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30-Hour TEFL Certificate

Get Age Specialization Training for Young Learners, Teens, or Adults

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Overview
  • Teacher with group of kids in Thailand
  • Thai kids in class holding up national flags
  • Young woman hugging two laughing kids

Why 30 Hours?

This course is a great option for individuals who are looking for an in-depth look at age-specific teaching. CIEE’s 30-hour TEFL Certificate is a deep dive into teaching English as a foreign language to either young learners, teens or adults. This course will help you land the precise type of teaching job you want, and over 3 weeks you will deepen your understanding of age-specific pedagogy.   

This Course Includes:

  • A structured 3-week course that totals to 30 hours of training 
  • TEFL instructors for assistance and feedback
  • A community of peers to share opinions and ideas 
  • Access to valuable lessons with tools to effectively teach the age group you want 

Course Tuition Fee: $270

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What You Will Learn

Classroom Management

Tools to successfully manage a classroom of young learners, teens or adults

Age-Specific Pedagogy

Skills in teaching English to young learners, teens or adults

Lesson Planning

Learn to properly prepare lessons for a specific aged audience

Course Outline

Course Outline

The 30-hour age specialization is a structured 3-week course designed with 30 hours of lessons and coursework. Students should expect to dedicate 10 hours per week while working alongside an experienced TEFL instructor and peers to interact with. There is a total of 12 lessons for each course; 4 lessons will be covered each week. The following are course outlines of the young learners, teens and adult specialization courses.  

Week 1: Modules 0 – 4

Module 0) Pre-course – Intro to Course and How to Navigate 
Virtually meet your peers, get comfortable with the online Canvas platform, and prepare yourself for what’s to come.  

Module 1) The Young Learner 
Identify the different types of learners and go over the language development stages.  

Module 2) Young Learner Motivation 
Understand your students and learn their motivations. Learn to observe multiple intelligences to better understand your students and their education. 

Module 3) Classroom Management  
How should you manage such young learners? Create class rules and learn skills on handling classrooms when they fall apart. 

Module 4) Approaches and Methods for Teaching Young Learners  
Learn methods for teaching as well as different approaches to teaching young learners. 

Week 2: Modules 5 – 8

Module 5) Providing a Language Context for Learning  
Strategies for providing context and visual aids for teaching. 

Module 6) Teaching Systems to Young Learners 
The basics of vocabulary and grammar as well as practical lessons and games to have on hand.  

Module 7) Teaching Speaking to Young Learners 
Promote fluency through error correction, songs and chants for the class. 

Module 8) Teaching Listening to Young Learners  
Learn how children listen and learn ways to encourage listening in the classroom. 

Week 3: Modules 9 – 12

Module 9) Teaching Reading to Young Learners 
Understand the relationship between reading and writing as well as the basic concepts of reading. Learn how to use stories and other skills to teach reading.

Module 10) Teaching writing to young learners 
Unpack the basics of writing and understand the approaches to teaching writing.  

Module 11) Assessing Young Learners 
How will you assess your young students? Introduce testing to your class and learn skills on how to create quality tests. 

Module 12) Beyond the Classroom  
Where do young learners learn English? Understand English through the internet and media, as well as hobbies and sports.  

Week 1: Modules 0 – 4

Module 0) Pre-course – Intro to Course and How to Navigate 
Virtually meet your peers, get comfortable with the online Canvas platform, and prepare yourself for what’s to come.  

Module 1) The Teenage Learner 
Understand the role of teenagers in the classroom as well as their motivations as language students.  

Module 2) Classroom Management  
Build relationships with your teen students and learn tools to manage your classroom. 

Module 3) Methods and Approaches  
Unpack the approaches to teaching English at the teenage level. 

Module 4) Lesson Planning  
What kinds of lessons will engage your teenagers? Learn about different learning styles applied to lesson planning. 

Week 2: Modules 5 – 8

Module 5) Getting Started 
Get started leading your classroom with tricks on warm-ups and warm-downs. 

Module 6) Teaching Systems to Teenagers 
Learn to successfully teach grammar and vocabulary as well as skills on answering conceptual questions about grammar and vocabulary. 

Module 7) Teaching Speaking to Teenagers 
Unpack speaking a new language and develop skills on encouraging speaking in the classroom.  

Module 8) Teaching Listening to Teenagers  
Create listening activities and ways to encourage language listening in the classroom. 

Week 3: Modules 9 – 12

Module 9) Teaching Reading to Teenagers 
What is reading? Learn reading strategies for your students.  

Module 10) Teaching Writing to Teenagers 
Break down the meaning of writing and how to teach writing to teenage students.  

Module 11) Teaching with Technology  
Evaluate the internet and social media in EFL classrooms.  

Module 12) Assessment  
Assessing your teenage students. Learn to provide proper quizzes and exams.  

Week 1: Modules 0 – 4

Module 0) Pre-course – Intro to Course and How to Navigate 
Virtually meet your peers, get comfortable with the online Canvas platform, and prepare yourself for what’s to come.  

Module 1) The Adult Learner 
Understanding the basic motivations of adult learners and best teaching strategies.  

Module 2) Classroom Issues  
What kinds of issues arise in an adult classroom and how can you handle them? Understand the different abilities and ages in the adult classroom.  

Module 3) Classroom Management for Adults  
Learn to deal with problems in the adult classroom.  How do you respectfully make a correction? Understand appropriate classroom language.  

Module 4) Approaches to Lesson Planning  
Gain skills on planning lessons for adult learners. What kinds of activities are best?  

Week 2: Modules 5 – 8

Module 5) Student-Centered Learning  
Unpack the meaning of student-centered learning and learn how to apply it to your classroom.  

