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Proposal: Virginia Commonwealth University TEFL Certification Program
Executive Summary
This TEFL Certificate proposal outlines the rationale, design, resources and timeframe
for implementation of a new non-degree program to be offered through the Global
Education Office (GEO)’s English Language Program(ELP). The intent is to prepare
individuals to work effectively and constructively with English language learners in
overseas contexts.
Rationale
An increasing number of job opportunities in teaching English as a foreign language
(TEFL) abroad are available for English speakers with a Bachelor's degree and TEFL
certification. A non-credit VCU TEFL Certificate Program could provide potential
teachers with experience and training related to teaching English abroad, and could
provide a foundation to start an international career.
Since many individuals engage in the work of teaching English abroad without
instructional preparation, they often and unintentionally do harm to both the learners
and the field. This TEFL Certificate will ensure that VCU students and community
members, who have VCU credentials, are helping and not harming language learners or
focusing on their own self-interests as opposed to those of their students.
The TEFL Certificate will extend the VCU brand internationally making it easier to recruit
international students to study here in Richmond.
A TEFL Certificate, not a state-sanctioned licensure, offers many advantages for VCU.
Advantages and benefits include:
● Contributes to the achievement of the VCU Strategic Plan Quest for Distinction
○ Theme I, Goal 1d Ensuring high impact educational experiences for all
students
○ Theme III, Goal 2 Leveraging the efforts of our students, faculty and staff
to enhance, integrate and disseminate community-engaged scholarship,
student service-learning opportunities and outreach
● Increased numbers of VCU undergraduate and graduate students studying and
working abroad
● Increased numbers of international undergraduate and graduate students
studying at VCU

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● Strengthening outreach to the Richmond community at large by preparing
individuals to work overseas or with non-native English speakers in the
community
● Increased instructional support in the ELP classes through the practicum
assistance of TEFL certificate students
● Opportunities for strengthening relationships with international educational
partnerships
Competition
The other organizations and programs offering a comparable program in the Richmond
area are few. The VCU School of Education offers an ESL Endorsement for K-12, which is
an add-on licensure for the State of Virginia. The ESL Endorsement requires an initial
teaching license in order to be able to teach ESL in Virginia. The ESL Endorsement
prepares future teachers to work with English language learners (i.e., non-native English
speaking residents, immigrants, and exchange students) in the American k-12 schools.
Due to the differing academic contexts, needs of English language learners, and social
environments, methodology varies considerably between ESL and EFL. Therefore, the
TESL Certificate will serve VCU students who would like to teach outside of the US, and
do not require a Virginia teaching license.
Outside of VCU, the competition is comprised of for-profit businesses that provide
short-duration teacher preparation programs which are costly, low quality and lack
professional recognition. For instance, Oxford Seminars
(https://www.oxfordseminars.com/city/richmond/) prepares individuals to work
outside of the US. They charge $1195 for six 9-hour sessions (54 hours total) to span the
breadth of the field of TESOL.
Some online TEFL programs also exist. They are comparable in duration and price to the
Oxford seminars.
Colleagues in the field repeated decry the poor qualifications of individuals prepared in
these programs. These programs lack an accreditation or consistency. For VCU students,
they are difficult to vett in terms of quality. Furthermore, international schools prefer
qualifications from American universities over these unaccredited for-profit businesses.
Program Design
Program Objectives

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At the conclusion of this program, learners will be able to…
1. articulate key principles of second language acquisition that guide their
instructional choices
2. describe linguistic structures (lexical, phonological and grammatical) to English
language learners in a comprehensible and supportive manner
3. employ various methods and techniques with differing levels of proficiency to
aid in the development of English language skills (speaking, listening, reading and
writing)
4. develop lesson plans and outline language curriculum
5. utilize current technologies and materials
6. reflect on their own performance and professionalismin order to continually
improve
7. assess learners’ language learning baseline for placements and progress in
courses
8. engage in interculturally sensitive communications with learners from differing
cultural, religious, political and social differences
Levels and Duration
Two levels of TEFL Certification will be offered: Foundational and Advanced.
Foundational TEFL Certificate
● 120 hours total
o 6 week option: 20 hours per week
o 4 week option: 30 hours per week
● 120 hours of module-based coursework will be comprised of:
o 12 hours of on-site coursework
o 76 hours of online coursework
o 12 hours of online practicum experience
o 20 hours of in-person practicum experience
o Optional: Overseas practicum
Advanced TEFL Certificate
● 240 hours total
o 12 week option: 20 hours per week
o 8 week option: 30 hours per week
o 6 week option: 40 hours per week
● 240 hours of module-based coursework will be comprised of:
o 26 hours of on-site coursework

