Cert TESOL with Trinity London
Course Overview
Are you considering a complete career change or aspiring to teach English in Ireland or abroad? Liffey College’s Trinity CertTESOL programme is your gateway to a rewarding career in English language teaching.
Our intensive four-week programme offers internationally recognised training that equips you to teach English worldwide, whether in traditional classrooms, online or through blended learning formats. The CertTESOL is comparable to CELT/CELTA qualifications.
- CertTESOL → RQF Level 5 (UK)
- CertTESOL → NFQ equivalence Level 6 (IRL)
Directed Hours
130
Self Hours
70
Awarding Body
Trinity London
Full-time Learners
4 Weeks
Part-time Learners
TBC
Course
2nd FEB 2026
Registration is open!
Apply NowWhat You’ll Learn
The Trinity CertTESOL prepares you with the essential skills, knowledge, and practical experience to confidently step into your first English language teaching role.
Through a mix of theory, practice, and real classroom teaching experience, you will:
- Master Core Teaching Skills: Gain hands-on expertise in the fundamental techniques required to lead effective English language classes.
- Bridge Theory and Practice: Apply proven teaching principles immediately in guided practice sessions to build real classroom confidence.
- Deepen Language Knowledge: Develop a strong understanding of English grammar, vocabulary, and discourse to explain complex language points clearly to your students.
- Curate Engaging Resources: Learn to select and design impactful teaching materials and digital tools for dynamic adult learning.
- Assess and Personalise Learning: Acquire strategies to evaluate student progress, identify individual learning needs and tailor your teaching for optimal results.
- Promote Real-World Fluency: Help learners go beyond basic communication, enabling them to speak naturally, accurately and confidently.
- By the end of this programme, you won’t just have a certificate you’ll have the practical skills, confidence and classroom experience to thrive as an English language teacher anywhere in the world.
Find the Perfect Course Schedule
Full Time
(Certificate Provided by)
1- Complete the Online Application Form
2- Interview
3- Registration
Trainees wishing to complete the Trinity CertTESOL course at Liffey College are not required to have any previous teaching experience or training. The course is primarily designed for those with little or, more usually, no experience of teaching English. However, in order to complete the Trinity CertTESOL course at Liffey College you will need to have the following entry requirements.
- Be a minimum age of 18 years or over on commencement of the course.
- All participants must hold a qualification which enables them to progress to higher/3rd level education (Level 7) in their respective home countries.
- Have sufficient educational level to gain entry to the programme.
- Have a proficient level of English and English grammar as a native English speaker. For non-native speakers, have a minimum English language level of C1 (i.e., Cambridge CAE, IELTS 7.0)
- Have a strong interest in becoming an effective full-time English language teacher.
- Agree to attend the full four-week course training module and to comply with all of the course requirements on research and assignments.
The completed application is then assessed by the course Director or a senior member of the teacher training department at Liffey College. During the interview process following the application submission, candidate’s will submit a copy of their academic degree and (where relevant) a copy of English language proficiency certification.
4 Weeks (40 Hours Per-Week)
- Classes – Monday to Friday
- 9:00 am to 05:00 pm
Subject to change
The CertTESOL comprises a minimum of 130 hours of input, guided tasks, assisted lesson planning and teaching practice and is completed on a full-time basis over a minimum of four weeks.
In addition, a further minimum of 70 additional hours study will be required for reading, research, lesson preparation and journal writing.
Total Qualification Time: 200 hours.
- On-campus (Full and/or Part time Study)
- Independent Study – After Classes
- Supervised Learning
- Technology Assisted Learning
- Study groups
- Extra-curricular activities
CertTESOL Assessment Units:
Unit 1: Teaching skills
Unit 2: Language awareness and skills
Unit 3: The learner profile
Unit 4: The materials assignment
Unit 5: The unknown language
Trainees who complete this course of study with Liffey College will also undertake at least six hours of observed teaching practice in the college with real learners then produce four or five reflective written assignments including a test of grammar and / or phonology for assessment. All of the assignments must be completed to the college set standards, but you will receive ongoing professional guidance and support throughout the process.
