Course duration: 5 months
Guided learning hours (GLH): 12 hours per week (240 hours in total)
Study method: online learning with tutor’s guidance and support
Course description:
The Oxford Certificate in English for Specific Purposes Instruction is a non-regulated professional qualification for experienced English language teachers who work with adult language learners acquiring professional English language skills. The course materials are based on the latest research findings in the TEFL/TESL/TESOL field with a strong focus on ESP teaching methodology.
Course syllabus:
- Developments and trends in teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP)
- Roles of ESP instructors and administrators
- ESP learners’ specialist knowledge, learning styles and strategies
- Needs analysis and ESP course design
- Selecting and evaluating teaching resources for developing ESP language skills
- Using professional standards frameworks for ESP syllabus and teaching materials design
- Assessment tools and techniques for the ESP classroom
- Use of multimedia in ESP instruction
- Constructing a portfolio of ESP learning and assessment materials in a chosen specialisation
- Reflective teaching practice and continuing professional development for ESP teachers
Candidates will be able to select an optional Professional English language course* from the following list to complete their qualification:
- Legal English**
- English for Finance**
- Business English**
- English for Marketing**
- English for IT
- English for Journalists
- English for Catering and Food Industry
- English for Tourism and Hospitality
- English for Sports Coaching
- English for Psychologists
- English for Pharmacy
- English for Dentistry
- English for Healthcare Professionals
- English for Veterinary Science
- English for Oil and Gas Industry
- English for Architecture and Construction
- English for Engineering
- Military English
- Aviation English
- English for Logistics
- English for Maritime Industry
- English for Police
- English for Public Policy
- English for Academic Purposes (EAP)
The selected Professional English language course must be completed during the first four months of the studies. Double Professional English specialisations*** are available. The specialisation(s) will be indicated in the certificate.
* The 3-month optional Professional English language courses have been designed specifically for English language teachers to help them revise vocabulary in their chosen area and to demonstrate how online technologies can be applied in teaching practice. The optional courses are free as they form part of this qualification. You will be sent details about registration for an optional course after you start your studies with us.
** Candidates who pass Legal English, English for Finance, Business English or English for Marketing and successfully complete the Oxford ESP Certificate programme will be awarded professional qualification certificates from two Schools: “Oxford Certificate in English for Specific Purposes Instruction” from Oxford School of Advanced TESOL Studies and “Professional Certificate in Teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP)” from London School of Finance and Law.
*** Candidates may opt for two Professional English specialisations if they can manage a double workload. Completing a Professional English language course, developing ESP materials related to one’s specific specialisation and writing an article on ESP teaching methodology for our School’s TESOL Practitioner’s Magazine – all these elements form an integral part of the course. So, instead of 12 hours per week, candidates will need to devote about 18-20 hours per week to their studies. Both specialisations will be indicated in the certificate.
Online study materials:
All study materials for the course are available online via a dedicated virtual learning environment (VLE) which includes:
- a module guide
- an interactive week-by-week study planner
- key critical and theoretical readings related to ESP teaching methodology
- a glossary of ELT terms
- an online forum for discussions and group work
- an assessment guide
- access to our online library databases with ELT resources
- access to the selected professional English language course
Course work includes:
- 4 tutor-marked assignments
- an online Professional English language exam
- end-of-course assessment for the qualification (a portfolio of devised ESP materials and a published article on ESP teaching methodology)
Course participants will be encouraged to relate the content of the course to their own professional experiences when working on their assignments. Therefore, access to formal or informal educational settings will be needed to apply the ideas in practice and carry out observations. Candidates’ articles on ESP teaching methodology will be published in our School’s TESOL Practitioner’s Magazine.
Award:
On successfully completing this qualification, you will be awarded our Oxford Certificate in English for Specific Purposes Instruction. You will be entitled to use the letters OxTESOLCert after your name.
Course fees for the 2024/2025 academic year: £1,450
* Course fees for an additional Professional English specialisation: £510. An additional invoice will be sent to the candidate willing to opt for two specialisations after the initial registration and payment via the standard application form.
Course fees cover registration, course materials, tuition and assessment.
Next term start date: 1 February 2025
Register by: 20 January 2025