Trinity College LondonQualifications for English Language

Teachers

Julian Kenny – Head of Teacher Development

Aims

• Brief overview of the changes in demand for English

• Issues with ELT teacher training and development• Trinity’s TESOL qualifications• ESOL qualifications and washback• Trinity in partnership

Changing demand for English• Growth in demand for English language skills • A knock-on demand for English language

teaching and training• Currently 11 million non-native speaker teachers• Rising to 20 million by 2020• Global English - Trinity supports local

development of English teaching and training skills through its flexible frameworks

Issues with ELT Training• Teacher development is being constrained by exam

boards because of exam boards’ desire for consistency and equity worldwide (EAQUALS)

• EPG/TD Fram• Student satisfaction is often given priority over

effective learning (Jim Scrivener)• No clear career pathways or CPD for teachers

(various)• Teachers take professional development courses,

but still teach the same way afterwards (Managers)

Trinity and TESOL

Trinity College London • A range of communications-based subjects,

including English Language, Drama + Music • Trinity qualifications are available in over 60

countries • Trinity values + recognises the achievement of

every candidate • All assessments reflect real-life situations, with an

emphasis on personal performance• A strong commitment to increasing the quality of

teaching, learning and language both internationally and locally

Trinity TESOL

• Qualifications for teachers at all stages of their careers• Core, flexible syllabuses meeting international

standards but allowing local flexibility• An emphasis on teachers and learners as individuals • A personalised approach through experiential learning

and the development of critical reflection skills• All qualifications are internally and externally assessed

and include individual interviews with Trinity moderators/examiners

• Ongoing professional development

Key Qualifcations

• CertTESOL• DipTESOL• Development of specialisations • Qualifications for non-native speakers (in

development)• Teacher language exams

CertTESOL

• 130 hour course - widely recognised as an robust qualification for teachers in the early stages of their careers

• Earns credits towards degree programmes worldwide

CertTESOL Units

• Unit 1 – Teaching Skills• Unit 2 – Language Awareness• Unit 3 – Learner Profile• Unit 4 – Materials Assignment• Unit 5 – Unknown language

Unit 1 – Teaching Skills

• Continuous experiential learning + feedback promotes critical analysis and reflection in teachers

• Ability to use a range of materials & teaching aids linking to students’ needs

• Focusing on coursebook & other materials for language & user-friendliness for both teachers and learners

• Ability to assess their own strengths and weaknesses

Unit 2 – Language Awareness

• Relationships between form (phonological, lexical and syntactic), function and meaning in standard English

• Knowledge of principal concepts and terminology for describing structure and use of English

Unit 3 – Learner Profile

• Creation of a simple a needs & linguistic analysis for an individual student.

• Interview + an analysis of the student’s written work + a diagnostic test to analyse a learner’s preferred leaning styles + strengths/weaknesses

• Prepare + teach a 1-2-1 lesson• Prepare recommendations for the student’s

future development in English

Unit 4 – Materials Assignment• Plan, produce, use and evaluate classroom

teaching materials + associated tasks• Create a written rationale • Reflect and discuss materials used in real

teaching in a 1-2-1 interview/assessment with a Trinity moderator

Unit 5 – Unknown language• An unknown language is taught for 4 hrs• To promote learning experiences + feelings of

being a beginner student in a new language• Ability to identify aims and objectives of

lessons attended• Contrastive analysis between L2 and English

Key USPs• Each candidate has a 1-2-1 assessment and

interview with the Trinity moderator• A key focus on materials design and

adaptation• A strong focus on pronunciation• More experience of being a learner of an

unknown language• Group interviews with candidates and the

moderator to allow candidate feedback• Qualifications developed with a range of

stakeholders

More USPs

• Flexible frameworks allow local adaptation • Teaching practice doesn’t have to focus on

teaching adults – can focus on young learners, CLIL etc

• Moderators are organised centrally by Trinity to maintain impartiality and promoting international standardisation

• Annual 2-day face to face training event for all moderators

• A personalised and flexible approach (video)

Trinity TESOL• Many centres switching to Trinity TESOL

including Cultura Inglesa Brazil• Strong international demand for new

CertTESOL/DipTESOL centres internationally, new applications from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay

• Development of qualifications that link to pathways for learners

• Focus on providing support through the Trinity Professional Support Team to allow qualifications to be locally

Trinity and ESOL

What do you know? What can you do?

