Non-Degree Programs

It is no secret that Michigan K12 schools are experiencing an increase in enrollment of English learners and along with this increase the demand for K12 teachers who hold an ESL (NS) endorsement is growing rapidly.  Schools are seeking teachers with the NS endorsement to coordinate ESL programs, and to teach in pull out programs as well as in regular classrooms where English learners have been integrated with native speakers. Whether your teaching license is in elementary or secondary education, your chances of securing a teaching position is significantly enhanced if you have k12 TESL training. School superintendents and principals know that English learners  need special attention from qualified teachers trained in TESL.

The Department of Linguistics offers a K12 TESL Certificate Program that leads to an (NS) K12 Endorsement by the Michigan Department of Education for teachers holding a Michigan teaching license. The program consists of 24 credits that can be completed in four to six terms.

*Please note that the Michigan Department of Education requires that candidates for the ESL (NS) Endorsement have completed two terms of study in a foreign language or the equivalent.

• 24-credit planned program which teachers can use to receive their professional K12 endorsement in TESL
• entire program can be completed in 4 terms-- fall, winter, spring (shortened term), summer (July only) or spread over 6 terms-- fall, winter, spring (shortened term), summer (July only), winter
• winter (2 four credit courses - 4 credits are offered online) and spring courses (3 two credit courses all offered online)
• all courses (with the exception of LIN 5501) can be applied toward the M.A. in Linguistics at Oakland University

If you are interested in joining the cohort, you will find information about applying on the Graduate School web pages (link below). The following quick links provide information about admission, courses, and other details of the program. If you have questions or require further information, please see the contact information at the bottom of the page.

• Admission
• Schedule
• Course Descriptions
• Relationship to M.A.
• FAQs

Admission is selective. The department will consider applicants who hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and whose credentials, including transcripts and two letters of recommendation, give evidence of academic distinction. Applicants must explain, in a statement of purpose, their reasons for wishing to pursue the TESL Endorsement. A grade point average of 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate work is ordinarily the minimum standard for admission. An online application can be obtained at www.oakland.edu/grad.

The following is a schedule for the cohort. Classes are held in the early evening during the fall. Location TBA. Winter and spring classes are offered on-line. Summer classes are held during the day over a four week period. Course sequence and scheduling are subject to change. The number of credits for each course is indicated in parentheses.

• LIN 5501 (4) --  Linguistic Structures (F)
• ALS 6630 (4) -- Language Pedagogy (W Online)
• ALS 5589 (4) -- Special Education and Second Language Acquisition (W)
• ALS 6631 (2) -- Curriculum and Material Design (Sp Online)
• ALS 6632 (2) -- Assessment and Compliance. (Sp Online)
• ALS 6570 (2) -- Language, Culture and Society (Sp Online)
• ALS 6960 (4) -- ESL Practicum (S)
• ALS 6530 (2) -- Language Acquisition (S)

All courses listed under the requirements for the ESL Endorsement (with the exception of LIN 5501) can be applied toward the Master of Arts degree in Linguistics with a TESL specialization. It is anticipated that a graduate of the Endorsement Program who has all the prerequisites for the Master of Arts in Linguistics can apply for admission to that program and complete the additional 16 credits needed for that degree in approximately four semesters as a part-time student or two semesters as a full-time student.* The courses that make up the 16 credits of additional work for the M.A. degree are LIN 5503, LIN 5504, LIN 5505, and either LIN 6998 or LIN 6999. For students completing the Graduate K12 TESL Certificate Program who have less than a 3.0 grade point average in courses taken in that Program, and who wish to apply for admission to the M.A. program, the Linguistics Department will consider their applications on an individual basis.

*The M.A. specialization in TESL has a foreign language requirement of four semesters of foreign language study (with at least two of those semesters being study of the same language). Most students will have satisfied this requirement during their undergraduate study and these credits are not included in the 16 graduate credits listed above. Those students with little or no foreign language background may opt for a different specialization in consultation with an advisor.

Is there a need for expertise in TESL in the K-12 system in the United States in general and in Michigan specifically?
The number of foreign-born individuals in the United States is increasing rapidly. In 1997, the foreign-born population was estimated at 25.8 million, a 30 percent increase over the 1990 census figure of 19.8 million and a 169 percent increase over the 1970 census figure of 9.6 million. According to the 2000 census, the foreign-born population rose to 28.4 million or 10.4 percent of the total population. The rapid increase in the foreign-born population from 9.6 million in 1970 to 28.4 million in 2000 reflects the high level of international migration during the past generation, a trend that will continue according to census projections.

The increases in the foreign-born population are important because they mean increases in the number of people who speak a first language other than English and who, therefore, are likely to need classes in English as a Second Language (ESL). According to the 2000 census, 18.4 percent of school age children in the United States - nearly one out of every five - speak a language other than English at home. 13.5 percent of those children speak English “not well” or “not at all.”

At the local level in Michigan, these increases have generated a number of surprising statistics. The database at Oakland Schools lists more than 100 languages spoken by residents of Oakland County, and it is not unusual to have more than a dozen different languages spoken in a single K-12 class. In cities like Troy and Farmington, residents speak 65 different languages, and, in the five county southeastern Michigan area, more than 1000 children of Japanese origin attend English classes every Saturday. In 1999, Plymouth-Canton Schools saw an increase of almost 35 percent in the number of students of Indian descent alone compared to 1998.

What will the TESL Endorsement enable me to do?
The courses in the TESL Endorsement Program will help you understand the linguistic and cultural problems that students have when English is not their native language. With TESL background and training, you will be able to deal with those problems effectively and help students who speak other languages become more integrated into classroom activities.

