Minor in Teaching English as a Second Language

Department of Language and Literature

• Dr. Vi Dutcher, department chair
• Dr. R. Michael Medley, associate professor of TESL, IEP Director

The TESL minor provides students with an opportunity to study selected aspects of teaching English as a second or foreign language while obtaining practical experience in tutoring and classroom teaching. Elementary and secondary education majors can take the minor to receive an ESL endorsement. (Please see advisor for more information on endorsement.)

Students in other majors may use the minor as preparation for teaching non-formal adult education in the US or teaching overseas. The TESL minor does not by itself qualify students in other majors to teach in US public schools. The minor consists of 18 hours as follows:

LANG 301 Introduction to Linguistics - 3 credits

Explores the diversity of language systems and their fundamental similarities. Includes terminology, tools, and techniques for linguistic analysis. Features work in phonetics and phonology, history of the English language, and sociolinguistics. Fall.

LANG 312 The Grammars of English - 3 credits

Approaches to analyzing the grammar of English and the application of grammatical knowledge to the teaching of speaking, writing and grammar to English language learners and American school students. Spring.

LANG 372 Psycholinguistics - 3 credits

Survey of psychological perspectives on language including the biological bases of language, language development and processing, language, thought and meaning, and memory for language. Second language acquisition is emphasized. Spring.

LANG 451 Methods of TESL/FL - 3 credits

The theory and practice of teaching any second or foreign language. Requires 10 hours of tutoring. Fulfills a community learning requirement. Fall.

LANG 461/2 TESL Practicum - 3 credits

Sixty hours of supervised teaching in an ESL classroom. A limited amount of one-on-one tutoring may substitute for group teaching. Prerequisite: LANG 451 or simultaneous enrollment in LANG 451. To complete a practicum abroad or to teach abroad after completing your TESL minor see these opportunities: www.emu.edu/iep/opportunities.html and www.emu.edu/careers/jobs/listjobs.php?category=International

FOREIGN LANGUAGE: Intermediate II or above 3 credits

Possible changes in the minor coming up:

1. Offering of Psycholinguistics on an alternate year basis.
2. Offering an additional course in acquisition of reading in a second language to be required for elementary/secondary education majors.