ESL - Program Specialist M.S. Ed/Certificate

Graduate Study Scholarships available! Click for information.

Contact

Dr. Nihat Polat
Assistant Professor
Department of Instruction & Leadership in Education
polatn@duq.edu
412.396.4464

PROGRAMS AND COURSES
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE

This graduate program is designed for persons who hold an Instructional I or Instructional II teaching certificate in the State of Pennsylvania who wish to extend their certification to teaching English as a Second Language. The program may be completed as a 15 credit certificate program or a 30 credit master’s degree program. The program of study provides candidates with the knowledge, skills and dispositions to successfully work with second language learners.

For additional information about the ESL program and the options and flexibility it affords, contact the Program Director, Dr. Nihat Polat at 412-396-4464 or request more information.

Required for the ESL Program Specialist certificate
(15 credits)

Requirements for the M.S.Ed. program

A. Methods, Reading and Curriculum and Technology (9-12 credits)

B. Electives (3 – 6 credits)

C. Practicum in Teaching (3 credits)

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
English as a Second Language  

508. Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners. 3 cr.

This course provides the knowledge, skills and dispositions that enable K-12 teachers to facilitate learning among students from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds. It integrates theory and research with practical classroom applications to address the needs of teachers who work with limited English proficient students of all language background. Intended to focus on access to literacy and educational opportunity for ESL learners, the course will engage class members in discussions around a variety of topics in educational practice, research, and policy. Specifically, the course will (1) explore variations in personality, educational background, social class, ethnicity, national origin, language, and culture; (2) analyze the issues of race, racism, and culture in historical and contemporary perspective, (3) explore strategies for teaching multicultural and multilingual ESL learners in K-12 settings, and (4) identify obstacles to participation in the educational process by diverse cultural and ethnic groups. Students will be required to complete field experiences and classroom activities that enable them to reflect on their own belief systems, practices, and educational experiences. Field experience is articulated with course outcomes and assignments.

510. Theories and Practice of Second Language Learning. 3 cr.

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to theories and research of second language acquisition ( SLA), explores factors that influence L2 learning process, compares the similarities and differences between first and second language acquisition, and discusses the implications of these theories for second language teaching. Topics will cover SLA theoretical models, (e.g. UG, processing models, the input hypothesis, the socio-educational model, multi-competence model, and socio-cultural model), individual differences (e.g. motivation, attitude, age, cognitive styles, memory, learning strategies), second language teaching styles (e.g. the academic style, the audio-lingual style, thecommunicative style, the mainstream EFL style), and teaching of a particular aspect of second language (e.g. grammar, pronunciation, listening, reading, writing) based on SLA research.

512. ESL Curriculum and Assessment. 3 cr.

This course provides a general overview of curriculum and assessment for ESL education. It exposes participants to a wide variety of strategies used to assess ESL students’ at K-12 levels language proficiency as well as presents abundant approaches to plan ESL curriculum. ESL curriculum involves (a) the study of learners’ needs, (b) the setting of objectives, (c) the development of a syllabus, teaching methods and materials, and (d) the evaluation of the effects of these procedures on the learners’ language abilities. Assessment involves measurement and evaluation of the ability of a student, the quality or success of a teaching course, and the implementation of an ESL program. The major focus of this course, thus, includes aligning curriculum with ESL and PDE standards, integrating teaching methodology with curriculum design, considering the syllabus and lesson planning, examining the authentic and innovative assessment practices,investigating various types of language assessment, evaluating the appropriateness of assessment measures, and assessing cultural appropriate testing situations. Students will be evaluated on the basis of class attendance/discussion.

515. Sociolinguistics and the ESL classroom. 3 cr.

This course addresses the relationship between language use and the social world. It provides an overview of the main topics of sociolinguistics and an introduction to the most important methods used in sociolinguistic research and analysis. The lectures will be built around a discussion of topics and notions, such as the speech community, dialect, code-switching, language variation, pidgins and Creoles, bilingualism, multilingualism, diglossia, address systems, language and gender, language planning, language maintenance, and language shift. The course also covers an introduction to the basic levels of language (phonetics and phonology, morphology and semantics, syntax, pragmatics) with special emphasis on the relevance of linguistic concepts to education. Students will explore the relationships between language and society as well as between sociolinguistics and education by assigned readings, classroomdiscussions, written assignments, oral presentation, and final examination.

