Teaching English as a Second Language Certification Online

1. TESOL Core Certificate (TCC) Program

This certification course is provided by TESOL International Association and Arizona State University. It is a blended TESOL training program lasting 140 hours and provides trainees with theoretical foundation and practice related to teaching English as a foreign language.

The certification course gives trainees core TESOL concepts and practices which will allow them to teach English language learners effectively. The course also offers an elective option based on teaching adults or teaching young learners.

A good feature of this particular Teaching English as a Second Language certification course online is the fact that it requires trainees to participate in actual observed teaching practice sessions. These are either in-person sessions or virtual sessions, which means that the course complies with recognized standards for short-term TEFL/TESOL certification courses.

Who is this course suitable for?

This course is suitable for:

• People who are currently teaching but have no formal TESOL/TEFL qualification or little training
• People considering becoming a TEFL/TESOL teacher with no previous ELT teaching experience
• Course administrators with no previous ELT teaching experience/certification

What are the course requirements?

There are three distinct sections to the TCC which all trainees have to satisfactorily pass:

• [1] TESOL Fundamentals – foundation course – online – 60 hours (6 weeks)
• [2] Elective (adults or young learners) – online – 60 hours (6 weeks)
• [3] Classroom Observation (10 hours) & Observed Teaching Practice (10 hours) both of which are offered on an in-person basis or virtual basis

How much time is required to complete the course?

Trainees typically complete the three sections of the course between 6 and 11 months, with no less than 10 hours/week recommended by the program provider. Each section is taken individually, and builds upon the knowledge of the previous.

How is the Teaching English as a Second Language certification online graded?

Trainees are evaluated on a pass or no pass basis for the TESOL Core Certificate. This means that trainees need to successfully complete all requirements for all sections in order to become certified.