Master's Degree in TESOL Program
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The ESOL Teacher education program reflects the mission of The Teachers College and personnel preparation unit of Emporia State University. The program aims at developing The Professional: Critical Thinker, Creative Planner, and Effective Practitioner. Our graduates are skilled practitioners who are prepared with essential knowledge, skills and dispositions in their fields of specialization. Candidate learning reflects historical and contemporary knowledge, research, theory, and practice that meet the academic, personal, and social needs of their students.
Professional programs are designed to reflect the current knowledge base and effective practices. Curricular coherence is strengthened through faculty study and dialogue on purpose, course content, and intended candidate learning outcomes.
Accreditation
The ESOL teacher licensure program is accredited by KSDE and the teacher education unit of ESU is accredited by NCATE. The University is accredited by the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges.
Licensure Level and Subject: The program is designed to prepare English for Speakers of other Languages (ESOL) teachers for Early Childhood through Late Adolescence/Adulthood grades Pre-K-12.
Program Level: The ESOL program provide a means whereby in-service or pre-service teachers (graduate and undergraduate) may obtain a Kansas State license in this area.
Program Type: ESOL is also an advanced level program because candidates must already hold a teaching license to be eligible to enroll in the program.
Goals and Outcomes
The program endorses the interactive and critical pedagogical approach to teaching English as a second language, an approach through which language is presented and taught in meaningful contexts for the purpose of communicating.
The principles that underlie successful ESOL/bilingual teacher education at ESU are:
1. People acquire a second language by understanding messages (comprehensible input).
2. Background knowledge can help make second language input more comprehensible, and can assist in acquiring the second language.
3. The development of literacy occurs in the same way as second language acquisition does.
4. Second language learners perform successfully in academic areas and acquire a high proficiency of language when their cultural and linguistic heritage is represented fairly in the curriculum.
One of the most important features that underlies ESOL/bilingual teacher education is the appropriate use and support of the family literacy. The first language provides the following helpful components:
1. It supplies background knowledge, which makes English input more comprehensible.
2. It enhances the development of basic literacy.
3. It helps with the ability to use language to solve problems.
Candidates preparing for a teaching field in English as a second language are expected to achieve the following major objectives and competencies:
1. Knowledge of general linguistics and applied linguistics so that he or she can apply to language teaching an understanding of the differences in the sound systems, forms, structures, and lexicon of English and other languages.
2. Knowledge of cross-cultural communicative competence and culture, from a critical perspective.
3. Knowledge of the process of (first and second) language acquisition and development.
4. Knowledge of present-day objectives of the teaching of English as a second language and of the methods and techniques for attaining these objectives.
5. Knowledge of specialized techniques and the ability to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching materials, procedures, and curricula, as well as the professional literature regarding teaching English as a second language.
6. Knowledge of the principles of language assessment and the ability to apply the techniques of second language assessment and to interpret the results.
7. Knowledge and skills to use a broad range of literacy methodologies, programs, and assessment tools for ESL learners to support the role of family literacy in second language acquisition.
8. Knowledge of the history and cultural patterns of the United States and the history and culture related to the candidate's second language.
9. The ability to adapt existing materials to the needs of students with exceptionalities.
10. The ability to relate successfully to students, parents, and community members of the appropriate culture group.
11. Knowledge of teaching methods and diagnostic and prescriptive activities which are appropriate for bilingual-multicultural teaching.
12. Knowledge of the history and philosophy of bilingualism and of bilingual and multicultural education.
13. The ability to utilize continuous language and content as part of the learning process and recognize potential linguistic and cultural process and cultural biases of existing assessment instruments and procedures.
14. The ability adapt the curriculum and contact appropriate linguistic analyses to make the academic content accessible to all students regardless of where they are in their second language development.
Admission Requirements and procedures
The following are admission requirements for degree seeking students. Admission points are assigned on each of the following elements. The stronger the performance, the greater the number of points assigned:
- A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
- Adequate preparation in the proposed area of specialization (to be determined by the program specialized committee members)
- A grade point average of not less than 2.75 in the last 60 semester hours of undergraduate study
- International Students must submit a 550 TOEFL score as part of the admissions criteria
- Submission of official transcripts from each institution attended
- Payment of a non-refundable application fee
- Three letters of reference
- A career goal statement
- A copy of an updated resumé
- Successful Completion of the Departmental Graded Application Form
· Admission's Essay Writing
“The best method is one which you have derived through your very own careful process of formulation, try-out, revision, and refinement” (Brown, 2002). Write a two-page essay including:
A. First, a discussion of this statement.
B. Second, a description of your own ESOL/EFL methodology which:
Includes your views/theory about:
1) what language is,
2) how a second language is acquired, and how it can be effectively taught. (20 points: 8 points for discussing/explaining the statement, 12 points for describing your theory and practice)
- Faculty Evaluation and/or Personal Interview as designed by the admissions committee.
