Teaching English as a second language in London

Diploma testimonials

WHAT DO OUR DIPLOMA STUDENTS SAY ABOUT THE COURSE?

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Cornelie van Helsdingen

Successfully completed June 2011

After having been made Director of Studies halfway through a summer school term and having taken over successfully, somebody in Head Office suggested that I do the diploma course, and somehow I ended up registering with SGI’s distance course. I never thought I would be taken on the course but I was and when the first workbook came out, I thought that I would never make it. But with perseverance and great support from Naz, I worked through each workbook, gained more insight into all aspects of teaching, learned more about phonology, and really enjoyed finishing each workbook. The course opened a lot of doors in my mind and also in the outside world.

The practical block and written exam were hard and stress levels went to maximum but with the support from the tutors and staff at SGI, we all got through the course and with the result at the end I am proud that I did persevere and finished. I would recommend SGI at any time as they are very friendly, welcoming and extremely supportive which you need during the practical block especially.

Since finishing the course I have had two more short term jobs as Director of Studies and I am possibly going to be involved in teacher training in the not too distant future.

Anselm de Pleave

Successfully completed August 2010

I completed the Trinity Diploma in August, 2010. Although it was very hard work, it made me work at certain gaps in my knowledge which otherwise I might not have researched in as much detail, thus making me a better teacher. Partly as a result of gaining this prestigious qualification, I have recently been promoted and am now in charge of Teacher Training at my organisation.

I would add that although the distance learning aspect of the course is difficult, Naz and her colleagues are very supportive and always willing to answer questions both on the phone and by email. The best part, by far, was visiting St George’s in the West End, where the Teaching Practice, although stressful was worthwhile. The team at St George’s are charming and welcoming.

In short, I am happy to recommend this course.

Michael Leahy

Successfully completed Dec 2008

After being encouraged by my Director of Studies to do the diploma course, I registered to do SGI’s distance course. The flexibility of the course meant that I was able to continue with my teaching position and slowly but surely progress my way through SGI’s workbooks. 18 months later I had finished the course and was promoted to Assistant Director of Studies at the school where I work in Cardiff.

Doing the course whilst working, meant that I could directly relate the methodological and practical aspects of the course to my everyday teaching. My students and colleagues were happy to help me with any parts of the course that they could - whether it was filling out questionnaires, providing feedback to different activities or simply agreeing to be observed.

As you would expect from a Diploma course, the different areas of TESOL were studied in much greater detail than in the certificate course I did and I think that on the whole it is presented in a way that is engaging and interesting to the candidate. I especially enjoyed the freedom to choose my own area of research for the portfolio module and with the professional feedback and support of my personal tutor was able to write about an area of personal interest. Overall, I think this course is key for anyone who wants to develop a career in TESOL but also provides an invaluable insight into the science of teaching a foreign language.

Zahra Meru

Successfully completed August 2009

Though I already held the position of Director of Studies prior to studying for the Diploma, the course and especially the practical block really helped me to become a better academic manager and teacher trainer. Doing the course via distance learning was difficult, but my main tutor, Naz, was brilliant about answering any queries and providing excellent support. All the tutors and staff at SGI were fantastic during the practical block - so friendly, helpful and welcoming that I felt at home within the first day, and by the end of the fortnight I just didn't want to leave!

Some results of successfully achieving my Diploma are as follows:

The teacher training seminars and workshops that I run at my centres are much more interesting than before. I now run a TKT course too and am one of only two to do so in the whole of St. Petersburg.
I create a lot of personalised worksheets, activities and games for my students now which they love and find motivating, having received invaluable feedback during the practical block.
I am better able to provide feedback and ideas for professional development for the teachers in my school and those that I train in external training courses.
Though I was a Cambridge oral examiner before for young learners, I have now trained for higher levels too.

All this and so much more thanks to the Diploma! I would strongly recommend doing the Diploma course through SGI to anyone who is interested in their own professional development and a career in teaching English. It's tough going, but it's really worth it in the end.

Robert Lowman

Successfully completed Nov 2009

I thoroughly enjoyed doing the Trinity Diploma and thought the way SGI presented it was extremely well thought out and teacher friendly. The feedback was always positive, encouraging and supportive. I particularly liked this course because I was able to pace myself according to my own needs and circumstances. During the practical block, I thought all the tutors were highly professional and extremely knowledgeable. They helped me to develop my strengths and I gained a lot in terms of self confidence. I would thoroughly recommend doing the Trinity Diploma at SGI as a meaningful and genuinely developmental experience.

Nick Turner

Successfully completed October 2008

After teaching for more than 6 years, I felt I needed to develop more as a teacher and began to look around at options. A friend of mine had already studied with SGI and I decided to study with them too.

The course was of a high quality, and suited my learning style and situation. I could pace my studies according to my other commitments, and even managed to fit in a few holidays! The materials provided everything I needed to investigate new ideas and develop as a teaching practitioner, mixing reading and theory with ideas to try out in class and reflect on. The tutors were on hand via email and I never felt that I lost out by doing the course through distance learning.

