Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)

Welcome to the Teaching English as a Foreign Language Focus!

This page provides the following information: 

Leadership in Intercultural Language Learning

In a rapidly changing global environment, education leaders play a critical role in promoting intercultural competence and respect for all learners, their languages, and their cultures. This focus area emphasizes research-based instructional practices specifically designed to foster a caring, positive partnership, team, or community that maximizes learner engagement, learning, and achievement.

Faculty Advisor

Dr. Kati Milter

Teaching English as a Foreign Language Focus Courses - 11 credit hours

855.500  Language Acquisition in TEFL

ED.855.500.  Language Acquisition in TEFL.  3 Credits.  

This course focuses on the language acquisition process when learning English as a foreign language, including research on current theories of language learning, using translanguaging as a pedagogical tool, incorporating multilingual learning strategies, and creating linguistically and culturally responsive programs. Students will review the foundational components of English language learning and the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of those who demonstrate intercultural communicative competency.

855.501  Language and Culture in TEFL

ED.855.501.  Language and Culture in TEFL.  3 Credits.  

This course focuses on the development of intercultural knowledge, awareness, skills, and the impact of culture on language learning and communication. Students will take a critical, sociocultural, and functional view of the role for understanding culture when teaching English as a foreign language or as a lingua franca. Students will investigate the cultural, social, and historical underpinnings of communication across cultures.

855.510  Building Productive Learning Relationships for TEFL

ED.855.510.  Building Productive Learning Relationships for TEFL.  1 Credit.  

This course provides an opportunity for individuals to develop competency in teaching English as a foreign language. Students engage in a series of interactive online modules to learn and apply research-based instructional practices designed to provide processes that 1) build a trusting and inclusive partnership, group, or community that maximizes engagement, learning, and achievement and 2) emphasize how to create a motivating and safe environment to learn and communicate with each other using both their heritage language and English. These practical practices are tailored specifically to motivate learners with different heritage languages to actively speak, understand, and communicate in English. 

855.502  Program Evaluation and Learner Assessment in TEFL

ED.855.502.  Program Evaluation and Learner Assessment in TEFL.  3 Credits.  

Through this course, students will demonstrate mastery of program evaluation development and design as a means for data-driven decision-making for program improvements to language learning programs. Students will also focus on the formative assessment measures for assessing learners’ acquisition of English as a foreign language.  

855.520  Promoting Active Engagement and Learning for TEFL

ED.855.520.  Promoting Active Engagement and Learning for TEFL.  1 Credit.  

This course provides an opportunity for students to develop competency in applying current theories of language learning and translanguaging pedagogy within a consistent cycle of instructional delivery. The pairing of an instructional delivery system with theory and pedagogy for language learning enables students to develop coherent and effective English lessons for speakers of other languages. Students use instructional protocols to create effective lesson experiences that promote engagement, advance English competency, and motivate learners with different heritage languages to actively speak, understand, and communicate in English. 

Core Requirements - 24 credit hours

887.615  Explorations in Mind, Brain, and Teaching

ED.887.615.  Explorations in Mind, Brain, and Teaching.  3 Credits.  

During the past decade, the learning sciences have produced a vast frontier of knowledge on how the brain processes, stores, and retrieves information. Educators have increasingly recognized a role as consumers of this emerging knowledge. Participants in the course will review this research, examining how it intersects with the correlates of a model of research-based effective teaching including the teaching of the arts across content areas. Topics of study will include the brain’s memory systems, the impact of emotions on learning, the processes involved in higher order thinking and learning, and issues related to child development. Participants will apply course studies to the creation of learning units that emphasize application of knowledge and the integration of the arts. ( 3 credits)

855.609  Introduction to Entrepreneurship in Education

ED.855.609.  Introduction to Entrepreneurship in Education.  3 Credits.  

This course provides students with the foundational skills necessary to think and behave entrepreneurially within educational systems and organizations in order to solve intractable problems. Students will formulate an understanding of themselves as entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs, evaluate entrepreneurial opportunities around them, and develop a method for solving a problem relevant to them. Further, students will learn the role of capital and socially conscious capitalism in creating sustainable ventures.

855.619  Global Leadership

ED.855.619.  Global Leadership.  3 Credits.  

This course explores the nature of leadership in the current global society. Students will analyze the behaviors, practices, characteristics and qualities of effective global leaders across a variety of sectors. Students will understand global competence and learn how to become a globally competent leader.

813.652  Introduction to Global Education Policy and Analysis

ED.813.652.  Introduction to Global Education Policy and Analysis.  3 Credits.  

The course provides an introduction to international comparisons of education systems as it reviews the history, comparisons and the educational systems in Europe, Asia and the OECD countries. International education systems and policies are examined on the local and national levels. Methodologies for comparison are explored. Education leaders will become knowledgeable of the systems in competitor countries in order to make their schools academically competitive in the global economy.

881.622  Advanced Instructional Strategies

ED.881.622.  Advanced Instructional Strategies.  3 Credits.  

Students review recent research on effective instruction and explore advanced classroom strategies and techniques designed to enhance their effectiveness in meeting the needs of diverse populations of learners. Examples include direct instruction, cooperative learning, dimensions of learning, creative problem solving, and applications of technology to thinking and learning. Students develop expert teaching skills and learn to diagnose and deliver instructional strategies that are most appropriate in specific circumstances.

881.611  Action Research for School Improvement

ED.881.611.  Action Research for School Improvement.  3 Credits.  

Students explore the role of the educator as an action researcher, with special emphasis on formulating and refining research questions as well as on selecting appropriate methodologies for classroom or school-based research. Students review research as a tool for assessing and improving teaching/learning environments.

855.610  Seminar in Teacher Leadership

ED.855.610.  Seminar in Teacher Leadership.  2 - 3 Credits.  

Students in the final year present and evaluate their projects and plans for implementing change in their work environments. In addition, participants examine selected topics and current issues in educational leadership.

855.600  Extended Learning

ED.855.600.  Extended Learning.  O Credit Learning Experience 

Students will participate in a variety of informal educational experiences, from guest lectures and one-on-one mentor conversations, to exploring how the use of museums, cultural institutions, and other real-world scenarios can be leveraged to promote learning. Students will both learn from these experiences as well as gain exemplars to implement in their own educational systems.

Course Sequence

Fall 

855.500 Language Acquisition in TEFL

887.615 Explorations in Mind, Brain, and Teaching

855.609 Introduction to Entrepreneurship in Education 

855.610 Seminar in Teacher Leadership

855.600 Extended Learning I

Spring

855.501 Language and Culture in TEFL

855.510 Building Productive Learning Relationships for TEFL

855.619 Global Leadership

813.652 Introduction to Global Education Policy and Analysis

881.622 Advanced Instructional Strategies

855.610 Seminar in Teacher Leadership

855.601 Extended Learning II

Summer

855.502 Program Evaluation and Learner Assessment in TEFL

855.520 Promoting Active Engagement and Learning for TEFL

881.611    Action Research for School Improvement

855.610   Seminar in Teacher Leadership

The TEFL focus area is a 35-credit graduate program that provides a Johns Hopkins School of Education Certificate of Completion.