This paper considers teaching practice in short, intensive, pre-service TESOL certificate courses, drawing upon outcomes of recent research into the experiences of participants on courses offered internationally by a UK-based provider. Qualitative methodology led to the identification of 26 critical issues, including several related to the teaching practice component of such courses. It is suggested that the component is used by tutors primarily for assessment purposes while practice and feedback take on a secondary function, leading to an emphasis on assessable performance at the expense of developmental practice. The implications of this for trainees, tutors, and language students are discussed. An opportunity to improve the quality of initial TESOL training is identified, through courses designed to account for current conceptions of adult learning and reflective practice, in which a more learner-centred approach to both trainees and language learners is taken, and trainees are guaranteed authentic and developmental practice opportunities.