For my two week teaching practice, I was helped to find accommodation a short tube ride away from the school, which gave a study area and peace and quiet to prepare my lessons. I found the tutors extremely supportive and the other teachers and staff a pleasure to work with.

Since finishing the course I have continued to work for the British Council overseas in increasingly interesting and challenging roles, which would not have been possible without completing this course. I've personally recommended SGI to a few of my friends who have also completed the course with them since.

I've stayed in touch with my tutors since I finished and have popped into the school when I've been back in London to say 'Hello'. Naz, one of my tutors, acted as one of my academic referees to help me get onto a distance MA course in Educational Technology and TESOL, of which I've just finished my first year's study.

Maria Melia

Successfully completed Dec 2009

I decided to undertake the Diploma through a distance-learning course as I needed the flexibility to be able to work at my own pace. I also wanted a teaching practice element that was no longer than a two week period and SGI offered this. I was impressed with the information and advice given at the outset and enrolled on the course in October 2008.

I really enjoyed doing the workbooks although a lot of reading is needed to be able to complete them successfully. They were challenging but interesting and the feedback given was always constructive and helpful. I never felt isolated as Naz, my main tutor, always responded to queries very quickly. Also, I was teamed with someone else on the course and we discussed ideas and thoughts with each other via email, which was good.

I did the written exam in November 2009 and then did the teaching practice immediately after that. The advice and support given to me during the course meant that I felt fully prepared for the exam and the teaching element. Extra support is given to prepare you for the phonology interview which was very useful. Although I expected the teaching practice to be intense, the reality surpassed that and you need to be prepared to survive on little sleep and lots of caffeine for two weeks! However, the support from all the tutors on the course is great and the sense of achievement when it’s all over and you pass, is worth all the hard work.

Now that I have passed my Diploma, I am going to be teaching on the L5 Subject Specialist ESOL course next academic year and taking on further mentoring roles.

Stephen Hindlaugh

Successfully completed July 2008

I signed up for the SGI Distance Diploma Course in 2006 and successfully completed it in the summer of 2008. Working full-time and raising a young family in Croatia, I really benefited from the flexibility that the course offered me. The workbooks were extremely thorough and very interesting, and the support provided by my tutors at SGI was simply first-rate. By the time that I took my exams, I felt completely prepared.

Since obtaining the Diploma, I have become a freelance teacher trainer. The qualification gave me the necessary knowledge and confidence to make this career move. The Diploma has also opened other doors to me professionally. For instance, in 2009 I became a regional Examiner Trainer for a well-known English language test provider.

I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending the St George International Distance Diploma Course.

Barbara HULL

Successfully completed 2005

I thoroughly recommend the SGI distance learning Diploma course for anyone whose other professional commitments make regular attendance at a course difficult.
The workbooks are well conceived, interesting and relevant and the portfolio tasks are pertinent. The tutor support is second to none: helpful, constructive and prompt. Indeed when I met my tutor for the first time face to face at the practical block, it felt like meeting an old friend!
Although I had many previous years’ experience as a language teacher before the course, I still found much to learn and know that my teaching has improved as a result of this. Since gaining the Diploma in 2005, I have been teaching at a UK university and have been appointed as a Cambridge examiner.

Stuart Proudfoot

Successfully completed (with distinction) 2006

I was extremely impressed with the organisation of the course and never felt isolated, though obviously studying by distance requires a lot of discipline. Naz, my tutor, was always on hand with advice and support, both during the distance component and on the two-week teaching block. In particular, feedback on the internally assessed lessons was extremely useful and constructive, and the phonology component was fascinating.

Almost as soon as I passed the diploma, with an unexpected distinction, I was promoted to Director of Studies at Kaplan Aspect in Cambridge, having previously only taught there on a temporary basis. Without the diploma and the support of SGI, I would not have been in a position to achieve this. I would thoroughly recommend SGI and their courses as a stepping stone for anyone in the English teaching sector.

CHERYL DUNKERTON

Successfully completed ( with distinction) 2004

“ Doing my Diploma with SGI was a very positive experience, both during the distance study portion and the exams in London. From previous experience, I know that studying by distance can be a very isolated experience, but I never felt it was with SGI for many reasons: here are my top five:

The registration process and administration were efficient - set texts and books and course units were always delivered promptly and in good time.
My tutor was extremely well-organised, gave concise yet constructive feedback on my coursework, and most of all, I found the level of personal support impressive - no matter how busy, she always found time to respond to my questions via email within a day or two, which I found very reassuring. I never felt that I was out on a limb because I was studying by distance.
The coursework itself was stimulating, thought-provoking and extremely good value for money. It really stretched my knowledge of ESL teaching and theory in different ways, through self study, required reading, coursework units and most of all the coursework portfolio. At the end of the course I really felt that I had been able to focus on and improve specific areas of my teaching.
The examination period was well-organised, and the staff all extremely friendly! I felt welcome right from the minute I arrived in the school. The tutor support during the observations was appropriate and always constructive.
Since getting my Diploma, I have found that I am eligible to apply for a much wider range of jobs in ELT. It is a qualification that employers recognize and take seriously. Before getting the Diploma, I had been working as an instructor in private schools in Canada and Japan - just one month after getting my Diploma, I gained my current post working as a teacher/lecturer/teacher trainer at the State University of Mongolia! I firmly believe that doing the Diploma has helped me gain the depth of knowledge that I need to fulfill my current role. I am now regularly lecturing teacher trainees in methodology, presenting at conferences, and conducting in-service training seminars.

