Curriculum

The curriculum is 30/31 credit hours and consists of:

• A Linguistics core (4 courses, 12 credit hours): The Linguistics core courses have no prerequisites, so there is no required background to enter the program
• A TESOL core of 4 courses (4 courses, 12 credit hours)
• A TESOL Practicum (3-6 credit hours)
• An additional elective
• A one-credit seminar on being a professional

TESOL Practicum

Practicum teachers gain valuable field-based teaching experiences with local ESL providers. Here Dr. Thomas-Ruzic talks with students at the International English Center, an intensive English located on the Boulder campus and serving international students.

All students are required to complete successfully LING 5910, TESOL Practicum. This course involves 48-60 hours of student/teaching contact time, regular peer and instructor class observations and coaching sessions, and weekly seminar-style meetings during the semester. Practicum students’ responsibilities and structured experiences in classroom observations, lesson planning, assisting/facilitating, and teaching will vary, depending on their teaching context and their prior experiences and readiness.

The Practicum is based on guided observations and centers on the practicum teacher’s inquiry question linked to teaching and learning. Students engage in solo teaching as appropriate and as worked out with the host institution. site supervisor, and the practicum instructor. With an Advisor’s consent, interested students may take a second TESOL Practicum for credit (see Elective)

Weekly seminars linked to the Practicum include debriefings of observed classes and discussions on variety of topics that may include:

• Defining professionals and professionalism
• The job search
• Issues of race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation and equity
• Language and gender
• Professional/ technical writing and oral communication
• Working with evolving technology and media
• The role of professional associations
• Social responsibility and social change

The department is pleased to offer the following two new courses starting in Fall 2008:

Linguistics 5620: Teaching ESL Pronunciation
This course examines the phonetics and phonology of American English (including prosody) and explores techniques for teaching pronunciation skills to non-native speakers. Both general issues and specific problems for students from particular language backgrounds are treated.

Linguistics 5630: Methods and Materials for Teaching English as an Additional Language
This course provides an overview of methods and materials for teaching English, along with opportunities for students to observe, discuss and analyze these in relation to language teaching principles, linguistic considerations, and global and local contexts. Aimed primarily at the teaching English to nonnative speaking adults, the course also addresses second and foreign language teaching generally.

Working with international partners

Advisory Board member Fátima Encinas directs a new MA program in English Language Teaching in Puebla, Mexico.Yongquan Bai is dean of the School of Foreign Languages in Xi’an Jiaotong University. Both these institutions are sites for potential exchanges and practical experiences for Linguistics students in the proposed program.

Elective

Elective offerings include courses in multi-cultural education, assessment, second-language writing, and instructional technology. Please see Electives.

Students may take a second TESOL Practicum as their elective with the Advisor’s consent. This option is designed for those students who are new to teaching and who would benefit from additional supported field-based, classroom teaching experiences.