Trinity College London TESOL qualifications assess the knowledge, practical skills and professional understanding needed to teach English to speakers of other languages.
The assessment requirements vary depending on the qualification. Some include observed teaching practice, while others focus on coursework, professional development tasks or written assignments.
This article provides an overview of how each Trinity TESOL qualification is assessed.
CertTESOL – Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
CertTESOL is an initial teaching qualification designed for people preparing to teach English to speakers of other languages.
Assessment is organised into five units and includes:
Observed and assessed teaching practice with English language learners.
Written assignments covering language awareness and teaching.
Reflection on teaching practice and professional development.
Evaluation of teaching materials and their use in the classroom.
Candidates complete a minimum of six hours of assessed teaching practice.
The qualification combines practical classroom experience with assessment of the knowledge and skills needed for effective English language teaching.
TYLEC – Teaching Young Learners Extension Certificate
TYLEC is designed for teachers who want to develop specialist skills in teaching English to young and very young learners.
Assessment consists of two units.
Unit 1: Teaching Skills
Candidates complete activities including:
A minimum of four hours of assessed teaching practice with young or very young learners.
Written reflections on their teaching.
A developmental action points log.
A guided observation journal.
Unit 2: Materials Assignment
Candidates develop and submit teaching materials appropriate for young learners, demonstrating their understanding of learners' needs and age-appropriate teaching approaches.
Both units must be completed successfully to achieve the qualification.
CertOT – Certificate in Online Teaching
CertOT assesses the knowledge and skills required to teach English effectively in an online environment.
Trinity recommends completing a 30-hour online teaching preparation course, such as Trinity Teach English Online, before undertaking the CertOT assessment.
The qualification is assessed through four tasks covering:
Identifying features of effective online lessons.
Planning and justifying online lesson design.
Selecting and evaluating resources for online teaching.
Planning professional development to improve online teaching practice.
Unlike qualifications delivered through Trinity-validated course providers, CertOT uses a separate online assessment process.
For more information, see Trinity Teach English Online and CertOT – Course and qualification guide.
CertPT – Certificate for Practising Teachers
CertPT is a professional development qualification for practising teachers.
Assessment consists of four practical tasks focused on developing, using and evaluating teaching resources.
Candidates demonstrate how their professional learning can be applied to their own teaching context.
The qualification emphasises reflective practice and the development of teaching approaches informed by learners' needs.
DipTESOL – Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
DipTESOL is Trinity's advanced, Master's-level (Level 7) teaching qualification for experienced English language teachers.
Under the April 2026 qualification specification, assessment is organised into four units.
| Unit | Assessment focus |
|---|---|
| Unit 1: Language – Theory and practice | Understanding and applying knowledge of language, language learning and teaching. |
| Unit 2: Research – Developmental enquiry | Investigating teaching and learning through research and professional enquiry. |
| Unit 3: Phonology – Classroom applications | Demonstrating phonological knowledge and its application to teaching through an online interview with a Trinity examiner. |
| Unit 4: Classroom teaching – Lesson planning, delivery and evaluation | Planning, delivering and evaluating lessons, including assessed teaching observations and reflective work. |
DipTESOL combines written and research-based assessment with practical teaching and professional reflection.
Candidates have three years from their first assessment to pass all four units.
Who assesses Trinity TESOL qualifications?
Assessment arrangements depend on the qualification and may involve course tutors, internal assessors and Trinity examiners or moderators.
For qualifications delivered through validated course providers, your provider will explain:
Which assessments you need to complete.
How and when assessments take place.
Which assessments involve teaching practice or observation.
How your work is submitted and assessed.
For CertOT, assessment is arranged through Trinity's separate online assessment process.
Where can I find the full assessment requirements?
For detailed information about the assessments for your qualification, see the relevant qualification guide:
Was this article helpful?
That’s Great!
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry! We couldn't be helpful
Thank you for your feedback
Feedback sent
We appreciate your effort and will try to fix the article