Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).
The MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) is offered by specialists in the field of Applied Linguistics.
Swansea University has one of the longest established Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) training and education centres in the UK and is internationally known for excellence in vocabulary research. Currently staff expertise exists in corpus linguistics, computer assisted language learning and stylistics. Internationally recruited staff offer a wide range of relevant experience and contacts across countries and continents as well as different levels of kinds of education. The MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) is intended for those who have already begun to develop an informed interest or have some previous training or relevant experience in the field.
El Gazette ranked the Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics at Swansea, top for world class research in English Language.
Students enrolled on the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) programme will benefit from the College of Arts and Humanities' Graduate Centre. The Graduate Centre fosters and supports individual and collaborative research activity of international excellence and offers a vibrant and supportive environment for students pursuing postgraduate research and taught Master's study. The Centre provides postgraduate training to enhance academic and professional development and facilitates participation in seminar programmes, workshops and international conferences.
The MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) has two parts: a taught component and either a dissertation or practical teaching of English language classes.
TESOL students following the practical route will be supported, observed and assessed teaching English. They are also required to produce a portfolio of teaching and testing materials. This route would be indicated on the final MA certificate.
- The MA TESOL is a one-year full time, campus-based programme designed to give (prospective) teachers of English as a foreign/second language a thorough understanding of current theories, trends, and cutting edge applied linguistics research relevant for language teaching.
- The Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) programme also aims to stimulate reflection on students’ own teaching practices.
- TESOL students are assessed through a range of assessments, including essays, data analysis projects, group projects, and in-class
exams.
- TESOL students with some experience in language teaching and/or some formal background in linguistics are likely to benefit most from the programme.
Modules on the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) programme typically include:
• Vocabulary: Teaching and Learning
• Describing English
• Discourse Analysis for ELT
• Communicative Language Teaching
• Second Language Acquisition
• Young Language Learners
• Research Methods for ELT
• Language Testing and Assessment
- Prospective students interested in teaching English as a foreign or second language.
- Prospective students who have experience of teaching English as a second or foreign language, or who have some previous training or relevant work experience in the field.
- Prospective students who wish to gain academic training in applied linguistics, in preparation for advanced academic degrees (e.g., MPhil, PhD) in applied linguistics or related disciplines.
Graduates from the MA Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at Swansea can expect to pursue careers in ESL and EFL teaching, teacher training, material development, international education, publishing, and in a wide range of international settings requiring in-depth understanding of language learning, teaching, and research.
“Studying abroad has always been one of my dreams. My friends have always told me that the period studying as a student is the most enjoyable time in life. I didn't really believe it till I started my MA course at the Swansea University. The course in Teaching English As a Foreign Language (TEFL, now TESOL) helped me to deepen my knowledge in that field. All of the lecturers I had a chance to meet were really helpful, motivating and friendly. They were professional and possessed a great knowledge of what they teach. The modules offered include theory as well as practice. The facilities provided by the University, such as computer rooms and the library were great as well and well equipped. I really regret that the time I spent in Swansea is now over. It was a great experience for me and gave me a chance to meet and make friends with many people from all over the world.”
Anna Marie Poczta, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), MA
This programme for professionals already involved in, or interested in learning about TESOL teacher education, introduces you to current thinking about what language teachers need to know and how they can be helped to learn it.
You’ll explore how people learn languages and discover the strategies language teachers use to develop the key skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. You’ll build on this foundation through specialist modules, and examine the goals and processes of teacher education and how to support TESOL teachers’ learning.
You’ll also choose from a wide range of optional modules such as the use of technology in language learning, materials development and issues surrounding assessment.
Taught by leading researchers and experienced practitioners in TESOL, you’ll benefit from a wide range of resources and support. You’ll gain valuable skills to support and empower TESOL professionals in their own practice.
Research insight
The Language Education team in the School of Education is one of the largest such teams in the UK.
Our members have experience of teaching, teacher education and consultancy work in TESOL, ELT, EFL, ESOL, EAL, Modern Foreign Languages, and Applied Linguistics in many contexts in the UK and around the world, and are nationally and internationally recognised as researchers.
You’ll deepen your understanding of TESOL in semester one. You’ll focus on how people learn languages, how to describe and explain language to learners and the approaches you can take to teaching reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.
You’ll then focus on aspects of teacher education in semester two. You will consider the goals and processes of teacher education, ideas about training, development and mentoring, the role of the teacher as a researcher, and the principles underpinning the design and implementation of training programmes for TESOL teachers.
