Eight things to do before Day 1: rest, read, choose centre and mode, sharpen Word, learn phonemics, choose LSA areas, choose a Module 3 specialism, build a network.
Checklist
- Rest: take a real holiday first (her main regret).
- Read a few core books (below).
- Centre and mode: ask past candidates (DELTA & DipTESOL Candidates & Survivors Facebook group).
- Word skills: heading styles, auto table of contents, track changes, section breaks (portrait/landscape), repeating table header rows, Unicode font for IPA.
- Phonemics: needed in Module 1 and throughout. Underhill’s Sound Foundations and his pronunciation video.
- LSA areas: check your centre’s rules first.
- Module 3 specialism: pick early.
- PLN of fellow candidates.
Books named
- Tricia Hedge, Teaching and Learning in the Language Classroom
- Michael Lewis, The English Verb
- Adrian Underhill, Sound Foundations
- Scott Thornbury, About Language (2nd ed.) and The New A–Z of ELT
- John Field, Listening in the Language Classroom
- Sally Burgess & Katie Head, How to Teach for Exams
- Jack C. Richards, Curriculum Development in Language Teaching
- David Nunan, Syllabus Design (she found it confusing)
- Macalister & Nation, Language Curriculum Design (2024 recommendation)
Caveats
2013 core with 2024/2026 updates; the handbook page references are old; affiliate links.
Apply in my context (Claude)
- You already hold notes on About Language - Scott Thornbury. Treat it as the anchor text for Module 1 language analysis.