Optional Unit Combinations in the Level 5 DET

Taking your DET QTLS Course is a big commitment, financially, personally and for your career. Whether you’re a beginner looking to get into teaching by enrolling directly into the Level 5 DET course, or a full-time professional teacher or trainer, it can be very confusing trying to make sense of all the Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training Optional Units. Sometimes, some training providers may not even offer all the units, restricting your choice and your career prospects. To download the full Course Brochure and Optional Unit Combinations, click here. 

The main benefit of this L5 Teaching Diploma is that it does not require a previous degree qualification, you can have any qualification and sector competence and do this DET which then leads you to QTLS status with the Society for Education and Training. For most employers, this DET / DTLLS course is equivalent to the PGCE FE or PCET / PCE courses.

Ideally, your training provider should offer you all the DET Optional Units allocated by Ofqual. This ensures you can choose the combination of units that qualify you or help develop your understanding of your specialist area. This is incredibly important. When committing your money, time and professional career to such an important qualification, you want to be sure the qualification truly helps you achieve your professional teaching development goals and trainer training needs. At ELN, we offer the full range of optional units to our learners who opt for the level 4 CET and level 5 DET qualification with unlimited tutor support.

Some units fall within the Specialist Units which are dealt with separately, for example, the Key Skills (English, Maths, ICT) related units. Those units are quite specific and learners choosing these units do not usually require help with choosing the units.

Below we have listed some combinations of Optional Units list from the non-Specialist DET Course Optional Units. This is based on the preferences of our past learners and advice of our highly qualified tutors and mentors. The selection of units is based on complementary units, real-life skills which are used together and fulfil the required Optional Unit Credit requirements for the Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training.

Is DET suitable for Quality Assurers?

Many teachers, especially those working full-time as Fully Qualified Teachers or Trainers (QTLS / QTS) work closely with the Internal and External Quality Assurance Systems in their institutions. This includes being involved in curriculum development, lesson planning or arranging, preparing for and implementing Internal Quality Assurance processes for your institution.

Internal Quality Assurance is incredibly important for any educational institute as the quality of the training delivery and assessment is regulated and maintained by these systems. Most private training providers and FE Colleges may also have to maintain approvals from Awarding Organisations which involve EQA or SV / EV visits and requirements.  The following units have been combined keeping in mind the real-life problems faced by trainers in these situations as well as the knowledge and skills required in dealing with all the people involved in the IQA and EQA processes.

• Understanding Principles and Practices of Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment (6 credits)
• Internally Assure the Quality of Assessment (6 credits)
• Understanding the Principles and Practices of External Quality Assurance of Assessment (6 credits)
• Developing, Using and Organising Resources in a Specialist Area (15 credits)
• Specialist Delivery Techniques (9 credits) 
• Evaluating Learning Programmes (3 credits)

Please note that by doing the above units, you will simultaneously complete your Level 4 Award in Internal Quality Assurance (or Internal Verifier course) and the Level 4 Award in Understanding the Principles and Practices of External Quality Assurance. All the units will show up on your DET certificate on the units page.

Of course, if you already have the IQA or EQA qualification from before, you can claim an exemption for these units and complete your DET quicker!

Is the Level 5 DET for Corporate Trainers?

Increasingly, HE institutions and Universities are forming partnerships to provide a more effective all-rounded training package for employers all over the UK. It is very valuable for senior, full-time teachers to be qualified to handle the demands and expectations of corporate customers as employers and their employees as learners.

• Identify the Learning Needs of Organisations (6 credits)
• Engage with Employers to Facilitate Workforce Development (6 credits)
• Effective Partnership Working in Learning and Teaching (15 credits)
• Teaching in a Specialist Area (15 credits)
• Evaluating Learning Programmes (3 credits)

DET for Special Educational Needs (SENs):

There is increasing demand for accommodating students with various Special Educational Needs (SEN’s) into mainstream schools, colleges and educational institutions. It is incredibly valuable for any teacher, at any stage, to be qualified and equipped to deal with students’ special needs and learning difficulties. The following units are a mix of generalised units for overall knowledge and skills advancement as well as specialist units that can be focused on a specific Disability or SEN. 

• Inclusive Practice (15 credits)
• Action Learning for Teaching in a Specialist Area of Disability (15 credits)
• Teaching in a Specialist Area (15 credits)

DET for Teaching Young People:

This unit combination is for those people working with a younger age group than usual in the post-compulsory sector. Dealing with learners in the 14-19 age group requires knowledge of special legislation, behaviours, employability. We have also chosen to include the ‘Mentoring Role’ to better equip teachers to effectively mentor the young learners while knowing and implementing professional requirements and best practices.

• Understanding and Managing Behaviours in the Learning Environment (6 credits)
• Working with the 14-19 age range in Education and Training (12 credits)
• Specialist Delivery Techniques and Activities (9 credits)
• Inclusive Practice (15 credits)
• Preparing for the Mentoring (or Coaching) Role (3 credits)

DET Coach / Mentor / Personal Tutor:

Teacher, Trainer, Tutor, Coach, Mentor, Facilitator, the titles are endless and for some, they are different words for the same thing. There are also those who will defend their title as unique and relish the subtle differences.

Whatever your opinion, one thing is definite. All these titles are related and often an effective, experienced teacher or trainer (or coach or mentor etc) will use overlapping skills and techniques. We have chosen this combination of units to educate you on the differences between them, working with individual learners, legislation surrounding these professions and the importance of each in enabling your learner to achieve his/her fullest potential.

• Preparing for the Mentoring Role (3 credits)
• Preparing for the Coaching Role (3 credits)
• Preparing for the Personal Tutoring Role (3 credits)
• Using Study Skills to Enhance the Learning of Others (6 credits)
• Developing, Using and Organising Resources in a Specialist Area (15 credits)
• Working with Individual Learners (15 credits)

DET Specialist (Literacy, Numeracy, ICT)

As stated above, usually trainee teachers choosing Specialist Diplomas are quite sure about the Optional Units they want to choose. Other than those units selected for purposes of RPL or Exemptions, invariably, the specialist English, Maths or ICT units are chosen.

We have suggested something different for our students of the Level 5 Specialist Diploma in Education and Training. This enables you to look at the skills in a broader context as well as looking deeper into the teaching and learning of those skills.

• Action Learning to Support Development of Subject-Specific Pedagogy

OR

• Specialist ESOL / Numeracy / Literacy / ICT Units (check Level and Credits for each unit and make sure they fulfil requirements for the overall qualification)

We hope you found the above Level 5 DET Optional Unit suggestions useful! Have we missed any combinations which you have found useful? Let us know by commenting below or Contact Us to send us some feedback, the live webchat and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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