Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESL)

TESL 5611. Applied Language Study I: Phonology and the Lexicon. 3 Credit Hours.

The purpose of this course is to introduce current and future teachers to the structure of the English phonology and the lexicon and to familiarize them with the key principles of language teaching and diagnostic assessment in these areas. The practicum component of the course gives students an opportunity to apply this theoretical knowledge to practice and to conduct hands-on analysis of an individual learner's pronunciation and vocabulary.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

TESL 5612. Applied Language Study II: Grammar, Morphology and Classroom Discourse. 3 Credit Hours.

The purpose of the course is to introduce current and future teachers to the structure of the English grammar and to the concepts of interactional and narrative competence. The practicum component of the course gives students an opportunity to apply this theoretical knowledge to practice and to conduct hands-on analysis of an individual learner's grammar and discourse.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

TESL 5613. Multilingual Students' Literacy Development. 3 Credit Hours.

This course focuses specifically on the academic language needed for ELLs to be successful in U.S. schools. The course begins with an emphasis on foundational knowledge of language structures (i.e. English phonology, morphology and syntax) as well as a thorough review of key theories and principles in first and second language acquisition. The course also looks at the particular issues faced by students at different points in their education: elementary, middle and high school and the role of literacy in the content areas. With this, students will understand the complexities of reading and writing development in more than one language.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

TESL 5614. Current Approaches to Teaching English Language Learners. 3 Credit Hours.

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the most current methods in teaching English as a second language and English as a foreign language. The course is a hands-on course that provides many practical strategies and ideas for how to teach an effective language lesson. Students will be offered multiple opportunities to apply and reflect upon particular approaches. Course activities include lectures, discussions, small-group activities, and poster writing. Students are expected to write multiple lesson plans and share videotapes of their teaching with their classmates. The emphasis is to start where each student is and take them to the next level of professionalism as a language teacher.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

TESL 5615. Teaching English in a Global Context. 3 Credit Hours.

This course explores language as a social form, focusing on the connections between language, culture, perception and linguistic globalization. Against a sociolinguistic backdrop, the course aims to raise students' consciousness to the political, socio-cultural and ethical aspects of the global spread of English. The topics covered will equip students with the basic, critical concepts needed to examine the pros and cons of the internationalization of English worldwide. At a practical level, students will be guided to reflect on and incorporate these concepts in their approaches to teaching English in the US and abroad. Through readings, discussions, international conversation partners, and reflection assignments, students will (re)conceptualize how English is taught as an international language, problematizing the issues related to "Standard English" and "NES/NNES dichotomy." Individually and collectively, the class will deconstruct notions of "one-size fits all" approach to teaching (i.e. English language as a standardized language) and explore pedagogies that take into consideration multiple varieties of Englishes. From start to finish, students will be encouraged to draw on their own experiences, link theory to practice, and collect resources to support their future careers.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

TESL 5616. Designing Assessment and Curriculum for Multilingual Students. 3 Credit Hours.

This course will guide you in understanding and applying principles of curriculum design and teacher-based assessment. Course readings, assignments and class discussions will guide you through thinking about how to best teach English language learners by adapting a curriculum that has been handed to you (i.e. a mandated curriculum), by building upon existing curricula in your instructional setting, or by creating a curriculum from scratch. In this course, curriculum is conceived of as an instructional process which includes planning, instructing and assessing. A foundational idea in this course is that assessment can and should be integrated into instruction. As such, you will learn how to sequence instruction in response to students' performance on a variety of authentic assessments. You will also learn approaches to environment and needs analysis and will experience how these analyses can inform teaching and curriculum design. Toward the end of the course, the Continua of Biliteracy will be used as an organizing framework that will guide you toward taking a critical stance when reflecting upon the curriculum you have created.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

TESL 5618. Second Language Development. 3 Credit Hours.

The purpose of this course is to introduce key concepts in second language acquisition (SLA) and to survey state-of-the-art findings and current debates about linguistic, neurolinguistic, cognitive, affective, and social aspects of second language learning and use. Classroom discussions focus on understanding SLA concepts on linking theories and empirical research to classroom practice. This course serves as a precursor to the Master's comprehensive exam.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

TESL 5621. Contexts for Teaching and Learning Language. 3 Credit Hours.

In this course, we explore sociocultural and political dimensions of language learning and teaching. Learning a language is not a politically neutral enterprise: Who is encouraged to learn a language and who is prevented from accessing linguistic resources are closely related to issues of power. By focusing on sociocultural, political, racial, and economic perspectives, the course emphasizes the interplay between the macro-level relations of power in society and the micro-level experiences of language learners. In other words, we are in the business of taking a critical look at why language learning is encouraged and valued in certain situations while it is discouraged and marginalized in other situations. We will draw on language learning situations both in the U.S. and in international contexts.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

TESL 5631. Foundations of Language Teaching: Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners. 3 Credit Hours.