Module 6) Grammar, Vocabulary, and Pronunciation  
You might know grammar, but have you tried teaching it? Learn skills on teaching pronunciation and vocabulary. 

Module 7) Teaching Verbal Communication Skills to Adults  
Understand the listening process and learn skills to apply to your classroom and lesson plan. 

Module 8) Teaching Written Communication Skills to Adults  
Understand and break down the reading and writing process. Learn to assess reading and writing at the adult level.  

Week 3: Modules 9 – 12

Module 9) English for Specific Purposes (ESP) 
Understand the meaning and kinds of specific purposes there are for learning English. Learn to design lesson plans and classes around this. 

Module 10) ESP: Business English 
Learn what makes business English so different and how to adjust lessons accordingly. 

Module 11) ESP: EAP (English for Academic Purposes) Exam Preparation  
The importance of EAP and specific characteristics of EAP.

Module 12) Virtual Teaching  
Discover the essentials to teaching English online and the tools to do it successfully.  

Dates

More Information

Here is a list of upcoming start dates:

Start Date
October 16, 2023
January 15, 2024
April 15, 2024
July 15, 2024

Hear From CIEE TEFL Alumni

  • “The lessons are extremely thorough. They lay out all possible scenarios that could happen during the teaching journey so that teachers can prepare solutions or know what to expect. The workload was manageable. It was very helpful to have examples or templates for the assignment portions.”

    Swan (Young Learners Course)

  • “I would recommend this course because it is a good way to assess and understand one's own level of preparedness for teaching ESL teenagers. I like that I know now that I need to prepare more when it comes to teaching teenagers.”

    Felice (Teens Course)

  • “I think this course has been exceptionally beneficial to me and will be critical as I begin teaching adults. It had given me the necessary tool set to feel confident moving forward. And if I feel I need additional professional development in any of the specific areas, I will know in which direction to head.” 

    Briana (Adults Course)

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Accreditation

CIEE TEFL is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET), an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a reliable authority providing objective third-party evaluation of education and training practices.  CIEE TEFL is listed on the U.S. Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs.

As an ACCET accredited institution, CIEE TEFL awards Continuing Education Units (CEUs).  CIEE TEFL graduates receive 1 CEU for every 10 hours of TEFL course contact hours.  You will receive 3 CEUs upon completing the 30-hour TEFL certification course.

Better When Bundled

The 30-hour TEFL Certificate course is an excellent addition to our 150-hour TEFL certification course. Become TEFL certified and cover all the fundamentals of teaching English as a foreign language as well as expanding your knowledge with the additional age specialization training. (Plus, when you bundle, you save!)

CIEE TEFL Course Comparison 

Kids putting plants in pots in classroom

180-Hour TEFL Certification

Our flagship course + our age specialization course is made for someone looking to become internationally certified to teach English abroad and to refine their skills in teaching young learners, teens, or adults. Course includes:

- 180 total training hours  

- Online coursework for 11 weeks  

- Cohort of peers  

- Dedicated course instructor

- 20 hours of practicum  

- 30 hours of age specific training 

Teach Thailand teacher with student writing at desk

150-Hour TEFL Certification

Our flagship course, perfect for anyone looking to become internationally certified to teach English abroad. Course includes:  

- 150 total training hours  

- Online coursework for 11 weeks  

- Cohort of peers  

- Dedicated course instructor

- 20 hours of practicum  

- Meets international qualifications 

Teacher and students posing for a photo

60-Hour TEFL Certificate

Introductory TEFL course, ideal for someone looking to learn what TEFL is about. Course includes:  

- 60 total training hours  

- Open enrollment  

- Self-paced (must be completed in 6 months)  

- Support from a TEFL instructor

- Option to enroll in 150-hour course   

FAQs

FAQs

This course is right for you if:

  • You are looking to land a precise type of teaching position 
  • You are already teaching and are looking to deepen your understanding of age-specific pedagogy.  
  • You’re teaching where TEFL isn’t required, but want to gain some TEFL skills 
  • You’re enrolled in the 150-hour TEFL course and want to add age-specialization training 
  • You’re looking to professionalize the teach abroad experience  

Language proficiency: Participants in all CIEE TEFL courses must be native English speakers or maintain an advanced level of English proficiency equivalent to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) C1 level or higher. If a nonnative English speaker applies for a CIEE TEFL course, they must demonstrate their advanced English proficiency by submitting one of the following minimum test score proofs: TOEFL iBT: 95; IELTS: 7; CAE: 180; PTE General: Level 4; PTE Academic: 76; TOEIC Listening & Reading: 945 and Speaking & Writing: 360 

Enrollees must be at least 18 years of age or older 

Coursework requires reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills. Course outcome and evaluation will include elements of all four competencies.  

Students must be capable of using a personal computer, as all coursework is completed online. Students must have consistent access to internet. 

This course is designed to take 3 weeks to complete and offers quarterly start dates. If at any point you choose to upgrade to the 150-Hour Certification course, there are a few timelines to keep in mind: 

Teach abroad: Begin your TEFL course at least 6 months prior to your intended departure date  
Teaching at home or online: Begin your TEFL course at least 3 months before you apply for a position  

All course content is online so if you have a computer with access to the internet you are good to go.

Short answer: No.  

Upon completion, you will receive a certificate for completion of this 30-hour TEFL certificate course. However, this is merely a deep dive into age specific training for teaching English as a foreign language. The international standard for teaching abroad requires at least 120 hours of training with practicum included. If you wish to complete a full TEFL certification by international standards, please refer to the 150-hour TEFL certification course.  

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