Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

About

About the TESOL Certificate

Teach English abroad or work from home teaching online.

TESOL is an internationally recognized certificate that certifies students to teach English to speakers of other languages anywhere in the world, and online. Through high-quality teaching preparation, our certified teachers will assist trainees with job applications and provide continuing professional development throughout their TESOL career. You do not need to be a native speaker of English or have an existing teaching certification to enroll in this program.

Benefits

Self-paced, completely online course provides foundational pedagogical knowledge and exposure to research and theory
Expand your instructional knowledge and skills
Learn how to develop lesson plans, syllabi, and developing your teaching philosophy
Supportive and experienced instructors
Prepare for new career opportunities

After doing the activities, taking my time, I really feel that this online course gave me the chance to reflect on my teaching career. I already have the experience of teaching for 12 years, but sometimes you need to stop and think about your teaching career through its various activities and skills, or the theories of language teaching that I personally have forgotten. I have interviewed for a position in the Middle East, and they welcomed my TESOL certificate. It has impacted my current and future teaching career.

Yazdan Choobsaz

TESOL Certificate Holder

It was a great experience. The certificate program was really user friendly, and I felt like it had great resources, videos, discussion, and activities. It will impact my teaching and was a great refresher on how to teach adults and children. I think having my TESOL certificate will make me a better teacher.

Cindy Cruz

TESOL Certificate Holder

One thing that I really like about the course was the variety of activities and games that I will use when teaching in a foreign country. I would definitely recommend TESOL by CRDLLA, as you will get new opportunities to acquire jobs and grow as an English language teacher.

Tatev Zalineyan

TESOL Certificate Holder

Instructors

David Jimenez, Ph.D.

TESOL Lead Coordinator

Dr. David Jimenez serves as the lead coordinator of the online bilingual/ESL programs for CRDLLA. He spent seven years working with culturally and linguistically diverse students as a secondary school teacher in various school districts in San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley. He currently holds a teaching certification for 8-12 social studies along with a principal certification granted through the state of Texas. In addition, he has a master’s degree in Spanish (Hispanic Studies) and a doctorate in educational psychology with an emphasis in bilingual education from Texas A&M University.

Valerie Choron

TESOL Outreach and Partnerships Coordinator

Valerie Choron serves as the outreach coordinator for the online TESOL program for CRDLLA. She assists with content alignment, course development, and maintenance for TESOL professional development courses targeting participants who are working towards TESOL credentials. Valerie earned her master’s degree in elementary education from Stephen F. Austin State University and has over a decade of classroom experience. She currently holds teaching certifications for EC-6 in Texas and New Jersey along with an English as a second language (ESL) and principal certification granted through the state of Texas. She is currently a doctoral student at Texas A&M University.

Ruby Nicole Garcia

Instructor

Ruby Nicole Garcia is a third- and fourth-grade two-way dual language teacher at Johnson Elementary in Bryan, Texas. Ruby was a bilingual education and Spanish double major at Texas A&M University. She is originally from El Paso, Texas. In summer 2016, Ruby interned with the Department of Education in the Office of English Language Acquisition in Washington, D.C. She believes that each student is entitled to a quality education and she aims to inspire her students.

Certificate Levels and Application

CRDLLA TESOL Certification Course (120 hours)

The TESOL certification program is designed by the Center for Research & Development in Dual Language & Literacy Acquisition (CRDLLA) at Texas A&M University. We are excited to assist you in becoming an English language teacher. This cohort style course contains six modules prepared around specific learning topics. Each topic contains readings, internet resources, and reflection activities. This course provides the learner with 120 hours of online training in a self paced learning environment. The learning modules topics:

• Theories of language learning and teaching
• TESOL learning strategies, methods and techniques
• Theory and practice of teaching language skills
• Lesson planning and syllabus design
• Classroom management
• Principles of assessment and language testing

Price: $249.99 Apply Now

130-hour (Coming Soon)

130 hours 100% online Self-paced *120 hours of instruction in:

Theories of language learning and teaching
TESOL learning strategies, methods and techniques
Theory and practice of teaching language skills
Lesson planning and syllabus design
Classroom management
Principles of assessment and language testing

*10 hours in an elective area of specialization. Choose from:

Teaching English online
Culture and TESOL
Error correction and feedback
Teaching English to Asian students
Computer assisted language leaching
Fluency and accent
Teaching English to Spanish speakers

Price: $ (coming soon)

150-hour (Coming Soon)

