Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Courses

In this course, students will study major concepts, theories, and research related to language analysis. Students will demonstrate their understanding of the English language as a system by comparing its linguistic components to those of other language systems. Candidates will have multiple opportunities to practice and apply their linguistic knowledge by participating in collaborative in-class activities and developing effective English language instruction for a variety of ESL/EFL contexts.

Candidates will know, understand, and use major concepts, theories, and research related to the nature and acquisition of language to construct learning environments that support students' language and literacy development and content area achievement. Throughout the course, students will reflect on their own language acquisition experiences and relate them to current theories of language acquisition. Candidates will also develop an awareness of the personal and affective variables involved in language learning and use this knowledge to create supportive classroom environments. Understanding the complex relationship between L1 and L2 acquisition is a central focus of this course.

In this course, students will examine the complex relationship between language and society. Major topics explored include language communities, language variation, multilingualism, and language policy and social justice. Candidates will know, understand, and use major concepts, theories, and research related to the nature and role of culture to construct learning environments that support students' cultural identities, language and literacy development, and content area achievement.

This course explores virtual and integrated learning technologies and their applications to learning organizations, learning communities, and educational settings. Future-ready technologies and techniques are applied for experiential, collaborative, social, and distributed learning. Students investigate virtual communication tools, integration of social media, virtual collaboration tools, digital storytelling, and their application to their professional and scholarly interests.

Students will engage in the curriculum design process by first examining a variety of English language teaching contexts and the needs of diverse learners that arise therein. Students will be introduced to the processes of curriculum design and will apply their knowledge to develop and present a language course syllabus. Throughout the course, students will critique case studies of language course designs to deepen their understanding of effective standards-based practices to plan instruction in a supportive learning environment. Additionally, students will learn to serve as effective English language models in multilevel classrooms with diverse learners and will explore a range of resources and technologies.

Students will explore, critique, and implement a variety of standards based instructional strategies and techniques for developing and integrating English listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in a supportive learning environment. Candidates will build relevancy and meaning into language learning activities by considering the learning context, English learners' interests, as well as their academic and language development goals. Candidates will support students in accessing the core curriculum by focusing on the development of academic vocabulary and thoughtful integration of technology. Students will begin to develop their identity as a reflection language practitioner and use reflection as a vehicle for pedagogical improvement and refinement of instructional practices.

In this course, students will review a variety of language assessments, analyze their historical contexts, and evaluate their validity. Students will develop and apply the fundamental principles of language assessment. Implications for language learners and instructors will be explored as well as the relationship between language assessment and language policy. Students will design standards-based classroom language assessments to track student progress and inform instruction.

Students may specialize in one of four pathways. Students take two sequential courses in the identified pathway; one in the Spring term, and one in the Summer term.

Candidates will have the opportunity to observe, plan, implement, and assess English language instruction in authentic learning environments. Candidates will examine the classroom, school, and community contexts in which they observe and teach and seek opportunities for professional collaboration with teachers and school personnel. Candidates will also use assessment information to reflect upon and improve their instructional practices and develop plans for continued professional growth.

This course examines a wide array of moral and ethical claims that affect leadership in inclusive organizations and communities. The objective is to understand well the range of competing moral and ethical claims across many cultures, to clarify the students' thinking about the students' own moral commitments and how these apply to their organizations, and to understand well the values and moral approaches of people with whom they disagree. The course will, among other things, stress cultural proficiency and examine the competing claims about social justice, the use and abuse of power, and the complex patterns of equity and privilege. The student should be able to articulate and defend an ethical framework that reflects one's deepest moral commitments as well as apply a more cosmopolitan understanding of beliefs and practices to his or her academic and professional interests.

Students will engage in a culminating undertaking to demonstrate their ability to integrate their learning consistent with their program’s learning outcomes. This project will be a Signature Assignment for the program. Students will develop an Eportfolio of their work throughout the program to demonstrate mastery of the MA TESOL Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs). Students will present their Eportfolio using transmedia. In addition, students will evaluate the extent to which this Signature Assignment demonstrates mastery of the PLOs using an established program rubric (Students must select either EDTE 611A or EDTE 611B)

Capstone Integration Experience will provide students opportunities to demonstrate their ability to integrate their knowledge and practical expertise in TESOL discipline consistent with their program’s learning outcomes. The ePortfolio project will be a Signature Assignment for this course and for MA in TESOL program. Students will develop an Action Research Project to reflect upon and demonstrate mastery of the MA TESOL Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs). Students will present their Action Research Projects at our culminating TESOL Graduate Symposium. Students will also evaluate the extent to which this Capstone Integration Experience demonstrates mastery of the PLOs using an established program rubric. (Students must select either EDTE 611A or EDTE 611B)

Students may specialize in one of four pathways. Students take two sequential courses in the identified pathway; one in the Spring term, and one in the Summer term.