Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL): Initial PreK-12 ESL Certification, M.S.Ed.

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Become equipped with the knowledge and skills to excel as a TESOL professional and scholar with the Master of Science in Education in TESOL with Pre-K-12 ESOL Certification Program from the University of Southern Maine (USM). The program provides graduates with skills and knowledge in the areas of theory, research, and practice in the field of TESOL and prepares graduates for careers in TESOL education and scholarship. This MSEd program is grounded in theories of second language acquisition and applications to classroom environments with culturally and linguistically diverse learners and teaches both pedagogical theory and best practices that can be applied right away in a classroom environment. It is the only graduate teaching degree of its kind in Maine and is designed to support learners worldwide across a variety of teaching contexts, particularly those working in PreK-12 environments.

The PreK-12 Initial Certification MSEd in TESOL is designed to accommodate the needs and goals of a wide range of ESOL professionals working with culturally and linguistically diverse students, including PreK-12 teachers and those who teach or want to teach abroad. International students are encouraged to apply. This 39-credit program may be completed in two years or less with careful planning alongside a faculty advisor. We maintain strong partnerships with local schools where student teaching may be completed. The TESOL internship (EDU 640) is a 15-week, full-time student teaching experience completed in a PreK-12 school to meet the state’s initial PreK-12 ESOL certification requirements. The internship may be completed part-time over two semesters with careful planning alongside your program advisor. The program offers courses in different delivery modes, such as online, blended, and on campus.

The program offers two delivery pathways:

A format that offers blended and on-campus courses in a 15-week blended format and 7-week online asynchronous format.

Program Requirements: 39 credits

First Tier Courses (27 credit hours)

Human Development Course Requirement (3 credits)

Select one 3-credit course from the list below:

Second Tier Courses (9 credit hours)

An online data management system portfolio is required of initial certification concentration students.

Online Data Management System for Educator Preparation Programs and Pathways

All undergraduate and graduate students who matriculate into an Educator Preparation program at USM and are accepted as a candidate for their internship/student teaching year are required to subscribe to an online data management systemTk20. Students upload assignments and other artifacts to this systemTk20 as evidence that they have mastered state and professional standards for their profession. There is a one-time subscription fee related to the administration and assessment of the program that must be paid by each student before their internship begins. For loan purposes, this system is eligible for consideration as part of educational costs. Subscription instructions (including the current fee) are posted on the Office of Educator Preparation page on MyUSM at https://mycampus.maine.edu/group/usm/office-of-educator-preparation.

Please note Professional Education Council Policy: In order for USM’s Educator Preparation Unit program completers to be recommended by the institution to the Maine Department of Education for certification or licensure, the candidate must provide evidence of meeting all certification requirements including proficiency on the standards relevant to their state-approved professional program. This evidence must be compiled and assessed within the context of the Unit’s data management system.

Certification Requirements

Here are the steps to Maine DOE ESOL Endorsement for this program:

Endorsement Eligibility Pathway 3

(a) Earned at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, in accordance with Part I Section 6.1 of this rule;

(b) Completed a minimum of 24 semester hours in English for Speakers of Other Languages coursework to include three semester hours in linguistics, three semester hours in curriculum and assessment for ESOL, and three semester hours in teaching methods in ESOL;

(c) Completed a minimum of three semester hours in diversity-centered content related to today’s classroom (e.g., culturally responsive teaching, multicultural education, intercultural education, second language acquisition or world language teaching methods);

(d) Completed a minimum of three semester hours in human development, educational psychology, developmental psychology, adolescent psychology, or child development; and

(e) Completed an approved course for teaching students with exceptionalities in the regular classroom;

(f) Passed basic skills test in reading, writing and mathematics, in accordance with Maine Department of Education Regulation 13, or achieved at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA in all courses required for the certification, or completed a successful portfolio review demonstrating competency in Maine’s Initial Teacher Standards; and

(g) Completed one academic semester or a minimum of 15 weeks of full-time student teaching, or a combination of part-time and full-time student teaching in an amount equivalent to 15 weeks in this endorsement area at the specified grade level. This requirement shall be waived upon completion of one full year of successful teaching under a conditional certificate in this endorsement area at the specified grade level.

Grade Requirements

Graduate students must receive a grade of “B-” or higher in all courses to be successful in Literacy Education and TESOL programs.
If the above grade requirements are not met, students may be required to repeat the course.
Additionally, students must maintain an overall GPA of 3.00.

Transfer Credit Policy

Previously completed graduate courses may be approved for transfer into a graduate program within the Literacy, Language, and Culture programs if credits for the courses were earned no more than five years prior to matriculation, with grades of B or better.

For previous work completed through the University of Maine System, up to twelve credits may be accepted if the courses meet the requirements above and are equivalent to core courses or elective courses in the relevant USM program of study. Up to six graduate credits completed at institutions outside of the University of Maine System may be accepted if the courses meet the requirements above and are equivalent to core courses or elective courses in the relevant USM program of study. A syllabus for each course submitted for transfer credit from outside the University of Maine System must be provided upon application.

Transfer of more than twelve University of Maine System credits or six non-University of Maine System credits may be approved by the program coordinator and faculty. These credits may include certificate of graduate study program courses and professional development in-service graduate courses. Requests for the transfer of credits taken more than five years prior to matriculation may also be evaluated and approved by the program coordinator and faculty.