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o 126 hours of online coursework
o 24 hours of online practicum experience
o 24 hours of in-person practicum experience
o Required: Overseas practicum, 40 hours of practicum experience
Cycle of Offerings
Instructional Guidelines and Delivery
Instruction
● Online courses taught by expert faculty with extensive experience in the field
● Course topics include teaching listening, speaking, reading, writing, vocabulary,
grammar, pronunciation, classroom-based assessment, and cross-cultural
communication
● Curriculum emphasizes Communicative Language Teaching, as well as the
development of objectives-based, student-centered lessons
Online Courses
● Online posted lectures and discussions: Self-paced and sequenced.
● Demonstrative videos focused on instructional practices
● Tasks, activities and projects built into modules for inquiry and discovery
learning
● Blogging and weekly assignments, to include reports, reflections, sample lesson
plans, resources and readings
● Online Community of Practice
Module Topics
Both the Foundational TEFL Certificate and the Advanced TEFL Certificate will span the
range of content in the modules below. The Advanced TEFL Certificate will have more

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material and depth, which will require longer module engagement than the
Foundational TEFL Certificate.
Module 1: Overview to the Field of TESOL: Breadth, depth and professionalism
Module 2: Knowing and Understanding our Learners: Intercultural differences,
discourse and sensitivity
Module 3: Understanding the Sound System of English; Teaching pronunciation
Module 4: Pedagogical Grammar
Module 5: Understanding Words: Forms, Meanings and Structures; Teaching
vocabulary and spelling
Module 6: Key Principles of Second Language Acquisition; Theory to practice;
Teaching as research activity
Module 7: Making Instructional Plans: Lesson and curricular planning and
reflective practice
Module 8: Contemporary methods and techniques; Integrating language skills
and collaborative instructional practices
Module 9: Appropriate English Language Teaching Materials: Finding, Sharing,
and Creating
Module 10: Managing Inclusive and Constructive Classroom Environments
Module 11: Proficiency Levels and Differentiating Instruction: Gauging learners’
progress, providing feedback and making running records
Module 12: Instructional Technologies to Facilitate Language Learning and
Teaching
Module 13: Evaluation Basics: Constructing tests, performance assessments and
rubrics; Teaching as research activity
Module 14: Professionalismand Working in International Contexts:
Understanding education systems, work requirements and expectations;
Working within teams (teachers and administration); Finding quality positions
and handling visas, contracts, etc. ; and Navigating the expat experience
TEFL Practicum
● On-site practicum--The on-site practicum will allow TEFL Certificate participants
to observe, assist ELP teachers, learn to work with language learners and receive

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mentoring from expert TESOL professionals. Students will conduct in-class
observations, participate in tutoring and conversation partners programs, and
serve as teaching assistants in the VCU English Language Program (ELP).
● Online practicum--Students wishing to develop their skills in intercultural
communication, facilitating conversation, teaching explicit information in oral
communications and provided constructive oral and written feedback, will
participate in the online practicum on conversational English. The Conversational
English course is an online synchronous and asynchronous community designed
to allow ELP learners and international partner institutions’ faculty and staff the
opportunity to have additional oral language practice. TEFL Certificate students
will initiate and facilitate conversations, engage learners actively and deeply in
conversations and provide feedback on language constructs.
● Overseas practicum--The overseas practicum will offer students the next
development steps along the path of becoming an experienced English as a
Second/Foreign Language educator. Students will work in overseas practicum
experiences at English language schools, not-for-profit organizations, universities
or colleges or governmental educational programs to develop their teaching
abilities. They will design curricula, make lessons, teach or assist the teacher
(e.g., Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) in Japan) and evaluate English language
learners during this practicum experience.
Program Evaluation
Key assignments will be gathered in order to evaluate the TEFL certificate’s quality of
instruction addressing the question, “Is this program achieving its instructional
objectives?” The matrix of the modules where the objective will be emphasized and key
assignments for measuring learners’ understandings and performance is listed below.
Objective Module Assignment
1. articulate key
principles of second
language acquisition
that guide their
instructional choices
Module 6
Module 8
-Theoretical stance paper
and project
-Teaching philosophy

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2. describe linguistic
structures (lexical,
phonological and
grammatical) to
English language
learners in a
comprehensible and
supportive manner
Module 3
Module 4
Module 5
-Pronunciation teaching
video
-Grammar mini-unit and
video
-Vocabulary and spelling
mini-unit and video
3. employ various
methods and
techniques with
differing levels of
proficiency to aid in
the development of
English language skills
(speaking, listening,
reading and writing)
Module 8
Module 11
-Integrated Skill lesson
plans and video
-Differentiated lesson
plans
4. develop lesson plans
and outline language
curriculum
Module 7 -Curriculum map
-Lesson plans with
objectives
5. utilize current
technologies and
materials
Module 9
Module 12
- Tech infused lesson video
-Pinterest board
6. reflect on their own
performance and
professionalismin
order to continually
improve
Module 1
Module 8
Module 14
-Presentation describing
field of TESOL
-Teaching philosophy
-Professional teaching
portfolio
-Letters of
recommendation from
faculty
7. assess learners’
language learning
Module 7 -Curriculum map