518. Integrated Literacy in the content Areas. 3 cr.

Classroom success depends upon the ability of ESL students to master academic language. This course is designed to incorporate ESL strategies in the content area classrooms for English language learners. The emphasis of this course will be focused on the techniques and strategies for improving second language learners’ listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the content areaclassrooms. Content area language instruction will cover ESL teaching in courses such as Reading, Writing, Science, Mathematics, Social studies, Music, Arts, Physical Education, Health Education, and Business Education.  

690. Practicum Experiences . 3 cr.

Supervised teaching experience designed for persons who hold an Instructional I or Instructional II teaching certificate and are extending certification to ESL Program Specialist. Prerequisite: approval of faculty advisor.

542. Multicultural and International Literature. (GELTP 542) 3 cr.

Interdisciplinary thematic, books, and strategies for the K-12 literature-based curriculum. Emphasis is on the cultural diversity within the United States and global education imperatives addressed in literature of various genres published here and around the world. Includes materials useful for the teaching of English as a second language.

553. Teaching the Language Arts. (GELTP 553) 3 cr.

Explores the development and acquisition of language; contemporary approaches to the teaching of language arts with emphasis on richness in content and activities to meet the needs of a broad range of linguistically different children.

647. Adolescent Literature. (GSCED 647) 3 cr.

Evaluation and selection of books and related materials in the subject fields of science, arts, and the humanities, with special reference to the interests of adolescent youth.

521. Reading Programs and Instruction. (GRLA 521) 3 cr.

Provides an overview of reading programs. Topics include the reading-learning process; emergent literacy; individual differences; developmental reading program, material and procedures; classroom management; children with special needs; grouping; adult readers; reading in the content areas; role of parents; and the administration of the reading program. 

524. Psychology of Reading. (GRLA 524) 3 cr.

Emphasis is on the physiological, psychological and sociological aspects of children’s behavior and their relationship to learning to read. Also examined will be learning theory and teacher and their relationship to learning to read. Also examined will be learning theory and teacher variables; dialects and non-standard language patterns’; oral and written language development, and an understanding of the affective variables that promote reading competence.

525. Teaching Writing K-12. (GRLA 525) 3 cr.

This course will guide you whether you are a future staff developer or K-12 pre-service or in-service teacher in how to support children’s writing and teach writing in your grade level, content area and/or school.  This course is writing intensive.  Focus is on the genres of nonfiction information writing, fiction and poetry.  Prerequisites include at least two undergraduate or graduate reading and language arts courses.

625. Reading Disabilities. (GRLA 625) 3 cr.

Provides in-depth study of the nature of reading problems; causes of reading disabilities; evaluation and remediation of reading problems; understanding exceptional children and the planning of appropriate instruction. Students examine and practice with evaluative instruments and case study procedures.

511.  Technology and Education. (GITED 511) 3 cr.

Examines the the pedagogy of teaching digitally, the use of technology as a teaching strategy for the classroom, and the impact of school-related legislation and leadership roles available in instructional technology.

512. Instructional Design. (GITED 512) 3 cr.

Examines K-12 instructional design theories that are universally applicable to teaching and learning. Participants design instructional pieces for classroom application.

562. Introduction to Linguistics. (ENGL 562) 3 cr.

This course is an introduction to basic principles and methods of modern linguistics, with special emphasis placed on modern grammatical theory and practice, most notably emphasizing phrase-structured grammar. Also explored in the course are phonological and morphological concerns relating specifically to the English Language.

564. Modern English Grammar. (ENGL 564) 3 cr.

An introduction to the basic principles and methods of modern linguistics, emphasizing phrase-structure grammar and its practical application to teaching.