Can I get Teacher Certification along with the TESL Endorsement?
The Department of Linguistics does not offer teacher certification. For that, you must contact the School of Education and Human Services. For further information, click here http://www.oakland.edu/sehs.

Do I need to have teacher certification from the State of Michigan in order to enroll in the Endorsement Program?
No.

Can the courses in the Endorsement Program be used as a planned program of courses toward professional certification?
Yes.

When are the TESL Endorsement classes offered? Can I take them at night?
All of the TESL Endorsement classes, except for the final class (The Practicum), are offered in the evening or online. The Practicum, in which students teach a class under the supervision of a certified ESL teacher, will be scheduled as a day class but in the summer semester.

How is the program set up? Do I have to take classes in a certain order?
This program is set up within the framework of a cohort, where a set number of students begin the program and take all of the courses together in sequence. However, there are exceptions where students have applied and been accepted outside of the cohort framework.

What is a cohort?
A cohort is a group of individuals who participate in a program together. All the people who enroll in the first course will proceed together as a group to the second course, and so on until the Program is completed. Since students take all courses together, there are many opportunities for collaboration and team building.

If I wish to pursue an M.A. degree, in addition to the Graduate K12 TESL Certificate Program, when do I apply for the M.A. program?
You may apply for the M.A. program at any point after completing LIN 5501.

How many students will be in the classes?
It is anticipated that there will be 8-10 students in each cohort.

What happens if I am unable to take the courses in the sequence begun by my cohort?
You will have to wait to take whatever you miss with another cohort. If you must drop out for an extended period, you can always join another cohort when you are able to continue.

What sort of grading system is used in the courses?
The Graduate K12 TESL Certificate Program is subject to the same policies and procedures as other graduate programs. For details on such matters as course regulations, grading system, appeal processes, academic conduct, and problem resolution, please consult the Graduate Catalogue http://www2.oakland.edu/gradstudy/pages/pages.cfm?page_id=116.

How many classes do I need to take for the ESL Endorsement?
The ESL endorsement consists of 24 credit hours in 8 courses (four 2-credit courses and four 4-credit courses).

What is the cost of attendance?
Tuition and fees are stipulated by Oakland University and vary from year to year. For a list of the current tuition, see the Oakland University Schedule of Classes. You can also consult a cost calculator to determine the cost for each 2-credit or 4-credit course at the following web address: http://www.oakland.edu/costcalculator/.

How do I apply? What are the steps in the application process?
Go to the website of the Graduate School and follow the instructions given there: http://www.oakland.edu/grad.

Once Graduate Admissions and Student Services receive all necessary materials, application files are forwarded to the Linguistics Department for review by the faculty. Academic recommendations are made to Graduate Admissions and Student Services where a final decision on the application for admission is made. Applicants are notified of the decision by letter.

For other FAQs, please see Oakland University website for graduate studies: http://www.oakland.edu/grad/.

Contact:

Rebecca Gaydos, TESL Coordinator, Special Instructor

Department of Linguistics

gaydos@oakland.edu

248.370.2175

LIN 5501 Linguistic Structure (4 credits)

ALS 5518 The Teaching of English as a Second Language (4 credits)
Approaches, methods, and techniques of teaching pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. The use of language tests and laboratory techniques.
Prerequisite: LIN 201

ALS 5960 Practicum (4 credits)
Internship in an assigned ESL program under the guidance of a university instructor. Offered fall, winter, and spring. Availability in spring is limited. For eligibility requirements, see  Practicum Eligibility. May be repeated for up to 8 credits.  Click here for more on the  practicum teaching program.
Prerequisite: ALS 418 and permission of instructor.

Eligibility for the Practicum  (ALS 5960) requires completion of ALS 4418 or 5518 with a grade of 2.0 or higher. Non-native speakers of English, in addition, must satisfactorily complete an oral and written examination of English.

All applicants with baccalaureate degrees from a regionally accredited institution will be considered. Ordinarily, a minimum undergraduate grade-point average of 3.00 is required for admission to the program (as is the case for admission to the Master of Arts degree program in linguistics). Applicants who are non-native speakers of English must satisfactorily complete an oral and written examination of English in order to be admitted to the Certificate Program.

Students must complete an approved program of at least 20 credits with an overall average of 3.00 in all courses, including ALS 5518, LIN 5501, and ALS 5517 or ALS 5538. ALS 5960 is also required for students with little or no ESL teaching experience. Students will choose at least 8 additional credits from among the following: ALS 5517, 5960, 5538, 5535, 5574, 5580; LIN 5503, 5504, 5505, 5507. Other ALS or LIN courses may be substituted with the approval of the certificate adviser. Courses included in the certificate should be selected to enhance competency in a specific field of interest and/or application. A minimum grade of 2.5 in each course and an overall minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for the Certificate Program.

All courses listed under the requirements for the certificate count fully toward the Master of Arts degree in Linguistics with a TESL specialization. It is anticipated that a graduate of the certificate program who has all the prerequisites for the Master of Arts in Linguistics can apply for admission to that program and complete the additional credits needed for that degree in approximately two calendar years as a part-time student or in one calendar year as a full-time student. For students completing the certificate program who have less than a 3.0 grade point average in courses taken in that program, and who wish to apply for admission to the M.A. program, the department will consider their applications on an individual basis.

Eligibility for the Practicum (ALS 5960) requires completion of ALS 5518 with a grade of 2.0 or higher. Non-native speakers of English must in addition, satisfactorily complete an oral and written examination of English.