Course

Overview of Teaching English as a Second Language to Adult Learners

Faculty
Language, Literature & Performing Arts
Department
Teaching English as a Second Language
Course code
TESL 4201
Credits
3.00
Semester length
8 to 15 weeks
Max class size
25
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Typically offered
Summer
Winter

Overview

Course description
This is one of a group of six courses that together lead to a Douglas College Certificate in Teaching and Tutoring English as a Second Language to Adult ESL Learners. This overview course introduces prospective teachers and tutors to the basic principles of adult learning and their application to the acquisition of a second language. Students learn a variety of ESL learning contexts and the implications of context for teaching and tutoring. In addition, this course provides an overview of curriculum design, lesson planning and learning assessment. Other themes running through the course are intercultural communication and language as a component of culture.
Course content
  1. basic principles of adult learning
  2. key findings from research about second language acquisition for adult learners
  3. contexts of adult ESL learning
  4. ESL curriculum and lesson planning for adult learners
  5. ESL assessment strategies
  6. intercultural communication
  7. language as a component of culture
Learning activities

Lecture/demonstration

  1. Lecture/demonstration
  2. Small group/pair discussion
  3. Group discussion
  4. Reading and writing assignments
  5. Individual/small group presentations
Means of assessment

Courses are graded on the standard graded system that applies in evaluating course work for credit courses.  Students are assigned grades according to their level of achievement on a variety of assessments which may include exercises, assignments, presentations, teaching simulations, tests and the portfolio.  A participation grade may be included as part of the grade.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

  1. apply major principles of adult education to teaching ESL students
  2. apply major findings of  second language research to teaching adult learners
  3. analyze a variety of contexts in which ESL is taught and the implications of each of these for teaching and tutoring
  4. follow an ESL curriculum and lesson
  5. apply basic assessment strategies to ESL learning
  6. analyze intercultural ‘challenge’ scenarios and create responses
  7. create intercultural activities to enhance learning  
Textbook materials

Students may be required to purchase textbooks.

Requisites

Prerequisites

Admission to TESL Program

Corequisites

TESL 4202

TESL 4205

Equivalencies

No equivalent courses.

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see https://www.bctransferguide.ca

Institution Transfer details for TESL 4201
Simon Fraser University (SFU) No credit
University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) No credit
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) No credit
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) UFV TESL 400 (3)

Course Offerings

Winter 2025