Nationally Recognised Courses

Student Handbook

The Australasian Training Academy has Nationally Recognised Training which will assist you to gain employment in Australia and overseas. The Nationally Recognised courses we offer include: - Certificate IV in TESOL (30889QLD) - Diploma of TESOL (30890QLD) COURSES CURRENTLY OFFERED

Name of RTO Australasian Training Academy (Pty Ltd) Page 1 Code and title of qualification 30889QLD Certificate IV of TESOL Delivery Period 580 hours or approximately 29 weeks nominally (at 20 hours of study per week) - combines home study and internet research with an optional 5 day in-class. Course structure The Certificate IV in TESOL course is comprised of 12 core units of competency. Assessment codes Assessment codes A = develop an activity or lesson plan B = essay or written assignment C = multiple choice or short answers D = practical exercise Methods of Assessment Theory Prac Core units TESOL units (compulsory) A B C D QLD244KTR01B Develop TESOL knowledge and teaching roles QLD244TTM02B Develop TESOL teaching methodology TAADEL401B Plan and organise group based delivery QLD244PTS06B Formulate a personal philosophy of teaching statement QLD244DLS07B Develop listening skills in TESOL QLD244DSS09B Develop speaking skills in TESOL QLD244DRS10B Develop reading skills in TESOL QLD244WSP13B Develop writing skills, spelling and punctuation in TESOL QLD244GVK11B Develop grammar and vocabulary knowledge in TESOL QLD244AVT05B Plan lessons using audio-visual techniques and information technology in TESOL QLD244PDA12B Plan and develop student assessment materials QLD244PTT23B Private tutoring in TESOL Client(s) Existing teachers as part of a Professional Development program, especially teachers who want to teach locally in TESOL Informal TESOL teachers who have some overseas teaching experience but no formal qualifications. People who wish to do private tuition or volunteer TESOL teaching locally. People wanting to work overseas and get paid to travel. Language, Literacy and Numeracy Requirements If it is identified that the student may find it difficult to complete the course with their existing skill levels, a number of options may be offered including referral to another RTO or service offering specialised diagnostic and corrective services (See Nationally Recognised Courses Student Handbook, Section 11, "Language and Literacy Requirements"). International students undertaking these courses are required to have a score of 5.5 in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Pathways The Certificate IV in TESOL will assist in gaining employment as an ESOL teacher or tutor in Australia and overseas. Note, however, that to teach in Australia, additional professional teaching qualifications and/ or TESOL experience are usually required. The Certificate IV in TESOL is a mandatory requirement for the Diploma of TESOL. Blended learning The course is available with a combination of an optional 5 day in-class orientation course and self-paced private learning either online or by correspondence. RPL Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) may be possible for parts of the course or the entire course. Units of competency from past qualifications or work experience will be analysed and mapped to aforementioned units of competency. Industry Consultation The CEO and directors of the college consult with industry professionals regularly. They travel overseas to meet government agencies, schools and recruiters to determine industry needs. This analysis is then used to develop ATA courses. Regular industry consultation ensures that courses are up to date and meet the needs of both ATA students and overseas schools and recruiters. Infrastructure requirements All staff (including full time, part time and contractors) involved in the delivery and assessment of this qualification have direct access to the current version of the nationally recognised course. They also have access to print and electronic copies of assessment tools and trainer and assessor support materials. ATA has reviewed the equipment and facility requirements for each unit of competency in the qualification and will provide the necessary equipment to implement the in-class component of the course. Students choosing the online option for study should have access to a computer, a reliable internet connection and email. Validation and moderation Assessments are validated in a number of ways thus ensuring the reliability of the assessment tasks and sufficiency of evidence. Principles of assessment are: validity reliability flexibility fairness Rule of evidence are: validity sufficiency currency authenticity Evidence requirements for individual assessments are developed in-house through a validation and moderation process by qualified assessors and TESOL tutors. All assessments submitted for marking are marked by a suitably qualified assessor and TESOL tutor to ensure the required benchmarks are addressed. Consistency in marking is achieved through in-house moderation as required. Assessor meetings take place between key assessors within the organisation. At these meetings, selected assessments are checked to ensure that the requirements of the corresponding units of competency are addressed. These meetings examine the process of assessment (timing, sequencing, instructions to students) and the alignment between the assessment tasks and the criteria within each unit. Delivery and assessment arrangements Delivery The Certificate IV in TESOL program is delivered through a blended learning approach. Students can choose to attend an exciting and highly interactive optional 5 day in-class orientation course in addition to the self-paced private study. The program is self-paced with flexible entry. Study timetables and flexible assessment submission requirements allow students to complete their studies in a time frame that suits