Core Foundation for Teaching – International Institute for Adults Learning

About Course

The Core Foundation for Teaching course is designed for Teaching Assistants, Learning Mentors, and education support professionals who are taking on additional teaching responsibilities, moving into a teaching role, or considering progression into teaching or training positions.

Building on participants’ existing experience in learning environments, this course develops core teaching skills, confidence, and professional understanding to lead learning effectively. Learners will enhance their ability to plan and deliver structured250 lessons, explain concepts clearly, select suitable teaching methods, manage behaviour positively, and use assessment to support learner progress.

The programme also covers pastoral and safeguarding responsibilities, including first encounters with a class, the role of the form tutor, and effective teamwork within pastoral systems. Emphasis is placed on inclusive practice, professional boundaries, and promoting learner wellbeing across schools, further education, training, and adult learning contexts.

By the end of the course, learners will be prepared to step confidently into teaching responsibilities, support learning independently where appropriate, and progress towards recognised teaching qualifications or further teacher training pathways.

CPD Awarded: 9 hours / 9 CPD points

Plan lessons with clear objectives, a logical structure and realistic timings
Explain new ideas clearly and ask questions that check everyone's understanding
Apply research on how people learn, and avoid common myths
Manage behaviour with positive routines and calm de-escalation
Use assessment and feedback to move learning forward, even in large classes
Start well with a new class and build professional relationships
Carry out the form tutor and pastoral role and work with families
Recognise, respond to, record and report safeguarding concerns

Course Content

Module 1: Lesson Planning
Module 1: Lesson Planning focuses on developing the essential skills needed to plan effective, purposeful, and inclusive lessons. Learners will explore the importance of lesson planning in supporting learner progress, maintaining structure, and ensuring learning objectives are met. The module covers how to write clear learning aims and outcomes, structure lessons effectively using starters, main activities, and plenaries, and manage time to maintain pace and engagement throughout a session.Learners will also examine differentiation and inclusive planning strategies to ensure lessons meet the needs of diverse learners. By the end of this module, learners will be able to design well-structured lesson plans that are engaging, inclusive, and aligned with curriculum requirements, supporting positive learning outcomes for all learners.

Lesson 1.1: Why plan? The purpose of lesson planning
Lesson 1.2: Writing clear learning objectives
Lesson 1.3: Structuring a lesson
Lesson 1.4: Planning for every learner: differentiation and inclusion
Lesson 1.5: Timing, pace and sequencing learning
Module 1 Quiz: Lesson Planning

Module 2: Explaining and Questioning
How to explain new ideas clearly, pitch your language, use examples and analogies, and ask questions that show you who has understood.

Module 3: Teaching Methods and How People Learn
Teacher-led and learner-led methods, what research says about memory and learning, active learning, group work, and adaptive teaching.

Module 4: Behaviour for Learning
Why learners behave as they do, setting expectations and routines, positive strategies, de-escalation, and handling serious behaviour professionally.

Module 5: Assessment for Learning
Using assessment to find out what learners know, giving feedback that moves them forward, tracking progress, and adjusting your teaching.

Module 6: First Encounters with a Class
Preparing for your first lessons, professional presence, setting routines from day one, building rapport, and managing nerves.

Module 7: The Form Tutor and Pastoral Role
Responsibilities of a form tutor or class teacher, supporting wellbeing, communicating with families and colleagues, record keeping and referrals, and working as a pastoral team.

Module 8: Safeguarding and Child Protection
International and national frameworks for protecting children, recognising harm, responding to disclosures, recording and reporting, professional boundaries, and school procedures.

Final Assessment
A practical lesson-plan assignment and a final exam covering the whole course.

Add this certificate to your resume to demonstrate your skills & increase your chances of getting noticed.

Student Ratings & Reviews

No Review Yet

About Course

What Will You Learn?

Course Content

Lesson 1.1: Why plan? The purpose of lesson planning

Lesson 1.2: Writing clear learning objectives

Lesson 1.3: Structuring a lesson

Lesson 1.4: Planning for every learner: differentiation and inclusion

Lesson 1.5: Timing, pace and sequencing learning

Module 1 Quiz: Lesson Planning

Module 2: Explaining and Questioning How to explain new ideas clearly, pitch your language, use examples and analogies, and ask questions that show you who has understood.

Lesson 2.1: What makes an explanation effective

Lesson 2.2: Pitching your language to your learners

Lesson 2.3: Questioning to check understanding

Lesson 2.4: Examples, analogies and demonstrations

Lesson 2.5: Managing pace and clarity

Module 2 Quiz: Explaining and Questioning

Module 3: Teaching Methods and How People Learn Teacher-led and learner-led methods, what research says about memory and learning, active learning, group work, and adaptive teaching.

Lesson 3.1: Teacher-led and learner-led approaches

Lesson 3.2: How people learn: memory, practice and the learning-styles myth

Lesson 3.3: Active learning strategies

Lesson 3.4: Group work, discussion and independent learning

Lesson 3.5: Adaptive and inclusive teaching

Module 3 Quiz: Teaching Methods and How People Learn

Module 4: Behaviour for Learning Why learners behave as they do, setting expectations and routines, positive strategies, de-escalation, and handling serious behaviour professionally.

Lesson 4.1: Understanding behaviour

Lesson 4.2: Setting expectations and routines

Lesson 4.3: Positive behaviour strategies

Lesson 4.4: De-escalation: calming a situation

Lesson 4.5: Handling serious behaviour professionally

Module 4 Quiz: Behaviour for Learning

Module 5: Assessment for Learning Using assessment to find out what learners know, giving feedback that moves them forward, tracking progress, and adjusting your teaching.

Lesson 5.1: Why we assess

Lesson 5.2: Formative and summative assessment

Lesson 5.3: Giving feedback that moves learning forward

Lesson 5.4: Tracking learner progress

Lesson 5.5: Using assessment to adapt your teaching

Module 5 Quiz: Assessment for Learning

Module 6: First Encounters with a Class Preparing for your first lessons, professional presence, setting routines from day one, building rapport, and managing nerves.

Lesson 6.1: Preparing for your first session

Lesson 6.2: Professional presence

Lesson 6.3: Routines from day one

Lesson 6.4: Building rapport with learners

Lesson 6.5: Managing nerves and building confidence

Module 6 Quiz: First Encounters with a Class

Module 7: The Form Tutor and Pastoral Role Responsibilities of a form tutor or class teacher, supporting wellbeing, communicating with families and colleagues, record keeping and referrals, and working as a pastoral team.

Lesson 7.1: The role of the form tutor

Lesson 7.2: Supporting learner wellbeing

Lesson 7.3: Communicating with families and colleagues

Lesson 7.4: Record keeping and referrals

Lesson 7.5: Working as part of a pastoral team

Module 7 Quiz: The Form Tutor and Pastoral Role

Module 8: Safeguarding and Child Protection International and national frameworks for protecting children, recognising harm, responding to disclosures, recording and reporting, professional boundaries, and school procedures.

Lesson 8.1: Safeguarding frameworks: international and national

Lesson 8.2: Recognising signs of abuse and neglect

Lesson 8.3: Responding to disclosures, recording and reporting

Lesson 8.4: Professional boundaries and safe working

Lesson 8.5: Safeguarding in practice: policies and procedures

Module 8 Quiz: Safeguarding and Child Protection

Final Assessment A practical lesson-plan assignment and a final exam covering the whole course.

Assignment: Plan and justify a lesson

Final Exam: Core Foundation for Teaching

Earn a certificate