Hybrid, 150 hours *120 hours of online instruction in:

TESOL learning strategies, methods and techniques
Theory and practice of teaching language skills
Lesson planning and syllabus design
Classroom management
Principles of assessment and language testing

*10 hours of on-site supervised instruction (during COVID-19 offered virtually) *10 hours of virtually supervised teaching *20 hours in two elective areas of specialization. Choose from:

Teaching English online
Culture and TESOL
Error correction and feedback
Teaching English to Asian students
Computer assisted language teaching
Fluency and accent
Teaching English to Spanish speakers

Price: $ (coming soon)

CRDLLA TESOL Certification: Elective Courses

The TESOL Certification Top-Up courses are designed by the Center for Research & Development in Dual Language & Literacy Acquisition (CRDLLA) at Texas A&M University. We are excited to assist you in becoming an English language teacher. This cohort style course contains six modules prepared around specific learning topics. These courses can be taken with the TESOL Certificate program or on their own. Each topic contains readings, internet resources, and reflection activities. This course provides the learner with 10 hours of online training in a self paced learning environment. The learning topics to choose from include:

Teaching English online
Culture and TESOL
Error correction and feedback
Teaching English to Asian students
Computer-assisted language leaching
Fluency and accent
Teaching English to Spanish speakers

CRDLLA TESOL Hybrid (Mentoring/Supervision) Experience (Coming Soon)

We are excited to assist you in becoming an English language teacher. The TESOL Hybrid Experience is designed by the Center for Research & Development in Dual Language & Literacy Acquisition (CRDLLA) at Texas A&M University. In addition to the previous courses, the learner has the added benefit of enhancing their learning experience with consultation from an experienced educator. This course can be taken with the TESOL Certificate course and electives or on its own. Through this course, learners work with live instructors to set up goals, work on courses and other educational needs related to CRDLLA TESOL.

Certificate Holders

1. Alba Zuniga
2. Alexandra Gustad
3. Amber Jones
4. Amin Rajabi
5. Anna Villanueva
6. Cindy Cruz Paz
7. Dinah Davelle Dixon
8. Frances Martinez
9. Gracie Elizardo
10. Jessica Newsom
11. Jooyoung Lee
12. Judith Marie Foster
13. Julia Tebbe
14. Kristi M. Everhart
15. Laura Lehne Mewis
16. Lisa Rambo
17. Mehmet Emirhan Kula
18. Mildred Gonzalez
19. Myunghee Park
20. Najmeh Maralani
21. Olotu Oluwatosin Olayemi
22. Petr Kandidatov
23. Phoebria Ford
24. Sahar Namazi
25. Stanley K. Chen
26. Suhyun Park
27. Sunyoung Park
28. Tatev Zalinyan
29. Tatiana Aleksandrovna Chasnyk
30. Tina Steiner-Johnson
31. Victoria Camille Chen
32. Yazdan Choobsaz
33. Yeojin Kim
34. Yu Jeong Yang
35. Yvette Rizcallah
36. Valerie Choron
37. Nilsa O. Perez-Cabrera
38. Erik J. Choron
39. Michelle Cortez
40. Yessenia Gamez

41. Ruby Garcia
42. David Jimenez
43. Mayra Vargas
44. Kimberly Zungia
45. Beatrice Burton
46. Brianna Nicole Clark
47. Allison Ford
48. Lisa Ann Reed
49. Anna Abesadze
50. Trinidad Raymond Hernandez
51. Andrea McMurray
52. Navid Bargrizan
53. David Charles Brake
54. Marat Urazaliyevich
55. Megan Glover
56. Alexandra Mintzias Brinzio
57. Emile Henri Dally III
58. Amirpooya Davani Dardashti
59. Jihye Park
60. Natalie DeAnne Shigg
61. Melissa Ashley Mendez
62. Aubrey Elder
63. Tiffany Dominguez
64. Phuong Hong Vo
65. Amanda Blanco Flores
66. Gloria Jones
67. Jacqualine Adams
68. Gina Michelle Smith
69. Carolyn Markham
70. Nematullah Shomoossii
71. Julia Lynch
72. Madeline Henry
73. Riza Igdekoylu
74. Grace E. Lee-Kim
75. Brian Hoang
76. Reza Yousefi Behzadi
77. Jose Antonio Quiros
78. Heeru Bhojwani
79. Azalia Gaytán-Baker

FAQs

What can I do with a TESOL certificate? This certificate allows you the flexibility to teach English to non-native speakers anywhere in the world. Teachers with TESOL credentials work overseas in places that include but are not limited to private language, large companies, international schools, and universities. There are also teachers that begin their own teaching practice by opening their own classrooms online after gaining teaching experiences. This avenue allows the flexibility to teach PK-12 as well as adult students. You would also have the capability to teach online from anywhere in the world without leaving your home.