them best. Student learning resource manuals are provided but at Certificate IV level there is also an expected element of personal research via the internet and personal reading. Assessment Students are assessed in a Competency Based Training mode and must satisfactorily complete all assessment tasks to be assessed as competent in a unit. Participants will be informed at the commencement of the course of the types of assessments they must complete during the course. Theory or written assessments are submitted to head office in Brisbane either by email or post. They are marked by experienced TESOL trainers and assessors and returned to students with constructive feedback comments. There are no set time limits for the completion of individual assessments, however, all assessments must be submitted within two years of the date of registration. Extensions due to unforeseen circumstances may be granted, and will be decided on a case-by-case basis. Readings Students should read the NRC Student Handbook, Section 7 ‘Course information’ and Section 8 ‘Flexible Learning and Assessment procedures’ upon enrolment. Then read through the TESOL Training Manual prior to attending the optional 5 day in-class orientation course or before attempting any written assessments. A separate student resource book is also available for unit 23B. In addition, students are encouraged to read appropriate ESOL text books and browse ESOL web sites on the Internet. 5 day in-class Orientation Course (Optional) The 5-day in-class orientation course is a great way to become familiar with the content and context of TESOL. Although it is not compulsory, it is highly recommended that students include this mode of learning in their learning program. It is an intensive orientation to TESOL methodology and the principles of second language acquisition, and includes essential TESOL components such as: approaches and techniques, lesson planning, the development of learning activities, and an introduction to the four language skills. In addition, it presents an exciting opportunity to plan, prepare and deliver a 15-minute presentation lesson. Students will be guided through these activities step by step in a stimulating yet comfortable learning environment by one of our well qualified and highly experienced TESOL trainers. Whilst it is beneficial to complete this orientation course prior to starting the written assessments, students may choose to attend any one of the courses around Australia that suits their location and learning schedule. Core TESOL Units Assessments Students must successfully complete assessments for the 12 core TESOL units of competency. Assessments will include multiple-choice quizzes, short written answers and essays, and other tasks to cover the theory requirements of the program. In addition, researching and developing learning activities and resources, and the preparation of lesson plans, will allow students to demonstrate application of their theoretical knowledge.   Name of RTO Australasian Training Academy Pty Ltd Page 1 Code and title of qualification 30890QLD Diploma of TESOL Delivery Period 930 hours or approximately 46 weeks nominally (at 20 hours of study per week) - combines home study, internet research, and a 10-hour teaching practicum – with an optional 5 day in-class orientation course. Course structure The Diploma of TESOL course comprises 12 core units from the Certificate IV in TESOL, plus 6 core specialization units. Assessment methods Assessment codes A = develop an activity or lesson plan B = essay or written assignment C = multiple choice or short answers D = practical exercise Methods of Assessment Theory Prac Core units TESOL Units (compulsory) A B C D TAACMQ503B Lead and conduct training and/or assessment evaluations QLD245TEC14B Prepare and teach English to children QLD245TEA15B Prepare and teach English to adolescents QLD245TEA16B Prepare and teach English to adults QLD245PIE17B Prepare students for the IELTS exam QLD245TBE18B Prepare and teach Business English Client(s) Existing teachers as part of a Professional Development program, especially teachers who want to teach locally in TESOL, or who are seeking higher-level supervisory positions. Informal TESOL teachers who have some overseas teaching experience but no formal qualifications. People wanting to work overseas and get paid to travel. Language, Literacy and Numeracy Requirements If it is identified that the student may find it difficult to complete the course with their existing skill levels, a number of options may be offered including referral to another RTO or service offering specialised diagnostic and corrective services. (See Section 11. Language and Literacy Requirements) International students undertaking these courses are required to have a score of 5.5 in International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Pathways The Certificate IV in TESOL is a mandatory requirement for the Diploma of TESOL. The Diploma of TESOL will assist in gaining employment as an ESOL teacher or tutor in Australia and overseas. Note, however, that to teach in Australia, additional professional teaching qualifications and/ or ESOL teaching experience are usually required. The Diploma of TESOL may be recognised by some tertiary institutions for credit towards some undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications. Blended learning The course is available with a combination of an optional 5 day in-class orientation course; self-paced private learning either online or by correspondence; a ten hour Teaching Practicum. RPL Recognition of prior learning (RPL) may be possible for parts of the course or the entire course. Units of competency from past qualifications or work experience will be analysed and mapped to the aforementioned units of competency. Industry Consultation The CEO and directors of the college consult with industry professionals