Why Take the Teaching  English to Young Learners Specialty Course?

From Madrid and Buenos Aires to Seoul and Shanghai, hundreds of millions of children are learning English as a foreign language.  As English becomes further entrenched as the global language of trade, culture, travel, and education, both governments and parents understand that learning English is key to providing children with a brighter future.  English is now required in most school systems across the world and millions of parents invest independently in extra lessons and/or private tutoring. For graduates of International TEFL Academy, this demand generates nearly countless opportunities to get paid to live abroad while teaching English to young learners.

To better prepare our students and graduates for the challenge of teaching young learners and to enhance their job opportunities, International TEFL Academy is proud to now offer this exclusive 30-Hour (two weeks) Teaching English to Young Learners Specialty Course.  Taught by expert instructors using a curriculum developed by experts, this course will provide you with both the skills and resources you need to gain confidence in the classroom and to qualify for top positions.

If I can get a job teaching English abroad with a regular TEFL certification, why should I take this specialty course?

• Develop skills & learn teaching methodologies specific to teaching children between the ages of 2 - 11 years. A regular 120+ hour  TEFL class will provide you with a strong foundation of basic teaching skills, but reaching your full potential as a teacher working with children requires specific skills & a full understanding of the needs and challenges confronting young learners.  From developing age-appropriate lessons and activities to gaining classroom management skills that will prepare you to run a class of 20 six-year-olds, this course will significantly build upon the skills you learned in your standard TEFL class. Check out a full overview of the course syllabus here.
• Enhance your job prospects and opportunities for promotion.  Employers and students want to hire the best teachers with the highest levels of skills and training. Taking this specialty course will set you apart from thousands of other English teachers looking to teach English abroad to children who only possess a regular TEFL certification and no specific training for teaching English to children.
• Demonstrate your interest & comfort level in teaching younger learners. Putting this specialty course on your CV will not only exhibit your enhanced level of training, but it will demonstrate your interest in enthusiasm for working with younger learners. 
• Boosts Confidence & Capabilities. There is a large distinction between teaching language courses to adults versus children. To that end, there is also a significant difference between teaching a four-year-old versus an eight-year-old. This course provides the trainee with practical classroom management strategies, teaching theories, and activities so that when they walk into the young learner classroom (be it four-year-olds or eight-year-olds) they are better prepared and thus more confident working with this population.

Teaching English to Young Learners Class Structure & Professors

International TEFL Academy’s Teaching English to Young Learners Specialty Course is a fully interactive course taught by a seasoned university-level professor with an advanced degree in TESOL or a related field and international teaching experience. Featuring a specially-designed curriculum, the course is designed to incorporate the latest in teaching methodology and best practices for teaching English to young learners between the ages of 2 - 11.

This course will be delivered entirely online through the course management system Moodle. In Moodle, students will access online lessons, course materials, tasks, and resources. All tasks will be posted in an online forum or taken as an online quiz.

Additional Highlights & Features

• Training in the latest in teaching methodologies & best practices for teaching children. Learn how to prepare lesson plans and provide instruction to different types (and ages) of young learners in all facets of language acquisition, including grammar, reading, writing, vocabulary, listening, and speaking.  
• Gain access to extensive digital resources, including videos. This course incorporates more than 30 video demonstrations so that trainees can gain clarity on how to implement the principles and practices taught throughout this class. Trainees also gain access to resources like musical activities and scripts for plays that can serve as very useful teaching aids.
• EFL Teacher Vignettes. This course has various authentic TEFL vignette stories from young learner classrooms. Those vignettes help move theory into practice by giving context and a connection to “what it’s really like in class.”
• Sample Activities. Another aspect of this course that sticks out from others is the number of activities we have placed in the text and throughout the lessons. We analyze 8 different activities, demonstrating to trainees why the activity emulates best practices for young learners. We also offer two appendices with 17 additional sample activities (vocabulary games, for example). Combined with the inclusion of some great electronic resources, the course will help the trainee save time in lesson planning and build their own “bag of favorite class activities.” 
• Accessible through multiple devices, including mobile. Also, no need for a webcam or Microsoft Word.
• Immediate access to your certificate. Once you have successfully completed the course, a digital/printable version of your certificate will be available immediately (no need to wait for the mail!). NOTE: The certificate you receive for this course is separate from the certificate you receive for your 170-Hour TQUK-accredited Online TEFL Course or the onsite TEFL course that you complete through International TEFL Academy.
• Comprehensive textbook. From lesson plans and teaching tips to job market insights, this fantastic resource is available on our Textbook Page.

Eligibility & Enrollment

• Teaching English to Young Learners Specialty Course Enrollment Requirements:  Online TEFL course students taking the 11-week 170-Hour Online TEFL Course must have completed, or are in the process of completing, an International TEFL Academy online TEFL course prior to taking the Teaching Business English/Teaching Young Learners Specialty Course.
  
  Due to the lesson planning skills required for this specialty course, we strongly recommend that 11-week online TEFL course students wait to begin these specialty courses until at least week five of their online class when lesson planning training begins.
  
  In-person TEFL course students & 4-Week Intensive Online TEFL Course students must complete their TEFL course prior to beginning any specialty course.  
  
  Not an ITA student? Fill out a form here to receive detailed information about TEFL certification and job search guidance for teaching English abroad & teaching English to young learners.
• Tuition for this class is $279. Please check our Dates & Tuition page for more information (including discounts).
• You must begin your 30-Hour Teaching English to Young Learners Course only after you have successfully completed your standard TEFL class.
• Ready to enroll? Call your ITA Admissions Advisor or visit our Dates & Tuition page for more details about enrollment.