Trinity exams: why is the exam special?

GESE Stage GESE Grade CEFR

Advanced Stage

12 C211 C1.210 C1.1

Intermediate Stage

9 B2.38 B2.27 B2.1

Elementary Stage

6 B1.25 B1.14 A2.2

InitialStage

3 A2.12 A11 A0

The GESE exam: GESE Stages, Grades, CEFR & timings

k kk k

pronunciation

k k grammar & vocabulary

k

k

personalise

k take responsibility

kk

interaction

visitingnative speakerkk k k

real communication

skillsk k

1-1

k

Trinity exams: the characteristics

Topic Presentation

Topic Discussion

Interactive Task

Listening Phase

Conversation Phase

Topic Discussion

Interactive Task

Conversation Phase

Topic Discussion

Conversation Phase

Conversation Phase

ADVANCEDGESE 10-

12 INTERMEDIAT

EGESE 7-9

ELEMENTARYGESE 4-6

INITIALGESE 1-3

The components

The topic

Candidates choose something that they are interested in

my football team my favourite sport my favourite playermy favourite actor my favourite film different film genres

film directors my favourite book writers

my favourite musician the instrument I play my dance club

my judo club my school my citymy favourite country my favourite city

Some example topics for younger learners

.

The Interactive Phase

1) My friend has a special occasion coming up and I want to do something to celebrate.

2) Ok. And what’s the special occasion?

3) Well, after studying for many years, she’s going to become a doctor.

4) Fantastic! And do you want to buy her a gift or do an activity to celebrate?

6) And what types of

in?

6) And what types of things is she interested in?

7) Well, she’s really interested in outdoors activities.

5) Well, I think I’d like to do something with a group of friends.

8) Have you thought about organising a party in a park with all of your friends?

The listening stage

The examiner reads a text and asks the candidate to perform a task • A summary• Some facts from the listening• A personal opinion

6Travel MoneyFashion Rules and regulationsHealth andfitness

Learning a foreign language

5Festivals TransportSpecial occasions

Entertainment

Music Recent events

4Holidays ShoppingSchool and work Hobbies and sportsFood Weekend activities

Grades 4-6: Subjects for Conversation

Here is a list possible Subjects for

Conversation.

Think about your students. Could they talk about these Subjects for Conversation?

Which Subjects are in which Grades? Look in the Syllabus.

ISESpeaking,

listening, reading and writing

SPEAKING & LISTENING

READING & WRITINGISE

Integrated Skills Exam

ISE is an assessment of the 4 language skills.

Trinity exams: examples for this talk

Trinity ISE LevelsCommon European

Framework of Reference(CEFR)

ISE IV C2

ISE III C1

ISE II B2

ISE I B1

ISE 0 A2

ISESpeaking,

listening, reading and writing

There are 5 ISE levels, each related to the CEFR.

InterviewComponent

Controlled Written(30%)

Portfolio Component

(20%)

ISE

50%Reading & writing

50%Speaking & listening

ISE components

• Task 1 — Reading into writing task: approximately 150 words

• Task 2 — Writing task: approximately 150 words

• Corrected by examiners in the UK

ISE controlled written: Tasks

Prepared in class/at home over 6-12 weeks

Candidates practise multiple tasksEncourages learner independenceCandidates research and self-correct, using computers, dictionaries, grammar books, the internet

Candidates present their best 3 texts for assessment

The Portfolio tasks they present for assessment are discussed in the Interview

ISE: Portfolio

ISE: Interview: components & sequence

Topic discussion

Conversation/Portfolio

Topic discussion

Conversation/Portfolio

Topic discussion

Interactive phase

Conversation/Portfolio

Trinity ISE

Levels

ISE II12 mins

ISE I8 mins

ISE 08 mins

Trinity in Partnership

• Madrid Government (Comunidad)• Open University/English in Action Project in

Bangladesh• Beijing Examinations Authority • Central Bureau of Secondary Education in India• Consultation with stakeholders on development

of existing and new qualifications

British Council Partnership

• TYLEC – 2010

• Madrid, Hong Kong, South Korea, Romania

• New/recent applications: Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, Vietnam, Taiwan, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Kuwait, Tunisia, Portugal, Spain (x3)

• Development of pathways for young learners and for teacher training/education

Any questions?Julian.kenny@trinitycollege.co.uk

Chile National Representativeernaberntz@trinitychile.org