Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)
Introduction
The UBC course which provides training for teachers of English as a Second/Foreign Language is Language & Literacy Education 478C. LLED 478C (formerly LANE 478) is a methodology course which is taught in the Language & Literacy Education Department (UBC campus, Ponderosa Annex E).
LLED 478C is a 6-credit course involving approximately 78 hours of lectures and discussions. The practicum course associated with LLED 478C is LLED 399 (3 credits) which is required for the TESL Certificate with Practicum. Often LLED 478C is taken as part of the Diploma Program in Education or the Bachelor of Education degree. There are often separate LLED 478C sections offered for teaching kindergarten to twelfth grade (K-12) and for teaching adults.
Integrating research and practice, the diploma and graduate programs in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) offer professional development to teachers of ESL and prepare researchers and leaders in this field.
TESL diploma and graduate students gain experience and understanding in such fields as: instructional methodology, curriculum design, second language assessment, second language acquisition, language socialization, and intercultural communication.
Additional TESL graduate program entrance requirements are a university level course in TESL methodology such as LLED 478C and a course in linguistics such as LLED 489.
Teaching in B.C. Schools
Students who wish to teach English to ESL students in the public school system (K-12) must hold a B.C. Teaching Certificate and have another teaching concentration. A teaching certificate is usually not necessary for those who wish to teach adults.
Admission and Registration
Admission to the University
All students seeking to train as teachers of ESL/EFL must obtain admission or readmission to the university. They should request an application for admission or a readmission form through the Teacher Education Office, Faculty of Education (telephone: 604-822-4612; address: 2125 Main Mall, Vancouver, B.C., V6T 1Z4). Undergraduate students must have at least third-year standing at the university before they may enrol in LLED 478A or LLED 478C.
Note: Students should be aware of the following:
- their English should be of a quality appropriate to someone who will be a language model for learners in British Columbia
- regular attendance is expected of students in all their classes at UBC
- admission to the university does not guarantee acceptance to courses.
The Faculty of Education has its own admissions office (Teacher Education Admissions Office) and can be contacted at 604-822-4612. Additional information may be obtained from http://www.teach.educ.ubc.ca/.
Course Credit for Undergraduates
Undergraduates should check to see that LLED 478A or LLED 478C will be accepted for credit on their programs before enrolling.
Registration for Courses
If they are cleared for admission and issued a student number, students should register on the Student Services website: http://students.ubc.ca/
Resources