Graduate Diploma of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

The Graduate Diploma of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at Adelaide Institute of Health is a one-year qualification for people who want to teach English to speakers of other languages, in Australia or overseas. It sits at graduate diploma level on the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), which means it is a shorter, focused qualification than a master's but builds on prior tertiary study. The course covers the core areas of TESOL: how languages are learned, how to analyse English grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation for teaching purposes, how to design and assess language lessons, and how to work with learners from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. You will study the relationship between language, culture and identity, and learn to select and adapt materials for different ages and proficiency levels.

How the course is structured

Australian graduate diplomas are typically made up of a set number of units of study, each worth a set number of credit points, and are usually delivered over one year of full-time study. The academic year is generally split into semesters or trimesters, with some institutions offering intensive or online delivery options. At Adelaide Institute of Health, the exact unit list and credit point values are set out in the official course information, and you should confirm these details on the CRICOS register and the institute's own page before applying. The course may include a supervised teaching practicum or professional placement, which is common in teacher education and gives you direct classroom experience with language learners. Assessment usually combines written assignments, lesson planning tasks, oral presentations and practical teaching observations.

Skills you will gain

Graduates leave with the ability to plan and deliver English language lessons, assess learner needs and progress, give useful feedback, and manage a classroom of adult or school-aged learners. You will learn to explain how English works, tense, aspect, modality, word formation, sentence structure, stress and intonation, in ways that make sense to learners. You will also develop intercultural communication skills and the ability to work with people who may have limited literacy in their first language. These skills are practical and transferable to community education, vocational training and language support roles.

Who this course suits

This qualification suits people who already hold a bachelor's degree in any field and want to move into English language teaching, or current teachers who want to add a TESOL specialisation. It also suits professionals working with migrant and refugee communities, international student support staff, and people planning to teach English abroad. If you are an international applicant, you will need to meet English proficiency requirements, the published standard for coursework postgraduate courses at this institution is IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall, though teaching courses often require higher scores. TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced and the university's own English programmes are accepted as equivalents. The Department of Home Affairs sets a separate English threshold for the Student visa itself. While studying in Australia on a Student visa, you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight. After graduating, you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, which allows you to stay and work in Australia. Always check the official CRICOS entry and the institute's website for the most current information on units, fees, English requirements and intake dates.

• English language teacher in private language colleges, TAFE and community education providers
• EAL/D (English as an Additional Language or Dialect) support teacher in Australian schools, subject to state registration requirements
• Teacher of English as a foreign language overseas, in schools, universities or private institutes
• Language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) support officer in vocational education and training
• Migrant and refugee settlement support worker
• International student adviser or student support officer in universities and colleges
• Curriculum or learning materials developer for language programmes
• Private tutor in English language and academic literacy
• Corporate English trainer for businesses and government agencies