REQUIREMENTS FOR DEGREE CANDIDACY
Once admitted to the program, students will submit a completed advisement form signed by the TESOL Program Advisor.
Students who have met the admission requirements, submitted an approved degree plan/advisement form, and completed a minimum of six credit hours of course work in the graduate program will be admitted to degree candidacy.
REQUIREMENTS FOR PROGRAM COMPLETION
- Satisfactory completion of TESOL PRAXIS II CONTENT TEST with a minimum score of 500 or above immediately after the completion of fifteen (15) core credit hours is a program completion requirement.
- Completion of 36 credit hours in the MA TESOL program
- Students who choose not to do the 6 hour Thesis, have the option of working with their academic advisor to select 6 credit hours from the elective courses.
All materials are due March 1 for summer enrollment, June 1 for fall enrollment or November 1 for spring enrollment.
Required internships and practica – After a candidate has successfully completed Admission to Program of Study requirements and has been approved by the appropriate chair or graduate coordinator, the candidate is permitted to participate in practical field experience in FL 735 (either section A or Section B, depending on whether they are education majors eligible to obtain an ESOL certification or not). Candidates who are eligible to seek an ESOL certification are supervised by ESU and school supervisors and are placed in a public school setting. Otherwise, they will take section B of FL 735 which will prepare them with practical and hands-on experiences in, for example, the Intensive English Program at ESU.
For students seeking a certification through their MA TESOL program (in FL 735 Section A) and based on the candidate's performance and input from the University supervisor and off-campus supervisor, if applicable, the University supervisor assigns a grade for the field experience. The candidate is required to have a minimum grade of “B” in the field experience before being allowed to proceed to the Program Pre-completion decision point.
For students who are NOT seeking a certification in their MA TESOL program, based upon the candidate's performance and input from the University Practicum Instructor (in section B) and on-campus supervisor, if applicable, the instructor assigns a grade for this hands-on experience that will involve on-campus class observation/teaching (both via videotaped lessons and via Internet 2 practical experiences). The candidate is required to have a minimum grade of “B” in the field experience before being allowed to proceed to the Program Pre-completion decision point.
Job Opportunities
TESOL Teacher Education Standards
Standard #1The teacher ESOL understands the contributions of general and applied linguistics to second-language education, including the understanding of the sound system, forms, structures, and the lexicon of English.
Standard #2 The teacher of ESOL understands the fundamentals, similarities, and differences of first- and second-language acquisition.
Standard #3 The teacher of ESOL acknowledges the diverse, historical tapestry of cultures that make up the United States and the role language plays in the development of cultural identities.
Standard #4 The teacher of ESOL effectively communicates with students parents, and members of various cultural groups in the community.
Standard #5 The teacher of ESOL understands the importance of using language in socially and culturally appropriate ways by developing communication skills in speaking, listening, reading, writing, viewing, and representing visually across the curriculum.
Standard #6 The teacher of ESOL understands and uses formal and informal first-and second-language assessment techniques to evaluate the progress of English language learners, including knowledge and use of assessment tools to determine program placement, exit criteria, and participation in state assessments.
Standard #7 The teacher of ESOL understands and uses a broad range of methodologies to provide academic learning experiences for English language learners, understands and uses strategies that encourage full participation of English language learners in the school environment, and understands the foundations of second-language instruction.
Standard #8 The teacher of ESOL demonstrates a high level of proficiency in English commensurate with the role of an instructional model.
Standard #9 The teacher of ESOL understands and uses a variety of methods and techniques suitable for second-language instruction for English language learners with special needs, including the ability to adapt existing materials in collaboration with teachers of students with exceptionalities to meet the needs of all English language learners.
Standard #10 The teacher of ESOL understands and uses a broad range of literacy methodologies, programs, and assessment tools for English language learners and acknowledges the important role of family literacy in second language acquisition.
For more information about this program, contact Dr. Abdelilah Salim Sehlaoui at:
asehlaou@emporia.edu or call 620-341-5237, 620-341-5424 Office # 203 C Campus Box 24, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, Emporia State University, 1200 Commercial Street, Emporia, KS 66801
For cost and registration, call the Office of Lifelong Learning, 620-341-5385. This office's website is located at: http://lifelong.emporia.edu/