In addition, you’ll choose from a range of optional modules on topics such as the use of technology in language learning, grammar and vocabulary teaching, and issues surrounding the assessment of language learning.
You’ll use the knowledge and skills you develop to carry out a small-scale piece of research related to your own interests within teacher education. To help you develop the necessary research skills for this module, you’ll also take the module Research Methods for TESOL, but this will not be assessed as part of the course.
If you choose to study part-time, you’ll study over a longer period and take fewer modules in each year.
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
You’ll generally have around eight to ten hours of classes per week including seminars, tutorials and lectures. However, independent study is an important aspect of this programme, either alone or in a group, as it allows you to develop key research, analysis and communication skills and develop your own ideas.
Most of our modules are assessed through written assignments, from which you’ll often be able to choose from a range of topics. To help you prepare, you’ll be able to submit a draft to your tutor for comment beforehand.
MA TESOL Teacher Education graduates have gone on to take up positions as pre and in-service English language teacher educators within universities or local educational administrations in various parts of the world.
We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.
The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.
This programme for experienced TESOL teachers, advisors and teacher trainers focuses on the teaching of English or other languages to children between 5 and 12 years old.
You’ll study core modules alongside students on our other TESOL programmes, exploring how people learn languages and the strategies teachers use to develop the key skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. A specialist module will focus on foreign language learning in children and how theories of learning and pedagogy have contributed to TESOL practice in the classroom.
In addition, you’ll choose from optional modules allowing you to build your knowledge of topics such as the potential for technology in language learning, materials development and TESOL teacher education.
Taught by leading researchers and experienced practitioners in TESOL, you’ll benefit from a wide range of resources and support. You’ll gain valuable skills to inform your teaching practice in a stimulating, friendly environment.
Research and professional insight
The Language Education team in the School of Education is nationally and internationally recognised for its range of teaching, research, knowledge transfer and consultancy work in TESOL, ELT, EFL, ESOL, EAL, Modern Foreign Languages, and Applied Linguistics.
We’re one of the largest Language Education teams in the UK. As education practitioners, we have a wide range of experience of teaching and teacher education work in many contexts in the UK and around the world, and as researchers, we have a broad range of expertise across the discipline.
In Semester One you’ll deepen your understanding of the foundations of TESOL – you’ll focus on how people learn languages, how to describe and explain language to learners and the approaches you can take to teaching reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.
You’ll then expand your knowledge in Semester Two in more specialist areas. You’ll take a further core module that focuses on the theory and practice of teaching foreign languages to children aged 5-12 – including theories of children’s language learning, activities, key skills, story and theme-based courses, designing tasks and materials and appropriate ways of assessing the progress of young learners.
In addition, you’ll choose from a range of optional modules on topics like the use of technology in language learning, teacher education and learning and teaching vocabulary.
In the final part of the year, you’ll use your newly-acquired knowledge and skills to carry out a small-scale piece of research. Your critical study can be related to your own interests within the field of education. To support your work on the project, you will take a non-assessed research methods course, while help with your academic writing is available throughout the year.
If you choose to study part-time, you’ll study over a longer period and take fewer modules in each year.
Compulsory modules
You’ll generally have around 8-10 hours of classes per week including seminars, tutorials and lectures. However, independent study is an important aspect of this programme, either alone or in a group, since it allows you to develop key research, analysis and communication skills and develop your own ideas.
Most of our taught modules are assessed through written assignments, which you’ll choose from a range of topics. To help you prepare, you’ll be able to submit a draft to your tutor for comment beforehand, and we offer other forms of support as well. You’ll also complete a portfolio of work such as materials and activities as part of the module Teaching Languages to Young Learners.
There is a worldwide trend towards introducing English at earlier stages of national curricula, while parents often seek out private tutoring for their children at even younger ages.
The MA TESOL for Young Learners encourages participants to take a critical perspective on these developments, but also equips them with the skills and understanding to participate more fully in young learner pedagogy in their home or other international contexts.
Recent graduates of the programme for example have become teacher trainers, others have found more rewarding classroom positions, and those who do particularly well are encouraged to consider continuing to doctoral study.
We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.
The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.
Studying for your Masters in TESOL is the key to unlocking international career opportunities in a sector that is enjoying impressive sustained growth.
We will help you to master the main theories and principles of language learning and teaching so that you can apply them with confidence and imagination in your own teaching practice.
A range of optional modules will allow you to specialise, while the dissertation will enable you to undertake in-depth research into a topic of particular interest to you.
This course is a great complement to a teaching qualification, opening up opportunities to become an active member of the international academic and professional English Language Teaching community.
