| Why should I choose S-TESL? There are many good, practical courses leading to a certificate in teaching English. Ours earns post-baccalaureate credit from Seattle University, which many students find advantageous. The certificates are issued by Seattle University. With pre-planning, these credits can apply to a future master's degree in TESOL, thus saving both time and money. More than 3,500 certificates have been awarded since 1985, so most local administrators, and many overseas administrators, are familiar and pleased with the training their teachers got at S-TESL. We have tracked our students to over 55 different countries to teach English. The exit interviews, on file in our Employment Resource Area, and letters from grads, also on file there, are proof that students were pleased with their education at S-TESL. For more details see "Why this program is so good" and "Feedback from S-TESL Graduates" Who is the intended audience? All who work with, or intend to work with, students in all settings learning any second language, study at S-TESL. What are the eligibility requirements? Applicants for certificates must have at least a bachelor's degree from an approved college or professional school. Applicant must be fluent in English listening, speaking, reading, and writing in order to be deemed qualified to teach English as a Second or Foreign Language. Applicants for whom English is a second language must demonstrate their English proficiency by: 1) completion of a bachelor's degree in an English-speaking university; or, 2) completion of an approved intensive English language program; or, 3) TOEFL score of 237 or higher with a minimum score of 20 on each subtest Some allowance for lower scores may be given. Please contact the Director, Bernice Ege-Zavala at bezavala@seattleu.edu. What if I don't have a BA? If you do not have a bachelor's degree and wish to receive the training, you must send an email requesting a waiver to STESLinfo@seattleu.edu. Why do I need to have a bachelor's degree? Seattle University College of Education has only graduate level and post baccalaureate classes. The classes offered for Seattle University at S-TESL, numbered Educational Professional Development (EPDES) 930-946, are post-baccalaureate classes. Students in the classes have finished their bachelor's degrees from regionally accredited institutions. Occasionally, the Director of S-TESL can make exceptions if the potential student has an extensive educational background, but has not yet completed a degree. If you do not have a bachelor's degree and wish to receive the training, you must send an email requesting a waiver to STESLinfo@seattleu.edu. Many employment situations in TESOL require that you have, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree. How can I use these credits for graduate credit? Up to twelve credits taken at S-TESL can be used in graduate programs at Seattle University College of Education. In order to protect these credits for graduate status, you will request graduate status consideration from S-TESL at the beginning of each S-TESL class. Upon completion of the class, you will be assigned an extra project by your course instructor. When the project is completed, it is submitted to S-TESL with an additional fee. After your reader has approved the project, doucmentation will be sent to you and Seattle University. Graduate students at Seattle University will then petition to have the credits transferred to their graduate transcript. Can these credits be transferred to graduate programs other than Seattle University? It is always up to the receiving institution to accept transfer credits. Protecting the credits as graduate status at Seattle University may be beneficial in petitioning to have credits transferred into another program. What are the location and times? The School of Teaching ESL is housed in a professional office building in the Licton Springs neighborhood of north Seattle. The address is 9620 Stone Ave. N., Suite 101; Seattle, WA 98103. The intensive day programs meet there from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Evening classes meet at the school from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. For directions, click here. What are the texts? Texts and materials are sold in the School of Teaching ESL Bookstore. Estimate approximately $75.00 per 3-credit class for required texts and workbooks. The School of Teaching ESL Bookstore accepts checks, cash, VISA and MASTERCARD. Online texts may be different from those used in the onground classes. S-TESL does not mail books. What is your typical class size? Classes range from a minimum of 3 students to a maximum of 20. Is financial aid available? If you are currently enrolled in a graduate program at Seattle University and are already using financial aid, you are also able to use your financial aid for S-TESL courses. See your SU handbook for more details or check with your graduate advisor. S-TESL is approved for student loans through "The Educational Resources Institute" (TERI loan). Please visit www.TERILOANS.com for more information. We also accept Americorps vouchers if you have completed your Americorps volunteer service. What if I have a disability? If you have, or think you may have, a disability (including an "invisible disability" such as a learning disability, a chronic health problem, or a mental health condition) that may interfere with your performance as a student in this class, you are encouraged to discuss your needs and arrange support services and/or accommodations through Disabilities Services staff in the Learning Center, Loyola 100, (206) 296-5740. The School of Teaching ESL is unable to provide special accommodations to curriculum, format or delivery unless it has been approved by Seattle University prior to registration. What is the refund policy? The $100.00 deposit for day classes is non-refundable, but can be transferred once to the next intensive course with available space if requested in writing before the originally selected course begins. Remaining tuition for the day classes is non-refundable unless requested in writing at least one week prior to the beginning of the originally-selected course or unless substitution of another student is made (determination made by the School of Teaching ESL). Tuition for evening classes is non-refundable unless requested in writing at least one week before the class begins. If any tuition is refunded for either day or night classes a $30.00 administrative fee per class will be withheld. There is a separate refund policy for online classes. Do you have housing for out of town students? For information about housing while studying in an Intensive class at the School of Teaching