If you’re a licensed teacher who is interested in enhancing your career qualifications and placing a greater emphasis on teaching within a culturally enriched classroom, consider earning your master’s in TESOL degree. A Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages degree would enable you to shift your professional focus to working within a multicultural setting and with a diverse student population. You could choose to remain in the U.S. while teaching English to students from non-English speaking countries. Alternatively, you might take your skills abroad to experience the joys of cultural immersion for yourself.
A master’s in TESOL degree is often available via online or on-campus evening classes. Depending on the university and program you choose, you can generally expect to study topics such as the following:
- Quantitative, qualitative and action research methodologies, as well as research design strategies and scientific reasoning skills
- Neuroscience, behavioral and cognitive science research exploring teaching, learning and memory, and how these insights can be applied to instructional practice
- Current language models and teaching strategies for instructional programs for English language learners, with a look at the art of advocating for bilingual families
- The fundamentals of linguistics, including psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics and second language acquisition
- The design of culturally responsive curricula, with an eye toward linguistic, cognitive, developmental and sociocultural considerations
- Language and literacy development in bilingual settings
You can also expect to complete a practicum. This will require access to a PK-12 classroom with bilingual or English language learners.
The College of Education at Grand Canyon University strives to graduate teacher candidates who possess a keen sense of the diversity of global perspectives and the importance of welcoming and promoting multicultural education in all classrooms. We offer a number of undergraduate and graduate degree programs to help aspiring teachers succeed on their journeys, including the Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) degree. This advanced TESOL degree emphasizes the benefits of a diverse, culturally aware classroom for learners.
Approved by the Assistant Dean for the College of Education on Dec. 15, 2022.