Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL / TEFL)

(EDP 202127)

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The TESL/TEFL certificate is a 17-unit program designed to build the skills necessary to teach English as a second or foreign language, primarily to adults. All courses in the Certificate Program in TESL can be applied toward a master of arts degree with TESL emphasis at St. Mary's College.

The Field of TESL

The increasing use of English in the world has opened career opportunities for teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL). ESL educators work all around the globe in fields such as business, travel, translation, interpreting, and teaching. They work in countries where English is spoken only as a foreign language, such as Japan and Saudi Arabia, as well as in countries where English is the dominant language, such as Australia, Canada, England, and the United States.

In English-speaking countries, ESL teachers work with immigrants and refugees at all levels of the education system, including adult education. Most graduates of UC Berkeley Extension's Certificate Program in Teaching English as a Second Language work in adult and higher education. These adult education programs are usually offered in adult schools and community-based programs. The adult learners are often immigrants who are learning the English language and U.S. culture at the same time.

Teaching ESL requires skills beyond just fluency in the English language.Teaching ESL is a multifaceted academic discipline requiring training in linguistics, second language acquisition, language pedagogy, methodology, materials development, assessment and evaluation, curriculum and syllabus design, and cross-cultural communication. Teaching at the community college level requires either an M.A. in TESL or an M.A. in a related field and the TESL certificate.

Speaking a second language is not required to enter the field of TESL, but it is beneficial, in general, to have experience in learning another language and to have knowledge of another culture.

The Program

The UC Berkeley Extension Certificate Program in TESL is designed to enable participants to acquire or enhance the skills necessary to teach successfully in ESL settings. It is intended primarily for

native speakers of English who want to teach ESL primarily at the community college or adult level
teachers who hold a valid California teaching credential and who wish to demonstrate additional competencies in ESL
anyone seeking to teach English in other countries

For the convenience of people who work during the day, classes usually are held in the evenings and on weekends.

Enrollment in individual courses is open to anyone who meets the stated prerequisites. In addition, individual TESL courses can be taken alone. It is not necessary to take the entire certificate curriculum.

The Curriculum

The program consists of 17 semester units of UC Berkeley Extension courses. All courses emphasize practical applications of theoretical material for classroom use.

Preparation

Participants in the certificate program must have earned at least a baccalaureate degree (B.A.) or the equivalent at an accredited institution. An official transcript needs to accompany your application. (All non-US transcripts must be accompanied by a foreign transcript evaluation.)

Applying for Certificate Candidacy

To establish candidacy for the certificate, complete the application and refer to EDP 202127. There is a nonrefundable application fee.

Send an official transcript of your bachelor's degree to: UC Berkeley Extension, Department of Education—TESL, 1995 University Ave., Suite 110, Berkeley, CA 94704-7000.

Please apply for candidacy before enrolling in the third class of the program. Effective with the date of your acceptance, subsequent curriculum changes will not affect your course requirements.

Grade Requirements

To earn your certificate, all courses must be taken for a letter grade with an overall GPA of at least 3.0 (B average) on a 4.0 scale.

Completion

It takes a minimum of three to four terms, or one to one and a half years, to complete the certificate. You are expected to complete all certificate program requirements within five years. When you have finished your final course, please notify us; we will verify satisfactory completion of the requirements and award you the certificate.

Substitutions

You may request permission to substitute courses taken through an accredited four-year or graduate institution for up to two of the required courses (totaling 5 semester units), with the exception of the Practicum in Course Design for ESL/EFL Teachers (X327.1). Courses substituted must have been completed within the last five years. Substitutions must be approved in writing by the Program Director. Work experience may not be substituted for coursework. Substitution request information is available from the TESL program office. Call (510) 642-1171 or e-mail .

Getting a Teaching Credential

The TESL certificate is not a teaching credential nor does it authorize teaching in the way a credential does. However, two courses in the TESL program may be substituted to meet requirements in UC Berkeley Extension's Adult Education Credential Program. Students in the TESL certificate program interested in applying for a preliminary credential to teach in adult education programs should contact the Department of Education for more information.

English Language Proficiency Requirements

When an application is made for certificate candidacy, non-native speakers of English will be required to submit an official international or UC Institutional TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) report. Applicants must receive a minimum score of 250 for the computer-based exam (600 for paper) or a minimum score of 25 on each of the four sections of the iBT (reading, listening, writing and speaking). The TOEFL must be taken within two years of application to this program. Registration forms for the TOEFL may be obtained by contacting:

Test of English as a Foreign Language
Educational Testing Service
PO Box 6151
Princeton, NJ 08541-6151

toefl@ets.org

For more information about the TOEFL, visit the ETS website at www.ets.org/ell/.

Required courses (17 semester units)

You are encouraged to take these courses in the sequence listed. Please review the course descriptions for prerequisites.

Fundamentals of Linguistics for ESL Teachers

Methods and Materials for Teaching English as a Second Language

Cross-Cultural Communication

Second-Language Acquisition

Teaching Pronunciation as a Communicative Skill

Grammar Fundamentals for ESL Teachers

Practicum in Course Design for ESL/EFL Teachers

For further information

If you have questions or if you would like to receive a brochure describing the courses, call (510) 642-1171 or write to TESL Certificate Program, UC Berkeley Extension, 1995 University Ave., Suite 110, Berkeley, CA 94704-7000, or e-mail .

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