This programme is studied full-time over one academic year and part-time students must study at least two taught technical modules per academic year. It consists of eight taught modules and a dissertation.
Example module listing
The following modules are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that not all modules described are compulsory and may be subject to teaching availability and/or student demand.
This programme is designed for students who have little or no previous language teaching experience or training but who have a strong interest in English language teaching and who are planning a career in the sector.
It's main aim is therefore to provide a sound academic basis in English language teaching through the exploration of major issues in language teaching and learning, including how practice is informed by theory, thereby determining the methods/approaches as well as the materials teachers use and their impact in ESOL classrooms.
The programme thus combines the study of the major principles of, and scholarly approaches to, TESOL with opportunities for application and practice. Specifically, the programme aims to:
The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding, skills, qualities and other attributes in the following areas:
Knowledge and understanding
Following completion of the programme, students should be able to:
Intellectual/cognitive skills
Following completion of the programme, students should be able to:
Professional practical skills
Following completion of the programme, students should be able to:
Key/transferable skills
Following completion of the programme, students should be able to:
We often give our students the opportunity to acquire international experience during their degrees by taking advantage of our exchange agreements with overseas universities.
In addition to the hugely enjoyable and satisfying experience, time spent abroad adds a distinctive element to your CV.
This programme is studied entirely in China. It is jointly delivered by the University of Leeds and Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, and allows experienced Chinese TESOL professionals to gain a deeper understanding of how languages are learned and the strategies used to teach them.
You will explore current insights, issues and problems withinTESOL, and assesses the theoretical frameworks for the language learning,teaching and testing processes. You will have the opportunity to appraise the proceduresand outcomes of different approaches to pedagogy and evaluation in TESOL, andthe ability to explore how such issues and frameworks relate to your ownprofessional environment.
You’ll study four core modules exploring current theories of language acquisition, the complex context in which any language learning takes place, different approaches to and strategies for TESOL, and current theories around language assessment.
You’ll be taught at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies by tutors from both universities and be registered as a full-time student at Leeds, giving you access to all of our online library resources as well as those available at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies.
Research and professional insight
The Language Education team in the School of Education is nationally and internationally recognised for its range of teaching, research, knowledge transfer and consultancy work in TESOL, ELT, EFL, ESOL, EAL, Modern Foreign Languages, and Applied Linguistics.
The Language Education team in the School of Education is one of the largest such teams in the UK. Members have experience of teaching, teacher education and consultancy work in TESOL, ELT, EFL, ESOL, EAL, Modern Foreign Languages, and Applied Linguistics in many contexts in the UK and around the world, and are nationally and internationally recognised as researchers.
This programme is not suitable for those without professional TESOL experience.
This programme is jointly delivered and has been designed by academic staff from both the University of Leeds and Guangdong University of Foreign Studies.
All teaching and learning is influenced by the context in which it occurs. The programme begins by considering the components of an educational context, from visible features of the classroom to the less visible but influential educational norms that affect teacher and learner roles and behaviours.
You then explore current theoretical models of language acquisition, and consider the ways in which people learn, or acquire a second language. The course continues by deepening your understanding of learning and teaching integrated skills in TESOL, focusing explicitly on oral and written language processing and their implications for different teaching and learning activities. You’ll use this knowledge to design, adapt and evaluate language learning tasks, and to think carefully about methods of assessment that will be appropriate for your working context
At every stage of the course, you’ll develop your research skills and think about the relationship between research and TESOL practice. You’ll demonstrate this awareness when you complete your critical study: an intensive, small-scale, research project related to your own interests in TESOL education.
In March of the year after you successfully complete the programme, you’ll receive a MA TESOL degree from the University of Leeds at a graduation ceremony in Guangzhou.
Compulsory modules
This course is all taught face-to-face at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies with two modules each taught by tutors from each university. You’ll experience a range of teaching methods including lectures, seminars, discussions, small group tasks and presentations, and extra study support will be available online through the University of Leeds’ Virtual Learning Environment. Independent study is also an important part of this programme.
All modules are assessed by written assignments of up to 6000 words, and you’ll be encouraged to write on topics that are directly relevant to your own professional context. Your critical study is around 12,000 words. All your assignments will be submitted online through the University of Leeds’ Virtual Learning Environment.
You’ll gain a range of knowledge and skills from this programme that could make a big difference your career prospects.
Many of our graduates go back to their previous work contexts, where they often become candidates for promotion thanks to their greater expertise. Others find new jobs in different institutions or other parts of the country. Some have even progressed to PhD level study at institutions in China, Hong Kong and the UK.
