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Vision of English as a Second Language Teacher Preparation Programs

MTSU’s Masters with Concentration in ESL and Add-On Endorsement in English as a Second Language programs seek to prepare candidates who are have the skills, knowledge and dispositions that enable them to create welcoming, safe, and secure learning environments that encourage language acquisition, language use, literacy, and academic success within the today’s linguistically and culturally diverse classrooms.

Mission

The program mission seeks to prepare knowledgeable professional educators who have the ability to meet the needs of second language learners including immigrant children, children of immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and lifelong English learners.Ìý In addition, the program’s mission is to equip a new teaching force with the skills and abilities needed to rise to the challenges posed by multilingual classrooms and to serve as advocates and community partners to assist English learners in becoming successful and productive members of our society.Ìý The program endeavors to support the mission and values of the College of Education and the university in continuing to serve as leaders in the preparation of educators across the state and nation.

The mission encompasses the following key elements that are critically important to professional educators of second language learners:

• Engage in practitioner-based action research with the goal of improving practice for English learners as well as all learners in public school classrooms;
• Apply skills, knowledge, and dispositions needed to serve as advocates for English learners, their families, the community in which they live, building relationships that lead to community literacy, and in creating and providing learning environments conducive to language learning and literacy development;
• Embrace opportunities for professional collaboration with practitioners, administrators, and school leaders with the goal of meeting the needs of English learners;
• Serve as leaders in helping to build appreciation for culturally and linguistic diversity in our classrooms;
• Seek out partnerships that support English learners and their families beyond the PreK-12 learning environment.

The program supports the mission of the College of Education with student-centered learning environments through:

• Excellence in teaching,
• Applied practitioner-based classroom research,
• Creative endeavors,
• Meaningful advisement,
• Mentorship from practitioners, and
• Field-based collaboration.

Goals

The ESL program goals include:

• Providing a graduate program that meets the needs of practicing teachers and the growing number of English learners in schools across the state;
• Establishing strong partnerships and collaborative field-based practices with public schools in order to keep deliver up-to-date content, support, and mentoring that reflects today’s classrooms;
• Engaging candidates in relevant coursework that includes a well-rounded blend of theory, application, practice, and self-reflection;
• Delivering a dynamic overall program that enables candidates to build skills, knowledge, and dispositions needed to be able to realize self-efficacy, promote literacy, and become lifelong advocates for second language learners.

Values

The program is aligned with the Core Values outlines by TESOL—a professional international organization dedicated toÌýadvancing the quality of English language teaching through professional development, research, standards, and advocacy.Ìý The program holds the following core values adapted from TESOL Core Values (2017):

• Professionalism demonstrated by excellence in standards, research, and practice that improve learning outcomes, learning environments, and opportunities for second language learners;
• Respect for diversity, gender, religious diversity, multilingualism, multiculturalism, and individuals’ language and civil rights
• Integrity guided by ethically sound actions
• Commitment to life-long learning and advocacy for second language learnersÌý

ESL Leadership Advisory Team

• Brandi Harvey, ESL Teacher Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools
• Brandy Klaers, ESL Teacher Sumner County Schools
• Suzi Lilley, ESL Teacher Loudon County Schools
• Collin Olson, ESL Teacher Rutherford County Schools
• Rebecca Zanolini, Director Office of Global Learning Lipscomb University

How MTSU Maintains Its Standards in the M.Ed. C&I ESL and Add-On Endorsement in ESL Programs

Triangulation of Ongoing Improvement Data Collection and Analysis Cycle

Use of Data to Inform the Continuous Improvement Process

• End of Each Semester:Ìý The program director conducts a thorough analysis of all qualitative data and completes a comparison of program data, program goals, alignment, and results from candidate assessments in order to identify any gaps, weaknesses, and/or revisions to coursework needed.
• End of Each Semester: The program director also conducts a systematic analysis of qualitative data using the constant comparative framework in order to identify patterns and themes that may inform the continuous improvement process.
• May-June: The program director conducts a comparative analysis of the program goals, targets, and student assessment results.Ìý An Action Plan for each target area not met is designed and implemented.Ìý If available—alumni data are evaluated, compared, and integrated into revisions to curriculum.
• July-August: Revisions and adjustments are completed based on data analyses and results.Ìý The implementation of Action Plans begins with the start of the new academic year and the process continues in a cyclical manner.

Fieldwork Materials

Candidates for licensure must complete fieldwork related to assignments in each of the ESL Concentration courses.Ìý In addition, to meet the requirement for field-based experience—all candidates complete SPSE 6712: Fieldwork and Professional Collaboration in ESL Classrooms.Ìý This course is required for the following programs and meets the requirement for Residency I for Initial Licensure.

• M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction with Concentration and Add-On Endorsement in ESL PreK-12
• M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction with Concentration and Initial License in ESL PreK-12
• Add-On Endorsement in ESL PreK-12

Fieldwork Materials For Mentors

• Ìý(pdf)
• Ìý(pdf)
• Ìý(pdf)