Course

TESL Teaching Practicum

Faculty
Language, Literature & Performing Arts
Department
Teaching English as a Second Language
Course code
TESL 4206
Credits
1.50
Semester length
8 to 15 weeks
Max class size
25
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Practicum
Typically offered
Summer
Winter

Overview

Course description
The practicum 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 Adults. During this course, students spend 20 hours in experienced ESL instructors’ classrooms: ten hours of observation and ten hours of teaching. During the practicum, the sponsor teacher and practicum advisor observe, mentor and evaluate the student teacher in the classroom. Students also attend workshops on specific teaching topics in the general topic areas of teaching resources, individual differences affecting learning, educational technology and professional communication.
Course content

This teaching practicum experience involves the application of course content from the other courses in the TESL program including lesson planning and delivery, resource selection and development, classroom management, classroom  communication skills,  reflective practice and professional conduct in the workplace.

Learning activities
  1. Observation of teaching in ESL classroom/s
  2. Completion of  written teacher and student observation tasks
  3. Practice teaching
  4. Self-reflection
  5. Practicum advisor and sponsor teacher feedback
  6. Workshop participation
Means of assessment

In the classroom teaching portion of the practicum, students will be evaluated by the sponsor ESL instructor and the Douglas College practicum advisor. Students are assigned grades according to their level of achievement on teaching tasks, professionalism, lesson plans, and employment of class management techniques. Attendance and participation in special topics workshops will also be included in the course grade.

Learning outcomes

In this course, participants have opportunities to:

  1. Integrate, consolidate, expand and apply knowledge and skills introduced in other TESL courses including lesson planning and delivery, classroom management, and classroom communication strategies.
  2. Practice teaching a specific group of ESL students.
  3. Enhance knowledge, competence and confidence in working with ESL students and TESL professionals.
  4. Reflect on their teaching practice with the support of their sponsor teacher and practicum advisor.
  5. Gain an understanding of a range of specific teaching issues from the general topic areas of teaching resources, individual differences affecting learning, educational technology and professional communication.
Textbook materials

N/A

Requisites

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 4206
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 4XX (1.5)

Course Offerings

Winter 2025