Program
Description of the TESOL Programs
Step-by-Step Program Checklist
Description of the TESOL Programs
We offer two TESOL programs: the Master of Arts Degree in TESOL and the ESL Certificate. The Master of Arts Degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Others Languages (TESOL) prepares teachers for a wide variety of positions both in the U.S. and abroad. The program empahsizes language acquisition, teaching methodology, language testing, research, and sociocultural influences. The certificate program is designed to prepare and qualify teachers to work in classrooms or other educational settings where students are learning to speak, read, and write English as a second language (kindergarten through adult levels).
Admission
First, the prospective student must gain admission to the university with graduate status. Applications can be obtained by writing to the CSLA Admissions Office. If approved, prospective students must make formal application to the Charter College of Education and TESOL Program, and consult a faculty advisor for program planning (call 323-343-4330 for office hours).Requirements
In addition to university requirements for admission to graduate study, the TESOL Program requires that applicants (a) have a 2.75 grade point average for the last 90 quarter units attempted, (b) have completed the CSLA course TESOL 400(Linguistics in Education or ENGL 401 (English Literature in America) or an equivalent Introduction to Linguistics course. In addition to these prerequisites, all non-native English speakers, regardless of citizenship, must have a minimum 600 score on the paper and pencil Test of English as a Foreign Language (P&P TOEFL) or a minimum 250 score on the computer-based TOEFL (CBT TOEFL). These requirements must be met before a student can be admitted into the program. If your TOEFL score is below 600 or 250 consider taking some of the American Culture and Program(ACLP) courses at CSULA. For information in these courses, please go to the ACLP Website, http://www.calstatela.edu/exed/aclp/.
Prerequisites
TESL 400 - Linguistics in Education or English 401 - English Language in America or equivalent; with a grade of B or better. One year of college level study in a foreign language or the equivalent. Non-native speakers of English (regardless of citizenship, if you have not been in an undergraduate program in an English-speaking country). Minimum 600 score on the Paper and Pencil TOEFL or 250 on the Computer-Based TOEFL.
TESOL Certificate
This program is designed to prepare and qualify teachers to work in classrooms or other educational settings where students are learning to speak, read, and write English as a second language (kindergarten through adult levels).
Requirements for the Certificate (minimum 32 units) In addition to course requirements, a passing UNIV 400--Writing Proficiency Examination (WPE) score and a valid California teaching credential, or eligibility for one, are required for issuance of the certificate. A minimum B (3.0) grade point average is required in all course work on the program. Refer to the Graduate and Post-baccalaureate Study chapter of the Cal State General Catalog for general regulations governing all certificate programs.
Required Courses (32 units) TESL 400, Linguistics in Education (4) or ENGL 401 English Language in America (4) EDCI 453 Teaching in Bilingual/Crosscultural Schools (4) EDCI 549 Developing English Reading/Language Arts Skills for Bilingual/Crosscultural Individuals (4) EDFN 562, 563 Methods For Teaching Second Languages (4) EDFN 560 Theories of Teaching and Learning Second Languages (4) EDFN 567A Language Testing (4) EDFN 568 Field Work in English as a Second Language (4) Optional Electives (select in adviser consultation): EDFN 540AB, 566, 569, 570, 571, 572, 573AB, 574, 567B EDIT 452 EDSP 408 ENGL 405.
Step-by-Step Program Checklist
1. Apply to the university for graduate admission (Administration Bldg. 101).
2. Submit application to TESOL Program (King Hall C2098). (NOTE: you will be notified by mail 4-6 weeks after the application is received)
3. Schedule an appointment with a TESOL faculty advisor to plan your M.A. program contract. (NOTE: TESL 400 or ENGL 401 or EDSP 408 or equivalent is a prerequisite to the program. You must have passed it with at least a 'B' grade prior to filling out your M.A. program contract.) See page for a list of TESOL faculty advisors. Students seeking advice on any aspect of the program can meet with any of the listed faculty advisors. You will not be assigned to a specific faculty member for the duration of your enrollment.
4. Submit application to Charter College of Education (King Hall D2070).
5. The sequence of required courses begins with TESL 560, offered only in Fall Quarter. Students wishing to finish the degree program in a timely manner should begin in the Fall Quarter. (NOTE: Students who begin earlier than Fall Quarter or who wish to transfer graduate credits from another institution should note that no more than 13 quarter units may be counted towards the degree as of the date the M.A. program contract is submitted. See Step 3 above.)
