Beginning students of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) usually have two purposes: (1) to learn the academic skills they need to succeed at graduate work and (2) to discover the best ways to teach English to non-native speakers. In this course, students will achieve the first purpose, mastering necessary academic skills, while getting a head start on the second, understanding methods and issues of TESOL study. Academic skills include getting the most out of lectures and research articles, taking notes, accessing library and internet resources, answering essay test questions, giving presentations, and writing papers using proper forms of citation, paraphrasing and bibliographic references.
This course is designed for students who are new to the Master of Science in Education program, who have little or no experience studying in an English-language university, or who are not familiar with formal academic writing style (APA style). For such students, this course is recommended as the first course in the MSEd curriculum. Registrants who are not native speakers of English should have a TOEFL score of at least 550 on the paper-based test or 80 on the internet-based test.
There will be 13 regular class sessions for this course and in addition to the regular class sessions, all the students will be required to attend any one of the two online Distinguished Lecturer Weekend Seminars (only the first three hours of the Saturday public session) scheduled in spring.  The professor will provide you with further details about the seminar requirement later in the classroom.

The session 12 on Thursday, March 26, is cancelled. In lieu of this cancelled session, students are required to attend the first three hours of the public session of one of the two seminars scheduled in spring 2026.

The acquisition of morphology and syntax (i.e., morpho-syntax) has been at the heart of the field of second language acquisition since its modern inception in the 1970s. The reason for this focus is simple: Acquiring these aspects of a foreign language is extremely difficult for most adult foreign language learners given the complexity and abstractness of many morpho-syntactic forms. This course has three main goals. The first goal is to become more familiar with basic aspects of English morpho-syntax (e.g., the syntax of declarative statements, question formation, negation, and embedding) in order to better understand some of the key morpho-syntactic mechanisms used in the English language. The second goal is to become conversant with a wide variety of empirical studies into the acquisition of English morpho-syntax. This body of research includes theoretical investigations of the cognitive mechanisms held responsible for the acquisition of morpho-syntax as well as classroom applications of various pedagogical approaches used to teach particular aspects of English grammar. The third goal is to give course participants an opportunity to conduct a hands-on teaching project in which they use a pedagogical approach that is new to them for teaching one aspect of English morpho-syntax. In this way, the participants can expand the pedagogical techniques available to them. Other course assignments include weekly readings, sentence-diagramming tasks, leading and participating in small group discussions, and a final examination.

This course will explore, with breadth and depth, the state of the art in second language teaching pedagogy. The issues covered will be: the history of the field; theories of language learning and the principles connecting these theories to effective classroom practice (e.g., input, output, form-focused instruction, content- and task-based instruction); teaching the 4 skills, motivation, strategies-based instruction, assessment, form vs. function focused teaching, the role of the first language, and the use of corpora in materials development. Other critical issues include the roles that culture and personality play in learning/teaching, assessment, and materials design. These issues will be covered by reading current articles from the ESL/EFL literature, as well as the textbooks. Students will produce lesson plans, a course syllabus, and a teaching philosophy. Active participation in discussion and frequent short projects are required. By the end of this course, students will be able to: 

1. 1.Express and defend the strategies, methods, and activities s/he wants to use as a teacher. 
2. 2.Describe the role(s) of the teacher in language learning.
3. 3.Understand and appropriately employ the technical terminology of the field. 
4. 4.Generate focused lesson materials and plans.
5. 5.Discuss the methods and the major issues that presently define second/foreign language teaching. 
6. 6.Design effective lesson plans and syllabi suited to multiple pedagogical contexts.
7. 7.Apply theoretical principles to classroom practice.

This course will provide a wide-reaching background in the use of technology in language education. Students will be consider the theoretical underpinnings of technology usage, applications both known and obscure, linguistic aspects of technology usage, the burgeoning roles of AI in language education, and research and pedagogical trends in the tech-ed world. Time will also be devoted to roles that technology can play as an aid to and object of research. This course will also feature a substantial dose of practical instruction in such areas as manipulating common software, expanding into the cloud, and facilitating classroom instruction. During class, students will participate in and lead group discussions, introduce an element from the cybersphere in an oral presentation, and take occasional in-class quizzes. Outside of class, students will compile a virtual reaction journal and craft a course paper to delve into a self-selected aspect of technology relevant to education.

The primary purpose of this course is to introduce students to the basics of English phonetics and phonology, with an emphasis on areas of interest to language teachers. The course objectives are to: (1) introduce the basic concepts of phonetics and phonology; (2) provide practice in transcribing and analyzing the sound systems of first language speakers of English and English language learners; (3) consider the place of pronunciation teaching in a foreign language curriculum and instructional approaches; (4) examine methods of assessing pronunciation; and (5) look at the relationship between pronunciation and other language skills. Students will complete a number of weekly assignments, take a mid-term examination and final examination, and conduct a project in which the speech of an English language learner is analyzed, a particular aspect of the English sound system is taught, and the results reported.

The session 11 on Monday, March 23, is cancelled. The make-up session will be held on Monday, April 20.

