This online course will teach you the key principles of how to manage a young learner centre or department effectively.

You will cover:

• key issues in relation to management of Young Learners
• influential theories related to Young Learners and their psychological, linguistic and social development
• practical techniques and strategies to manage Young Learner courses, students and teachers more effectively

Prices

The standard course fee is £385 including the certification. If you have completed a course with IH OTTI in the previous 12 months, we can apply the 10% loyalty discount, and the price for teachers working in an IH school is £327. We also have discounts for members of national or international teaching organisations, just let us know on your application form if you would like to claim these discounts.

Please note – 20% VAT will be added to the fee if it is paid by a business based in the UK, or the applicant is in the UK at the time of the course.

Who is this course designed for

This is an IH Specialist short course for Managers in an Academic Context in Young Learner Centre Management. This course is for you if:

• You are a new Young Learner manager, or a Young Learner manager with some experience, who wishes to develop the skills and knowledge to manage a young learner centre or department;
• You want to move into management or have secured a summer school management role and need to prepare for the role’s responsibilities and requirements;
• You want a course that gives you a range of practical ideas as well as a theoretical grounding in the topic;
• You want to discuss issues and solutions with other managers and with a course tutor, networking within a global community.

Entry requirements

The course requires a minimum English language level of C1. The course can be taken by managers working in a language school context in any department, e.g. DOS, Marketing Manager, Head of Reception or School Director.

Please note online applications close on the Wednesday before the course starts. But we sometimes have late availability, so please get in touch with the admissions team at ihotti@ihworld.com, and we will see if there are any last-minute spaces.

Course objectives

This online course will teach you the key principles of how to manage a young learner centre or department effectively.

Course content

This is a 6-module course, delivered asynchronously entirely online via our Moodle site. During the course you will have covered the following topics:

• Understanding the YL Centre Manager Role – explore the YL centre structure, core responsibilities, typical routines, and the key skills needed to transition from teacher to manager.
• Leadership – learn how to build credibility and trust, delegate effectively, give motivating feedback, and manage stress while supporting your team.
• Curriculum Design, Resources & the YL Classroom – understand how to design balanced YL syllabuses, select and adapt teaching materials, and support teachers in creating effective classroom environments.
• Academic Management & Quality Assurance – discover how to align syllabus goals with student needs, monitor learning outcomes, and run targeted teacher development sessions.
• Operational Management & Student Welfare – learn how to manage placements, maintain records, monitor learner progress, and implement consistent safeguarding and health & safety practices.
• Communication with Teams and Parents – develop strategies to communicate clearly with teams and parents, manage conflict, and build transparent systems for shared responsibility.

The course is an asynchronous online course. It is designed this way so that you can access the material whenever it suits you. You don’t have to log on at a certain time which means that wherever you are in the world the time difference is never an issue.

A new module is covered each week and the material for that module is provided over the course of the week. You are given tasks to do both in groups and individually. The discussion forums are a great opportunity to share ideas and learn from your peers on the course. It is advisable to log on regularly so that you keep up to date with the ongoing discussions. The tutor will also log on frequently, monitor the discussions and give you guidance and support.

Duration

There are six weeks of tutor-led input on this course. After this you will have two weeks to complete and submit your portfolio of work ready for assessment.

Your time commitment

It depends on the individual, but we recommend a minimum of 5 to 7 hours per week spent online and doing tasks. Your study hours are flexible, but some tasks require group input and have set deadlines. The more time you can devote to the course, the more you will gain from it.

Your fellow course participants and online community

The number of course participants will be between eight and sixteen.

The online community that you create is usually one of the most valued parts of the course. With your peers, you can share best practice, exchange ideas, and discuss experiences with people from all over the world. This course is not purely about self-study all on your own – it’s about making the most of these conversations and learning from each other as well as from the course material and your tutors.

Assessment

Participation is an essential part of this course, and is a contributing factor to your final grade. As the course progresses, your tutor will mark your work, so there will be a chance to resubmit if needed. Participants submit an assessment portfolio made up of the weekly tasks. Throughout the course, the tutor will be on hand for support and to answer any questions. The final grade is a Pass or Fail. Portfolios are submitted one week after course completion.

Your verified digital certificate

On successful completion of this course you will receive a digital certificate. This is stored securely on a verified site, so everybody can be confident that it is authentic and real.

You can share this with a prospective employer, client, or anybody else that you choose.

A digital certificate is more safe and secure for you than paper – it won’t get lost in the post, it won’t get damaged over time, and won’t get lost. It is always available, you can share in just one click, or you can print as many copies as you like whenever you would like. And, it’s better for the environment. Reducing paper, ink, and delivery means a lower carbon footprint.

Click here for a short video about verified digital certificates from our partner Accredible.

Tutors

The course is normally delivered by a single tutor. The number of participants can range from 8 to 16. Our tutors are all experienced managers with many years of experience working in language schools as well as online training experience.

Take this course as part of the IH Diploma in Academic Management

If you want to deep dive into fine-tuning a range of language education management skills and be a stand-out candidate for your next job application, consider taking the IH Diploma in Academic Management. The IH Diploma is 5 Courses in Academic Management + Action Research Project to be completed over two years.

It is a comprehensive programme designed to support and equip managers in language education to perform better, make more assured decisions and feel confident in approaching issues in their organisation. Learn more about the IH Diploma here.