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Program Change:
P00522
Program Title: Certificate in Teaching English as Foreign Language
Undergraduate
Describe the proposed degree program change(s) in terms of how the changes differ from the program as currently approved and published in the latest WOU catalog (specify the latest catalog date).
The faculty of the Department of English, Writing and Linguistics (DEWL) propose an undergraduate/post-baccalaureate Certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language.
As of 2010, the English Department includes both an English/Linguistics emphasis, and a Linguistics Minor. The required English Department common core requires 41 credits, 8 of which are required Linguistics. The English/Linguistics Major requires an additional 20 hours in Linguistics (plus 8 more hours of electives). The Linguistics Minor requires 8 hours of Linguistics prerequisites plus an addition 12 hours of upper-division Linguistics courses, for a total of 20 hours.
The TEFL Certificate program will consist of a 26-credit program (22 upper-division) composed of six 4-credit courses plus a 2-credit practicum. The program is designed for undergraduates and post-baccalaureate students seeking a TEFL certificate. Students pursuing the English/Linguistics Major, or Linguistics Minor will be able to pursue the Certificate along with their Major/Minor courses. Students may also enter the program with a Baccalaureate and pursue the Certificate by completing the required courses (26 credits).
The program will focus on preparing TEFL teachers of adult or young adult learners of English, primarily but not exclusively, in institutions outside of the US. This program contrasts with and complements the College of Education¿s K-12 Bilingual/ESOL Endorsement, where the focus is exclusively on Oregon K-12 students whose dominant or home language is not English.
Describe the reasons for making this change:
1. Given the continued growth of English as an International Language, opportunities for teaching English abroad remain plentiful, and many current undergraduate students and post-baccalaureate students, particular those in English, Humanities and Social Sciences, desire to fill these international TEFL positions. Obtaining TEFL training before seeking employment abroad greatly increases prospective teachers¿ job opportunities and their chances of success. In addition, large numbers of International students come to the U.S to study English and TEFL in order to teach in their home country. Majors or minors in English Linguistics and TEFL are almost always required for obtaining successful teaching positions. This certificate program provides opportunities for these two core constituencies and maintains profession standards for international TEFL instruction.
2. While many universities (including WOU) offer programs for ESOL-Bilingual Endorsement, these programs are designed as endorsement programs for K-12 teachers. The theory and practice of adult and/or international TEFL instruction is substantially different from K-12 ESOL-Bilingual instruction in Oregon schools, and there are distinctly separate program requirements leading to TEFL Certification.
a) There is a compelling need for a WOU program that trains qualified instructors for adult TEFL positions. Given the continued growth of English as an International Language, opportunities for teaching English abroad remain plentiful, and many current undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students desire to travel and fill these international TEFL positions. Obtaining TEFL training before seeking employment abroad increases prospective teachers¿ job opportunities and their chances of success. It also maintains profession standards for international TEFL instruction.
b) While many universities (including WOU) offer programs for ESOL-Bilingual Endorsement, these programs are designed as endorsement programs for K-12 teachers. The theory and practice of adult and/or international TEFL instruction is substantially different from K-12 ESOL-Bilingual instruction in Oregon schools, and there are distinctly separate program requirements leading to TEFL Certification.
c) Currently only two institutions in the Oregon University System offer an Applied Linguistics/TEFL Certificate that is geared toward the needs of undergraduate or post-baccalaureate students seeking TEFL qualifications for teaching English abroad or post-secondary teaching in the U.S. Both of these programs (University of Oregon and at Portland State University) provide certificates that are co-extensive with undergraduate and/or graduate majors in Linguistics/Applied Linguistics.
At PSU, in addition to methodology courses, the certificate program requires 8 credits in curriculum design, materials development and assessment (LING 4/575: Curriculum Design & Materials Development (4),LING 4/539: Language Assessment (4))
In contrast, the WOU focuses exclusively on coursework for undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students who are seeking their first TEFL teaching positions. The WOU program is designed to meet the needs of new instructors who seek international experiences and need both a strong foundation in English Linguistics and a bridge to models of second language acquisition and TEFL methodologies.
Comparison of TEFL/TESL Certificate programs in the OUS
credits duration Degree/Post-Bac Dept
PSU 40 4 to 8 quarters B.A./B.S. Plus Certificate Applied Ling
U of O 29-32 B.A./B.S. Plus Certificate Ling
(WOU 26 4 to 6 quarters B.A./B.S. Plus Certificate Eng/Wr/Ling
proposed)
OSU-none
SOU-none
EOU- none
For Dean Review only:
How and when will the effectiveness of these changes be determined?
.
Approval Queue
| Step |
Approver |
Decision |
Timestamp |
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1 - Department |
David Hargreaves |
Approved | September 28 2010 |
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2 - Division |
Curtis Yehnert |
Approved | October 14 2010 |
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3 - Division Curriculum |
Uma Shrestha |
Approved | October 14 2010 |
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4 - Library Dean |
Uma Shrestha |
Approved | October 14 2010 |
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5 - Curriculum Committee |
Robert Monge |
Rejected | October 19 2010 |
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6 - Faculty Senate |
Gavin Keulks |
Rejected | November 09 2010 |
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7 - Dean |
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8 - Provost |
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9 - President |
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Attached Files:
