TESOL | Department of Language & International Studies | BYU-Idaho

# Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

## TESOL

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) is an exciting field of study that can lead to a meaningful career in education. The TESOL degrees and certificates that are offered here at BYU-Idaho are designed to provide you with a foundation of skills and knowledge about language teaching practices.

This training can help you teach English as a second language (ESL) in English-speaking countries or teach English as a foreign language (TEFL) in a country where English is not the prevalent language.

TESOL Careers

PRAXIS EXAM

Student Teaching Requirements

## Teach Abroad

In today's world, speaking fluent English can open many doors of academic, social, and economic opportunity. Teaching English as a foreign language can be the adventure of a lifetime, where you can enable others to open those doors. BYU-Idaho's Teach Abroad program aims to place BYU-Idaho TESOL teachers-in-training into partner schools around the world that are high quality and align with university values.

### Oh, the places you'll go!

Over the years, we have cultivated relationships with English schools all over the globe that have a strong local church presence, are close to a temple, have LDS administrators, and are compatible with our three-semester yearly calendar.

See a list of our partner schools with their unique offerings and environments.

### Benefits of Teach Abroad

1. Change lives by helping others improve their English proficiency
2. Forge lasting friendships with wonderful students, fellow teachers, and mentors
3. Enjoy unforgettable places and delicious food
4. Earn 1 credit of coursework by enrolling in the TESOL 497 Practicum
5. Teaching overseas can be much cheaper than living in Rexburg for a semester.

### How to Enroll in Teach Abroad

1. Take and pass the Intro to TESOL course (TESOL 200).
2. Schedule the TESOL Practicum (TESOL 497) on your off-track.
3. Contact your desired partner school to apply.

### Turn Teach Abroad into a Minor or Certificate

BYU-Idaho offers a 13-credit TESOL Certificate, a 20-credit TESOL Education Minor, and a 24-credit TESOL Minor. After completing the introductory course and the TESOL practicum, you can fold those four credits into a degree or certificate that shows future employers that you are trained and ready to teach English language learners.

### Are You Ready to See the World?

For more information, contact the Department of Languages and International Studies at gohrm@byui.edu or (208) 496-4300.

## Degrees

TESOL Education Minor

The TESOL Education Minor prepares BYU-Idaho students to teach in public school settings in the United States. It equips future teachers with the skills and dispositions necessary to help English Language Learners (ELLs) improve their English proficiency. 
 
BYU-Idaho students earning this minor will learn about principles of second language acquisition, teaching approaches and methods, how to teach the five skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing, and culture), advanced grammar, classroom management, language assessment, and language teaching technology. They will complete two practicums: one in local public school, and another online, overseas, or domestically. 
 
The TESOL Education minor fulfills State of Idaho teacher endorsement requirements (K-12). TESOL Education Minors also need to pass the TESOL PRAXIS examination to student-teach and earn their TESOL credential. 
 
Learn more about the TESOL Education minor

TESOL Minor

The TESOL Minor prepares BYU-Idaho students to teach English as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL). It equips future teachers with the skills and dispositions necessary to help English Language Learners (ELLs) improve their English proficiency. 
 
BYU-Idaho students earning this minor will learn principles of second language acquisition, teaching approaches and methods, how to teach the five skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing, and culture), educational psychology, international business, advanced grammar, classroom management, language assessment, and language teaching technology. They will also complete one practicum online, overseas, or domestically. 
 
Learn more about the TESOL minor

## Certificates

TESOL Certificate (On-campus Students Only)

This certificate program provides a basic introduction to teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. The TESOL Certificate qualifies students to teach the English language in most international contexts and for private domestic organizations. 
 
Many employers ask for a TESOL certificate, but showing them a transcript of the TESOL courses you have taken has satisfied all but one employer that has hired a BYU-Idaho student to teach English. However, by itself, the TESOL Certificate does not qualify the certificate owner to teach full-time in US public schools. One practicum is required for this certificate. 
 
View Certificate Requirements

TEFL Certificate (Online Students Only)

This certificate program provides a basic introduction to teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. The TEFL Certificate qualifies students to teach the English language in most international contexts. 
 
View Certificate Requirements

TESOL Cluster

This cluster of courses is designed to provide a basic introduction to teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. One practicum is required for the TESOL Cluster. 
 
View Cluster Information

Graduate Schools

BYU-Idaho graduates have gone on to excel at many graduate programs, but the following institutions have built a strong relationship with us over the years. Please consider which school would best fit your desires to further your education. 
 
****Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterrey**** 
 
BYU-Idaho TESOL students can qualify for Advanced Entry admission to the prestigious MATESOL program at MIIS, which is now only offered online. Our institutions have an academic agreement wherein our students may count 8-10 hours of coursework toward their degree. They also are eligible for merit-based scholarships that could discount tuition costs. 
 
****BYU Provo**** 
 
BYU's language and language teaching graduate programs are world-renowned. There are several programs that would be of interest to future language teachers including: MA TESOL, MA SLAT, and MA Linguistics. BYU-Idaho students who have attended these programs have greatly benefited from getting real-world experience teaching in the English Learning Center and living within the context of a similar Honor Code. 
 
****Utah State University**** 
 
For students looking to stay in the inter-mountain west for their graduate program, USU's Master of Second Language Teaching is an excellent option. USU's program is arguably the best option economically, yet they still maintain a high-quality program that equips their graduates to teach all over the world.