A Blend of Practice and Theory
This course is an intensive and comprehensive commitment, structured to provide a perfect balance between theoretical knowledge and essential classroom experience.
| Component | Minimum Requirements | What You’ll Be Doing |
| Input Sessions | 130 Hours | Dynamic workshops, guided tasks, and assisted lesson planning covering planning, classroom management, teaching skills, language awareness, and materials. |
| Teaching Practice (TP) | 6 Hours Assessed | Planning and delivering at least 8 lessons to classes at two or three different levels of English. Each session includes observation by a tutor and peers, followed by immediate feedback and self-evaluation. |
| Guided Observations | 5 Hours | Watching experienced teachers in action while taking notes on teaching methodology and best practice. |
| Unknown Foreign Language | 4 Language Classes | Experiencing language learning from the student’s perspective to build empathy and understand classroom interaction dynamics. |
| Independent Study | 70+ Additional Hours | Dedicated time for essential reading, research, comprehensive lesson preparation, and reflection (journal writing). |
The five assessed CertTESOL units to be completed and passed, along with the guided learning hours per unit and the respective weightings, are the following:
| Unit | Number of Guided Learning Hours (out of total 130) | Assessment Details | Weighting – i.e., marks available to final result |
| Unit 1: Teaching Skills | 74 | Pass mark to be obtained for each of the three elements: Teaching Practice (45%), Teaching Practice Journal (10%) and Guided Observation Journal (5%) | 60% |
| Unit 2: Language Awareness (Grammar and phonology) | 20 | Pass mark of 60% to be obtained for test or exam | 15% |
| Unit 3: Learner Profile | 18 | Pass mark to be obtained for all sections of written profile | 10% |
| Unit 4: Materials Assignment | 8 | Pass marks to be obtained in line with Trinity’s external assessment (written work and face-to-face interview) | 10% |
| Unit 5: Unknown Language | 10 | Pass mark to be obtained for all sections of Unknown Language Journal | 5% |
Recommended Reading
These books form part of the required and recommended reading list to help with CertTESOL pre-course tasks, during the course and as part of a core reference library for English language teachers.
Required Reading:
Jim Scrivener
Learning Teaching (3rd edition)
Macmillan, 2011.
Martin Parrott,
Grammar for English Language Teachers (2nd edition)
CUP, 2010.
Recommended Reading
We also recommend the following titles as part of an extended list for pre-course reading.
METHODOLOGY
Jeremy Harmer
The Practice of English Language Teaching(5th edition)
Pearson ELT, 2015
Scott Thornbury
The New A-Z of ELT: A Dictionary of Terms and Concepts Macmillan, 2017
Peter Watkins
Learning to Teach English: A Practical Introduction for New Teachers
Delta, 2017
GRAMMAR REFERENCE
Michael Swan
Practical English Usage (4th edition)
OUP, 2016.
Rod Bolitho & Brian Tomlinson
Discover English
Macmillan, 2005.
Raymond Murphy
English Grammar in Use (5th edition)
CUP, 2019
Please familiarise yourself with our Liffey College TESOL course handbook, policies and procedures before commencement of the course proper. Each candidate on registering for the course will receive an assigned password to access all course material.
Trainees who complete this course of study with Liffey College will also undertake at least six hours of observed teaching practice in the college with real learners then produce four or five reflective written assignments including a test of grammar and / or phonology for assessment. All of the assignments must be completed to the college set standards, but you will receive ongoing professional guidance and support throughout the process.
An external assessor, will be appointed by Trinity College London in order to inspect each candidates’ portfolios and journals and to interview each candidate on their materials project. The assessor’s role is to monitor the course, standardise grading and to recommend the final grades.
CertTESOL: www.trinitycollege.com/certtesol
Email: ukandireland@trinitycollege.co.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7820 6100
CertTESOL
Thinking about a career change or dreaming of teaching English in Ireland or abroad?
Liffey College’s Trinity CertTESOL programme is your gateway to a rewarding career in English language teaching.
Why choose our CertTESOL programme?
- Gain an internationally recognized Trinity College London qualification.
- Learn practical teaching skills through hands-on classroom experience.
- Receive personalized support from experienced tutors.
- Open doors to teaching opportunities in Ireland and worldwide.
Who is it for?
Career changers looking for a meaningful new path.
Graduates or professionals passionate about teaching English.
Anyone wanting to travel, explore, and teach abroad.