The Teaching Phonics to Young Learners Certificate or ‘TPhYL’ is a Synthetic Phonics teaching proficiency qualification for teachers who are currently teaching or intend to teach phonics to young learners. The TPhYL, created by the Phonics Education Association (PEA), is endorsed by Teaching Qualification UK (TQUK) as a Level 4 on their Regulated Qualifications (Regulated qualifications are the qualifications TQUK are recognised by Ofqual to award)[1]. The TPhYL is the first of its kind, giving much-needed accreditation and certification to the teaching of phonics to young learners.

 

The purpose of the TPhYL is to check the ability of the candidates to provide quality synthetic phonics[2] teaching to young learners. Teachers teaching phonics to young learners need to produce sounds[3], blend sounds into words and segment words to encode letters accurately. They also need to have the teaching skills to teach their target age group appropriately. Candidates of TPhYL will be tested in various areas related to phonics knowledge, application and teaching.

 

The TPhYL Exam can be taken by individuals with a minimum of a receptive and expressive English level equivalent to an IELTS band 6[i] score along with either of the following:

 

• a minimum of 2 years’ full-time teaching experience with young learners (aged 3 to 7)and holding a Bachelor’s degree with English as a medium of instruction.

• graduates of the Certificate in Phonics Teaching to Young Learners (CPT) course.

• phonics training - completed a minimum of two courses from at least one of the Phonics teaching programmes that have met the criteria set by the UK Department for Education (www.gov.uk/government/collections/phonics-choosing-a-programme)

 

** Candidates looking for an indication of their level of English can take the free online test from Cambridge English: https://www.cambridgeenglish.org/test-your-english/

 

 

 

The entire TPhYL Exam with all five sections will normally be completed in one day with adequate breaks provided between each section. PEA reserves the right to change and adapt schedules and venues as necessary. 

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The TPhYL Exam is conducted in Hong Kong and administered by PEA.

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Exam fee for year 2024 is HK$4500. Apply Exam now ! ...

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[1] Regarding the endorsement by TQUK, please refer to their official website TQUK

[2] All mentions of phonics on this website will be referring to Synthetic Phonics unless specified otherwise.

[3] Any mentions of sounds are referring to phonemes unless specified otherwise.

 

[i] Check equivalent scores to the IELTS:  https://www.ielts.org/ielts-for-organisations/common-european-framework

 

[ii] CPT course is provided by the School of Professional Education and Executive Development, Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Centre for Continuing Education, University of Macau (Macau).