ESOL Teacher Training Qualifications

NATECLA recommends that everyone teaching English to speakers of other languages should be trained as a specialist teacher of ESOL. 

Different rules apply in each of the countries and jurisdictions where NATECLA operates, although even where you’re not required (by law, or by your employer) to have an ESOL teaching qualification it’s always a good idea to have, or work towards, one.

Depending on where you’re working as an ESOL teacher, you might also need a general teaching qualification and/or be required to register with a professional body or teaching council (see details below).

Not all ESOL provision involves accreditation (and sometimes ESOL learners will be working towards qualifications designed for first-language English speakers), although in all ESOL settings it’s important for teachers to have a solid understanding of what’s involved in supporting learners to improve their English. 

Courses and qualifications

If you are interested in teaching ESOL, or are already doing so and would like to take a training course leading to a teaching qualification, there are several different routes you can take: 

  • Cambridge CELTA and the Trinity Certificate inTESOL are examples of Level 5 initial qualifications that provide a practical introduction to ESOL teaching. Many employers prefer teachers to have these certificates,  even though they are not part of the English national framework of teaching qualifications.

    The nationally recognised generic teaching qualifications for the Further Education and Skills sector in England have a variety of names: Diploma in Teaching (Further Education and Skills) (DiT), Diploma in Education and Training (DET, previously DTLLS), PGCE, PGDE and Cert Ed are all common titles. Since 2013 these qualifications have not been compulsory for teachers, but employers such as FE colleges normally require them and will probably ask you to take a generic PGCE, Cert Ed or DiT to follow on from your CELTA or Cert TESOL.

    The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) offer a Level 3 Award in Education and Training course contextualised to ESOL teaching and learning. It is aimed at those interested in gaining a formal qualification, allowing them to upskill their pedagogical and practical approaches to teach ESOL learners. The accredited course supports new teachers of ESOL within the post-16 sector, especially those who have had no previous Level 3 initial teacher training or experience of ESOL.

  • There are also subject specialist teaching qualifications available in some places. These have been available for around 20 years but there are now very few centres offering them. If you want to become fully qualified to teach ESOL in the Further Education and Skills sector in England, the most comprehensive option is an integrated specialist ESOL qualification or a specialist pathway in ESOL – a Diploma, Cert Ed (Level 5) or PGCE (Level 7) in ESOL. This is a general teaching qualification as well as a specialist one, available in a few universities around the country, usually as a combined English/Literacy and ESOL teaching course rather than ESOL alone. 

  • If you already have a general teaching qualification such as a PGCE, DTLLS or DET, you can take a standalone ESOL or Literacy/ESOL diploma at Level 5.  However, this course is now only offered at a few centres.  It may also be labelled as a CPD diploma or additional diploma.

    The ETF offers a one module online course for new and existing ESOL teachers who have not previously studied ESOL teaching at Level 5. Find out more here: Teaching ESOL in the post-16 sector: develop your practice

    The FE Advice website  has more information about the subject specialist training options.  The Teaching in Further Education website provides more general information about teaching in FE.


  • These qualifications are internationally recognised and follow on from the CELTA and Certificate in TESOL, for teachers with some experience.  In the UK public sector they may be seen as an advantage when applying for ESOL posts, and now that the qualifications mentioned above are less commonly available, can be a good way to extend your knowledge, skills and understanding of English language teaching.  The Cambridge DELTA or Trinity Diploma in TESOL are normally required if you want to get into ESOL Teacher Training, or if you are looking at leadership posts in the private sector.  These diplomas are Level 7 (Master's level) qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

    Find out more about the Cambridge DELTA

    Find out more about the Trinity Diploma in TESOL


Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

The training requirements are slightly different in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, but similar types of course are available.

  • The gold standard initial qualification to work in ESOL in Scotland is a CELTA or Trinity Cert TESOL.

  • SQA (The Scottish Qualifications Authority) does have a suite of Teacher Training Qualifications leading to a PDA Applied Practitioner Studies in TESOL SCQF level 10

  • Introduction to tutoring ESOL - this is for classroom assistants or volunteers

  • Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) 

  • Applied Practitioner Studies in TESOL

  • There is one specialist course: Teaching ESOL Literacies to Adults (TELtA) - you need to be qualified and have teaching experience for this.