Classroom Observation and Practice Teaching
The classroom observation and supervised practice teaching enable Promise Opens Doors' participants to apply the knowledge and skills learned in the Comprehensive TEFL Certificate Program for In-Person and Online Teaching. Through observations and practice teaching, participants observe a variety of language teaching methodologies and fine-tune their personal teaching practice. Participants have up to 2 months from the end of the final module of the coursework to complete the teaching practice.
The practicum includes the following elements:
1. 10 hours of classroom observation
Participants must observe one or more experienced ESL or EFL teacher(s) teaching English language learners in a classroom setting. To ensure that participants are exposed to a variety of pedagogical approaches, Promise Opens Doors provides interactive video recordings of several teachers.
After the 10 hours of observation, participants perform a formal evaluation of one of the lessons they observed, using the template that is used to assess participants in the teaching practice, provided by Promise Opens Doors.
2. 10 hours of supervised practice teaching
Participants' practice teaching must cover 10 hours of instruction in a Promise Opens Doors real-time online classroom, or in an in-person/online classroom arranged with the assistance of our staff. For online lessons, an administrator assists in arranging a schedule for the teaching practice.
For lesson planning, participants may choose to use Promise Opens Doors' approved lesson plan template. For the formal observations, Promise Opens Doors provides an observation form that must be completed by the supervisor or master teacher and returned to us directly.
Throughout the practicum, participants use master instructor feedback and a reflective teaching journal to reflect on the development and implementation of lessons. Classroom instruction must be observed at least twice by the supervisor or master instructor. After each observation, the master instructor provides formal feedback to the participant and the instructional team at Promise Opens Doors.
After participants have completed 10 hours of practice teaching, they complete a formal reflection for Promise Opens Doors based on the lessons they’ve taught. Participants are provided with a template for this reflection.
*Would-be participants should take note of the time zone differences for teaching online classes before enrolling. Since Promise Opens Doors currently works with students located in EAST ASIA, class times are typically in the late hours of the day/early morning (7pm-3am EST).
3. Two 15-minute video lesson samples
At the beginning and end of the teaching practice, participants are required to record and send two 15-minute videos of lesson activities. These videos must show clear examples of the participant's students engaged in language learning.
Examples of high quality teaching videos which show student learning might include
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setting up group or pair work activities, followed by some video of students engaged in the learning task
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students engaged in an oral language task (e.g., students might be asking each other questions or engaging in role plays) as the teacher provides assistance and feedback
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teacher–student interaction (one-on-one, in pairs, or in groups)
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providing feedback that furthers language acquisition (during or after a task)
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providing differentiated instruction focused on language acquisition
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level-appropriate scaffolding strategies for language acquisition
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using informal assessment to gauge learners’ comprehension and production