Welcome to the School of Teaching ESL!

On behalf of all of our staff, I would like to thank you for considering our program. Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages is a rewarding profession that provides many different career opportunities. We look forward to working with you to meet your teaching goals.

When advising potential students, I frequently am asked: "Why should I choose your program?" It's true that there are many training programs around the world and you are wise to consider your options.

Below is a summary of some of the reasons our program is unique in teacher education and why students are so satisfied with their education at the School of Teaching ESL (S-TESL).

WHY THIS PROGRAM IS SO GOOD...

- Our relationship with Seattle Pacific University assures the high quality of our classes and instruction. It means you leave with university credits and transcripts -- a real advantage in your professional future -- as well as a solid education. Seattle Pacific University is accredited by the Northwest Association for Colleges and Universities. The College of Education is additionally accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

- We are committed to the best principles of adult education, and believe you can learn happily and successfully from yourself, your past experiences, and your colleagues if we provide a workable format for that to happen.

- Our well-established program reflects a strong and cohesive educational framework that gives you the grounding you need to approach any teaching situation. The sound principles you learn and apply in our classes will serve you well whether you are teaching business professionals, K-12 students, immigrants, or any other student population. You will be prepared for teaching situations abroad and in the U.S.

- We walk the talk. We want you to have fun, interactive language classes based on student-centered learning and authentic materials and content. We want you to have language classrooms filled with respect for the learners. So we have those kinds of teacher-training classes as well. Our experienced and well-trained instructors are excellent models of what great teaching should be.

- Our graduates' success proves we have excellent employment information and counseling as well as sound preparation to teach. S-TESL has had students working in over 50 countries and we have learned a great deal over the past twenty years from their experiences. We are always pleased by the many "small world" stories we hear about S-TESL students - locally and around the world - who have found other graduates.

- We have an on-site community ESOL class that keeps us clear-headed and respectful of the language learning process. Participation in this class is a requirement in some of our classes.

- We offer several choices of day intensive, evening, and online study options. Our various certificate, graduate, and endorsement options provide opportunities for further professional growth, too.

Please explore our website and feel free to call, write, or visit us for more information.

Bernice Ege-Zavala
Director
bezavala@spu.edu