This course offers students an introduction to theory, research and practice in teaching English language learners in the elementary, middle and secondary grades. The course begins with an overview of sociocultural characteristics of ELLs, legal responsibilities, and educational and language policies in the United States. Students will also learn the basic theories and principles associated with second language acquisition. Students will explore the philosophies of bilingual and ESL education as well as different program models that address the education of linguistically diverse students. Students will be introduced to an array of contemporary, research-based instructional approaches, including content-based instruction, task-based language teaching, and sheltered English instruction. As a result, they will gain an understanding of how to adapt standards-based lessons for English language learners. Through a practicum component, students will learn to design lessons and assessments for small-group instruction. Students will also develop cross-cultural competence through interactions with ELLs, teachers and school staff. NOTE: This course is only for students in the Post-Baccalaureate Program, the Graduate Certification Program and the ESL Certificate Program.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

TESL 5687. Practicum for Teaching English Language Learners. 3 Credit Hours.

The course serves as a practicum for TESOL Masters students, and involves teaching, observation, reading, and reflection. Students will team-teach for 10 weeks with a mentor teacher in the Intensive English Language Program (IELP) at Temple and meet weekly for a seminar. Specifically, under the leadership of a current IELP teacher, a pair of practicum students attend a minimum of three IELP classes per week and provide varying levels of instructional support. For the first two/three weeks of the semester, the practicum students will shadow the IELP teacher, work with him/her in developing lesson plans and materials, and observe the classes and assist with small group activities. By the fourth week of the semester, the practicum students will team-teach two of the three IELP classes each week. This practicum is designed to provide a sheltered teaching experience, where students can apply what they have learned to a real-world teaching experience. Students will be observed four times throughout the semester by a practicum "coach". This coach will observe, evaluate, and provide useful feedback to maximize students' improvement and growth as ESL teachers.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

TESL 8625. Applied Linguistics. 3 Credit Hours.

Applied Linguistics is a 3-credit graduate-level course whose goal is to provide an overview of themes and topics in applied linguistics, to highlight current debates and controversies, and to make students more informed research consumers and better academic writers. Discussions will cover a wide range of areas where applied linguists conduct research on language, including but not limited to advertising, business, economy, education, healthcare, landscape, law, military, politics, and religion.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

TESL 8626. Second Language Writing. 3 Credit Hours.

Second Language Writing is a 3-credit graduate-level course that introduces students to the teaching and learning of Second-Language Writing through the exploration of major issues in the theory, research and pedagogy. Students will learn about the scope of Second-Language Writing as a field and engage in theoretical debates about teaching second-language writers and practical responses to these debates. Students will also investigate and reflect upon their own writing processes and products, and will also conduct an investigation of a second-language writer. The course will focus on the social nature of writing as well as the nature of writing as a cognitive process. Additional topics to be studied include revision, intercultural rhetoric, plagiarism and textual borrowing, responding to and assessing student writing, reading-writing connections, and grammar feedback. This course will help students learn how to responsibly address the needs of second language writers in ESL and EFL contexts as well as university-level and K-12 contexts.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

TESL 8634. Bilingualism and Bilingual Education. 3 Credit Hours.

Bilingualism and Bilingual Education is a 3-credit graduate-level course designed to introduce students to a range of perspectives on bilingualism and bilingual education, addressing both psycholinguistic aspects of bilingual development and sociocultural and political dimensions of educating bilingual students. Discussion topics will include: infant bilingualism; family language policy; code-switching; bilingualism and cognition; the impact of bilingualism on individuals' identity; politics of bilingual education; immersion education; heritage language maintenance; third language acquisition, and bilingualism and deaf education.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

TESL 8635. Educating English Language Learners: State of Knowledge. 3 Credit Hours.

Educating English Language Learners (ELLs) is a 3-credit graduate-level course designed to critically examine the state of knowledge on ELL education. Discussion topics will include: politics of ELL education, ELLs' oral language development, literacy development, content instruction, assessment, first language maintenance, college access and success, and use of technology in ELL education.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

TESL 8636. Assessment of English Language Learners. 3 Credit Hours.

Assessment of English Language Learners is a 3-credit course designed to cover a broad range of language assessment issues. The goal is to provide teachers of English as a second or foreign language with a basic foundation in language assessment issues; the knowledge to be able to critique language assessment instruments currently in use; and the tools to create valid classroom tests that not only reliably measure student achievement and proficiency, but also can serve to help guide instructional decisions.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

TESL 8643. Research Methods in Applied Linguistics. 3 Credit Hours.

Research Methods in Applied Linguistics is a 3-credit graduate-level course designed to familiarize students with a representative array of research methods used in the field of applied linguistics. Using concrete examples, the course will introduce students to basic principles of research design and methods of data collection and analysis from a variety of perspectives. Students will also be required to design, conduct, and write up an original research study.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.

TESL 8644. Current Issues in Applied Linguistics. 3 Credit Hours.

Current Issues in Applied Linguistics is a 3-credit doctoral-level seminar designed to introduce students to cutting-edge research in the fields of applied linguistics, TESOL, and second/foreign language education.

Level Registration Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Levels: Graduate.

Repeatability: This course may not be repeated for additional credits.