Certificate IV in TESOL Course (40540SA)
The SELC Certificate IV in TESOL course will give you the skills, knowledge, experience and confidence to begin or further advance your English language teaching career in Australia or throughout the world.
Next Start Date
The next course runs from Monday October 11 to Friday December 3, 2010.
Course Dates for 2011
- Jan 4 – Mar 25
- Mar 28 – May 20
- May 23 – July 15
- July 18 – Sep 9
- Sep 12 – Nov 4
Levels
Strong upper-intermediate to native speaker
Your Study
Course Length: 8 weeks
You will be studying at our Bondi Junction campus and taking part in 4 sessions a day:
- Session 1: 9.00 – 10.30
- Session 2: 11.00 – 12.30
- Session 3: 1.30 – 3.00
- Session 4: 3.15 – 5.30 (Friday 3.15 – 5.00)
Total face-to-face contact hours = 266 (33 hours per week)
This includes 6 hours of observed teaching practice that each trainee must complete. The practice teaching sessions will take place in Session 4 Mondays to Thursdays and Session 3 Fridays from weeks 2 to 8 of the course. You will be teaching current SELC ESL students grouped into lower and higher level classes.
In addition to the face-to-face sessions you will also be expected to complete study and assignment work on most nights. It is a closed course, so no students can join the class once it has begun and there is a maximum of 12 students per class.
Why choose the SELC Certificate IV in TESOL Course?
There are many reasons why students have been choosing SELC for 25 years, but here are some key points that we feel distinguish our TESOL course from others on the market.
- It is a high quality, practical course that has been fine-tuned in house by our experienced teaching and teacher training staff.
- It is a closed course, so you are with the same class mates and tutors for the full 8 weeks. This means the course is designed and run to maximise your learning.
- It is a maximum of 12 students per class with a minimum of 2 tutors.
- Our course is run onsite at our English language school so you will teach real ESL students, observe real ESL lessons and be part of one of Australia’s most successful English language schools.
Sample Daily Timetable 
What is the course content?
The course focuses on equipping you with the practical skills and knowledge required to conduct professional and educative English language lessons in a confident, contemporary and dynamic manner. Beyond this the SELC TESOL course will give you a first-hand insight into how a language school works and how to gain employment and pursue a career as a successful English Language teacher.
Six major themes of learning, taken from 6 units of competency, direct the course content. These are:
- The industry and context behind ESL teaching and learning
- English language skills improvement
- English grammar – theory and practice applied to teaching and learning
- English language teaching skills and strategies (TESOL techniques/methodologies)
- Lesson and program planning, design and evaluation
- Classroom management and cultural awareness
The various components of the course curriculum are highly integrated and will therefore be presented in an integrated manner. The mantra governing the course design and behind all the classroom activities is “How does this help to make our students and future ESL teachers more knowledgeable, skillful, versatile, dynamic and successful teachers?”
What are the assessment tasks?
The assessment tasks have been designed to test, in a practical and realistic manner, the skills and knowledge in the key areas that make a fully competent ESL teacher. You will be given close support, ample time and specifically designed input materials in order to gain the most from the tasks and complete them to the best of your ability.
The key assessment task is the 6 hours of observed teaching practice. The practice teaching sessions will take place in Session 4 Mondays to Thursdays and Session 3 Fridays from weeks 2 to 8 of the course. You will be teaching current SELC ESL students grouped into lower and higher level classes.
Where is the Certificate IV TESOL qualification recognised?
This certification is recognised by all NEAS accredited language schools in Australia including TAFEs. It is also recognised as an excellent qualification by many schools, colleges and universities throughout the world and will greatly improve your chances of employment.
Certificate IV means that this course has been accredited by VETAB (the NSW Government Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board) and qualifies those students who complete the course to teach or train other individuals or classes. TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) means exactly this, so when you have a Certificate IV in TESOL qualification you are qualified by the NSW and Australian government to teach English Language classes.
Do I need other qualifications as well?
To be fully qualified to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) in Australia, a candidate must have a recognised degree or equivalent and a recognised TESOL qualification or equivalent.