The cost of the Diploma seems so minimal when you realize all that you can gain professionally from the experience. The course will help you get where you want to go in the ELT field - I thoroughly recommend both the course itself and SGI.”

NAJAT BENCHIBA

Successfully completed 2000

“I completed my Trinity College London Diploma at Saint George International in 2000. I did a distance learning course as I was teaching in Casablanca at the time. Such flexibility enabled me to study as and when the time suited me.

Key aspects of teaching English were covered and I felt amply secure and confident in my capacity as a teacher. It's a great course with very supportive staff who are approachable and helpful.

Since graduating, I have taught in Saudi, London, Barcelona, Cairo and currently I teach Arabic part-time at SOAS, University of London. A few years after completing the Trinity Diploma TESOL, I went on and did an MA in Arabic Linguistics at SOAS where I am currently doing a PhD. ”

Emma Watson

Successfully completed 2007

Although term-time was always busy at the independent boarding school I was working at when I undertook to prepare for the Trinity Diploma, I decided that I would rather do the background reading thoroughly, and complete workbooks over a longer period of time, than attempt to cram such a wealth of information into the summer holiday period.

I found that this gave me a comprehensive awareness of different teaching approaches, refreshed my memory of numerous grammatical points and enabled me to experiment in the classroom as I was working towards this qualification, preparing three particularly comprehensive projects on areas of particular interest to me for submission ahead of the final exams and teaching block.

By the time of the written exam, I had exchanged several phone calls and many, many more emails with my main tutor, Naz Sienkiewicz, in which she had offered me invaluable suggestions, advice and comments, answering my queries and, together with other tutors at SGI, providing prompt constructive and consolidating comments on completed workbooks that I submitted at intervals by post.

When I attended SGI for the two-week teaching block, I fully recognised that the amount of planning, preparation, teaching and reflection that I would need to undertake would be considerable, but I had not fully appreciated that the daily two-hour commute into London would take such a toll (it’s definitely advisable to be within a short commuting distance of central London!). That said, I could not have asked for a more caring and supportive team of mentors, with such an in-depth knowledge of the intricacies of English Language Teaching. I would recommend that anyone considering taking the Trinity Diploma course by correspondence look no further than SGI.

In terms of what gaining this qualification has meant to me, although I have now left the international language centre at which I had taught for over five years, I am looking forward to an extended break travelling around South America. Who knows? I may well find a position working within the ELT sector whilst I am over there. In any case, I feel extremely well prepared for the next phase of my English Language Teaching career, many thanks to SGI!

Emma Watson

IAN FARQUHAR

Successfully completed 2002

“I did my Diploma in 2001/2 six years after the Certificate. I was working as a freelance business English trainer in Germany and taking 2 months off to do an intensive Diploma course was not a convenient option. The distance Diploma course at Saint George International however, was and any worries I had about remote guidance and tuition were soon dispelled. Throughout my course and examinations I received prompt and professional administrative service and excellent advice and feedback on my course work.

Doing the Diploma has helped me both in terms of my professional knowledge and opportunities. I have moved from solely teaching into academic management, IELTS examining, British Council project participation and school ownership. Currently two of my staff are doing the SGI distance Diploma course and I am preparing for my next job, working for the British Council on a one year project in India.

I would not have had the chance to undertake any of this interesting professional development without the knowledge and qualification gained from the Diploma. The distance course at Saint George International allowed me the flexibility to complete it while continuing to work and without losing any of the personal service of an intensive course.”

CLAIRE GOODE

Successfully completed 2006

Due to work and financial commitments, I couldn't sign up for a full-time course and needed (and wanted!) some flexibility. I found the distance-learning course through St George International in London and was accepted onto the programme. I started working on it in January 2005, took the written exam in November of the same year and completed a two-week practical block in London in March 2006. I had a fantastic tutor/mentor at St George's and we have stayed in touch ever since. At the start of July 2007 we were both invited to participate in the piloting of the new written exam at Trinity's Head Office.

The Trinity LTCL Diploma gave me a real sense of achievement. It was hard work but always interesting, and it gave me much more confidence in my abilities. It also gave me a better sense of direction - I would like to work as a teacher trainer in this field in the future. In September 2006, I began work at HMP Wandsworth, where I have been Head of ESOL for the past year. This enabled me to combine teaching with a middle-management role at the head of the ESOL team at the prison. It has been a fascinating year! I firmly believe that the renewed confidence I had gained, and the Trinity LTCL Diploma itself, helped me to secure this position.

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