DELTA courses

DELTA is a teaching qualification for experienced and practising teachers of English as a foreign or second language. The course is aimed at teachers with (usually) an initial teaching qualification such as the CELTA plus a range of experience of teaching adults at different levels and in different contexts such as ESP, exam classes or teaching outside the UK. A degree is preferred.

New modular DELTA!

From 2008, the DELTA goes modular. DELTA is divided into three modules as follows:

• Module 1: background to teaching and learning.
• Module 2: developing professional practice.
• Module 3: specialist option.

Please see below for details of Module content and dates.

Why take the DELTA?

The DELTA course is valuable for the following reasons: first, it helps you to develop as a teacher, by extending your knowledge and understanding of the principles behind your practice, and by increasing the range of your techniques and methods. Through feedback on your own teaching practice, we also help you to improve your teaching skills within the classroom. Second, it is an essential qualification if you wish to further your career into academic management, teacher training or materials writing.

The course is part-time, and the trainees are observed teaching their own classes in their own schools. For this reason, trainees must be in EFL work with adults (group classes, not 1-1) in or near Oxford for the duration of Module 2.

The course is a challenging one, and hard work! However, the vast majority of teachers who have taken it believe it has improved them as teachers as well as providing them with career opportunities.

Our tutors have been providing DELTA courses together in Oxford since 1998, and also have wide experience of teaching on CELTA and DELTA courses before that. We have a proven track record of success in preparing teachers to take and pass the DELTA.

If you have any questions, please e-mail Mark Bartram, the Course Tutor for the DELTA course at Mark Bartram

Course details

1. Title of course

Cambridge ESOL Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults (DELTA). Accredited and approved by the University of Cambridge (Cambridge ESOL).

2. Dates

Start:

• All modules: 24 September 2008

Finish:

• Modules 1 & 2: 3 June 2009
• Module 3: to be negotiated between the trainee and the tutors, but no later than 30 November 2009

3. Timetable

Every Wednesday evening from 5.30pm to 9.00pm (including a 30-minute break) between 24 September 2008 and 3 June 2009 with breaks of two weeks at Christmas and one week at Easter. Three Saturday sessions - dates and times to be arranged.

Total input: 110 hours.

All times are provisional and may be changed to suit the participants' needs.

4. Trainers

Mark Bartram (Course Tutor), Carole Robinson, Lynne White.

5. Fees

Course fees are £1300.00 for 2008-9 including all taxes, but not including the Cambridge ESOL exam fee. An additional charge of £100.00 will be made for those applicants who live outside the Oxford area. This is to cover travel times for assessors coming to observe classes.

• £200.00 deposit to be paid on enrolment. This deposit is not refundable, unless you are not accepted on the course.
• £450.00 to be paid on the first day of the course.
• The balance to be paid on the first day of the course after Christmas.

The Cambridge ESOL exam fees for 2008-9 are £250.00.

6. Number of participants

• Minimum: 8
• Maximum: 12

The Course Tutor (Mark Bartram) will be happy to answer any questions about the course: Mark Bartram

Additional Information

1. Entry requirements

Cambridge ESOL require that applicants should:

• have an initial teaching qualification such as CELTA;
• have a range of experience of teaching different levels in one or more contexts;
• have a level of written and spoken English which enables them to teach advanced level students;
• be able to research and present written assignments to the required standard.

British Study Centres states also that a degree is preferred.

The application procedure will include:

• an interview with the Course Tutor;
• an unseen written assignment (one hour);
• observation of the applicant teaching in their own school (at the tutors' discretion).

Participants are required to provide their own classes for teaching practice. However, British Study Centres will arrange classes for teaching practice in exceptional circumstances, for example in cases where participants become unable to provide their own classes during the course.

2. Course requirements

The following course requirements are specified:

Candidates are required to:

• attend the whole course
• teach classes of adult learners of English at the specified levels for a minimum number of hours, of which a certain number will be observed by the course tutors (+ feedback)
• undertake a minimum number of hours directed observation of lessons, of which a certain number must be of live lessons taught by experienced teachers
• maintain and submit a portfolio of all course work and related documentation, including all materials relating to the teaching assignments;
• carry out all assignments in accordance with regulations and submit assignments to the centre for assessment by dates specified;
• take the final written examination;
• attend a mid-course tutorial (1-1).

Some of these requirements are still to be confirmed.

3. Exam (assessment) requirements

The assessment framework has three components:

• Module 1: a written examination of 3 hours, externally set and marked. This is provided twice a year.
• Module 2: a portfolio of coursework, consisting of a number of assignments designed by the centre, using Cambridge ESOL specifications. Five of the assignments include practical teaching. There is a mixture of internal and external marking of these.
• Module 3: an assignment focussing on an area of specialisation chosen by the trainee (marked externally).

4. Resources

• a library of relevant books will be available to participants. This will be open on Wednesdays before, during and after the session and at other times by arrangement;
• all academic facilities at British Study Centres will be available on request.

5. Syllabus

The course programme is based upon the DELTA syllabus issued by Cambridge ESOL. Both are available from the Course Tutor.

6. Reading and library facilities

• British Study Centres keeps a DELTA library (a full list of books is available on request) which will lend books to trainees;
• participants will be issued with a (short) pre-course reading list, including books which should be bought;
• on the first day of the course, participants will receive an essential bibliography, which they should read during the course.