Certificate in Further Education Teaching
Stage 3 with the Certificate for ESOL Subject Specialists
Certificate in Further Education Teaching Stage 3 with the Certificate for ESOL Subject Specialists
If you want to teach English in Further, Adult and Community Education in England and Wales (the Learning and Skills Sector), you need to demonstrate competence in this demanding but rewarding area of ELT.
What qualifications do I need?
To meet UK government requirements for teaching English in the Learning and Skills Sector, you need two qualifications:
- Level 5 Certificate in Further Education Teaching at Stage 3.
- Certificate for ESOL Subject Specialists (Level 4 or above).
Cambridge ESOL has developed an integrated 2 module course, leading to the award of both these qualifications.
What does the course involve?
Module One
CELTA
Module One is CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults), the best known and most widely taken TESOL/TEFL qualification of its kind in the world. It involves 120 contact hours and covers:
- Learners and teachers, and the teaching and learning context
- Language analysis and awareness
- Language skills: reading, listening, speaking and writing
- Planning and resources for different contexts
- Developing teaching skills and professionalism.
There are two components of assessment for this module:
- Teaching practice
- Written assignments
If you successfully pass both components, you will be awarded CELTA, which has international portability. There are three grades — Pass, Pass 'B' and Pass 'A'.
Module Two
Teaching in the Learning and Skills Sector
Module Two focuses on the context of teaching ESOL within Further, Adult and Community Education, with emphasis on:
- teaching and learning theory
- pedagogic knowledge
- teaching skills
- values, skills and attributes of teachers working with adult learners in the Learning and Skills Sector.
This module involves 180 contact hours plus a 120-hour teaching placement. Units of learning are as follows:
- Teachers and learning: theories and context
- Language learning theories, language analysis and awareness
- Understanding and developing language skills
- Planning learning, assessment and evaluation
- Delivering ESOL learning programmes
- Personal skills: language, literacy and numeracy.
Assessment is based on:
- a teaching practice placement
- a series of 10 assignments.
If you are successful in Module Two, you will be awarded a Pass grade in both the Certificate in Further Education Teaching Stage 3 and the Certificate for ESOL Subject Specialists.
What if I have some ESOL qualifications?
If you already have CELTA or another accredited initial ESOL teaching qualification, you can be considered for entry directly onto Module Two.
If you already hold a Stage 3 Certificate in Further Education Teaching and only need the Certificate for ESOL Subject Specialists, it may be possible to follow a fast-track pathway through the qualification. You'll need to demonstrate your achievement. APEL (Accreditation of Prior Experience and Learning) procedures have been devised to facilitate this.
If you have followed a Cambridge ESOL Stage 2 course, you will also be fast-tracked through Module Two since you will already have met some of the requirements, not least a teaching placement of 60 hours.
If you have DELTA, you need to take additional modules (See DELTA Extension Syllabus (PDF 212Kb)) in order to meet the certification requirements for teachers working in the learning and skills sector in England and Wales. DELTA Extension candidates may be accepted onto the Cambridge ESOL certificate in FE Module courses. (See link to providers below.)
If you have an older qualification, such as DTEFLA or Dip DEFLFACE, you can join a Module Two course but may be eligible for APEL (Accreditation of Prior Experience and Learning) for parts of the course if you have substantial experience in the learning and skills sector.
Who recognises this qualification?
Module One (CELTA) is accepted globally by organisations which employ English Language teachers. It has been accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) as the Cambridge ESOL Level 4 Certificate for Teachers of ESOL. Cambridge ESOL also works with international ELT organisations to ensure the worldwide acceptance of CELTA globally.
Module Two (Teaching in the Learning and Skills Sector) leads to the Level 5 Certificate in Further Education Teaching Stage 3 and the Level 4 Certificate for ESOL Subject Specialists. These are endorsed by Standards Verification UK (formerly FENTO) and accredited by the QCA as meeting the qualification requirements for teachers wanting to teach ESOL in Further, Adult and Community Education in England and Wales.
Am I eligible to apply?
Ideally you should:
- have a standard of education equivalent to that required for entry into higher education
- be aged 20 or over
- have a standard of written and spoken English which will enable you to teach at a range of levels
- have good numeracy skills.
Centres may still accept you if you do not have formal qualifications at this level but can demonstrate that you would be likely to complete the course successfully. Some centres may, at their discretion, accept applicants aged between 18 and 20.
How do I apply?
Courses are designed by individual centres, based on specifications produced by Cambridge ESOL. Module One (CELTA) courses are available at 286 approved centres in 54 countries, providing almost 900 CELTA courses every year.
Module Two courses have been available since January 2004. Find centres offering Module One and Module Two courses. Please note some centres also offer provision for DELTA Extension candidates.