What do I have to do to gain the qualification or pass the course?
To gain the Certificate IV in TESOL qualification you need to be judged competent in all eight of the integrated assessment tasks that run over the duration of the course. These tasks have been designed to test and put into practice the new skills and knowledge you acquire over the six different units of competency you study. There is no percentage score or grading system for each task; instead the assessor judges if the candidate is ‘competent’ or ‘not yet competent’. If you only complete some units, you will be given a ‘statement of attainment’ for those particular units.
Who are our trainers?
As students on the course you will have two or three friendly, helpful, qualified and experienced trainers. Our trainers have a minimum of 10 years’ experience in English Language Teaching around the globe and of course the required qualifications and expertise to train and assess on a Certificate IV in TESOL course. Throughout SELC’s twenty-five year history our teachers have been our greatest strength and our teacher trainers are 100% dedicated to ensuring your TESOL course is an educative, memorable and highly practical experience that will give you the skills, knowledge, qualifications and confidence to pursue your English language teaching career.
Lisa Cairns – BA (Hons), DELTA, Trinity TESOL, Cert IV TAA
Lisa is our most qualified trainer with a wealth of experience. She has been in the industry for over 20 years and has taught at all levels and on all courses in England, Spain, Germany and Australia. As well as holding several Director of Studies positions and working as a freelance EFL consultant to various organisations she has been responsible for the set up, administration and delivery of TESOL training courses in the UK and Spain. Lisa’s knowledge and professionalism have been a driving force behind the high quality delivery of the SELC Certificate IV in TESOL course.
Shaun Jackson – BA, IDLTM, CELTA, Cert IV TAA
Shaun has been part of the SELC team for over 7 years as both a teacher and educational technology coordinator. He also taught in Italy and Germany and over his career has taught at all levels from Beginner to Advanced, on a variety of different courses and in various contexts and roles. As the RTO Manager he is responsible for the continuing accreditation and ongoing high quality of the SELC Certificate IV in TESOL course.
Simon Harris – BA (Hons), Dip. TEFLA, Cert IV TAA
Simon has been teaching English for over 20 years. Over this vast career he has taught at all levels in both England and Australia and due to his wealth of experience and expert knowledge of grammar specialises in teaching high level exam classes such as Cambridge proficiency. As well as being a Director of Studies he has also held various Senior Teacher and Coordinator positions and is one of SELC’s most valued and longest serving staff members.
Daniel S. – MA, BA (Hons), CELTA, , Cert IV TAA
Daniel, or Danny as he is known at SELC, has been teaching for 10 years and has taught in England, Australia and Spain. Like all our trainers his long experience has meant he has taught at all levels, on all manner of courses and in a variety of contexts. He has also held a Director of Studies position in Barcelona. Danny is the consummate professional and the ideal person from which to learn how to teach English and make yourself a valued employee.
Petra Stevens – BA, CELTA, Cert IV TAA
Petra has been teaching for 25 years and has done so in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Spain, England and Australia. Like most vastly experienced teachers she has taught at all levels, on all courses and in a variety of contexts and she now specialises in exam courses such as Cambridge and IELTS as well as being a certified IELTS examiner. Petra was the acting Director of Studies at SELC in 2003 and is currently our General English Coordinator.
Rosemary Fanning – BA, Dip. Teaching, CTEFLA, CERT IV in Assessment and Workplace Training
Rosemary has 17 years English teaching experience and has taught in Australia and Switzerland. Over her career she has taught at all levels and across all courses, often specialising in academic or exam based courses such as EAP, IELTS, TOEIC, TOEFL and Cambridge. She has been involved in academic counselling and curriculum development and has taught on high school bridging programs as well as being an early childhood teacher. She is also a certified IELTS examiner.
What are the entry requirements for the course?
All applicants must demonstrate an acceptable level of English language competence, both written and spoken, to enable them to undertake the course. You must also be over 18 to gain entry into this course.
Some measures of determining English language competence are:
For non-native speakers:
- Strong upper-intermediate level with a certificate from an accredited school
- An overall score of 6.5 with no band score less than 6.0 on the (academic) International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The IELTS test should be taken no more than 12 months prior to a student undertaking the course.
