Setting up your teaching practicum is easy! NOVA Workforce's TESOL Certificate Program gives student teachers 10 hours of supervised practice ESL teaching in our American Culture & Language Institute (ACLI). TESOL graduates have gone on to teach locally and around the world!

To earn a TESOL Certificate from NOVA Workforce, participants must complete TESOL 1, TESOL 2, and TESOL 3.   

The TESOL program has a new schedule! The program runs over the Fall and Spring semesters. Workshops run on Saturday mornings. New students join in Summer or Fall to complete TESOL 1. Continuing students complete TESOL 2 & 3 in Spring. 

After completing this certificate, you are qualified to teach English as a second language to adults in an adult education setting such as a community-based program, community college language institute (non-credit), or proprietary school in the U.S. or abroad. 

NOTE: The TESOL certificate does not provide credentialing for K-12 or to teach ESL for credit. Early Childhood (VA-ECAP) classes are not part of the TESOL Certificate Program. 

Prerequisites 

The TESOL program requires potential students to already possess a strong working knowledge of English grammar to be successful.

• All students must be at least 18 years of age.
• Proof of English proficiency level via one of the following: 
  • A US college diploma including successful completion of freshman composition.
    
    OR

• • A Placement test:
    • Native English Speakers: Take the English Placement Advising Survey.
    • Non‐Native English Speakers: Take the ESL Placement Assessment by emailing NOVATesting@nvcc.edu.  Score must be College ESL Level 5 (for provisional acceptance) or Level 6+ for full acceptance into the program.  Level 4 and lower are not eligible to register.

TESOL Certificate Program