The Profession of TESOL
TESOL 401
About
the Course
This course examines
the profession of TESOL. Its purpose is to address some fundamental questions
about the field, including:
· What are the elements
of professionalism?
· What role does English
play in the world today?
· What types of knowledge
do TESOL professionals need?
· What organizations and
resources are available to TESOL professionals?
· What ethical, legal,
and political considerations are relevant to TESOL?
· What professional
standards exist in TESOL?
· What kinds of jobs and
careers are found in TESOL?
· What are the various
TESOL environments?
· What are some major
tools used by TESOL professionals?
· What trends and
controversies are important in TESOL?
Whether
you are just beginning your study of TESOL or are already a seasoned veteran,
this course will help you develop an overall framework for understanding and
relating the various elements that make up the profession.
Textbooks
· Crystal. English as a
Global Language (second edition). 2003. Cambridge University
Press, ISBN 0-521-53032-6
· Ariza, Morales-Jones, Yahya,
and Zainuddin. Why TESOL? (second edition). 2002. Kendall/Hunt
Publishing Company, ISBN 0-7575-0848-0
Course
Requirements
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Requirement |
Percentage of Course Grade |
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Forums |
30% |
|
Term Project |
40% |
|
Final Exam |
30% |
|
TESOL 401 The Profession of TESOL |
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Assignments should be done in the order
shown on the schedule. All course work must be submitted before you take the
final exam. |
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Class |
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Topics |
What to Do |
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Before |
After |
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1 |
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Elements of
Professionalism |
Reflect on these questions:
What is a profession? What are the distinguishing marks of a professional
person? How do these concepts apply to TESOL? |
to be assigned |
|
2 |
|
The Emergence
of Global English |
Read the Preface and the first
two chapters of Crystal, English as a Global Language. |
to be assigned |
|
3 |
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The Future of
Global English |
Read the rest of English
as a Global Language. |
to be assigned |
|
4 |
|
Background Knowledge: The
English Language |
Read Part II of Why
TESOL? |
to be assigned |
|
5 |
|
Foreground Knowledge:
Language Acquisition and Teaching |
Read Part III of Why
TESOL? |
to be assigned |
|
6 |
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The TESOL
Community |
Visit the links to Some
Professional Associations (Web Sites) to get the flavor of these groups. |
to be assigned |
|
7 |
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Ethical, Legal, and
Political Considerations |
Read the following articles
in Articles |
to be assigned |
|
8 |
|
Professional Standards |
Visit the links for TESOL
Standards and Accreditation (Web Sites); acquaint yourself with the
various types of standards and organizations that promote them. |
to be assigned |
|
9 |
|
Environments
and Students |
Read the article by Nayar (Course Material > Articles). Be aware that this article is somewhat dense, overwritten, and even rather annoying in places! But also be aware that there are some interesting ideas here that deserve consideration. Also, visit the http://www.su.edu/sas/tesol/index.htm at Dave's ESL Cafe. Reflect on the thoughts, concerns, abilities, and needs of the ESL/EFL students who have posted there. Think about ESL/EFL students you have known. |
to be assigned |
|
10 |
|
Jobs and
Careers |
Visit http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/seccss.asp?CID=253&DID=1725
for lots of information about the employment situation in the field. (This
site is a service of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages,
Inc.) |
to be assigned |
|
11 |
|
Tools and Techniques |
You can get a quick picture
of some important teaching and testing tools by visiting the links (in Web
Sites) to Some Major TESOL Publishers and Some Major English
Language Tests. |
to be assigned |
|
12 |
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Trends and Controversies |
|
to be assigned |
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In order to complete the
course, you will need to submit your Term Project and take the Final
Exam (see Assignments). |
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