- Cambridge FCE certificate or above
- SELC TESOL pre-enrolment English aptitude test and interview (see next section)
For native speakers:
- SELC TESOL pre-enrolment English aptitude test and interview (see next section)
What is the application and testing process?
For applicants in Sydney:
When applying for the course you will be asked to sit the ‘SELC Onsite English Aptitude Test’ and take part in a short interview. The aim of the interview is to inform you about the course and to assess both your suitability for the course and the suitability of the course for your career plans. SELC will contact you within 7 days to confirm or deny your acceptance onto the course and if accepted you will be asked to complete an enrolment form and pay the full tuition fee no later than 4 weeks before course commencement. A position on the course cannot be guaranteed until the tuition fee has been paid.
For applicants outside Sydney or in another country:
Contact SELC by email or phone and will provide you with the ‘SELC TESOL Pre-enrolment English Aptitude Test’. The test will challenge your English skills and knowledge in a variety of different ways. The five sections of the test are:
- Multiple Choice
- Cloze
- Language Awareness
- Use of English
- Writing
Send the completed test to SELC. We will mark the test and contact you to let you know if your English is strong enough to enrol in the TESOL course. For some students SELC may decide an offshore interview is necessary to gain further knowledge of your English ability. This interview can be done on Skype or by phone and SELC will contact you to arrange a date and time.
If you are accepted then read fully and complete the SELC Enrolment Form, either online or by downloading the form and sending it to us (see further instructions on the form). You should also read the description of the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Framework before enrolling. This can be found at www.aei.gov.au/AEI/ESOS/QuickInfo. Scroll down until you find the link to ESOS_FrameWork.pdf
SELC will contact you on receipt of your application.
Important: Please complete the pre-enrolment test honestly. You will only be sacrificing your time and money if the work you submit is not a reflection of your true English ability.
Once you have arrived at SELC, entry into the TESOL course is subject to successful completion of an onsite English aptitude test and face-to-face interview. The duration of the English aptitude test is 45 minutes and the interview is approximately 15 minutes.
SELC reserves the right to refuse entry to the Certificate IV in TESOL course at any stage of the application process, even after you have paid your tuition fee, if it is judged that your English is not yet strong enough. Final judgement will be made in person at SELC by our course coordinator once they have interviewed you. Please remember that if you have completed the pre-enrolment task honestly and SELC has offered you a place on the course based on your results on this task (and possibly the phone interview) then you will be able to join the course without any problems.
If upon arrival at SELC your level is judged not high enough for the course, you will have several options to choose from:
- You can take a place in another ESL course at SELC, subject to visa requirements, until you are judged strong enough to take the TESOL course. It is usual practice that you pay your new course fees up front, while your original TESOL course tuition fee will be held aside until you are accepted into the course. If this arrangement doesn’t suit your particular needs an alternative arrangement can be organised in person at SELC.
- You can defer your enrolment in the TESOL course, pursue you own studies subject to visa requirements, and attempt to re-enter the course at the next commencement date. Please read the rules about deferring the start date of your course in the Conditions of Enrolment section of the SELC Enrolment Form
- You can choose to not undertake the TESOL course at any stage. In this case the decision regarding a possible refund will be decided in accordance with the Conditions of Enrolment stated on the SELC Enrolment Form. At any stage you have the right to appeal a decision made by SELC through our complaints and appeals processes and to take further action under Australia’s consumer protection laws.
Finally, please remember that this is a challenging course for serious students with a strong level of English. You will only end up sacrificing your time and money if you attempt to enrol in this course before you are ready and SELC does not want this to happen to you. What we do want is to provide you with a memorable educational experience and a qualification and skills that will benefit you in your future career and life in general.
How much does the SELC Certificate IV in TESOL cost?
- Weekly price: $480
- Total price for 8 weeks: $3840
- Enrolment Fee: $200
- Materials fee $5 per week: $40
- Total amount payable: $4080
Payment can be made by:
- Bank draft
- Bank cheque
- Credit Card
- Direct Transfer
Please see the enrolment form for specific payment details and make sure you read the SELC Conditions of Enrolment before proceeding with your enrolment.
