TESL Certification Programs in Vancouver Island BC

VIA Training Centre, Victoria BC:
We are a specialized TESL Training Centre recognized by TESL Canada. VIA Training Centre offers the most modern TESL programs in Victoria. The programs are very interactive and practical, giving students more teaching opportunities which provide confidence for new teachers entering the classroom, and new ideas for seasoned educators.

The VIA TESL Diploma Program is recognized by TESL Canada and is based on the standard 120 hours: 100 classroom, and 20 hours of practicum. Theory taught in the classroom is combined with activities, allowing our graduates to become confident, skilled teachers. Graduates of the VIA TESL Diploma Program will be able to apply Communicative Language Teaching, learned principles, theories, strategies, and practical classroom techniques and implement them successfully in effective ESL lessons.

120 Full-time Program Schedule:

Week 1
         Day 1: Introduction to course outline including rules, expectations and homework assignments.
                    Introduction to Communicative Language Teaching procedures and techniques.
                    Lesson demonstration

          Day 2: (Chapter 1) Getting Started: lesson analysis and comparison
                     (Chapter 2) A Methodical History of Language Teaching
                     (Chapter 3) The Post-method Era: Toward Informed Approaches: introducing CLT method, techniques and types of questions.

        Day 3: Principles for Teaching Vocabulary and idioms
                   Peer teaching vocabulary/Idioms
                   (Chapter 4) Teaching by Principles: Needs analysis
                
         Day 4: (Chapter 6) Teaching Across Age Levels
                    Demonstration of Children’s lesson and discussion
                    (Chapter 7) Teaching Across proficiency Levels
                    Metalanguage terms and definitions

         Day 5: (Chapter 10) Lesson Planning: Aims/objectives, giving clear instructions.
                    (Chapter 11) Teaching techniques and Materials

Week 2

        Day 6: (Chapter 22) Form-focussed Instructions (Teaching Grammar)
                   Grammar terminology, verb tense chart and form.
                   Grammar lesson demonstration/discussion

        Day 7: ESL Teachers observations
                
        Day 8: Grammar lesson prep day.

        Day 9: Grammar lesson Peer teaching
                   (Chapter 13) Initiating Interaction in the Classroom
                   Questioning Strategies
                   (Chapter 14) Sustaining Interaction Through Group Work:
                    advantages and disadvantages
                   (Chapter 15) Classroom Management: unplanned events.
 
         Day 10: (Chapter 18) Teaching Listening
                      Principles for teaching Pronunciation
                      Listening lesson demonstration/discussion

Week 3

          Day 11: Listening lesson peer teaching
                      Review of past lessons.
                  
          Day12: Listening lesson peer teaching
                      (Chapter 20) Teaching Reading
                      Reading/Idiom lesson demo and discussions

          Day 13: Reading/Idiom lesson Peer teaching 
                  
          Day 14: Importance of using games in lessons. 
                      Tune-in activities.
                     
          Day15: Grammar test
                      (Chapter 19) Teaching speaking: Taboo topics
                      Conversation lesson Demo/discussion
                      Progress reports

Week 4

           Day16: Conversation Lesson Peer teaching
                  
           Day 17: Conversation Lesson Peer teaching

           Day 18: Practicum schedule
                      (Chapter 21) Teaching Writing
                      Writing lesson demo/discussion

           Day 19: Practicum prep day

           Day 20: Final exam, ESL game, pot luck

NB. Days will vary depending on student enrollment
PRACTICUM

Evaluation:
Evaluation is based on attendance and participation, homework assignments, written examinations, class presentations, submitted lesson plans, and practicum results. Students scoring 75% (cumulative) or better on the evaluation criteria qualify for the VIA TESL Diploma.
 


270 Full-time Program Schedule:

Week 1: English as a World Language/Theories, Methods, and Techniques (Units 1 – 3)

- English as Lingua Franca and Variations of World Englishes
- EFL vs. ESL learning contexts (Challenges and Opportunities)
- Behaviourism and Conditioning in the classroom
- Functions of Language (Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication

Week 2:  Learners and Teachers/ Managing Learning (Units 4 – 6)

- First and Second Language Learning (vs. Acquisition)
- Humanism in the CLT classroom
- Learning Styles (MI, VAK Testing) and Teacher Styles & Roles
- Fluency & Accuracy

Week 3:  Materials, Resources and Technology/ Focusing on Language I
                (Units 7 – 9)

- Student and Teacher Motivation
- Textbook analysis and assessment
- WB usage & organization
- Advantages/Disadvantages of technology and internet in the classroom

Week 4: Focusing on Language II, Focusing on Language III
                (Units10 – 12)

- Error Correction and Feedback Strategies
- Inductive vs. Deductive Grammar Lessons
- Parts of Speech Review & Punctuation
- Clauses, Phrases, Gerunds, Conditionals, Sub. Verb Agreement, & Subjunctive

Week 5: Teaching the 4 Language Skills: Reading and Listening 
               (Units 13 – 15)

- Challenges in Listening (Elision, Contractions and Allophones)
- Pre-teaching Strategies and Elicitation
- Authenticity, Appropriacy and Frequency of Lexis
- Sample Lesson Analysis
- Task-based Learning with 4-skills integration

Week 6: Teaching the 4 Language Skills: Speaking and Writing/
              Designing and Incorporating Learning Activities
               (Units 16 – 18)

- Intelligibility & Pronunciation Techniques (Phonetics and Articulators)
- Functional Dialogues (Presentation and Practice)
- Writing Conventions (Genre-based)
- L1 Focussed Pronunciation Remedies

Week 7: Lesson Planning & Syllabuses/Evaluation and Assessment
               (Units 19 – 21)

- Needs Analysis and S.M.A.R.T. goal assessment
- PPP Lesson Structure and Practice
- Testing Methods (Validity and Reliability)
- Lesson Pacing and Sequences (Week, Month, Year)

Week 8: Applied Linguistics I: Sociocultural Factors
              (Units 22 – 24)

- Second Culture Acquisition & Cultural Imperialism
- Native English Speaking Teachers vs. Non-Native English Speaking Teachers
- English Only vs. L1 Value
- Communicative Competence

Week 9:  Applied Linguistics II: Linguistic Factors
                (Units 25 – 27)

- Krashen’s Theory of Comprehensible Input
- Functions of Language
- Cross-Linguistic Influence
- Conversation and Discourse Analysis

Week 10: Professional Development and SLA Research
                 (Units 28 – 30)

- Action Research in the ESL classroom
- TESL Journals as a pedagogical learning tool
- Peer-Review and Observation (Best Practices Modeling)
- Presenting at Seminars, Workshops or Conferences

PRACTICUM

Evaluation:
Evaluation is based on attendance and participation, homework assignments, written examinations, class presentations, submitted lesson plans, and practicum results. Students scoring 75% (cumulative) or better on the evaluation criteria qualify for the VIA TESL Diploma.