Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MSEd)
Department of Language, Learning, and Leadership
Overview, Description and Purpose of Program
Housed in the College of Education and the Department of Language, Learning, and Leadership, the Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed), TESOL K-12 degree program is a graduate-level program designed for both in-service and pre-service teachers. The M.S.Ed, TESOL K-12 program leads to initial and/or professional certification in TESOL K-12, depending upon the credentials with which the candidate enters this program. Since Fall 2001, the TESOL K-12 degree program has been serving three distinct groups of candidates:
- Track I—Those who already have a master’s degree and who have initial/provisional or professional/ permanent certification in an approved area wishing to receive a second master’s degree (36 credit hour program) or the Advanced Certificate (24 credit hour program);
- Track II—Those who have a baccalaureate degree and who have New York State initial/provisional certification in an approved area wishing to receive the M.S.Ed. in TESOL and N.Y.S. Certification K-12; and
- Track III—Those who have a baccalaureate degree or a master’s degree in an area of Liberal Arts or Natural Sciences and who do not have teacher’s certification of any type wishing to receive the M.S.Ed. in TESOL and N.Y.S. Certification K-12. These candidates must complete the 36 credit hour program leading to the M.S.Ed. in TESOL and N.Y.S. Certification K-12, and must complete, by advisement, 12 hours of additional general education coursework at either the undergraduate or graduate level (EDU 225--Developmental Development or EDU 224—Adolescent Psychology, EDU 501—Advanced Study: Child Psychology, EDU 502—Psychology of Adolescence; EDU 250/251—The Exceptional Learner or equivalent graduate course to be approved by the Dean of the College of Education; EDU 349—Educational Psychology or equivalent graduate course to be approved by the Dean of the College of Education, and EDU 300—Safe Schools/Healthy Students).
The M.S.Ed, TESOL K-12 degree program shares The Responsive Educator Program conceptual framework of the College of Education comprised of Planning, Instructing, Reflecting, and Responding (PIRR). It provides a solid foundation of knowledge, skills, and dispositions upon which candidates can build and grow professionally.
Upon graduation, TESOL candidates are expected to be skilled in the recursive process (PIRR) that characterizes highly effective educators and adept in its application. Equally, they are expected to possess a sound professional knowledge base of general knowledge which enhances their ability to plan, instruct, reflect, and respond through appropriate assessment of students needed for the effective educations of ELL learners of various linguistic and cultural backgrounds; acquire knowledge of the history, politics, pedagogy, and critical issues related to TESOL and Bilingual Education programs; have knowledge of basic educational research, English language, (psycho-/socio-)linguistics, CALL and multimedia technology, and second language acquisition and pedagogy germane to the effective education of ELL learners.
TESOL Candidates are expected to apply the professional knowledge and skills they have acquired at SUNY-Fredonia and demonstrate competence and proficiency in effective instruction of ELL learners during student teaching as well as demonstrating competence and proficiency in conducting in-depth empirical and/or curriculum-related research. In addition, all candidates are expected to display dispositions which promote professional growth and development and adhere to the highest professional standards. Finally, all TESOL graduates are expected to be instructionally diverse, culturally responsive, and technologically proficient educators.
when taught by teachers who are responsive.”
TESOL at SUNY Fredonia is more than an advanced teaching degree. It is a rigorous academic program that trains pre-service and in-service teachers for professional careers in TESOL—Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and New York State Certification TESOL K-12. Students acquire a broad knowledge base and skills in teaching English and content areas to speakers of languages other than English both inside and outside the classroom. Courses in Language, Culture, Instruction, Assessment, and Professionalism have been streamlined to help you develop the necessary content and pedagogical knowledge, skills, and dispositions of accomplished teaching in the TESOL K-12 field.
The question is: Are you ready to move forward in your professional career? Are you willing to achieve excellence in subject content, succeed in your professional aspirations both inside and outside the classroom, and triumph in an ever-changing multicultural world?
Requirements for Admission to SUNY Fredonia’s TESOL Program
The requirements for admission to SUNY Fredonia’s TESOL program without deficiencies are:
- Completion of a baccalaureate degree in an area of arts, science, or education.
- Undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or above.
- All candidates must have the equivalent of 12 credit hours of a “foreign” language (i.e., Language Other Than English (LOTE) except for candidates who are native speakers of a language other than English for which proof of literacy is required).
- Completed Graduate Application submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies, including two current (within six months) letters of recommendation, and official academic transcripts from all prior undergraduate and graduate institutions (except SUNY Fredonia).
- As part of the Graduate Application, TESOL candidates, regardless of native language, must submit a satisfactory 250-word essay in English that will be evaluated by the College of Education.
- All TESOL candidates, including native speakers of English and native speakers of a language other than English, must meet the Language Proficiency Requirements by the deadlines provided (see 7 and 8 below). Failure to do so will result in removal from the program. (Candidates may apply to other master’s programs at the university, if they so qualify).
- Language Proficiency Requirements for Native Speakers of English:
- Candidates must demonstrate literacy in English by writing a graduate-level 250-word essay on a topic of the writer’s choice.
- Candidates must complete the equivalent of 12 credit hours in a Language Other Than English (LOTE). This requirement can be satisfied by passing the New York State Regents LOTE exam earning a score of 85 percent or higher, scoring at the 50th percentile on the CLEP examination and completing 6 credit hours of undergraduate or graduate study of a LOTE.
- Completion of a satisfactory intermediate 250-word essay in the LOTE. Candidates may be accepted conditionally into the TESOL program without the LOTE essay. Conditionally accepted candidates can complete 12 credit hours in the TESOL program before they are required to write the satisfactory 250-word essay in the LOTE. Matriculation into the TESOL program is contingent upon the satisfactory evaluation of this essay.
- Language Proficiency Requirements for Non-native Speakers of English:
- Candidates must demonstrate literacy in English by writing a graduate level 250-word essay in English, on a topic of the writer’s choice.
- The 3 credit hour requirement for New York State for the Language Other Than English (LOTE) is waived.
- Candidates must demonstrate literacy in their native language(s) by writing a graduate level 250-word essay in the native language and providing a notarized “Affidavit of Native Language.”
| Course Requirements | Hours | |
| EDU 570 | Using Educational Research to Improve Instruction This course must be completed within the first 9 credit hours of graduate study. |
3 |
| EDU 519 | Curriculum Theory for the Second Language Classroom-ESL I |
3 |
| EDU 534 | Curriculum Development for the Second Language Classroom-ESL II |
3 |
| EDU 538 | Cultural Literature | 3 |
| EDU 540 | Content Area ESL | 3 |
| EDU 563 | Cultural Perspectives or elective | 3 |
| EDU 564 | Linguistic Considerations for ELL Students | 3 |
| EDU 565 or EDU 566 |
Language and Learning-Psycholinguistics/Language Acquisition or Sociolinguistic Considerations for Educators of ELL Students |
3 |
| EDU 568 | Foundations of Bilingual Education | 3 |
| Elective Any course in the Psychological Foundations; Exceptional Children; Social, Historical, Philosophical, or Comparative Foundations; Cultural and Linguistic Diversity; and Content and Pedagogy as well as LOTE can be used as an elective if the course is not used to satisfy other requirements of this program. |
3 | |
| EDU 671 | Practicum and Seminar | 3 |
| EDU 690 | Master's Thesis/Project | 3 |
| TOTAL HOURS FOR DEGREE | 36 | |