Frequently asked questions about this course

faqs

Question:: I have seen other courses advertised on the web which come at a cost. Is this one as good?
Answer:: Better in places. Some of the courses you will find on the web are designed by people who know very little about English grammar. Some are better than that but why take the risk with your money?

Question:: If the course is free, what's in it for the writers?
Answer:: Nothing. We work from the principle that knowledge, training and education should be a free resource for everyone.

Question:: Will I get a certificate at the end?
Answer:: No. Any certificate for a course of this kind is probably worthless because none is recognised by an established awarding body. Paid-for courses, naturally, like to hand out certificates but they are valueless.

Question:: Who wrote the material and is it accurate?
Answer:: The materials were written by someone who has trained English language teachers at all levels from initial training through diploma-level courses to master's degrees in Applied Linguistics. As far as anything is certain, the materials are accurate but not, of course, complete in themselves.

Question:: I train teachers. Can I use the materials on my courses?
Answer:: No, not if you charge a fee for your courses. You may, of course, link to them and direct your trainees to follow the guides but not in a way that suggests ELT Concourse approves of you or the course(s) you run.
If you run a completely free course, and you want to use the materials, please write and ask for permission.

Question:: What is in the course?
Answer:: The course content is set out in the main index page. Unlike many courses of this nature, it includes and introduction to phonology (the sounds of the language) as well as units on analysing texts above the level of the sentence.

Question:: Is it enough for me?
Answer:: If you are just beginning your teaching career, the course covers everything you need to know for now.
However, if you want to go on to take a higher qualification, such as the Cambridge Assessment English diploma (Delta) or the Trinity College Diploma in TESOL (DipTESOL), with a view to becoming a master practitioner, you will need more than a course of this nature can provide. See the in-service index for more.

Question:: I am taking an initial training course (CELTA or Trinity CertTESOL). Does the course cover what I need to know?
Answer:: Yes, although the Trinity qualification may require a little more in the area of phonology.
The course is aimed at people starting out in the profession or newly qualified and contains more than you need in many areas.

Question:: Can I get a printable copy of the course?
Answer:: Yes, but not all of it. If you go to The lagniappe, you will find a link from which you can download the document. That comes, by its nature, without the tests or interactive parts of the course so you are advised to use the site for a better experience.

Question:: Is there any support if I have a question or encounter a problem?
Answer:: Not on a regular or guaranteed basis because this is a free course but if you have a question about the materials or about language in general, feel free to ask it. Use the feedback page for that. If time and other commitments allow, someone will get back to you with an answer or the answer will be posted in this section of the site.