General Information

Seattle Pacific University and the School of Teaching ESL have created a cooperative agreement that gives students several choices regarding professional development in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL).

Typically, those who seek certification or a graduate degree are seeking opportunities to teach English in the following situations:

• In another country (English as a foreign language – EFL);
• As a second language in K-12 schools in the United States (English as a second language – ESL);
• And/or as a second language to adult learners in technical and community colleges, language schools, social service programs and/or workplace programs (ESL).

The School of Teaching ESL offers a 12 and 24 credit post-baccalaureate certificate in TESOL, WA State ELL and Bilingual Endorsements for public school teachers, and MA credit options.

Not sure about TESOL training?

Is TESOL training right for you?

If you are considering teaching English as a career, it’s important to think about your past work and education experiences, your own personality, and your future goals. If you have not taught previously, what about your past indicates that it might be a good fit for your interests and strengths? What is your motivation for teaching?

Common characteristics of successful language teachers include…

• enjoy working with people, especially people from different cultural backgrounds
• have had experience with language learning
• have an enthusiasm for language and helping others learn language
• flexibility
• comfortable with public speaking
• good time management skills

See the School of STESL Student Code of Conduct for a description of other attributes that are pertinent to education professionals.

Confused about TESOL training options?

Looking around the internet can be overwhelming when you are trying to find options for TESOL training. It’s important to understand that there are no international standards. Certificates vary widely. Therefore, it is important that you choose a program that will help you be adequately prepared and that will help you meet your goals.
Do you want to teach locally? Overseas? Adults? Children? Expected qualifications will vary depending on your answers to these questions. In general, overseas TESOL employers look for a certificate that reflects a minimum of 100 hours of instruction. The S-TESL certificate exceeds that amount – and is a university, credit-bearing certificate as well. Our practical, academic program provides a strong foundation for a career as an ESOL teacher. We also have options for future growth with our Advanced Certificate and/or MA options at Seattle Pacific University should you choose to continue your education.

What about job opportunities?

Overseas opportunities remain very strong. About 50% of our graduates go overseas within 3-6 months of completion of the program. Others work locally in adult or K-12 education. The Puget Sound area is a highly competitive job market. Qualifications vary depending on the institutional setting and may require a Master’s degree. If you wish to work locally, it is important to have realistic expectations for income. Jobs are often the result of having started as a volunteer, so we strongly encourage students to get classroom experience in conjunction with their studies.

How can I find out more?

• Attend one of our evening public information sessions, held each winter, spring, summer and fall.. Contact the school for specific dates.
• Investigate international job opportunities online by visiting www.eslcafe.com or www.transitionsabroad.com or www.eslemployment.com . Check community colleges or local community organizations (such as Goodwill) for teaching opportunities.
• Visit ESOL classes in your community to help you understand if this might be a good fit for you. Most communities have classes at community colleges, libraries, community based organizations, or a public K-12 school.
• Talk to people who work in the field.
• Schedule an appointment with the S-TESL Director for personal advising.

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 Pacific University, which many students find advantageous. The certificates are issued by Seattle Pacific 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.

See "Why this program is so good" and "Feedback from S-TESL Graduates"

Read TESOL International's position statement on independent short-term TESL/TEFL certificate programs.

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 5000-level education credits from Seattle Pacific University and the Certificate in TESOL awarded by Seattle Pacific 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

TESOL International Position Statement on Short-Term Certificate Programs

How does S-TESL prepare you for actual teaching?

S-TESL classes

• guide you through varied ESOL activities from the very first day of class to the last day of class.
• examine and discuss activities (used for teacher training) as to how they would appear differently in different language classrooms. This helps you see how activities can be tweaked for widely diverse teaching situations.
• give you thorough preparation to make in-class decisions (theory, methods, activities, materials, student-variables, administrative pressures).
• give you micro-teaching opportunities (and you also observe and evaluate your colleagues' microteaching).
• put you in an ESOL class with a trained and seasoned ESOL teacher. This is usually six hours per Intensive I course, but can vary by the time of year and the size of your class. This ESOL class uses materials written to demonstrate the pedagogy of the School of Teaching ESL. You will have observation tasks to complete and report upon, and will also assist the teacher in implementing various activities. There are preparation and debriefing meetings with the ESOL instructor. Any more time with the ESOL class would only take away from the other very important things we need to do with you. We have made choices about where to allocate our time based on more than 20 years of training language teachers, and are happy with the choices we have made.In the Intensive I format, there are updates two times a week on the ESOL class, allowing you to see the full range of a teaching unit from presentation to evaluation as well as the daily lesson plans that the teacher uses. You will see, analyze, and discuss the many decisions being made in the four week period about materials, activities, and students.

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.

About Micro-Teaching

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." ~ Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, Harvard University

More...

What is the rationale for micro-teaching before teaching in an ESOL class?

• You get experience before peers, which can be a safer environment.
• You can present just a small part of a lesson.
• More can be covered because there is not the pressure to present all parts of a lesson.
• You can be stopped. You can start over. You can end in the middle of an activity.
• Microteaching can provide structured evaluation and feedback which will focus on your strengths and weaknesses.
• You benefit from your colleagues' micro-teaching as well as your own.
• No ESL students are harmed by your first teaching attempts.
• Micro-teaching is often a required part of the hiring process.