The main goal of this course is to explore modern theories of second language development (SLD) that are essential to current discussions about adult foreign language learning. Studying these theories will allow participants to deepen and strengthen their understanding of SLD, models of language representation and use, and issues that directly affect classroom teaching. In the first part of the course, we examine (a) the nature of theories, (b) a leading motivation theory, and (c) linguistic theory and universal grammar. The second part covers several contemporary theoretical perspectives, including (a) usage-based approaches, (b) skill acquisition theory, and (c) input processing. Finally, the third part discusses (a) research on the brain and SLD, (b) fluency development, (c) input, interaction, and output, (d) sociocultural theory, and (e) instructed second language development. Students will participate in and lead various small group discussions, take in-class exams, write a paper on a self-chosen SLD topic, and give a presentation on the same subject. Course participants should read Chapters 1-7 of "Theories in Second Language Acquisition: An Introduction" before the first class.

The course is best taken by students who have already completed TESL 5611, TESL 5612, TESL 5613, TESL 5614 and TESL 5616. 

The first session on Thursday, January 8, is cancelled. In lieu of Thursday, January 8, the last session will be held on Thursday, April 16.

Since the first class meeting for this course is on Thursday, January 15, after the spring 2026 Add/Drop Period ends, the office will accept drop requests for this course only until 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 16 after the first class meeting.  Students who wish to drop this course after attending the first class meeting must notify the office of their intention by emailing tujtesol@tuj.temple.edu no later than 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 16.

The course is focused on teaching, learning, and L2 vocabulary research (i.e., single words and multi-word units). We will look at a range of topics, such as what is involved in knowing a word; how much vocabulary is needed when using the four major skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing; acquiring; using specialized vocabulary; learning words from context; and learning multi-word units. The course has three primary aims. The first aim is for participants to become familiar with the wide variety of research that makes up the field of second language vocabulary acquisition. The second aim, which rests on the foundation provided by the first, is to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to create an effective plan for teaching vocabulary in a course or in a foreign-language curriculum. The third aim is for participants to question research to improve their teaching and research. 

Course participants will read extensively, complete in-class tasks regarding vocabulary teaching and learning, participate in and lead small group discussions, conduct a course project by analyzing the lexical composition of learning materials. Participants will also make an in-class presentation about their course project. By the end of the course, course participants should be aware of the major issues pertinent to teaching, learning, and researching second-language vocabulary, be able to design a vocabulary component for a language course and advise teachers and learners on vocabulary learning strategies. Course participants should read the first two chapters in Learning Vocabulary in Another Language before the first-class meeting.

This course will guide you in understanding and applying principles of curriculum design and teacher-based assessment. Course readings and assignments, plus recorded lectures and ample opportunity for 1:1 consults with your professor will guide you through thinking about how to best teach multilingual learners by adapting a curriculum that has been handed to you (i.e. a mandated curriculum), by building upon existing curricula in your instructional setting, or by creating a curriculum from scratch.  In this course, curriculum is conceived of as an instructional cycle which includes planning, instructing, assessing, and assessment-driven instruction. A foundational principle of this course is that formative assessments can and should be used to guide instruction.  As such, you will learn how to sequence interrelated lessons in response to students’ performance on a variety of formative assessments.  You will also learn approaches to environment and needs analysis and will experience how these analyses can inform teaching and curriculum design. Toward the end of the course, the Continua of Biliteracy will be used as an organizing framework that will guide you toward taking a critical stance when reflecting upon the curriculum you have created.

The final project due date may fall beyond this period.

Building on fundamentals covered in Introduction to Qualitative Research (Spring, 2025), this seminar aims to further participants’ skills in and understanding of research design, interviewing, data analysis, and writing as they work on developing projects related to their dissertations. Focusing on both qualitative and mixed-methods studies, we will begin by reviewing theoretical and methodological relationships between research topics, project designs, approaches to interviewing, and analysis. Students will conceptualize and revise the design of a pilot study based on class discussions and independent in-depth reading in a particular research area. This study might include the collection and analysis of interactional, narrative, or interview data to be used in a mixed methods study. We will review and explore techniques for eliciting interactional data consistent with students’ research aims, and examine ways that learning can be documented through the analysis of interaction. Working with their data, participants will gain further experience in qualitative analysis and in the written presentation of this analysis. 

Course activities will be organized around lectures, class and group discussions, and shared reflections on participants’ ongoing projects. Qualitative data analysis software will be introduced, approaches to discourse analysis illustrated, and particular attention will be devoted to textual analysis in the interest of developing writing skills. Three major writing assignments will focus in turn on project design, data analysis, and a final progress report.

As this course requires the design and implementation of a pilot study, participants are strongly encouraged to come to the first class with a research topic and a fine understanding of some exemplars (Mishler, 1990) in mind, and a working bibliography in hand.

