Teaching English as a Second Language to Adults (TESLA) Certificate
|
With the support of the Office of the Mayor, the New York City Council, and the Department of Youth and Community Development, the Literacy Assistance Center plans to offer the TESLA Certificate Program at no cost to all participants who are selected for 2021-22.
Please read the information below carefully before applying. Early submission is strongly encouraged. 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 synchronous remote instruction provide opportunities to put theories into practice and receive support and guidance from the instructor and peers. 120 hours of asynchronous online learning enable participants to reflect on assigned readings and material presented in class. Both components prepare participants for the culminating experience: a 42-hour internship in an actual adult ESOL class. 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 sessions and Practicum dates
All sessions in 2021 will be held remotely via Zoom. Depending on the status of the Covid-19 pandemic, sessions in 2022 may be held in person at a Midtown Manhattan location. Class dates and times Saturday, October 2, 9, and 23 10:30 - 1:30 Saturday, November 6 and 20 10:30 - 1:30 Saturday, December 4 and 18 10:00 - 1:00 and 2:00 - 5:00 Friday, January 7 9:30 - 3:00 Saturday, January 8 10:30 - 1:30 Saturday, January 15 10:00 - 5:00 Saturday, January 22 10:30 - 1:30 Saturday, February 5 and 12 10:30 - 1:30 Saturday, March 12 3:00 - 5:00 An additional class date for Best Plus training will also be offered. Practicum dates All practica will take place between February 14 and May 21, 2022. The practicum will consist of two parts: Part one will consist of participating in the class of a mentor-teacher for 18 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 24 hours of ESOL instruction and reflecting on their experience in an online forum. It is anticipated that the practicum will take place in person; however, this may change due to the unpredictable nature of the Covid-19 pandemic. Note: selected applicants who are currently teaching ESOL may be able to fulfill part of their practicum requirement with their current class with the permission of the instructor and their agency supervisor. Participant Expectations and Eligibility
All prospective applicants must: • Attend an information session (to be held remotely via Zoom) • Submit a completed application • Complete an interview (to be held remotely via Zoom) • Submit a professional reference TESLA participants must attend all synchronous 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 program was excellent, particularly in that it provided so much modeling of activities that we could bring to our own classrooms. The program offers not only a theoretical framework, but concrete strategies to create dynamic and engaging lessons for our students ." --Elizabeth Kane, teaching at Queens Community House "Participating in the TESLA program has been incredibly beneficial to myself as an educator, my organization, and most importantly to my students. The skills, techniques, and theory I learned from the program have enabled me to create more effective and fun lessons. The programming offered by the Literacy Assistance Center is an invaluable NYC resource, and I strongly encourage all those with an interest in adult education to take advantage of the offerings, especially the TESLA program." --Paul Tynan McKenney, teaching at Arab-American Family Support Center Instructor Bios 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, designing curriculum, and co-facilitating the TESLA course, he is one of the two facilitators of the LAC’s 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. William 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. |
Attend an Info SessionAll TESLA applicants MUST attend an information session. The final information session will be held on August 31st from 5:30 to 7:30.
Apply for TESLADue to anticipated high demand, early application is encouraged.
Please click the button below to access the TESLA application.
Advanced Strategies in TESOLThe Literacy Assistance Center will offer Advanced Strategies in TESOL in 2022. Open to those who already have a TESOL/TESLA certificate or degree. For more information, click the button below.
Digital Literacy
|