Course Information
What is it?
The YLs Course is a 24-week online course, with optional 6-hour face-to-face and exam components. The course consists of 20 modules on a wide variety of teaching topics relating to Young Learners; making it the perfect course for teachers wishing to build on the knowledge gained in their initial teacher training course and better prepare themselves for their YLs classes. Participants are expected to spend around 3 hours per week on the course, in order to complete all 20 modules within the specified time at the rate of one module per week. There are 4 extra weeks of online access at the end of the course to complete two obligatory written assignments.
There is also the option of taking the official Cambridge Assessment English TKT:YL exam in San Sebastián (Centre ES409) at the end of the course in order to receive an official Cambridge Assessment English teaching qualification; recognised in countries all over the world. Participants must sit the exam after completion of the online course component and within 12 months of doing so.
Please note, there will be one exam session in 2023: Saturday 16th September
There is an optional face-to-face component to the course which will be run in our Teacher Training Centre in San Sebastián in May and November. During this 6-hour session, teachers will take part in practical activities which will enhance their understanding of the techniques and approaches covered in the online course.
Please note, there will be no face-to-face sessions in 2023.
Each participant who successfully completes all elements of the online course within the specified 24 weeks and submits the two pieces of written work will be awarded with a certificate outlining the length and topics covered on The YLs Course. Teachers who also complete the face-to-face component will see this reflected in their final course certificate.
Teachers who complete and pass the TKT:YL exam will receive an official Cambridge Assessment English certificate outlining the qualification obtained along with the date.
Extra Course Components
In order to sign up for the extra course components, you need to select the option when you sign up for The YLs Course. You will then need to access the courses themselves on the main course page; selecting one or two of the extra course components you wish to take. Once we have received your access request, we will check that you are enrolled on The YLs Course and we will accept your request. You can then pay for the course, using the secure online payment system.
After the payment has been confirmed, we will contact you with further information regarding the extra course components.
Please note, you can only complete the extra components once you have completed The YLs Course online.
ID Verification
Teachers must complete ID verification on the secure online platform before they are able to download their end-of-course certificate. This is checked by one of the course administrators to ensure that the certificate you receive is a trustworthy representation of the course you have completed. This then allows you to use this qualification to add credit to your professional and educational history. This ID verification will be reflected in the course certificate you are awarded following successful completion of the course.
Course Content
The modules on The YLs Course are aimed at providing teachers with a more in-depth understanding of Young Learners classes; including video observations of real classes, interviews with teachers, video tutorials, sample material and further suggested reading. At the end of each module, teachers will be required to complete a short ‘Test Your Knowledge’ section, which will check that they have thoroughly understood the elements covered in that module. There will be downloadable content on each module, which the course participants can keep for future classroom use and reference. Once the 24 weeks have elapsed course participants will not be able to access these via the platform.
The aim of The YLs Course is to:
- provide teachers with a detailed insight into the teaching of YLs
- give teachers of YLs the chance to learn from experienced teachers and industry experts
- increase teachers’ confidence when teaching classes of varying age-groups and levels.
Why take The YLs Course?
The YLs Course qualification from London School of Languages will enable you to:
- provide evidence of teacher training for YLs classes to current and potential employers
- become more confident when faced with different ages and levels
- critically analyse your behaviour in the classroom and how this influences the YLs you are teaching.
Two components of assessment
There are two components of assessment on the online course, which you must pass in order to be awarded with the end-of-course certificate.
TYK end-of-module assessment
- At the end of each of the 20 modules, there is a Test-Your-Knowledge (TYK) section, in which you’ll have to get 80% or above to be able to move on to the next module.
- You can take the TYK as many times as you like.
Written assignments
- At the end of the course, you must complete two written assignments which must be between 750-1000 words in length.
- These will be based on the content of the modules you have studied throughout the course.
- Both assignments will be submitted on the platform and assessed by one of the course tutors, who will mark them as pass or resubmit.
- You can resubmit them as many times as you like within the 24-week access to the online platform.
Why take the additional course components?
Face-to-face
The aim of the face-to-face component of The YLs Course is to:
- provide teachers with the opportunity to put what they have learnt on the course into practice
- allow teachers to talk to course tutors about issues they face in the YLs classroom
- meet other teachers of YLs to share ideas and expand teaching network.
TKT:YL
The aim of the Cambridge Assessment English TKT:YL exam is to:
- provide teachers with the opportunity to obtain an official Cambridge Assessment English qualification to supplement The YLs Course qualification
- put teachers’ awareness of YLs and their development into practice
- demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies, methodology and resources used in the YLs classroom.
Off-Site Assessed Teaching Practice
What is it?
Alongside the online course, we offer off-site assessed teaching practice at your own institution. This enables us to offer teachers specific feedback on their own classes with their own students. Our DELTA qualified teacher trainers will observe the teacher for one hour each academic term (3 hours in total) and will provide them with detailed written feedback alongside 30 minutes of oral feedback after each class which is conducted via Zoom.
What criteria will the teacher be assessed on?
Teachers will be assessed according to the Cambridge English CELTA guidelines for teachers and these criteria will be outlined clearly on the written feedback. Assessment according to these criteria ensures that teachers are provided with an objective overview of their teaching based on internationally recognised standards.
Will the teacher have to prepare anything before the assessed lesson?
The teachers will be required to complete a full lesson plan before the assessed lesson, for which they will be provided with a template. The lesson plan will include notes on their lesson procedure as well as their lesson aims and language analysis. This will need to be sent to the tutor at least 24 hours before the assessed lesson so that they have time to review it thoroughly before the lesson itself. The lesson plan will be commented on in both the written and the oral feedback.
What will feedback consist of?
The written feedback includes a detailed commentary of the lesson, with information about what the tutor has observed at each stage of the lesson. It also includes highlighted strengths and areas to work on along with a general comment and action points for the next assessed lesson. As mentioned above, there will be a brief comment on the assessed lesson plan. Oral feedback will consist of going through the points to work on and the teacher will have a chance to ask any questions about any of the comments or recommendations made by the tutor.
How much does this component of the course cost?
The cost of this specialised component of the course is 450€ per teacher. This price includes the observation itself, the written feedback and the oral feedback for each teacher, plus a formal written recommendation for institutions based on the group of teachers that have been observed. This enables them to see the areas in which they might need to consider further training and professional development. The cost of this component may increase depending on the distance of the off-site assessment from our teacher training centre in San Sebastián.
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