Are you looking for a certificate or degree that will allow you to teach English as a foreign language (TEFL) in the United States, online, or abroad? Are you confused by the number of acronyms you come across while researching your options online?
The abbreviation “TESOL” is one of the most commonly used in the field of teaching English as a second language (ESL). Let’s see what TESOL stands for and how it is applied to teaching English as a second language in the United States and around the world.
A TESOL degree (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) is a one-year full-time or two-year part-time taught Master’s degree program. It is designed for recent graduates with a bachelor’s degree in English or Linguistics who want to teach English as a foreign language.
TESOL stands for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, so you’ll learn the language as well as how to teach it to non-native speakers. It provides you with a theoretical understanding of the language while also assisting you in the development of your professional teaching abilities.
You’ll investigate the most recent ideas in areas like second language acquisition and social discourse, as well as various methods of study.
Portfolios, classroom observation exercises, and critical essays are just a few examples of ways to assess a course. You may also be required to research and finish a significant project of roughly 15,000 words at the conclusion of the course.
The acronyms “TEFL” and “TESOL” stand for the same thing: teaching English to non-native speakers. What counts is if you take a quality course that meets worldwide standards and will give you the skills and qualifications you need to get hired, not which acronym is on your certification or degree.
Again, TEFL is more usually used to refer to teaching English to non-native speakers in a predominantly English-speaking country, whereas TESOL is more commonly used to refer to teaching English to non-native speakers in a predominantly English-speaking country. TESOL qualifications or degrees, on the other hand, have helped hundreds of teachers find fantastic jobs teaching English in other countries.
The level, duration, and substance of a TEFL/TESOL certificate and an MA in TESOL are the most significant differences.
Studying level/duration: MA TESOL programs are graduate-level, which means you’ll need to have completed a bachelor’s degree as a prerequisite. Furthermore, MA TESOL programs normally last two years, whereas certification courses last only a few months.
An MA TESOL, on the other hand, places a greater emphasis on theory than a TEFL/TESOL certificate. To put it another way, MA programs delve far further into topics like language instruction, acquisition, and evaluation. Depending on which degree you pick, you may devote a significant amount of time to topics such as English language history, the relationship between language and culture, and integrated technology in the classroom. If you decide to pursue an MA, you can plan to devote a significant amount of time to research. If you’re passionate about theoretical-based learning, you’ll probably find an MA TESOL to be worthwhile.
The fact that an MA in TESOL focuses on theory and research doesn’t imply it doesn’t also include experiential learning. Some programs also incorporate teaching practice, such as role-playing or modeling, as well as actual teaching in classrooms.
A Master’s in TESOL isn’t just for university professors or those living in the aforementioned areas. It can also lead to non-teaching positions such as designing teaching materials for schools or larger corporations. You may be eligible for higher positions in a variety of universities that specialize in EFL/ESL programs if you have an MA TESOL. You could work as a program director, curriculum writer, or ESL textbook editor in the future.
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One of the most significant advantages of earning a Master’s in TESOL is that it opens up a vast array of teaching opportunities.
MA TESOL programs can cost anything from $8,000 and $30,000. Why is there such a disparity? It’s because there are a lot of variables that go into calculating the cost of an MA in TESOL.
Perhaps the most important consideration is whether you’ll be attending classes online, on-campus, or a combination of the two. Courses taken on campus are nearly always more expensive than those taken online.
The accreditation of the university also affects the cost of a Master’s in TESOL. It’s vital to balance cost versus quality, as acquiring a cheaper master’s degree through an unaccredited or unrecognized school doesn’t necessarily work out in the long run.
Finally, whether or not it’s worthwhile for you to invest in an MA TESOL depends on what you plan to do with it. An MA can be an excellent alternative if you’re serious about building a career out of teaching English and have some ideas about which types of schools you want to apply to. If you’re not sure if you’ll enjoy teaching, want to spend a year abroad, or want to teach online, a TEFL/TESOL certificate is a better place to start.
A list of potential careers after TESOL includes
Hope we covered all the necessary information about TESOL, if you have any doubts or queries, feel free to contact us.