Program: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, Multiple Subject Credential, MA - University of San Francisco

Program Learning Outcomes

The goal of each TESOL program is to develop professional practitioners with expertise in three key areas:

Conceptual knowledge: linguistics and applied linguistics; language acquisition; language variation, first and second language acquisition, cross-linguistic differences; bilingualism/multilingualism
Theoretical knowledge: Critical language studies and sociocultural theory, linguistic rights, linguistic hegemony, and linguistic/cultural pluralism, critical and multicultural pedagogies
Application skills: analysis, synthesis, and evaluation skills for teaching and research, program/policy

The TESOL programs are designed to enable students, upon graduation, to:

Understand the structure of the English language (phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and discourse)
Demonstrate an understanding of language variation and cross-linguistic differences
Knowledge of first and second language development and the development of bilingualism/multilingualism
Use theory as a lens for thinking critically about social inequities in local/global contexts
Be a knowledgeable consumer of educational research
Be skillful in a wide range of instructional materials, approaches, and methods for learners at different stages of development and from differing cultural and linguistic backgrounds
Use a wide range of assessment tools for including informal, formal, individual/group, formative/summative instruments
Design, implement, and assess K-12, post-secondary, community programs focused on multicultural language/literacy education in English

Understand that social justice issues are always operating, affect everyone, and are manifested in relationships, curriculum, pedagogy and assessment.
Problematize education practices, programs, and policies using social justice concepts, theories, frameworks.
Contribute to honest and open-minded dialogue across different perspectives, cultures, experiences.
Teach responsively and compassionately with a student advocacy, assets-based orientation vs. deficit perspective.
Understand Institutional, systemic forces of racism, classism, sexism, homophobia, and other forms of oppression and how they play out in classrooms and schools.
Develop tools to recognize and confront dehumanizing speech and actions.
Develop a critically reflective teacher identity with the ability to question one’s one assumptions.
Develop familiarity with and motivation to apply educational principles, approaches, and resources for teaching to diversity and for social justice.

Develop awareness of classroom teaching as a complex endeavor that involves understanding of curricular knowledge, diverse learners, high leverage pedagogies, classroom community/leadership, multiple forms of assessment, and the contexts of schooling.
Contemplate the different purposes of education and one’s own classroom teaching, and the implications of our role as teachers that foster our students’ growth as humane, competent, and empowered learners.
Understand the connections among theories, principles, and classroom practice and critique the assumptions that underlie them.

Behaviorism

Constructivism

Gradual release of responsibility

Direct instruction

Teaching for understanding

Understanding by design

Develop sociocultural and developmental perspectives on learners and learning that include knowledge of how cognition is related to identity, social, emotional, cultural, environmental, and physiological issues.
Develop ability to closely observe classroom teaching (curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, classroom community/leadership), analyze using evidence, and apply lessons learned to one’s vision of teaching (for excellence and equity).
Understand different approaches to curriculum, instruction, assessment, and classroom community/leadership; when to use them; and why.
Develop habits of complex, critical thinking, inquiry; and reflection about theory and practice; challenge our own pre-conceptions of learning and teaching.
Develop a vision of classroom teaching (for equity and excellence) based on big ideas from the course with the understanding that our ideals will be challenged by the realities of school and society.

Teachers are critical consumers of curriculum in the schools so they adapt vs. adopt curricular/instructional materials.
Teachers conduct ongoing assessment (of students’ strengths, where students are, needs) that informs planning and teaching.
Teachers know how to develop lesson plans and sequences of instruction.
Teachers know how to build on student assets to develop literacy and numeracy in the content areas.
Teachers connect their own curriculum and pedagogy to teaching for diversity and social justice.
Teachers connect theory to their practice (e.g. how children learn to read to reaching instruction; how children develop number sense to math instruction).
Teachers identify broad and specific curricular purposes (e.g. powerful ideas, skills and strategies).
Teachers apply frameworks and tools (“nuts and bolts”) to their curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment.