EPPS: English for Public Primary Schools

IIntensive pedagogy training through English language teaching

EPPS is TDSO’s flagship programme, training teachers in Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) methodology for English instruction through 20 intensive workshops over six months. Teachers master CLT’s student-centred, practice-based approaches, facilitating interaction rather than lecturing, creating practice opportunities rather than assigning memorisation, building systematic progression through communicative tasks. As they transform their English teaching, teachers discover these CLT approaches work powerfully across all subjects they teach.

Why English Language Teaching?

We train English teachers using CLT because language teaching makes learning processes completely visible in ways other subjects often don’t. Students cannot hide in English classes—they must speak, interact, practice, and communicate. This visibility created the student-centred, practice-based methods that form CLT’s foundation.

These methods prove transferable because CLT principles are actually learning principles. The lesson planning structures teachers develop for English work equally well for mathematics. The peer interaction techniques that build speaking confidence strengthen science learning. The scaffolding and systematic progression essential for language acquisition deepen understanding in social studies.

TDSO formalised these transferable elements as our TPA (Transferable Pedagogical Approaches) framework. Teachers don’t just improve their English instruction, they gain approaches they apply throughout the curriculum, transforming their entire teaching practice.

Programme Structure

The programme uses a flipped classroom approach, combining interactive workshop sessions with substantial independent engagement through Moodle-based activities.

Key Components:

  • 20 weekly workshops (60 hours total, 3 hours per session)
  • 2-3 one-to-one classroom coaching visits per teacher
  • Weekly preparatory activities (video-watching, quizzes, readings)
  • Follow-up assignments and project work (3-4 hours per week)
  • Microteaching, peer observation, and reflective practice
  • Teaching practicum with portfolio development
  • Formative and summative assessment throughout
  • Total engagement: 190 hours

Flipped Learning Model

Teachers work through preparatory materials before each workshop—watching videos, completing quizzes, and engaging in diagnostic self-assessment. This frees valuable workshop time for interactive activities, practical application, and collaborative problem-solving.

Classroom Coaching

Coaching visits (2-3 per teacher) support implementation in authentic teaching contexts. Coaches observe lessons, provide constructive feedback, and help teachers adapt approaches to their specific classroom realities. This cycle of preparation, workshop learning, classroom application, coaching feedback, and reflection creates genuine pedagogical change.

Curriculum Content

The programme covers 14 modules across three phases:

Phase 1: Foundational Teaching Frameworks (Weeks 1-5)

  • Educational psychology and young learner development
  • Language teaching methodology (CLT, Grammar-Translation, Direct/Audiolingual Methods)
  • Technology integration in language teaching
  • Assessment design and evaluation
  • Lesson planning frameworks and sequencing

Phase 2: Core Teaching Methodologies (Weeks 6-15)

  • Teaching phonics and pronunciation
  • Teaching vocabulary
  • Teaching grammar
  • Teaching reading
  • Teaching listening and speaking

Phase 3: Assessment and Implementation (Weeks 16-20)

  • Practicum orientation and preparation
  • Classroom observation and teaching preparation
  • Teaching practicum and peer evaluation
  • Final assessment and course evaluation

Workshop Methodology

Workshops follow the Engage-Study-Activate model, encouraging teachers to bring real-world classroom experiences into training sessions. The programme structure ensures teachers don’t just learn about methodology—they practise it, refine it, and embed it in their daily teaching.

After each module, teachers complete projects that provide opportunities for self-assessment, peer evaluation, and corrective feedback from trainers. The programme culminates in a teaching practicum where teachers demonstrate their competence through classroom observation, microteaching, and peer feedback, building a teaching portfolio that documents their professional growth.

Recognition and Requirements

EPPS is accredited by MoEYS, providing formal recognition of teachers’ professional development within the national education system.

Completion Requirements:

  • 90% attendance across all workshop sessions
  • Demonstrated competence across all assessment components
  • Satisfactory completion of class participation, projects, practicum portfolio, revision tests, and final examination
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