Oct 17, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Certificate


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This Add-On certificate prepares students to teach English as a second or foreign language abroad or in non-public school contexts in the U.S. Students who complete this certificate will be prepared to teach learners of all ages and proficiency levels who are learning English at different instructional levels (e.g., primary, secondary, and post-secondary) in diverse geographical, institutional, and sociolinguistic contexts around the world. This certificate emphasizes pedagogical components of teaching, including how to develop teaching materials suitable for linguistically and culturally diverse learners of English. Students also gain actual experience in the classroom. This certificate program will benefit new graduates who want to teach English to students abroad, to English language learners in this country in non-public school contexts, to international students at universities or colleges where English is used as a medium of instruction, and to international workers. This undergraduate certificate program does NOT certify students to teach in public schools (K-12) in Tennessee or elsewhere in the United States.

Campus


Knoxville

Undergraduate Certificate Type


Add-On

Foundation Course


Choose one:

Elective


Choose one:

Practicum


One credit. Students work in an ESL/L2 classroom, with ESL/L2 students outside of class, and/or with the instructor on class preparations for 3 hours a week and submit a portfolio to the certificate coordinator overseeing the independent study at the end of the semester. The portfolio will include following components: activity logs, a selection of teaching and assessment materials students helped the instructor of the course develop, and a final reflection on practicum experience. During the practicum, students will work closely with the instructor of the course to develop lesson plans, assignments, and assessments. The division of the three hours of work each week would be determined by the student and the certificate coordinator. Students can complete this requirement by working as a teaching assistant in ENGL 121, ENGL 131, ENGL 132, or ENGL 102/ENGL 132 classes. Students must complete the foundation course and two core courses, or get permission from the certificate coordinator, before they can take ENGL 493.

Other Requirements


This 5-course (13 credit hours) certificate requires students to complete all the coursework at the University of Tennessee. Each course must be completed with a grade of C or better. At least three credit hours must be unique to this certificate and not overlap with another major, minor, or certificate. At least four credit hours must be taken through the Department of English. The other nine can be taken as either English or Linguistics. Applications to declare this certificate will be made through the English Department’s Undergraduate Studies Office and reviewed by the Coordinator of the Certificate in TESOL. A student pursuing this Add-On certificate must be enrolled as a degree-seeking student at the University of Tennessee.

 

* Meets Volunteer Core  Requirement.

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