ESL, send an email to STESLinfo@seattleu.edu or call (206) 781-8607. What method do you use to teach? All classes are based on Facilitative Language Teaching, which recognizes the needs for both fluency and accuracy in a second language. Classes establish general guidelines; members apply these guidelines to specific teaching situations. Classes are task-based and project oriented. We believe people learn by doing. We want to teach you the way that we recommend you teach others. What is the difference between S-TESL and other certificate programs? Each certification program has a different emphasis and its own unique qualities. While the RSA/Cambridge/CELTA certification programs have more name recognition around the world, the School of Teaching ESL has the credibility of being affiliated with and monitored by an excellent university. People have praised the education they received at the School of Teaching ESL - on the last day of class, and years later from the field. (See Feedback from Graduates.) The School of Teaching ESL emphasizes decision-making, and the knowledge you need to make the many decisions you will be required to make in your teaching career. A well-seasoned instructional staff helps to prepare you for your next step in TESOL. The 900-level education credits from Seattle University and the Certificate in TESOL awarded by Seattle University will always be of value on your resume. A discussion on S-TESL's internet discussion list about preparation and subsequent teaching experiences elicited this comment from a grad: "Actually, having taught in China with folks who had ESL certs from England, Canada, Australia, & NZ, as well as other places in the US, plus a few with Master's degrees in TESOL, I'll put S-TESL up against any one of them for all-around prep. Leslie" For more information about employment, see Employment Resources. How many courses do I need for the first certificate? How long does it take? The 12 credit certificate requires EPDES 930 + 3 additional classes. It can be taken in the one month intensive format, or in the evening, or online. In the evening and online formats, students generally complete the certificate in two to four quarters. Where can I teach with the 12 credit certificate? Much depends on your background and other experience or training you bring to your job search. Also, employment conditions vary around the world. In general, overseas employers require a BA + 12 credit certificate. In the U.S., community organizations and private language schools also hire with this level of training. See Employment Resources for more information. Are the credits transferable? It is always up to the receiving institution to decide if credits can be transferred. Can I transfer credits from another program into this program? No credits can be transferred into the 12 credit certificate program. At the Director's discretion, up to six credits may be transferred into the 24 credit Advanced Certificate. How does S-TESL prepare you for actual teaching?
Will I get to work with ESOL students? Your tuition at S-TESL supports a community ESOL class for refugees, immigrants, and short-term visitors living in the school's neighborhood. Students in S-TESL's Intensive I classes are required to observe and participate in the ESOL class. Students in S-TESL's evening program sometimes work together with the ESOL class when schedules permit. The evening course Teaching English Pronunciation is designed to work with our ESOL class. These opportunities for interaction with ESOL students is quite often mentioned as the highlight of study at S-TESL. In addition, off-site observations of area ESOL classes are often a requirement in classes. How many hours of practice teaching experience will I get in the program? We don't think the best way to prepare teachers is to put them with ESOL students for several hours from the first day of training instead of preparing them well for their future teaching experiences. See the next question for more details. Isn't the quality of a training program related to the number of hours you spend in front of an ESOL class? While there are effective tips and techniques for language teaching, no one can tell you "how to teach". There are just too many variables.
For these reasons, we at S-TESL try to prepare for the many different situations you may face in your career. You will need to make instantaneous decisions when in front of a class of students. Effective decision-making is probably the most important thing you will do as a teacher, and preparation for this comes before you enter the classroom. It is estimated the 99% of what makes a person a good teacher happens before the teacher enters the classroom. It's that 99% that gets the teacher and the students through the class happily and successfully. Therefore, your experience at S-TESL will help you to prepare your plan based upon everything you know about the program and your students, and then be able to:
What is micro-teaching? "Microteaching is organized practice teaching. The goal is to give instructors confidence, support, and feedback by letting them try out among friends and colleagues a short slice of what they plan to do with their students. Ideally, microteaching sessions take place before the first day of class, and are videotaped for review individually with an experienced teaching consultant. Microteaching is a quick, efficient, proven, and fun way to help teachers get off to a strong start." (from: Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard University) What is the rationale for micro-teaching before teaching in an ESOL class?
After completion of the 12-credit certificate program, you are strongly encouraged to take EPDES 940: Self Analysis and Improvement in TESOL. If you take this online, you will get lots of guidance and feedback as you complete tasks as part of a 40 hour teaching practicum. Do you offer job help after graduation? The Employment Resource Area (ERA) is available to all current and former students. There are binders full of letters rich in specific information from former students throughout the world. In the ERA, as well as on the main Seattle University campus, current and recent students can access job information via the Internet. The director gives a monthly employment seminar, and is available for counseling and help with your resume. As a graduate of the School of Teaching ESL, you can subscribe to the email discussion list (for grads only) on which graduates discuss job opportunities and their TESOL situations. For more information see Employment Resources. How do I Register? Please visit our registration page for complete instructions on how to register for classes at the School of Teaching ESL. |