What are the differences between TESOL ,TESL, and TEFL? TESOL refers to teaching English to speakers of other languages and is a general name for the field of teaching that includes both TESL and TEFL. TESL refers to teaching English as a second language; these programs are in English-speaking countries for students whose first language is other than English. TEFL refers to teaching English as a foreign language; these programs are in countries where English is not the primary language and is not a lingua franca.

What type of certification do I need to teach ESL/EFL? No single degree, certificate, or license authorizes an individual to teach ESL/EFL in all fields or in all parts of the world. Job requirements are specific to the job. The employer may vary a great deal from one job to another. Depending on the place one is teaching, generally speaking, the minimum qualification to teach English in private language schools throughout the world is a bachelor’s degree and some type of TESL or TEFL certificate.

Will the course give me credits towards a state teaching certification? No, the TESOL certificate is an independent certificate, which provides a short instructional term. (This course is six part of its learning structure. The course runs 90 days focusing on discussing different methods, instructional practices, and theories for practical application. This certificate is not a degree and may not qualify towards a state teaching license or a master’s degree. Please be sure to check your state or ministry’s requirements for teaching certification to be sure.)

Can credits from those courses be used towards a course within Texas A&M? No, the TESOL certificate is an independent credential for continuing learning purposes. In order to acquire credit toward a degree, the participant would have to apply to college or university of their choice.

Does this course count as professional development hours for teachers? No, this certificate will not count for PD credit.

What is the difference between the TESOL certification and a state-issued teaching certification? The process to acquire a state teaching credential is longer than the process developed in this TESOL course. Additionally, the participant needs to take the appropriate state assessments to acquire a teaching credential. The process to acquire a TESOL certificate Is shorter and does not require a state assessment to acquire the certificate.

Do I need to be a certified teacher to qualify for the program? No, you do not have to have a teaching certificate to qualify for the TAMU TESOL program.

Do I need to speak another language to become TESOL certified? No, but to become a TESOL-certified teacher, you must have a strong grasp of the English language. So if you speak a language other than English, yes, you would need to learn English to become certified through this program. You are not required to be able to speak the language of the student(s) you are working with. Being able to speak the language(s) your students speak provides you with the advantage to make better instructional and social connections.

What jobs can I acquire with a TESOL certificate? You would acquire training to expose you to second language teaching toward working with private language companies like VIPKID or language schools, as well as starting your own language classes.

Can I apply for a teaching position in my town? No, you are encouraged to check with your state or ministry’s requirements for the criteria to apply for a teaching position in your town.

How do I take these classes? Are they only online or do I need to physically come to class? Yes, these classes are only online and are found in the Canvas learning management system.

Can I become TESOL certified if I do not speak English? You would need to speak English to engage in this activity. This credential identifies that you have sufficient mastery of the English language and understanding of ESL teaching methods to work with students that speak other languages.

How much work is involved for this course? This course has six modules. Each module consists of activities that encourage the participant to synthesize and apply what they have learned, researched, and read into their responses.

How long do I have to complete the course? You will have 90 days to complete the course. This time provides students with plenty of flexibility if life gets hectic and you need to pause progress on the course. We encourage participants not to leave the course incomplete for too long because online learning can become overwhelming the closer deadlines approach.

How will I receive my certificate? The CRDLLA will send your TESOL certificate through email.

I still have questions, who do I contact? Please contact the Lead Coordinator, Dr. David Jimenez, using the email tesol@tamu.edu or call 979-458-4278.

Who do I contact to prove my certificate is authentic? Please contact the Lead Coordinator, Dr. David Jimenez, using the email tesol@tamu.edu or call 979-458-4278.

Some questions and answers were adapted from: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages Inc. “Frequently Asked Questions About Careers in TESOL.” Frequently Asked Questions About Careers in TESOL, Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages Inc., www.tesol.org/docs/pdf/2466.pdf?sfvrsn=2. TEFL & TESOL Courses – ITTTT. What Can You Do with a TEFL/TESOL Certificate? YouTube, 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=29&v=gz_fK7phfWU&feature=emb_logo.