Teaching English as a Second Language to Adults (TESLA) Certificate
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Thanks to the generous support of the Office of the Mayor, the New York City Council, and the Department of Youth and Community Development, the Literacy Assistance Center is pleased to offer its Fall 2017 and Winter 2018 TESLA Certificate Program at no cost to all participants who are selected for these cohorts.
Both Cohorts for 2017-18 are now full. If you'd like to be informed about future sessions, please click here Program Description The TESLA certificate program provides in-depth training in teaching English to adult speakers of other languages. The course serves as a rigorous foundation for anyone: • considering a career teaching English to adult speakers of other languages (ESOL) in New York City • already teaching ESOL without formal training or qualifications • wishing to develop an additional specialization in teaching ESOL to adult immigrants Objectives & Outcomes In this program, participants gain a solid foundation in the theories of teaching ESOL to adults as well as hands-on application. 45 hours of classroom-based learning provide opportunities to put theories into practice and receive support and guidance from the instructor and peers. 120 hours of online learning enable participants to reflect on assigned readings and material presented in class. Both components prepare participants for the culminating experience: a 36-hour internship in an actual adult ESOL classroom. By the end of the course, participants will be able to create and deliver evidence-based English language instruction for adult speakers of other languages. Topics covered include:
Class session and Practicum dates
Class sessions will be followed by a 36 hour practicum described below. Fall 2017 Class meeting dates and times are: Wednesday, September 27 10:00-1:00 Wednesdays, October 4, 11 and 25 10:00 – 2:30 Friday, October 20 9:00 - 5:00 (BEST Plus Training) Wednesday, November 1 10:00 – 2:30 Wednesdays, November 8, 15 and 29 10:00 – 4:30 Wednesday, December 6 10:00 – 5:00 Wednesday, December 20 10:00-1:00 Wednesday, January 17 10:00-1:00 Winter 2018 Class meeting dates and times are: Saturday, December 9 12:30 – 3:30 Saturday, December 16 12:30 – 5:00 Friday, January 19 9:00 - 5:00 (BEST Plus Training) Saturdays, January 6, 13 and 20 12:30 – 5:00 Saturdays, February 3, 10 and 17 11:00– 5:00 Saturday, March 10 12:30 - 3:30 Friday, April 13 12:30- 3:30 Practicum dates Fall 2017 between Jan 2 and March 30, 2018. Winter 2018 between March 15 and May 30, 2018. Participants must be willing to travel to the assigned site, which may be anywhere within the five boroughs . The practicum will consist of two parts: The first section will consist of participating in the classroom of a mentor-teacher for 16 classroom hours (plus pre- and post- class discussion each day with the instructor). Part two of the practicum will consist of a team of two TESLA participants leading 20 hours of classroom instruction and reflecting on their experience in an online forum. Note: selected applicants who are currently teaching in an ESOL classroom may be able to fulfill part of their practicum requirement within their current classroom with the permission of the instructor. Participant Expectations and Eligibility
All prospective applicants must: • Submit a completed application • Complete an in-person interview • Submit a professional reference Potential applicants are also strongly encouraged to attend an information session. TESLA participants must attend all in-person sessions, participate in online forums, complete all required activities and assignments, and complete a teaching practicum as described above. What recent graduates are saying about TESLA: "The TESLA experience at LAC was a thoroughly practical one. As I begin teaching I apply the concepts and methods I learned at LAC in each and every lesson." --Donna Wolfe, now teaching at Lehman College "Before I started TESLA, I mostly taught out of a book and used activities I learned at staff meetings…The TESLA program helped me acknowledge those aspect of my teaching that were working and offered me concrete suggestions to become a more effective teacher." --Chris Vasquez , teaching at Union 1199 and the New York Public Library’s ESOL program Instructor Bio Judy Trupin, Senior ESOL Fellow, was previously the director of ESOL certificate programs at the Literacy Assistance Center. She continues to work with the LAC, sharing her expertise on curriculum development and research-based strategies for teaching ESOL. Judy has been an ESOL adult educator for nearly 30 years, and has worked as a teacher, curriculum developer, trainer, and administrator. She has taught all levels of ESOL from basic literacy through advanced. Judy is a nationally certified trainer for the BEST Plus assessment, holds New York State K-12 ESOL certification and an M.S. in Teaching ESOL, and is a certified yoga instructor. William Linn is the ESOL Specialist and Coordinator of ESOL Certificate Programs at the Literacy Assistance Center. In addition to leading ESOL professional development and curriculum design projects, he is one of the two facilitators of the LAC’s Teaching English as a Second Language to Adults (TESLA) course, the Foundations of Adult Education course, and the Teaching English to Adults with Limited Literacy (TEALL) course. William has also taught English Applied Linguistics at the SIT Graduate Institute where he received his MA in TESOL in 2011. Will holds a certificate in Compassionate Communication for Language Teachers from the Institute for Collaborative Learning in Costa Rica. He started teaching ESOL at community organizations in 2008 and became a licensed ESOL teacher educator in 2015. |
Find out morePlease fill out a short survey to express your interest in the next TESLA program and let us know your schedule preferences. ( Click the information button below.)
We’ll also keep you updated about ESOL workshops at LAC, and future TESLA information sessions where you can learn more about the program and speak with recent TESLA graduates about their experience. Apply for TESLAPlease click below to express interest in future TESLA programs.
TestimonialsDigital LiteracyThe TESLA course involves significant online coursework. If you would like to assess your digital skills, please click the link below to access a free diagnostic tool. It’s an easy way to identify areas for improvement so that you can enhance your skills in preparation for the online component of this course.
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