regularly. They travel overseas to meet government agencies, schools and recruiters to determine industry needs. This analysis is then used to develop ATA courses. Regular industry consultation ensures that courses are up to date and meet the needs of both ATA students and overseas schools and recruiters. Infrastructure requirements All staff (including full time, part time and contractors) involved in the delivery and assessment of this qualification have direct access to the current version of the nationally recognised course. They also have access to print and electronic copies of assessment tools and trainer and assessor support materials. ATA has reviewed the equipment and facility requirements for each unit of competency in the qualification and will provide the necessary equipment to implement the in-class component of the course. Students choosing the online option for study should have access to a computer, a reliable internet connection and email. Validation and moderation Assessments are validated in a number of ways thus ensuring the reliability of the assessment tasks and sufficiency of evidence. Principles of assessment are: validity reliability flexibility fairness Rule of evidence are: validity sufficiency currency authenticity Evidence requirements for individual assessments are developed in-house through a validation and moderation process by qualified assessors and TESOL tutors. All assessments submitted for marking are marked by a suitably qualified assessor and TESOL tutor to ensure the required benchmarks are addressed. Consistency in marking is achieved through in-house moderation as required. Assessor meetings take place between key assessors within the organisation. At these meetings, selected assessments are checked to ensure that the requirements of the corresponding units of competency are addressed. These meetings examine the process of assessment (timing, sequencing, instructions to students) and the alignment between the assessment tasks and the criteria within each unit. Delivery and assessment arrangements Delivery The Diploma of TESOL program is delivered through a blended learning approach. Students can choose to attend an exciting and highly interactive optional 5 day in-class orientation course in addition to the self-paced private learning. Help will also be given to students to organise their Teaching Practicum. The program is self-paced with flexible entry. Study timetables and flexible assessment submission requirements allow students to complete their studies in a time frame that suits them best. Student learning resource manuals are provided and at the Diploma level there is also an expected commitment to personal research via the internet and personal reading. Assessment Students are assessed in a Competency Based Training mode and must satisfactorily complete all assessment tasks to be assessed as competent in a unit. Participants will be informed at the commencement of the course of the types of assessments they must complete during the course. Theory or written assessments are submitted to head office in Brisbane either by email or post. They are marked by experienced TESOL trainers and assessors and returned to students with constructive feedback comments. There are no set time limits for the completion of individual assessments, however, all assessments must be submitted within two years of the date of registration. Extensions due to unforeseen circumstances may be granted, and will be decided on a case by case basis. Readings Students should read the NRC Student Handbook, Section 7 ‘Course information’ and Section 8 ‘Flexible learning and Assessment procedures’ upon enrolment. Then read through the TESOL Training Manual prior to attending the optional 5 day in-class orientation course or before attempting any written assessments. Separate student resource books are also available for the Certificate IV in TESOL unit 23B and the Diploma of TESOL units 14B, 15B, 16B, 17B, and 18B. In addition, students are encouraged to read appropriate ESOL textbooks and browse ESOL websites on the internet. 5 day in-class Orientation Course (Optional) The 5-day in-class orientation course is a great way to become familiar with the content and context of TESOL. Although it is not compulsory, it is highly recommended that students include this mode of learning in their learning program. It is an intensive orientation to TESOL methodology and the principles of second language acquisition, and includes essential TESOL components such as: approaches and techniques, lesson planning, the development of learning activities, and an introduction to the four language skills. In addition, it presents an exciting opportunity to plan, prepare and deliver a 15-minute presentation lesson. Students will be guided through these activities step by step in a stimulating yet comfortable learning environment by one of our well qualified and highly experienced TESOL trainers. Whilst it is beneficial to complete this orientation course prior to starting the written assessments, students may choose to attend any one of the courses around Australia that suits their location and learning schedule. Core TESOL Unit Assessments Students must successfully complete all assessments in the 12 core units of competency for the Certificate IV in TESOL, and the 6 core units of competency for the Diploma of TESOL. Assessments will include multiple-choice quizzes, short written answers and essays, and other tasks to cover the theory requirements of the program. In addition, researching and developing learning activities and resources, and the preparation of lesson plans, will allow students to demonstrate application of their theoretical knowledge. Teaching Practicum Students will organise their own 10-hour Teaching Practicum. See Section 9 of the Nationally Recognised Courses Student Handbook for more details.