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baseline for
placements and
progress in courses
Module 11
Module 13
-Tutoring journal
-Test, performance
assessment and rubric
8. engage in
interculturally
sensitive
communications with
learners from differing
cultural, religious,
political and social
differences
Module 2
Module 10
Module 11
-Intercultural challenges
and guidelines poster
-Ideal classroom context
presentation
-Tutoring journal
-Written feedback on ELLs’
papers
TEFL Certificate students will also participate in a pre-program survey to measure their
baseline knowledge of concepts that comprise the program objectives prior to
beginning the program.
Upon completion of the program, students will complete an exit survey that mirrors the
pre-program survey. Results will be used to statistically gauge the students’ learning.
All programmatic assessment data will be gathered and stored in a university-supported
software program for longitudinal analysis and accreditation purposes.
Human and Physical Resources
Faculty
The VCU English Language Program (ELP) faculty and administrative staff will provide
the instructional expertise in TEFL pedagogy, while the ELP Tutoring Center and ELP
courses will be utilized for the in-person practicum. Highly qualified guest lecturers will
also be integrated into module coursework.
Faculty may need to be allocated to teach these modules, so there may be a small
increase in faculty accordingly.

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The new ELP Assessment Coordinator will participate in the instruction of modules as
part of his/her workload.
Physical Resources
Online modules will be developed in Blackboard. A discussion platform will be identified
and, if necessary, purchased for the community of practice and the online practicum.
Classrooms in 912 West Grace Street will be employed for onsite meetings.
Some technology, such as computers, screens , software and/or projectors may need to
be purchased. Hardware purchases will be minimal. Some software for streaming online
classes, conversational chat rooms, and program evaluation may need to be purchased.
Overseas Practicum Sites
International partnerships will be the sites for overseas practicum experiences as well as
from the GEO Study Abroad experiences. Students may also opt for their own overseas
practicum site, if they vett it themselves and prove the location to be safe and
constructive. Costs will differ depending on whether international partnerships are
utilized and if the student is domestic or international.
Proposed Implementation Timeframe
Spring 2016
● Identification of 3 FTE faculty to assist in curriculum development and module
instruction
● Development of TEFL certification curriculum and program calendar
● Advertise Fall 2016 cohort on GEO website, with applications accepted through
August 2015
● Advertise with international partnerships to increase international student and
professional representation in the program
Summer 2016
● Set up online courses, purchase required equipment
● Advertise through monthly information sessions on VCU campus
● Schedule faculty and on-site experiences
Fall 2016

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● First cohort starts certification course, to include VCU seniors, Globe students,
and non-VCU students
● August 25th 2016 program start date
● September 19th 2016 On-site practicum start date
● September 19th 2016 Online practicum start date
● November 2016 Overseas practicum start date
● December 2016 VCU TEFL certificates awarded
January 2017
● Evaluation of Fall 2016 cohort
Projected Program Cost
The populations who may be interested in this TEFL Certificate include current VCU
domestic and international students, VCU alumni, and community members in the
Richmond area. Internationally, there are many professional EFL teachers who may be
interested in honing their skills. International students who wish to study English to
Speakers of Other Languages are also a potential population. Therefore, the costs were
calculated in the charts below to consider the domestic and international costs.
Domestic Students and Community Members
Fall 2015-Spring 2016 Foundational TEFL
Certificate
(120 hours)
Advanced TEFL
Certificate
(240 hours)
TEFL Module fees $2,500 $5,000
Estimated books and educational
supplies
$300 $500
Overseas Practicum Expenses
(Flights, Housing, Insurance, Visas,
N/A $2000-$4000

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Food, Personal items)*
*Please note that your Overseas Practicum Expenses will depend on location and personal
spending habits.
International Students
Fall 2015-Spring 2016 Foundational TEFL
Certificate
(120 hours)
Advanced TEFL
Certificate
(240 hours)
TEFL Module fees $2,500 $5,000
Estimated living expenses $4,400 $9,900
Estimated health insurance
(required)
$350 $785
University Student Health
Services
(on-campus medical facility)
$98 $196
Estimated books and educational
supplies
$300 $500
Total you must show on bank
statement
$9,548 $20,181
Overseas Practicum Expenses
(Flights, Housing, Insurance, Visas,
Food, Personal items)*
N/A $2000-$4000

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*Please note that your Overseas Practicum Expenses will depend on location and personal
spending habits. This estimate is for a country other than the international student’s home.
International students are encouraged to conduct their overseas practicum experience in
their home country to save on costs.