Routes to Additional Diplomas

For Skills for Life teachers there will be three routes to becoming fully qualified for both a full teaching role and in their subject specialism. Which route they choose will depend on their existing experience and qualifications:

1. Integrated Diploma - which will cover both full teaching and subject specific requirements:

This is suitable for:

  • Teachers in the workforce who are unqualified. They have neither a recognised generic teaching qualification nor a recognised subject -specific qualification.
  • New entrants to the profession

The practical skills and knowledge required of all teachers will be developed in the context of the subject, with subject-specific options in literacy, numeracy or ESOL teaching. On an integrated programme, teachers will gain one of the following awards:

  • Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (English Literacy)
  • Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (English ESOL)
  • Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (Mathematics Numeracy)

2. A generic Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (DTLLS) and an additional Diploma in teaching in the Lifelong learning sector in Literacy, ESOL or Numeracy

Where an integrated programme is not available, it may be possible to take a generic and a subject-specific qualification on a concurrent pathway:

This is suitable for:

  • Teachers in the workforce who are unqualified. They have neither a recognised generic teaching qualification nor a recognised subject -specific qualification.
  • New entrants to the profession who are unable to find an available integrated subject-specific pathway

Teachers on a concurrent pathway will be awarded two diplomas: a generic Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (DTLLS) and one of the following subject-specific diplomas:

  • Diploma in Teaching English (Literacy CPD) in the Lifelong Learning Sector
  • Diploma in Teaching English (ESOL CPD) in the Lifelong Learning Sector
  • Diploma in Teaching Mathematics (Numeracy CPD) in the Lifelong Learning Sector

3. Additional Diploma in Teaching Literacy, ESOL or Numeracy in the Lifelong Learning Sector

A subject-specific programme for teachers of literacy, numeracy or ESOL.

This is for:

  • Teachers in the workforce who are part qualified. They have a recognised generic teaching qualification but no recognised subject-specific qualification in literacy, numeracy or ESOL
  • Teachers of other subjects with a Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (DTLLS) that is not contextualised to one of the specialisms within Skills for Life
  • Skills for Life teachers with a recognised subject specific teaching qualification who wish to teach an additional Skills for Life subject, for example a literacy teacher wishing to teach numeracy
  • New entrants to the profession who are unable to find an available integrated subject-specific or concurrent pathway*

A teacher on a subject-specific programme will be awarded one of the subject-specific diplomas:

  • Diploma in Teaching English (Literacy CPD) in the Lifelong Learning Sector
  • Diploma in Teaching English (ESOL CPD) in the Lifelong Learning Sector
  • Diploma in Teaching Mathematics (Numeracy CPD) in the Lifelong Learning Sector

* To be able to teach, someone on this route is required have a PTLLS award and would be expected to go on to complete their DTLLS.

Units of Assessment

Level 5 Additional Diploma in teaching English (Literacy) in the Lifelong Learning Sector

Mandatory units: 45 credits must be achieved from this group

  • Literacy and the learners = 15 credits ( Level 4)
  • Literacy, ESOL and the learners = 15 credits ( Level 4)
  • Literacy theories and frameworks= 15 credits ( Level 5)
  • Literacy learning and teaching = 15 credits ( Level 5)

(Literacy and the Learners cannot be combined with Literacy, ESOL and the Learners)

Level 5 Additional Diploma in teaching English (ESOL ) in the lifelong learning sector

Mandatory units: 45 credits must be achieved from this group

  • ESOL and the learners = 15 credits ( Level 4)
  • Literacy, ESOL and the learners = 15 credits ( Level 4)
  • ESOL theories and frameworks = 15 credits ( Level 5)
  • ESOL learning and teaching = 15 credits ( Level 5)

(ESOL and the Learners cannot be combined with Literacy, ESOL and the Learners)

Level 5 Additional Diploma in teaching Mathematics (Numeracy) in the lifelong learning sector

Mandatory units: 45 credits must be achieved from this group

  • Numeracy and the learners = 15 credits ( Level 4)
  • Developing numeracy knowledge and understanding= 15 credits ( Level 5)
  • Numeracy learning and teaching = 15 credits ( Level 5)

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