Hello Exam Seekers,

I have already talked a bit about the Teaching Knowledge Test in my “What is the TKT?” text. For those who know what the TKT is, but don’t know if they should take the CELTA or the TKT, there is another text with specificities for you to read and decide which of them is best applied to their lives. Then I summarized the two specialist modules the TKT: CLIL and the TKT: Young Learners. I also talked about the TKT BANDS, describing how each of the bands describes your knowledge about the language.

Today I am going to talk about the 3 core modules and what you will find in each.

The TKT: Module 1 – Language and background to language learning and teaching contains 3 parts:

• Part 1 – Describing language and language skills
• Part 2 – Background to language learning
• Part 3 – Background to language teaching

As you can see, the first module is grammar-related. So you will have to show that you know how to differentiate adverbs to conjunctions, how to explain grammatical structures, what is Phonology and Speaking, for example. You will also have to show that you know the basics of language learning and teaching: what is the role of errors, the learners’ needs, how to assess learners, for example.

The TKT: Module 2 – Lesson planning and use of resources for language teaching is divided into 2 parts:

• Part 1 – Planning and preparing a lesson or sequence of lessons
• Part 2 – Selection and use of resource materials

This module shows that you know how to plan a lesson and sequence of lessons and also that you know how to select materials and use them. As you can see, this module is all about materials: how to plan, how to select and how to use them.

The TKT: Module 3 – Managing the teaching and learning process is divided into 2 parts as well:

• Part 1 – Teachers’ and learners’ language in the classroom
• Part 2 – Classroom management

This module shows that you have the knowledge related to actions in the classroom as to giving feedback, identifying mistakes, and correcting learners.

As shown above, the modules are divided into Grammar, Materials and Attitudes in the classroom. Therefore they are the basis of teaching knowledge. If you are planning on taking the CELTA Course, this is the basis that will help you a lot when moving to the next certificate in methodology.

As mentioned in previous posts of this blog, you can take a course to study for the TKT. Usually when you take a TKT course, you not only study the book, but you gain some practice in teaching. Moreover, you get the knowledge given by the TKT book in real practice, which may help you.

But if you want to study by yourself, here is the book:

Which contains:

TKT: Module 1 – Language and background to language learning and teaching.

Part 1 – Describing language and language skills

• Unit 1: Grammar
• Unit 2: Lexis
• Unit 3: Phonology
• Unit 4: Functions
• Unit 5: Reading
• Unit 6: Writing
• Unit 7: Listening
• Unit 8: Speaking

Part 2 – Background to language learning

• Unit 9: Motivation
• Unit 10: Exposure and focus on form
• Unit 11: The role of error
• Unit 12 Differences between L1 and L2 learning
• Unit 13: Learner characteristics
• Unit 14: Learner needs

Part 3 – Background to language teaching

• Unit 15: Presentation techniques and introductory activities
• Unit 16: Practice activities and tasks for language and skills development
• Unit 17: Assessment types and tasks

TKT: Module 2 – Lesson planning and use of resources for language teaching

Part 1 – Planning and preparing a lesson or sequence of lessons

• Unit 18: Identifying and selecting aims
• Unit 19: Identifying the different components of a lesson plan
• Unit 20: Planning an individual lesson or a sequence of lessons
• Unit 21: Choosing assessment activities

Part 2 – Selection and use of resource materials

• Unit 22: Consulting reference resources to help in the lesson preparation
• Unit 23: Selecting and use the coursebook materials
• Unit 24: Selection and use of supplementary materials and activities
• Unit 25: Selection and use of teaching aids

TKT: Module 3 – Managing the teaching and learning process

Part 1 – Teachers’ and learners’ language in the classroom

• Unit 26: Using language appropriately for a range of classroom functions
• Unit 27: Identifying the functions of learners’ language
• Unit 28: Categorising learners’ mistakes

Part 2 – Classroom management

• Unit 29: Teacher roles
• Unit 30: Grouping learners
• Unit 31: Correcting learners
• Unit 32: Giving feedback

There is a bunch of mock exercises with the answers to practice online. You can find official Cambridge English support materials from Cambridge Assessment English and Cambridge University Press. Support materials include coursebooks, practice tests, and materials in both print and digital formats

The links above are the links for the TKT 3 Core Modules Book for you to buy if you want (link for the book in Brazil here).

I hope that this post has helped you decide on taking the TKT (or not)… Tell me your thoughts in the comment section below.

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Have a great week,
Patricia Moura