Trinity College London offers two related options for teachers who want to develop their online teaching skills:
Teach English Online – A 30-hour online self-study course covering the practical knowledge and skills needed to teach English online.
Certificate in Online Teaching (CertOT) – A regulated Level 4 qualification that allows teachers to formally demonstrate their online teaching knowledge and skills through assessment.
The Teach English Online course provides preparation for the CertOT qualification, but completing the course does not automatically award the CertOT. Teachers who want the qualification must complete the separate assessment requirements.
Who are Teach English Online and CertOT for?
These options are suitable for teachers who:
Are new to online teaching.
Are moving from face-to-face classroom teaching to online delivery.
Want to improve their use of digital teaching tools and resources.
Want to develop their ability to engage and support learners in virtual classrooms.
Want to gain a formal qualification recognising their online teaching skills.
Although Teach English Online focuses on English language teaching, CertOT can also be taken by teachers working in other subject areas.
What are the entry requirements?
Teach English Online
There are no formal entry requirements for the Teach English Online course.
CertOT
CertOT is intended for teaching professionals. Trinity recommends that candidates have an initial teaching qualification and/or at least six months of teaching experience.
However, teachers without these qualifications or experience may also take CertOT, although they may find the assessments more challenging.
Candidates need sufficient English language skills to complete the assessment tasks, including presenting lesson plans and reflections in English at approximately CEFR Level B2.
What will I learn on Teach English Online?
Teach English Online consists of 10 units, organised into three modules.
| Module | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Preparing for the online classroom | Planning effective online lessons and preparing to teach in virtual environments. |
| Developing language skills online | Teaching and developing learners' language skills through online activities. |
| Resources for online learning and teaching | Selecting and using digital tools, teaching materials and online learning resources. |
Each unit includes guided learning activities, videos and practical tasks designed to help teachers apply their learning to their own teaching contexts.
The course also encourages reflection on teaching practice and the development of professional skills.
How long does Teach English Online take?
- Teach English Online is a 30-hour self-study course.
- It consists of 10 units of approximately three hours each.
As the course is delivered online, teachers can work through the learning materials independently.
How long does CertOT take?
CertOT has a total qualification time of 50 hours, comprising:
30 guided learning hours, which may be completed through a preparation course such as Teach English Online.
Approximately 20 additional hours for assessment preparation and completion.
The preparation course and CertOT assessment are separate components.
How is CertOT assessed?
CertOT is assessed through four tasks designed to demonstrate practical knowledge and skills for teaching online.
| Assessment task | What it assesses |
|---|---|
| Task 1: Success Planning | Identifying the features of effective online teaching and planning for a specific teaching context. |
| Task 2: Online Teaching Issues | Identifying and responding to common challenges in online teaching. |
| Task 3: Online Teaching Activities and Resources | Planning appropriate online teaching activities and selecting suitable resources. |
| Task 4: Professional Development | Reflecting on online teaching skills and identifying areas for further professional development. |
- Each task is assessed against Trinity's published criteria.
- Candidates must pass all four tasks to achieve the qualification.
- CertOT is awarded on a Pass/Fail basis.
Candidates who do not pass all four tasks may revise and resubmit unsuccessful tasks once, subject to Trinity's resubmission requirements.
How do I register for CertOT?
CertOT registration and assessment take place through Trinity's online learning platform.
Teachers should first complete a suitable 30-hour online teaching preparation course, such as Teach English Online.
They can then access the CertOT assessment unit, download the assessment form and submit their completed tasks through the platform.
Access Trinity's online learning platform:
trinityteach.trinitycollege.com
When will I receive my CertOT results?
CertOT assessments are externally marked by Trinity College London.
Results are sent to the email address provided during registration within six weeks of assessment submission.
Successful candidates receive a printed certificate by post to the address provided when registering.
Is CertOT a regulated qualification?
Yes. CertOT is a Level 4 qualification on the UK's Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF).
It is designed to recognise teachers' professional knowledge and skills in online teaching.
CertOT can support continuing professional development and progression to other teaching qualifications, including CertPT.
For more information, see Are Trinity TESOL qualifications recognised internationally?
Further information and documents
The following official Trinity documents provide more information:
Teach English Online and CertOT factsheet – An overview of the preparation course, learning content, assessment and qualification.
CertOT qualification specifications – Detailed information about the assessment tasks, marking criteria, resubmission arrangements and qualification requirements.
See also:
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