Master of Arts in TESOL

Online in English

Accredited by ACCREDITAT

Overview - Year-by-Year Brealdown - Course Description

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Year-by-Year Breakdown

Description of Courses

ESL501 General Linguistics (10 ECTS / 4US)

ESL501 introduces students to the basic principles of language study. The course will address such topics as the definition of language, psycholinguistics and neurolinguistic evidence for humans’ ability for language, findings in first and second language acquisition, history of English, language change, and language variation. However, the main focus of the course will be on the core linguistic areas: phonetics and phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. The goal of the course is to familiarize students with fundamental insights and advances of linguistic science and to apply this knowledge when teaching and developing curriculum.

ESL502 Second Language Acquisition (10 ECTS / 4 US)

 ESL503 Teaching English as a 2nd Foreign Language (7.5 ECTS / 3 US)

ESL503 presents an introduction to and a critique of current and traditional methodologies of teaching English to speakers of other languages. Participants will study the rationale behind each method in terms of language learning and classroom application.

ESL504 Pedagogical English Grammar (7,5 ECTS / 3 US)

ESL504 addresses in depth the teaching of the language backbone–grammar. Embracing linguistic, teaching, and learner grammar, ESL504 will provide students with the necessary skills to explain grammatical phenomena to ESL learners from the point of view of meaning and use in communication, to prepare and evaluate materials and activities for teaching grammar, and to understand and analyze developmental and cross-linguistic learner errors.  

ESL505 Pedagogical English Phonology (7.5 ECTS / 3 US)

Participants will study the sound system of the English language with a focus on practical application in teaching pronunciation. The topics include articulation of segmental phonemes, syllabic structure, word accent and prosodic features, such as stress, rhythm and intonation, variations at the word and utterance levels, problems of 15 language groups, and techniques and strategies in pronunciation class.

ESL506 Vocabulary Teaching and Learning (7.5 ECTS / 3 US)

ESL506 introduces graduate students to the key concepts of lexicology, such as the notion of the word, meaning, semantic relationships, lexical classes, and lexical variation. It familiarizes students with the vocabulary teaching pedagogy based on the current discoveries of the second language acquisition theory. The course provides future EFL teachers with vocabulary learner strategies and vocabulary teaching techniques. 

 ESL507 TESOL Assessment (10 ECTS / 4 US)

TESOL Assessment course critically reviews research in the areas of testing linguistically diverse students and the sociocultural dimensions of standardized testing, academic achievement, and accountability. Students are introduced to the process of assessing language proficiency and content-area knowledge in EFL programs. Participants will learn to evaluate language proficiency and literacy of EFL learners and develop assessment techniques. 

ESL508 Curriculum Development and Course Design (10 ECTS / 4 US)

 ESL508 will familiarize students with theoretical and practical issues related to the selection of content and the development of corresponding instructional materials for EFL courses. 

Students will engage in a practical project, in which they outline a complete curriculum that meets specific objectives,  design courses, and choose and/or develop teaching materials that reflect the goals defined in the curriculum outline. 

ESL509 Research Methods in TESOL (10 ECTS / 4 US)

The purpose of this course is to introduce graduate students to the process and methods of educational research. Students will learn to analyze and critique qualitative and quantitative research literature as well as to apply research principles to develop an introduction to and to design a study for the research problem related to a chosen area in TESOL.

ESL510A TESOL Portfolio (10 ECTS / 4 US)

Research and preparation for one of the two choices for the Capstone project. TESOL Portfolio requires students to submit an extensive curriculum/materials design,  assessment, and reflection project that demonstrates knowledge and skills developed in the TESOL courses during their program of study.  

Contents of the TESOL portfolio:

1. A statement of teaching philosophy. This should include reference to theory, practice and plans for future professional development (no more than 1,000 words).

2. Two out of the following three options:

• (A) A review of  a TESOL teaching/learning materials (for example, book, video-tape, software, web-based materials, etc.). This should include a brief outline of the materials and an evaluative component, which refers to both theory and practice (no more than 1,250 words). Each evaluation should include the following:

·      the full bibliographical reference (in APA),

·      a description of the target audience,

·      structure of the material,

·    an evaluation of the material’s strengths and weaknesses, including suggestions for supplementary materials that would address its weak points

(B) An assessment rubric or specifications for an assessment rubric developed for a specific EFL learner population. This could take the form of a test or detailed guidelines for evaluating a written task. If you choose to develop a test, an evaluation component for the test should be included;
(C) A short practically oriented paper on a topic covered by an elective class. The focus should be on developing something useful for the job-search process. For example, a proposal for criteria for an EFL program evaluation.

3. A series of lesson plans for (at least) 450 minutes of instruction. The population for whom the plan is intended should be described and all materials should be attached. (The population description and the plan should not exceed 2,500 words.)

4. A reflective statement about the lesson plans, explaining design choices and, if possible, evaluation of the plans’ implementation and any proposed modification to the plans.

ESL510B Thesis in TESOL/Applied Linguistics (10 ECTS / 4 US)

Thesis research and preparation. The Thesis option is recommended for those who plan to continue their studies in a Ph.D. program. The Thesis option requires a Prospectus Meeting with the Thesis Committee and an Oral Defense. The Prospectus Meeting and Defense will be conducted via Skype.

What you will be able to do with the MA in TESOL:

• Teach English to learners of all ages, children and adults,  in various language programs and higher education institutions. (Please note that many secondary schools require additional certification.)
• Coordinate English teaching programs
• Apply for a Ph.D. in TESOL