What’s included
- 20 hours of accredited TEFL/TESOL training
- A dedicated personal tutor from start to finish
- Personal marking and written feedback on every assignment
- Free digital certificate on completion (ACTDEC accredited)
- Access to our interactive online learning platform
- Study at your own pace, 100% online
- Access to our online teacher resource library
- Optional hard-copy ACTDEC certificate available
- 14-day money-back guarantee
Course overview
Ages 3 to 11: focused entirely on kindergarten and primary learners.
A 20 hour specialist course in teaching English to kindergarten and primary children, in 14 interactive modules and 285 pages, studied entirely in your browser. Quick knowledge checks mark themselves as you go; your written tasks, reflections and a full assessed lesson plan are marked personally by a qualified tutor. Most students finish in 2 to 3 weeks and you have 6 months of access.
This course is for you if you want to:
- teach kindergarten, pre-school and primary classes with confidence
- work with children who cannot yet read or write in any language
- make yourself understood without translating, and keep a young class on task
- add a named specialism to an initial TEFL/TESOL certificate
These are the ages teachers find hardest to plan for, which is where this course spends its time. If you want the full 3 to 17 range including teenagers, or you are not yet sure which age group you will teach, our 30 hour Teaching English to Young Learners course covers these ages too.
This is a specialist course rather than a first qualification, so it assumes you already hold an initial TEFL/TESOL certificate or are taking one alongside it. Open to native and non-native speakers with good written and spoken English.
What is the difference between the 120, 150 and 250 hour courses?
| Course | Level | Hours | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120-hour TEFL / TESOL | Level 3 | 120 | First certificate. The hours most schools and platforms ask for. |
| 150-hour Advanced TEFL / TESOL | Level 4 | 150 | The 120-hour core plus extra grammar, phonology and online teaching. |
| 250-hour Level 5 TEFL / TESOL | Level 5 | 250 | Our deepest qualification: phonetics, IELTS teaching, inclusion. |
Not sure? Take the 2-minute course quiz.
A 20 hour online TESOL course specialising in Teaching English to kindergarten and primary-aged learners (TEKPL).
This course is for teachers who already hold an initial TESOL qualification or it can be added to one of our main TESOL courses.
Interactive: PC/Mac/tablet compatible. Work on our interactive platform. Good internet access required.
KEY FEATURES
- 20 hours of course materials and video
- Covers ages 3 to 11, kindergarten through primary
- Personal, dedicated tutor support + 6 months for completion
- Access to student forum and online teaching resources
- Assistance with CV and access to our jobs board
- Free 20 hour TEKPL certificate (PDF) on completion, plus an assessed lesson plan
IDEAL IF:
- You are already TESOL qualified and seeking to specialise in teaching kindergarten and primary children
- Especially interested in the kindergarten and primary sectors
How it works
This course is for teaching English abroad or online. Already qualified, or want observed teaching practice? See our specialist TESOL courses.
- Enrol onlinePay securely by card and get instant access.
- Study the modulesWork through the 20 hours at your own pace, on a computer or tablet.
- Submit work for feedbackSend assignments to your tutor and use the comments to improve.
- Download your certificateFinish the course, collect your TEFL/TESOL certificate, and start applying.
The interactive course runs in your browser on a computer or tablet: shorter modules, assignments marked by your tutor, and a student forum.
Course syllabus
What you’ll study
14 interactive modules on teaching ages 3 to 11 (who the children are, first lessons, resources, and an assessed lesson plan).
Learners & motivationIntro · M1–M3 · CR1
| Module | Topic | What you’ll cover |
|---|---|---|
| CI | Course introductionGetting started: kindergarten and primary. | Getting started: kindergarten and primary. |
| M1 | Introduction to teaching kindergarten and primary learnersWho these learners are, why the job is different, keeping children safe. | Who these learners are, why the job is different, keeping children safe. |
| M2 | Characteristics of a young learnerThe three stages, and turning each into teaching decisions. | The three stages, and turning each into teaching decisions. |
| M3 | Motivating kindergarten and primary learnersWhat motivates a child aged 3 to 11, and planning a lesson they want. | What motivates a child aged 3 to 11, and planning a lesson they want. |
| CR1 | Reflection · Learners ReflectConsolidating the learner stages and what motivates them. | Consolidating the learner stages and what motivates them. |
First lessons & resourcesM4–M7
| Module | Topic | What you’ll cover |
|---|---|---|
| M4 | Getting started: the first lesson and what to teachWalking in, what to teach first, and the shape of the lesson. | Walking in, what to teach first, and the shape of the lesson. |
| M5 | Managing resources 1Course books, themes, and the four skills with young children. | Course books, themes, and the four skills with young children. |
| M6 | Managing resources 2Building three lessons from one topic; apps and digital tools. | Building three lessons from one topic; apps and digital tools. |
| M7 | Teaching with minimal resourcesThe class is the resource: speaking, objects, teaching without a book. | The class is the resource: speaking, objects, teaching without a book. |
Classroom & assessmentM8–M10 · CR2 · Conclusion
| Module | Topic | What you’ll cover |
|---|---|---|
| M8 | Classroom management, confidence and professional developmentWhy young learners misbehave, and growing as a teacher. | Why young learners misbehave, and growing as a teacher. |
| CR2 | Reflection · Classroom ReflectConsolidating first lessons, resources and classroom management. | Consolidating first lessons, resources and classroom management. |
| M9 | Your lesson ideasIdeas for kindergarten and primary groups. | Ideas for kindergarten and primary groups. |
| LP1 | Kindergarten and primary lesson plan Lesson planPlan and submit your assessed lesson. | Plan and submit your assessed lesson. |
| CC | Course conclusionCertification and survey. | Certification and survey. |
Certificates
A Global English PDF certificate is awarded upon successful completion. A printed, embossed version is also available for an extra fee from our TEFL shop page.
