancement and more tools to benefit your overall professional growth, I highly recommend this course." (Antanina Hudson, ST, Guangzhou)

"This course gave me a better understanding of the young students I was already familiar with and allowed me to observe and think about the development and changes of young learners from different perspectives. I was able to organise classroom activities more effectively and bring into full play the various roles that teachers play in the classroom." (Elaine Wang, ST, Guangzhou)

"Taking the CertPT course has been a great way for me to develop a detailed understanding of teaching methodologies that apply to very young learners. Not only did this course provide a great wealth of theory and research on how to teach young learners, but also much opportunity to reflect on our research with a peer and practice using our new-found knowledge in our classes. (Benjamin Archer. Production Manager, Wuhan)

Overview

The Certificate for Practicing Teachers (CertPT) is a new course from Trinity for teachers who already have some teaching experience. Our course will focus on teaching VYLs (very young learners) The main focus of the course is helping teachers to think more about their teaching practice and continuous development for this age group, including adapting resources and procedures to fit the needs of their own learners. The CertPT is positioned at Level 6 of the UK National Qualifications Framework, putting it between CertTESOL and DipTESOL.

Unlike those two qualifications though, EF’s CertPT has three distinct features:

• It is fully online, so the whole course can be taken from the city you are based in and scheduled around your life and work.

• Assessment can be done in either English or Chinese. The focus of the CertPT is on reflection and classroom practice rather than the English level of the teacher. Therefore, even though the course itself is all in English, course assessment can be done either in English or in the teacher’s first language. For EF's course, there is the option of either English or Simplified Chinese.

• It is tailored to the teaching context of the teachers taking it. EF’s course will focus on teaching young learners.

Trinity CertPT Key features

• Taken over 10 weeks, including assessment

• 100 hours (including 30 tutor-led guided hours and 70 self-study hours)

• Assessed by a portfolio of 4 essays

• Fully online.

Note that although there are no formally observed lessons on the CertPT course, the focus of the course is still very much on the practical application of ideas in your own teaching, and reflection on how to develop your teaching skills.