Trinity Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) – Level 7

The Trinity College Diploma in TESOL is one of two internationally recognised Level 7 (master’s level) qualifications in EFL/ESOL teaching for experienced teachers. The advantage of the Diploma is the practical teaching element that is involved and it is listed by the British Council as a full qualification, equivalent to the Cambridge DELTA.

This course is for EFL/ESOL teachers with a minimum of 960 teaching hours’ experience who are looking to develop their teaching career.

There are four main units that comprise the course:

Unit 1: Language awareness, culminating in a final external examination

Unit 2: Personal and professional development, comprising three research projects

Unit 3: Phonology including a one-to-one interview

Unit 4: Teaching and learning, including teaching observation and teaching practice

Course Assessment

In order to achieve the qualification, you will have to pass four assessed course components:

Unit 1

This is a written examination. The paper is 3 hours long and consists of a choice of short language questions and two essays in the areas of learning and teaching and personal and professional development. You will take this exam in May 2017, following the end of the course.

Unit 2

This is a coursework portfolio for which you have to complete three research tasks, as follows:

1. design of an observation instrument, based on 10 hours’ teaching of experienced and qualified teachers

2. reflection on 15 hours of your own teaching

3. a research project related to your own language or teaching interests.

These assignments will be assessed by your course tutors and moderated by a Trinity examiner.

Unit 3

This is a 30 minute oral interview in the theory and practice of phonology and is conducted by a Trinity examiner. You will have to transcribe a short utterance ‘live’, give a prepared short talk on a phonology topic of your choice that is relevant to your own teaching, and answer some further theoretical and practical questions on the teaching of speaking and listening skills.

Unit 4

This is a journal containing records of four internally assessed and one externally assessed lesson(s), each of one hour’s duration.

Units 3 & 4 are assessed at the same time at the end of the course, as they require an examiner from Trinity College.

Opportunities for ELT management roles and teacher training, as well as materials design and senior teaching posts.

Candidates for the Diploma TESOL examinations must have a degree or equivalent. This could be another type of qualification which shows evidence of sustained academic study which would potentially enable the candidate to cope successfully with the requirements of the Diploma. Original qualifications or validated copies must be shown at interview. Applicants who do not possess a degree, but rather ‘an equivalent’ will be tested more stringently at interview.

An initial formal TESOL training (e.g. CertTESOL or equivalent) is highly recommended, but not essential.

Language skills — candidates should demonstrate an awareness of, and interest in, language and have a high level of competence in English, in listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.

Candidates should demonstrate an interest in, and aptitude for, the development of teaching ability at an advanced level with a wide range of learners, and the capacity for advanced study of the principles underlying language acquisition, learning and teaching.

The Diploma TESOL examinations lead to qualifications which are intended for experienced and (normally) practising ESOL teachers. The ESOL teaching experience requirement prior to the course start is two years full-time. In the case of part-time teachers the same minimum quantity of teaching experience may be accumulated over a longer period.

All claimed ESOL teaching experience must have occurred within the five years prior to the interview for the course.

The candidate must have had no more than one year’s break from ESOL teaching immediately prior to the start of the course.

A minimum of 75% of claimed teaching experience must be with classes. 25% may have been with one-to- one learners. Candidates with recent experience predominantly of one-to-one teaching, not exceeding 25% of total teaching experience claimed, are advised that the examinations involve the teaching of classes and that they must therefore refresh or develop their full-class teaching skills before attempting the course.

You will also have to attend an interview, either in person, or by telephone, with two of the course tutors.

If you wish to apply, please complete:

1. the part-time courses application form


2. the application task (see below)


3. the enclosed Record of Hours Taught form

and submit along with your CV to Samantha Robertaird, HE Admissions Officer, at samantha.robertsaird@colchester.ac.uk or by post to Colchester Institute, Sheepen Road, Colchester CO3 3LL.

Part-time courses can start at any point during the year, please see the individual course listing for the next course start date or if you are unsure please call our Course Enquiries line on (01206) 712777.

You may need to complete an application form for some of our part-time courses, our part-time application form can be downloaded here:

Applicants will receive an acknowledgement email or card within one week of the application being received by our Admissions team, if you do not receive this you should contact the team on (01206) 712777 to check that your application has been received.

Courses will run subject to sufficient applications being received.

Application task:

What are the characteristics of outstanding EFL teaching? Give examples with reference to your own post-certificate teaching experience. (1500-2000 words)

Once we have received your application, we will invite you for interview. The interview will last approximately 1.5 hours in total and will involve discussion of your teaching experience and methodology as an EFL teacher. You will also be asked to bring to interview a lesson plan for a grammar lesson you have recently taught and to talk through it. Other than this, there is no special preparation required for the interview, although reflection on the four main areas of the course (see Course Content above) will help focus your thoughts in preparation.

For any questions regarding the content of the course, please contact Sally Bates, Course Director, at

sally.bates@colchester.ac.uk or on 01206 712451.

Thank you for your interest in the Trinity Diploma TESOL course at Colchester Institute and we look forward to hearing from you.