Are you a new teacher looking to learn more about how to help your students or an experienced teacher searching for professional development opportunities? If so, read on for a list of FREE online short courses that are available to study right now.
Note: We recommend that if you don’t have one already, you study an accredited TESOL course of more than120 hours. These free courses below are supplementary study only.
An accredited TESOL / TEFL course sets you up for classroom success and adds to your teaching confidence. Read more on the “Best TEFL / TESOL online courses in Australia“.
NOTE: Some of these courses require payment to issue a certificate, which is always optional and at your discretion. Some may be for teachers from certain locations only, so please check course details. Also, course dates are constantly changing so keep “an eye out” for newly available ones and let us know of any updates in the comments!
Introduction / TESOL
- Foundations of Teaching for Learning: Being a Teacher [Commonwealth Education Trust via Coursera.org]
- TESOL Professional Certificate [Arizona State University via Coursera.org]
- TESOL Certificate, Part 1: Teach English Now! Specialization [Arizona State University via Coursera.org]
- TESOL Certificate, Part 2: Teach English Now! Specialization [Arizona State University via Coursera.org]
- Introduction to Applied Linguistics and TESOL [University of Leicester via FutureLearn]
- TESOL Certification Program (K-12/HE) [TESOL Canada via Canvas.net]
Grammar/English language
Professional Development
- Teaching for Success: Lessons and Teaching [British Council via FutureLearn]
- Understanding Language: Learning and Teaching [British Council/University of Southhampton via FutureLearn]
- Teaching EFL/ESL Reading: A Task Based Approach [University of London via Coursera.org]
- Blended Language Learning: Design and Practice for Teachers [University of Colorado-Boulder via Coursera.org]
- New Learning: Principles and Patterns of Pedagogy [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign via Coursera.org]
- Teaching Tips for Tricky English Grammar [University of California, Irvine via Coursera.org]
- Teaching for Success: Learning and Learners [British Council via Coursera.org]
- Language Assessment in the Classroom [British Council via Coursera.org]
- Dyslexia and Foreign Language Teaching [Lancaster University via FutureLearn]
- Understanding Classroom Interaction [University of Pennsylvania via edX.org]
Teaching Online
- Teaching English Online [Cambridge Assessment English via FutureLearn]
- Teaching English Online: China and Beyond [Cambridge Assessment English via FutureLearn]
- Get Interactive: Practical Teaching with Technology [University of London via Coursera.org]
- The Online Educator: People and Pedagogy [The Open University via FutureLearn]
- Teach English Now! Teaching Language Online [Arizona State University via Coursera.org]
- Learning to Teach Online [UNSW via Coursera.org]
- How to Create an Online Course [The University of Edinburgh via FutureLearn]
- Blended and Online Learning Design [UCL via FutureLearn]
Young Learners
- Supporting children with difficulties in reading and writing (Dyslexia) [University of London via Coursera.org]
- Teaching Character and Creating Positive Classrooms [Relay Graduate School of Education via Coursera.org]
- English in Early Childhood: Language Learning and Development [British Council via FutureLearn]
- Teaching Phonics in Early Childhood [Queensland University of Technology via FutureLearn]
IELTS/Other
If you know of any other FREE courses for Online English teachers, please comment below.
Kate (GradCertEd TESOL) studied a TESOL certificate in 2010 and has been teaching English ever since. Tutoring ‘freelance’ for many years before starting an independent teaching business, she began Teach English Online to support Australians and New Zealanders to do the same. Just starting out, want to apply to one of the 300+ global companies or build your own small independent teaching business? She can help.
Thank you so much Kate for your advice and viewpoints and I shall take everything we have discussed together onboard. Over the next few days, I shall be focusing on how to approach my niche market as per your suggestion.
Your site is wonderful – very interesting, very informative, factual, and formatted in a simple but yet detailed outlay.
I would have no hesitation to refer this website to anyone interested in teaching English as a second/other languages.
Hi Irene, Thank you so much for your comment! Good luck with your teaching. Kate