Flipping a three-day TESOL Taster Course

This talk analyses how we implemented Flipped Learning (FL) and looped input while serving as a blueprint for TESOL taster courses interested in embracing a similar approach. Our course aims to raise awareness of key competencies included in the British Council CPD framework (2018). However, it is designed primarily for undergraduate students taking a Teaching Assistant position. This introduction to TESOL theories and practices acts as a springboard to help them facilitate learning and teaching in their TA roles. Our challenge lies on the intensive nature of the course along with the trainees’ lack of theoretical and practical TESOL knowledge. Our results show a positive reception of the combination of FL and looped input. While flipped content allowed our trainees to engage with conceptually challenging materials, scaffolded to inform their practice; loop input provided a reliable model for implementing tasks and techniques. Both FL and looped input are rooted in strong pedagogical principles while FL appears in initial teacher training qualifications (Lue & Martin, 2020; Hudson, 2022). Looped input is presented as a key feature of teacher trainers’ courses (Melia-Leigh and Northall, 2020). By combining both approaches in our course, we shifted the focus from ‘How would you teach this? To how are you teaching this? By providing practical tips on combining FL and looped input in TESOL taste courses, this talk may be relevant to both teacher educators and course designers.