The graduate program in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) is sponsored by the Graduate School–Newark. The certificate program is cosponsored by Languages & Lifelong Learning (L&LL) in Paris, France, where the program is offered.
Aims
The aims of the TEFL certificate program are two-fold: to prepare teachers for employment in the field, and to instill in them an exploratory and reflective approach to the teaching and learning process, so that they may be operational in a wide variety of contexts and continue to develop professionally throughout their career.
More specifically, we aim:
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to provide participants with insight into classroom options within the context of current theories of second language acquisition and of language itself;
- to give participants the opportunity to put a variety of options into practice through extensive supervised practice teaching; and
- to encourage participants to develop perceptions of classroom events and to reflect on the experiences.
Extensive Course
An extensive academic year course is comprised of 120 hours. The academic year extensive course meets in 2012-2013 once a week from October 13 to March 16 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Participants who satisfactorily complete all course requirements will be awarded a TEFL certificate issued by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Graduate School–Newark, and 15 continuing education units (CEUs).
Topics
Topics covered include a review of methods and approaches, including current language theories; lesson planning; classroom management; structuring lessons; practice techniques; error analysis and correction; pronunciation; developing listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills; vocabulary development; video; learning styles and strategies; language awareness; and literature in the language classroom.
Participants
Teachers come from a variety of backgrounds from English-speaking or other communities, including Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and elsewhere.
Nonnative speakers may apply. They must have excellent English language skills.
The majority of the participants hold a bachelor of arts or higher degree. Some are recent graduates while others are preparing a career change. They plan to teach in a variety of contexts: adults/children, general/specific, and schools/training institutions/universities. Whereas most seek employment in France, graduates go on to teach in many European countries (including Eastern Europe), Asia, the United States, and Latin America.
Course Requirements
Due to the collaborative and demanding nature of the course, regular attendance and active participation are minimum essential requirements. There are two required textbooks for this course and supplemental reading. Participants complete written assignments and audiotape their teaching in order to share with colleagues insights and observations during post-lesson discussions.
Evaluation
Assessment is internal and continuous. Participants successfully completing all course requirements receive the TEFL certificate that is issued by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Graduate School–Newark, and 15 continuing education units (CEUs).
Instructor
The instructor of the TEFL certificate program has extensive experience in Teaching English as a Foreign Language and Teaching English as a Second Language, has participated in teacher education programs at other institutions, and contributes to the field in the form of articles in professional journals and papers or workshops at professional conferences. The instructor holds degrees in languages and education.