6. All students must take and pass the UNIV. 400 - Writing Proficiency Exam (WPE) their first quarter here at CSULA.
7. After completing 16 units and passing the WPE, students must apply for Advancement to Candidacy (Form EGS - 10 see in Appendix).
8. Begin planning for culminating experience.
A. Students who wish to take the Comprehensive Exam:
(1). Need to clear all outstanding Incomplete grades.
(2). Need to submit an application in the TESOL Program Office (KH C2098) by the 5th week of the preceding quarter when you will be taking the exam.
B. Students who wish to do a Thesis/Project:
(1). Need an advisor's approval
(2). Need to take EDFN 452
9. Apply for graduation one quarter before you plan to graduate.
The TESOL MA program endeavors to prepare educators to be both informed practitioners and effective researchers by providing a pedagogically and theoretically sound knowledge base and by encouraging respect for differences in language, culture, belief systems, and values.
The TESOL Program prepares teachers for a variety of classroom situations in English as a Second Language (ESL), English as a Foreign Language (EFL), and English for Specific Purposes (ESP) settings, in elementary through adult instructional contexts, both in the United States and abroad. It is committed to providing a broad knowledge base in the following areas: linguistics, first and second language acquisition processes, social and cultural factors in second language learning, current theories and methods of second language teaching, testing and evaluation, research design and statistics, discourse analysis, and curriculum and materials design. Faculty and students accomplish this mission through collaborative efforts, locally, nationally, and internationally and through excellence in teaching, research, and professional service. The TESOL Program also provides educators with a research knowledge base that aids them in becoming effective consumers of research and prepares those who are interested to pursue advanced training in Applied Linguistics. A brief summary of each major area is presented below.
1. TESOL Foundations and Research Methods.
A basic introduction to linguistics and applied linguistics forms the basis for TESOL professionals in training. This includes a broad understanding of the core branches of linguistics (phonetics, phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax, pragmatics, discourse, language variation, language acquisition, among others) and how these fields of study are applied in educational social contexts.
Inquiry is encouraged across the curriculum. Both quantitative and qualitative research approaches are stressed, and both process and product are explored in relation to language teaching and learning.
2. Second Language Acquisition Theory and Research.
The study of second language acquisition includes an understanding of innatist, cognitivist, functionalist, and interactionist perspectives on how languages are learned in a variety of settings inside and outside the classroom. The research areas which will be examined include, among others, universal grammar, individual differences, learning strategies, communication strategies, social factors, instructional contexts, input and interaction, and language transfer.
3. Second Language Pedagogy.
Instruction in second language pedagogy is designed to provide students with an understanding of how to apply integrated approaches to the teaching of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and grammar in the second language classroom, making use of the full range of technological tools. The classroom teaching methodologies covered include Total Physical Response, the Silent Way, the Natural Approach, Communicative Language Teaching, Content-based Instruction, Task-based Learning, multiple literacies.
Emphasis is placed on the view that language learning needs to be integrated across the curriculum and on the notion of language teacher-content instructor collaboration. Moreover, learner needs in professional or vocational settings must be taken into account in course and curriculum design. Second language pedagogy prepares second language teachers to meet the needs of diverse students such as those placed in Vocational and adult English as a Second Language programs, and English for Academic Purposes programs.
4. Language Assessment.
The study of language assessment includes an understanding of the different approaches to assessing first or second language ability for educational or employment purposes through formal and informal measures. Analyses of teacher-made tests and state-mandated standardized tests will be given priority. Incorporated into these analyses will be test quality concepts such as validity and reliability of test scores, fairness of test use and testing for linguistically diverse groups and test takers with disabilities.
5. Sociolinguistics.
The vast range of cultural, educational, and socioeconomic backgrounds of language learners is reflected in their sociolinguistic diversity. In order to meet their needs, a foundation in sociolinguistic theory and research introduces students to both macro- and micro-sociolinguistic concepts including language standards, planning, and policy; language variation and language change across regions and time; language and interaction; and language and social identity. These concepts are applied to issues language learners face in institutional and noninstitutional settings, including intercultural communication, test-taking, classroom language learning, job-interviewing, and gender-related (mis)communication, to name just a few.