Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages MA

Overview

Designed for TESOL professionals, this programme explores how people learn new languages and how to teach the English language most effectively (if you are not a TESOL professional yet you can undertake our MA TESOL Studies programme).

You will consider how to analyse and describe the English language for pedagogic purposes, and examine different approaches and principles to teaching the skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking. You will also consider how to analyse a learner’s language to understand their proficiency and track their development.

You can also choose to specialise in certain aspects of TESOL: for example, teacher education, materials development, curriculum reform, the teaching of grammar and vocabulary, the use of ICT, or language assessment.

Language education expertise

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 are 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. As researchers, we have a broad range of expertise across the discipline with ongoing research projects in teacher development, language use in migrant communities, learning with digital technologies, and IELTS preparation courses.

Learning and teaching

You will be taught by a range of teaching methods including seminars and tutorials. 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.

Assessment

We assess most of our modules through written assignments; you will be able to choose from a range of assignment topics. To help you prepare, you’ll be able to submit a draft to your tutor for comment beforehand.

Career opportunities

Our students frequently find that new career opportunities open up for them, either in their home countries or in new international settings.

Some of our graduates have started work in teacher training, materials creation, or curriculum design. Others have started their own private language teaching business or moved from school to university teaching.

We also encourage students who do particularly well on the programme to consider doctoral level study with a view to an academic career. Students who return to their original classrooms often find they have fresh perspectives and their work becomes more rewarding and effective.