The goals of the course are:

1. 1.To further participants’ understanding of qualitative research processes and methods, in particular project design, interviewing, data analysis, and writing;
2. 2.To introduce and familiarize participants with the role of interview data in mixed-methods designs and in the development of quantitative instruments;
3. 3.To survey recent literature examining the role of interaction in language learning;
4. 4.To develop participants’ understanding of the discourse used in literature reviews and reporting sections in qualitative and mixed-methods research articles;
5. 5.To provide participants with an opportunity to pilot research techniques that will be used in their dissertations.

    

*For more details about the schedule, please check the chart below.

Dr. Churchill’s Class Schedule:

The goals of this course are twofold. The first goal is to develop a level of expertise in language assessment that enables course participants to act as leaders, trainers, and resource persons in implementing high-quality assessments for admission, placement, diagnostic, and achievement purposes. The second goal is to develop practical skills in constructing and validating language performance and affective measures, so their use can be justified for research and/or high-stakes testing. The first aim involves reading in the area of language assessment, supplemented by class lectures and student-led discussions. The second goal is approached from the perspective of Rasch measurement theory and involves using the Winsteps and FACETS software packages. Participants will (a) lead and participate in small group discussions of the course readings, (b) analyze and interpret test and survey data using data sets provided by the instructor, and (c) create a course project in which an assessment instrument is conceptualized, designed, piloted, analyzed, and interpreted. The course project will focus on an instrument designed to measure (a) a major language skill such as listening, speaking, reading, or writing; (b) a sub-skill such as pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary; or (c) an affective variable such as motivation, anxiety, or self-efficacy. Participants should plan a method of data collection to gather data, conduct an appropriate Rasch analysis, interpret the results, and produce a well-written paper. Participants should read Units A1-A5 in Fulcher and Davidson and Chapters 1-4 in Bond, Yan and Moritz before the first class session.

This first session will be held on Friday, January 23. The first and second sessions on Friday, January 9 and Saturday, January 10 will be cancelled. The make-up sessions will be held on Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18.

*For more details about the schedule, please check the chart below.

Dr. Beglar’s Class Schedule:

Building on fundamentals covered in Introduction to Qualitative Research (Spring, 2025), this seminar aims to further participants’ skills in and understanding of research design, interviewing, data analysis, and writing as they work on developing projects related to their dissertations. Examining ethnographic, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies, we will review theoretical and methodological relationships between research topics, project designs, approaches to interviewing, and data analysis. Participants will conceptualize and revise the design of a pilot study based on class discussions and independent in-depth reading their research area. This study might include the collection and analysis of interactional, narrative, or interview data as they would be used in a mixed methods study. We will review and explore techniques for eliciting interactional data consistent with research aims and examine ways that learning can be documented through the analysis of interaction. Working with their data, participants will gain further experience in qualitative analysis and in the written presentation of this analysis.

Qualitative data analysis software will be introduced, approaches to discourse analysis illustrated, and attention devoted to textual analysis in the interest of developing writing skills. Three major writing assignments will focus in turn on project design, data analysis, and a final progress report.

As this course requires the design and implementation of a pilot study, participants are encouraged to come to the first class with a research topic and an understanding of some exemplars (Mishler, 1990), and a working bibliography in hand.

The goals of the course are:

1. 1.To further participants’ understanding of qualitative research processes and methods, in particular project design, interviewing, data analysis, and writing;
2. 2.To introduce and familiarize participants with the role of interview data in mixed-methods designs and in the development of quantitative instruments;
3. 3.To survey recent literature examining the role of interaction in language learning;
4. 4.To develop participants’ understanding of the discourse used in literature reviews and reporting sections in qualitative and mixed-methods research articles;
5. 5.To provide participants with an opportunity to pilot research techniques that will be used in their dissertations.

The first session will be held on Saturday, January 10. In lieu of Friday, January 9, the last session will be held on Saturday, April 18. 

Dr. Swenson’s Class Schedule:

The goals of this course are twofold. The first goal is to develop a level of expertise in language assessment that enables course participants to act as leaders, trainers, and resource persons in implementing high-quality assessments for admission, placement, diagnostic, and achievement purposes. The second goal is to develop practical skills in constructing and validating language performance and affective measures, so their use can be justified for research and/or high-stakes testing. The first aim involves reading in the area of language assessment, supplemented by class lectures and student-led discussions. The second goal is approached from the perspective of Rasch measurement theory and involves using the Winsteps and FACETS software packages. Participants will (a) lead and participate in small group discussions of the course readings, (b) analyze and interpret test and survey data using data sets provided by the instructor, and (c) create a course project in which an assessment instrument is conceptualized, designed, piloted, analyzed, and interpreted. The course project will focus on an instrument designed to measure (a) a major language skill such as listening, speaking, reading, or writing; (b) a sub-skill such as pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary; or (c) an affective variable such as motivation, anxiety, or self-efficacy. Participants should plan a method of data collection to gather data, conduct an appropriate Rasch analysis, interpret the results, and produce a well-written paper. Participants should read Units A1-A5 in Fulcher and Davidson and Chapters 1-4 in Bond, Yan and Moritz before the first class session.

*For more details about the schedule, please check the chart below.

Dr. Beglar’s Class Schedule: