Teaching English as a Second Language

Course List

Code Course Description
TESL 1101

Foundations of Teaching English to Adult Speakers of Other Languages

This is one of a group of five courses that together lead to a Douglas College Certificate in Teaching and Tutoring English to Adult Speakers of Other Languages. This course provides students with both methodological and linguistic foundations for teaching and tutoring English as an additional language (EAL). Methodological foundations include learning about the key concepts in EAL learning and teaching, the historical and current approaches to teaching a language, and intercultural communication in the language classroom. Linguistic foundations include learning about the basic components of the English grammatical system and the principles of teaching them in various EAL teaching contexts, helping students to bridge the gap between being a speaker and being a teacher of English. The course emphasizes the practical implementation of the foundations in a learner-centered classroom setting. It is delivered in the hybrid format, with 2 hours/week in the classroom and 2 hours online.

TESL 1102

Teaching English Listening, Speaking, and Pronunciation to Adult Speakers of Other Languages

This is one of a group of five courses that together lead to a Douglas College Certificate in Teaching and Tutoring English to Adult Speakers of Other Languages. Students learn the theory and practice of teaching aural and oral skills to adult learners. They learn how to structure listening and speaking activities and grade them to the level of the students, using resources. They learn about the major features of the English sound system and about how to apply that knowledge in the language classroom. They develop classroom management and communication skills necessary to plan and teach listening, speaking, and pronunciation to a specific group of adult English as an additional language (EAL) learners. The course is delivered in the hybrid format, with 2 hours/week in the classroom and 2 hours online.

TESL 1103

Teaching English Reading, Vocabulary, and Writing to Adult Speakers of Other Languages

This is one of a group of five courses that together lead to a Douglas College Certificate in Teaching and Tutoring English to Adult Speakers of Other Languages. Students learn the theory and practice of teaching reading and writing skills to adult learners. They learn how to structure reading and writing activities and grade them to the level of the students, using resources. Students are introduced to techniques for teaching vocabulary to English as an additional language (EAL) learners. They develop classroom management and communication skills necessary to plan and teach reading, vocabulary, and writing to a specific group of adult EAL learners. The course is delivered in the hybrid format, with 2 hours/week in the classroom and 2 hours online.

TESL 1105

Practicum in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

This is one of a group of five courses that together lead to a Douglas College Certificate in Teaching and Tutoring English to Adult Speakers of Other Languages. During the course, students spend 10 hours observing English as an additional language (EAL) classes and 10 hours teaching a class of EAL learners guided by an experienced EAL instructor. The sponsor teacher and practicum instructor observe, mentor, and evaluate the student teacher in the EAL classroom. Classroom support for the practicum (2 hours/week) includes learning about lesson planning and classroom management as well as receiving feedback and reflecting on the teaching practicum. Students will also learn job-finding skills and employment expectations in the EAL teaching field in various contexts.

TESL 4201

Overview of Teaching English as a Second Language to Adult Learners

This is one of a group of six courses that together lead to a Douglas College Certificate in Teaching and Tutoring English as a Second Language to Adult ESL Learners. This overview course introduces prospective teachers and tutors to the basic principles of adult learning and their application to the acquisition of a second language. Students learn a variety of ESL learning contexts and the implications of context for teaching and tutoring. In addition, this course provides an overview of curriculum design, lesson planning and learning assessment. Other themes running through the course are intercultural communication and language as a component of culture.

TESL 4202

Teaching Speaking, Listening and Pronunciation to Adult Students of English as a Second Language

This is one of a group of six courses that together lead to a Douglas College Certificate in Teaching and Tutoring English as a Second Language to Adult ESL Learners. Prospective teachers learn the theory and practice of teaching oral and aural skills to adult learners. Course participants build a solid foundation through theoretical readings and the application of and practice of methods, approaches and lessons for use in teaching speaking, listening and pronunciation skills with their chosen target group of adult learners.

TESL 4203

Teaching Reading, Writing, and Grammar to Adult Students of English as a Second Language

This is one of a group of six courses that together lead to a Douglas College Certificate in Teaching and Tutoring English as a Second Language to Adult ESL Learners. Students learn how to structure reading and writing activities and grade them to the level of the students, using resources to develop complete reading, writing and grammar lesson plans. The course gives students a broad overview of English grammar as it is taught to ESL speakers. Students are introduced to techniques for teaching grammar and vocabulary to ESL learners in a wide range of settings. Students will also learn how to create assessment tools for these skills.

TESL 4204

Academic Tutoring of English as a Second Language Students

This is one of a group of six courses that together lead to a Douglas College Certificate in Teaching and Tutoring English as a Second Language to Adult ESL Learners. Students in the course learn how to help individual ESL students improve their language skills and increase their academic success through strategy development, language development and cultural awareness. Students in the course participate in seminars on various topics pertinent to ESL tutoring such as assessing students’ needs, structuring tutoring sessions, choosing approaches and techniques, helping ethically and keeping records. A ten-hour tutoring practicum is included in the course.

TESL 4205

Classroom Skills

This is one of a group of six courses that together lead to a Douglas College Certificate in Teaching and Tutoring English as a Second Language to Adults. During this course, students develop practical skills needed in a teaching career. They apply theory to practice by planning and teaching mini-lessons and develop classroom management and communication skills. Students also develop reflective practice strategies necessary to ongoing teacher development and learn to conduct themselves professionally in the teaching workplace.

TESL 4206

TESL Teaching Practicum

The practicum is one of a group of six courses that together lead to a Douglas College Certificate in Teaching and Tutoring English as a Second Language to Adults. During this course, students spend 20 hours in experienced ESL instructors’ classrooms: ten hours of observation and ten hours of teaching. During the practicum, the sponsor teacher and practicum advisor observe, mentor and evaluate the student teacher in the classroom. Students also attend workshops on specific teaching topics in the general topic areas of teaching resources, individual differences affecting learning, educational technology and professional communication.