Exploring the World of English Language Teaching (FutureLearn)

Exploring the World of English Language Teaching (FutureLearn)

Learn what teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) involves. Explore the opportunities to teach English abroad or at home. Get advice on teaching English as a foreign language from experts worldwide. Teaching English is a fantastic way to see the world. And it’s immensely satisfying – you get to see students achieve great things with their new skills. That’s why thousands of people take up posts around the globe every year, teaching English as a foreign language.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see FutureLearn's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

If you want to join them, now’s your chance. This online course explores the ins and outs of English Language Teaching (ELT), covering what ELT involves and where you can teach it.
You’ll get advice from fellow teachers and experts from Cambridge Assessment English, helping you to teach English abroad or at home.

What topics will you cover?

Teaching contexts

  • Places to teach
  • Types of classes
  • Motivations for learning English
  • Learners and the learning context
  • Different types of learners
  • Ways to motivate learners
  • Planning for learning
  • Classroom management and language

Language skills: reading, listening, speaking, writing

  • Basic concepts and terminology used for describing communication skills; reading, listening, speaking and writing
  • Potential barriers to acquiring communication skills and suggestions for helping learners overcome them

Language analysis and awareness

  • Basic concepts and terminology used in ELT for describing language; grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation
  • Potential barriers to learning language and suggestions for helping learners overcome them

Using resources

  • Published resources
  • Authentic materials
  • Realia
  • Digital tools
  • Issues relating to selecting materials

Becoming an English language teacher

  • Qualities of an English language teacher
  • Different training options
  • Preparing for a CELTA course

Glossary

  • Terminology relating to ELT

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

  • Identify ELT terminology
  • Engage with key topics in ELT
  • Evaluate a variety of ELT teaching and learning materials
  • Discuss different types of learners
  • Identify classroom management techniques
  • Explore language systems and language skills
  • Apply practical ideas about materials and activities for future use with learners
  • Evaluate training options
Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Academic Writing in English for ESL Learners (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University College London

Academic Writing in English for ESL Learners (FutureLearn)

Develop your academic writing skills in English as a second language (ESL) learner and advance your English writing at university. Improve your academic writing skills for essay writing in English. This course will equip you with the skills to write good persuasive essays in English at university level, as well as improve your critical thinking skills, argument reasoning, and use of external sources for writing in English.

Self Paced
3 Weeks
Study Skills for International Students (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of East Anglia

Study Skills for International Students (FutureLearn)

A course looking at key skills that international students need in order to be successful at a UK university. This course looks at some of the key skills that international students need in order to be successful at a UK university. It is special because of the way it has been produced. Our English language and study skills teachers at INTO UEA surveyed and interviewed students who had already successfully completed a course and progressed to study at the University.

No sessions available
4 Weeks
English Composition I (Coursera) Coursera
Duke University

English Composition I (Coursera)

You will gain a foundation for college-level writing valuable for nearly any field. Students will learn how to read carefully, write effective arguments, understand the writing process, engage with others' ideas, cite accurately, and craft powerful prose. Course Learning Objectives: summarize, analyze, question, and evaluate written and visual texts; argue and support a position; recognize audience and disciplinary expectations; identify and use the stages of the writing process; identify characteristics of effective prose; apply proper citation practices; discuss applying your writing knowledge to other writing occasions

Sep 28th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Teaching EFL/ESL Reading: A Task Based Approach (Coursera) Coursera
University of London,UCL Institute of Education

Teaching EFL/ESL Reading: A Task Based Approach (Coursera)

This course explores ways of teaching reading skills in English as Second and Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) using a task-based approach. You will be introduced to the concept of task and the key principles of task-based language teaching (TBLT) and learning. TBLT uses communicative tasks as the key unit for creating language learning activities. You will also examine the role of reading in real-life and in second and foreign language teaching and current thinking about the interface between TBLT and second language reading.

Sep 28th 2026
5-12 Weeks
English for the Workplace (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
British Council

English for the Workplace (FutureLearn)

This course for learners of English helps you with the language you need to find a job and successfully function in the workplace. This course is for people who are learning English and who are interested in developing English language skills for employability and workplace contexts. It will help job seekers and young professionals with the English they need.

Jun 1st 2020
4 Weeks
Sustainability and the English Language: Build your EAL/D Skills (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Otago

Sustainability and the English Language: Build your EAL/D Skills (FutureLearn)

Are you an EAL student interested in sustainability? Develop your vocabulary to effectively communicate sustainability issues. Improve your English language skills to help drive change. With sustainability practices now included in many different environments, it’s important to understand the basic concepts of sustainability to help you communicate in your personal and professional life.

Available now
3 Weeks
Teaching English: How to Plan a Great Lesson (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
British Council

Teaching English: How to Plan a Great Lesson (FutureLearn)

Develop your English language teaching skills and learn how to plan and deliver effective English lessons with this online course. Gain new teaching skills and practices to put towards your CPD. By learning to develop a great lesson, English language teachers give students the best opportunity to retain what they’ve learnt. On this course, you will look at four professional practices, share your own teaching experiences, and apply what you’ve learnt to your CPD.

Oct 25th 2021
4 Weeks
An Intermediate Guide to Writing in English for University Study (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Reading

An Intermediate Guide to Writing in English for University Study (FutureLearn)

Improve your academic English skills further, learning about critical analysis, using sources, avoiding plagiarism and more. On this course you will expand your academic English skills and learn the necessary extended writing and research skills for producing a thorough and high standard extended essay.

Self Paced
5-12 Weeks
English for Healthcare (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
King's College London

English for Healthcare (FutureLearn)

Develop your language and communication skills for a career in healthcare and learn new healthcare vocabulary in English. Learn the language and vocabulary of healthcare professionals. The language of healthcare can be complex. On this course, you will develop your English language skills and learn vocabulary for a career and study in healthcare.

Self Paced
4 Weeks
English Pronunciation in a Global World (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

English Pronunciation in a Global World (FutureLearn)

In this course you will improve your English pronunciation skills and learn about speaking English in today's globalised world. Develop your ability to understand and speak English. A huge range of people need to be able to speak English in today’s globalised world. This means that you’ll need to understand, and be understandable to, other non-native speakers. But diversity in spoken English should also be appreciated.

Self Paced
4 Weeks
Exploring English: Shakespeare (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
British Council

Exploring English: Shakespeare (FutureLearn)

Explore Shakespeare’s life, discover famous Shakespeare plays, and improve your English language skills with the British Council. Explore the English language through Shakespeare’s plays. This course will look at the life and works of William Shakespeare and take you from his birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon to the Globe Theatre in London, from where he secured his central place in English literature.

Nov 1st 2021
5-12 Weeks