Teaching English as a Second Language
Teaching English language internationally has become an enormous industry, with many of the legitimate work sites now requiring a master's degree in ESL, a certificate from a reputable institution, or course work in this field or related fields, such as applied linguistics or foreign language education. The English Department's offering can serve to enhance a student's chances of securing an appropriate position teaching English abroad or of being admitted to a graduate program in Applied Linguistics/ESL.
While the English Department does not offer a degree in teaching English as a Second Language, we do offer several courses which can help prepare students interested in this field and which also fulfill some degree requirements in the College of Education's program in Foreign Language/ESL teacher training. Most of these courses are offered on a two-year rotation. For more information about the 400-level courses on this list, see our Undergraduate Course Offerings page.
English Department Courses
English 474 Teaching English as a Second Language I
This course introduces issues in teaching ESL such as the political dimensions of the enterprise, theory and research into how adults learn second languages, the effect of variable attributes of learners (for example, age, motivation, individual cognitive style) on language learning, and varieties of methodologies in teaching ESL. It assumes no background in ESL but does assume experience with language learning.
English 476 Second Language Acquisition
This course explores in detail research on and theories of how languages are learned, beginning with infants learning their first languages and moving to adults learning second languages.
English 477 Pedagogical Grammar for ESL Teachers
This course focuses on features of the structure of English that create problems for English learners. It is intended to help (prospective and current) ESL teachers understand English structure well enough to be able to answer learners' questions with accuracy and confidence.
English 575 Issues in L2 Rhetoric and Composition
is course examines rhetorical, political, linguistic, and pedagogical issues in teaching writing at English language institutes or at the college or university level (particularly freshman composition) to learners whose first or strongest language is not English.
Related Courses
The English Department and the Interdisciplinary Program in Linguistics also offer several other courses focusing on English language that might be helpful for those interested in teaching ESL. These courses include English 371 (Foundations of the English Language), 372 (The Structure of Modern English), and 471 (Sociolinguistics), and Linguistics 200 (Language, Linguistics, and Society).
CLICK HERE for information on the Interdisciplinary Program in Linguistics.
Additional Information
For additional information about the ESL program, contact the Director of ESL, Dr. Ilona Leki, in 405 McClung Tower; (865) 974-5401; e-mail: leki@utk.edu.