What is the focus of Unit 2?

This is much harder to define than the other three assessment areas as, at least theoretically, candidates can choose to focus on virtually any aspect of teaching or learning in this part. Loosely equivalent to Delta Module 3, Unit 2 comprises the assessed written assignments of the DipTESOL. Unlike the Delta, however, candidates complete three distinct projects of 2,700-3,300 words each. Each project is assessed on its own merits, although the candidate is required to pass all three projects to successfully complete Unit 2. 

Can you give a more detailed breakdown of Unit 2?

Section 1: Observation Instrument

Here the candidate decides on an aspect of teaching or learning they wish to investigate through class observations. They then do some background reading to inform the project (each of the unit 2 projects needs at least six references), write a rationale for the observations, and design an observation instrument (fancy term for an observation form) to use to collect some data. That instrument goes through at least two stages of evaluations and modifications until the candidate has observed 10 hours of classes. They then need to compile, analyse, and reflect on the data and its implications for their own practice, as well as reflecting on the overall success of the instrument itself. 

There are certain criteria for the observations which candidates need to consider: observed teachers must be qualified with at least a CELTA or equivalent and have at least three years’ post-qualification experience. If that makes observations in the candidate’s own context tricky, candidates have the option to observe peers on their course for a maximum of 5 hours, as well as recordings of other teachers’ classes (the route that I took). 

Section 2: Developmental Record

This project requires the candidate to engage in some action research in their own classroom to develop an area of their practice. This should always be with the aim of improving learners’ experience in the classroom but does not necessarily need to be learner focused. For example, candidates could focus on developing bottom-up reading skills or improving instruction giving.

As with section 1, once the candidate has chosen an area to focus on, they need to research it and formulate a research question and rationale. The candidate then carries out 15 hours of teaching (i.e., 10 x 90 minutes), with each lesson including a new method or aspect of the rationale to develop. They then write up a reflection of the lesson comprised of a brief description of the activity or approach (rather than the whole lesson) and an evaluation of its effectiveness in relation to the research question and rationale. Candidates are required to include ten of the fifteen hours in their final project. According to Trinity, ‘there should be an identifiable development over the lessons taught within the teaching area selected by the candidate’ (Trinity 2019, 43). 

Section 3: Independent Research Project

According to Trinity (ibid, 44), the rationale for Section 3… is to allow the candidate to submit a piece of work which is based on research in an area of particular interest to the candidate personally. The areas selected by candidates with vary widely but should be direct related to the field of TESOL, and to the candidate’s understanding of issues relating to learning, teaching, training, or management before or during the course, and in future practice. 

For example, my Section 3 focused on investigating learner attitudes to the role of Climate Change Education in their English classes, and what skills they had to engage with this. Other colleagues on the Dip have designed summer camp programmes, investigated parental attitudes to CLIL in an academy context, or teachers’ attitudes to ongoing CPD offered by their centres. 

Candidates are expected to consult closely with their tutor to find an aspect of research that is suitable, and to help guide them through the research procedure. This comprises background reading that is often followed by data collection through interviews, focus groups, questionnaires, and so on. The data then needs to be analysed and evaluated before the candidate makes overall conclusions about what they have discovered and its implications.  

What was your experience when doing the projects?

Tutor support is undoubtedly essential to your success in their part. Your tutor will guide you through the initial stages of each project, giving advice and recommendations for how to improve it and get you going in the right direction.

On finishing the extensive course, our course director fired off a word of warning that the most common reason that candidates fail to finish the Dip is because they left Unit 2 for too long or weren’t disciplined enough to finish it. It’s easy to see how this is the case. Although the personalization that unit 2 allows was the most compelling reason for me choosing this over the Delta, candidates who aren’t well-suited to disciplined independent work should be cautious. Extenuating personal circumstances ate into half of my allotted 6-month time, but nevertheless I feel the quality of tutor support offered at that time was not to the same standard as the rest of the course. I made the decision to take my time with the projects, ultimately redefining and restarting Sections 2 and 3 without tutor support. I passed all three, with the latter two receiving marginally higher marks than the first. I feel proud of what I have achieved, and hugely grateful for the path that my section 2 project has set me down. Nevertheless, the Unit 2 experience has been the black spot on the Dip experience. 

What advice would you give candidates about this?

It’s clear that the provision of tutor support for Unit 2 has gone through many iterations and developments over my 2 years doing the Dip, and it now appears that OT has a great structure in place to guide candidates through the projects (at the time of writing led by the incomparable and fabulously talented Šárka Císařová). Nevertheless, I strongly advise prospective DipTESOL candidates to check out the unit 2 support available from different course providers to ensure that a structured programme is in place to support them with this part of the course. 

References

Trinity College London (2019), Licentiate Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (LTCL Diploma TESOL): Validation Requirements, Syllabus and Bibliography for validates and prospective course providers. Available here