For information on Accommodation fees go to the Fees and Start Dates page of our website. You should expect to pay a minimum of $200 for a single room per week. Of course, accommodation costs can vary a lot depending on where you live and the type of living arrangements you want.
After you have paid for your accommodation and tuition fees you will need enough money for lunch and transport each day. You can buy a typical Australian sandwich for $6 – 8, and an evening meal for $17 – $30. You will also need spending money for entertainment. In total, you should plan to have access to at least A$200 per week.
If you are bringing dependent family members with you to Australia, you will also need to consider the costs of supporting these family members and ensuring that school age children attend school in line with Australia’s immigration laws. More information can be found at www.immi.gov.au/students.
What are the differences or similarities to the CELTA Course?
The courses are quite similar as they both focus on practical classroom skills and providing you with genuine teaching practice opportunities. Both are excellent and necessary qualifications in beginning or furthering your career as an ESL teacher. Some differences are that the CELTA course is generally targeted at native speakers, is usually run over four weeks and its assessment system is not competency based as in the Certificate IV in TESOL course.
What happens if SELC doesn’t run the course on the date that I enrolled for (and that was advertised)?
For detailed information on this unlikely event see point 14 of the SELC Conditions of Enrolment document. In brief, SELC will refund all the course money you have paid to date. The refund will be paid to you within 2 weeks of the day on which the course ceased being provided. Alternatively, you may be offered enrolment in an alternative course by SELC at no extra cost to you. You have the right to choose one of these options. If SELC is unable to provide a refund or place you in an alternative course our Tuition Assurance Scheme (TAS), English Australia TAS, will place you in a suitable alternative course at no extra cost to you.
Do you recognise course credit and/or prior learning for this course?
Due to the integrated syllabus, short length, intensive nature and need to work in teams throughout the course we do not recognise course credit or prior learning for the Certificate IV in TESOL course.
Can students under 18 join the course?
SELC does not accept students under 18 for our Certificate IV in TESOL course.
Can I defer, suspend or cancel my studies before or during the course?
SELC will only allow students to defer i.e. delay the commencement of their studies, or suspend i.e. take a break during the course, if there are compassionate or compelling circumstances. These will be judged on a case by case basis and students must follow the ‘SELC Student Request to Defer, Suspend or Cancel Studies Procedures’. Refer to the SELC Conditions of Enrolment for information on cancelling your studies. You will also need to consider the affect that deferring, suspending or cancelling your studies will have on your visa.
SELC also has the right to suspend a student’s studies if it is decided that their behaviour, attitude or progress is not sufficient to justify continuation in the course. A student subject to this judgement will have 20 days to access SELC’s Complaints and Appeals Policy if they disagree with the decision.
We hope that we have answered all your questions. If we haven’t please contact us by calling (61 2) 8305 5600, emailing info@selc.com.au or filling in an online enquiry form on this website. We hope to see you soon.
I am a foreign student so can you tell me more about Visas?
It is your responsibility to check the regulations for your specific visa type (student, working holiday, tourist) and nationality (category 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) and ensure that you are allowed to study in Australia under a VET or ELICOS visa and also make changes to your study plans. Some nationalities are required to do a pre-visa assessment before being granted a visa to study in Australia.
If you are from a country in Category 1 or 2 you can take the course on any one of the following visas:
- Visitors visa
- Working holiday visa
- Student visa (VET – Vocational Education and Training)
For student visa applicants, you need a SELC ‘letter of offer’ as part of your visa application. If you want to study in a SELC General English program as preparation for your TESOL course you still need to apply for a VET visa as this is your principal course of study.
If you are in a category 3, 4 or 5 country you may need to provide an IELTS test score and undergo a pre-visa assessment (PVA) before any visa will be granted. You will need to use your ‘letter of offer’ from SELC when you lodge your application for PVA at the Australian Embassy or Consulate in your country. Further details are available at www.immi.gov.au
