Trinity Distance Diploma in TESOL (Blended)


Our Diploma courses are blended. This means they include elements of on-line and face-to-face study. Below is an outline of how our Distance Diploma works and some more details about on-line learning with OxfordTEFL.

Distance Diploma course structure

• 6 month on-line component (about 12 hours work a week) either from February to July or from November to April (both inclusive)



• Full-time 4 week face-to-face block in Barcelona (40 hours per week).
  
  
• The distance component is compatible with full-time teaching but is demanding, requiring around 12 hours work per week for three weeks or four weeks at a time with rest weeks in between. This includes reading time and working with tutors and fellow course participants in our on-line classroom. Modules include work on methodology, grammar, phonology, English in the world and teacher development, preparing you for the written exam (Unit 1) and phonology exam (Unit 3). You will also work on your practical projects (Unit 2) during the online phase, with supervision and guidance from your tutors.
  
  
• The face-to-face block can be in July or August, following your distance component. This component includes teaching practice and feedback and coaching for your projects and phonology exam. The 4 week face-to-face component in Barcelona is intensive. You should have no other commitments for this period.

About on-line learning with OxfordTEFL

We believe that distance learning works best when it captures, as far as possible, the dynamics of face-to-face learning, even when that means less flexibility (see below). A sense of isolation can cause people to drop out of distance learning courses. Our Distance/On-line Trinity Diploma in TESOL has the following key features, which ensure motivation remains high:

Variety of ways of learning
In the online phase you will learn through our virtual learning environment where you can access materials and complete learning tasks. You will attend chats and workshops (occasionally live) and engage with tutors and fellow course participants using online forums and skype calls. Face to face contact is of course a key feature of the 4 week intensive block in Barcelona where you will be planning and teaching lessons with help and feedback from the tutor team as well as attending workshops relating to other areas of the course.

Interaction
Our virtual learning environment (VLE) allows you to communicate individually and collectively with tutors and other course members, both for social and study purposes. You will be assigned individual, group and pair tasks, as in a "real" classroom with the difference that, instead of all working at the same time (synchronised) you can log on and off and contribute at times which are convenient to you. You may, on a few occasions, be required to log on at the same time as other course members for "lessons", "conferences" or "chats" in the virtual classroom.

A real class of fellow students
In many distance courses, learners start and finish courses at any time of the year and join an infinite number of other distance learners at various stages of their course. Our courses have start and finish dates and a defined group of participants (maximum 12), just like our face-to-face courses. You will have tasks and deadlines to keep and be expected to maintain an appropriate rhythm (see above). In other words, flexibility is limited in order to maintain motivation.

Learning how to learn on-line
As well as learning about teaching and language you will have the opportunity to experience and reflect on the nature of on-line learning itself. This is a valuable experience in itself and will lead you to consider the implications this mode of study has for teacher training and language training

Ease of use
You will find it easy to use the virtual learning environment, even if you are relatively unfamiliar with this kind of learning and there will be plenty of support and guidance from tutors to deal with any queries and make sure you are on track.

We use “Moodle”, a “virtual learning environment” (VLE), which allows you to:

• upload and download course information and material
• access materials on and off-line
• participate in live and non-synchronised discussions
• send work to tutors and receive feedback
• communicate with tutors and other members of the class individually and as a group.
• interact in ways similar to a real classroom with the advantage of being able to access it at times convenient to you.

We use Skype/messenger or telephone for personal tutorials.

You will need to have regular access to a computer with internet connection, but won’t need to spend huge amounts of time actually on-line.

We recommend you install Skype if you don't have it already to take advantage of cost-free calls to tutors and other course members. www.skype.com