Click on the certificate to enlarge.
Ready to start? Select Enrol now to begin.
Frequently asked questions
Is this 20-hour course accredited?
Yes. Global English was established in 1997 and has been ACTDEC-accredited since 2004. Every certificate carries a unique student certificate number and the logo of our accrediting body, ACTDEC. An optional hard-copy ACTDEC certificate is also available on successful completion.
How long does the course take, and how long do I have to complete it?
The 20-hour course is fully self-paced and studied entirely online, so you can work as quickly or as gradually as you like. Most students finish in a few weeks of part-time study, and you have several months of access. If you need more time, low-cost time extensions are available.
Do I need a degree or teaching experience to enrol?
You do not need a degree. This is a specialist course rather than a first qualification, so it assumes you already hold an initial TEFL/TESOL certificate, or are taking one alongside it. If you are starting from scratch, begin with our 120-hour TESOL Premier certificate and add this course to it.
What ages does this course cover?
Ages 3 to 11, so kindergarten and pre-school through to the end of primary. That includes the youngest learners who cannot yet read or write in any language, which is the group most teachers find hardest to plan for and the group this course spends the most time on.
Should I take this or the 30-hour Young Learners course?
Take this 20-hour course if you know you are teaching kindergarten or primary children and want a focused, shorter qualification at a lower price. Take the 30-hour Teaching English to Young Learners course if you want the full 3 to 17 range, including teenagers, or if you are not yet sure which age group you will end up with. The 30-hour covers these ages as well, so there is no need to take both.
Do I need to speak the children’s first language?
No. These classes are normally taught entirely in English, and the course shows you how to make yourself understood without translating: gesture, pictures, real objects, routines the children come to recognise, and instructions pitched at the language they already have. Not sharing their first language is normal for this work, not an obstacle to it.
Is there a real tutor, or is everything automated?
Both, and deliberately so. The quick knowledge checks as you work through each module mark themselves the moment you answer, so you find out straight away whether something has landed. The work that actually shows your teaching ability – the written tasks, the reflections and the final lesson plan – goes to a real, qualified personal tutor who reads it and writes you individual feedback. A machine can tell you that you picked the right answer; only a tutor can tell you whether your lesson would work with a real class.
How is the course assessed?
Assessment is continuous and coursework-based. You complete written assignments and practical tasks that you submit online for your personal tutor to mark. There is no final exam and no fixed exam date – you progress at your own pace.
What certificate will I receive, and is it recognised?
On successful completion you receive a Global English digital (PDF) certificate free of charge, showing your unique student certificate number and the ACTDEC accreditation logo. Employers can check it online at global-english.com/verify/. A prestigious hard-copy ACTDEC certificate can be ordered as an optional extra.
Will this qualification help me get a teaching job?
A recognised TEFL/TESOL qualification is the standard entry requirement for teaching English abroad and online. This course adds a specialist qualification to your CV that employers value; most schools look for a minimum of 120 hours of core TEFL training alongside it.
How do I pay, and is there a guarantee?
You can enrol securely online and start straight away. We accept payment by card (Visa and Mastercard) through Stripe, as well as valid discount and Groupon voucher codes. Every online course is covered by our 14-day money-back guarantee, so you can begin completely risk-free.
What do I need to study this course?
A reliable internet connection and a PC, Mac or tablet. The course runs in your browser on our online learning platform, and your place is saved as you go, so you can stop mid-module and pick up later on a different device. There is nothing to install and nothing to post back to us. This course is studied online only – there is no downloadable offline version of it.
Is this specialist course enough on its own to get a teaching job?
No. Most schools and online platforms still screen for a 120-hour (or longer) accredited TEFL/TESOL certificate. This course is an add-on that names a specialist skill on top of that core certificate.
What our students say
The tutors and staff are genuinely excellent - knowledgeable, responsive, and encouraging at every step.
I feel that my teaching has improved greatly through this course and feel ready to progress in my teaching.
Their timely feedback and support were invaluable. They were always available to answer my questions.
Read Global English reviews TEFL Course Review
We rebuilt this course from the ground up in 2026 as a fully interactive programme. We have really enjoyed writing it, so we are looking forward to your comments when you have completed it!