Purpose

The Certificate in TESOL and Second Language Acquisition provides undergraduate students with a rigorous introduction to research on the ways in which speakers of one language acquire another. It also acquaints students with the ways in which second language teaching can facilitate this process. Course work for the Certificate allows students to explore scientific models of linguistic structure and relate them to their own experiences as language learners. It further provides guidance with practical issues that arise in teaching English to adult speakers of other languages. For this reason, the Certificate is particularly appropriate for students who are considering work abroad as teachers of English to adult learners.

Requirements

The Certificate may only be earned as part of a program of study that leads to a B.A. or B.S. degree. Students must earn a grade of C or higher for any course that counts toward the Certificate. At least 9 credit hours of the certificate must be completed on the Bloomington campus. An integral part of the Certificate program is an internship that provides practical experience in teaching English as a second language to adult learners. This is arranged through participation in SLST-T 435 TESOL Practicum, which may be taken concurrently with SLST-S 305.

Students must complete at least 24 credit hours, including the following requirements:

1. Core Courses. Complete both of the following courses:
   • SLST-S 301 Introduction to Second Language Acquisition
   • SLST-S 305 Second Language Acquisition and Language Instruction
2. SLST Electives. Complete three (3) of the following courses:
   • SLST-S 204 Language and (In)Tolerance in the US 
   • SLST-S 302 The Successful Language Learner
   • SLST-S 304 Language Revitalization
   • SLST-S 306 Acquiring New Language Systems
   • SLST-S 308 English Grammar and Second Language Acquisition
   • SLST-S 312 New Sounds: Foreign Accents and Pronunciation in a Second Language
   • SLST-S 319 Special Topics in Second Language Studies
3. Additional Electives. Complete at least two (2) of the following courses:
   • Additional course(s) from the SLST Electives list above
   • COLL-C 104 Critical Approaches to Social and Historical Studies (Approved Topics: "Language Hotspots and Biodiversity")
   • EDUC-L 239 Language and Learning
   • EDUC-L 441 Bilingual Education: Introduction
   • EDUC-M 445 Methods of Teaching Foreign Language
   • FRIT-F 315 The Sounds and Rhythms of French
   • FRIT-F 401 Structure and Development of French
   • FRIT-F 402 Introduction to French Linguistics
   • GER-E 336 Introduction to the Structure of Germanic Languages
   • GER-G 448 Introduction to German Phonetics and Phonology
   • GER-G 451 Introduction to German Syntax
   • HISP-S 326 Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics
   • HISP-S 429 Hispanic Sociolinguistics and Pragmatics
   • HISP-S 430 The Acquisition of Spanish
   • LING-L 203 Introduction to Linguistic Analysis
   • LING-L 315 Introduction to Sociolinguistics
   • LING-L 325 Semantics
   • SPHS-S 201 Speech and Hearing Physiology
   • SPHS-S 333 Childhood Language
4. Practicum. Complete the following course:
   • SLST-T 435 TESOL Practicum

In fulfilling these requirements, students must meet all other College policies and requirements regarding certificates.