TESOL - Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Your TESOL studies at Chemnitz University of Technology prepare you for the teaching of English in a variety of educational contexts. This comprises online, hybrid, blended and face-to-face settings as well as linguistically and culturally aware teaching in multilingual and multicultural classrooms.

Digital Learning

In your first MA semester, you learn about different e-learning tools and platforms. This includes videos, podcasts, blogs, learning games and social media, but also electronic surveys, e-portfolios, digital boards as well as wikis and other collaborative documents. We discuss the advantages and limitations of the different tools with regard to the learning goals you want to reach in your teaching.

Digital Teaching

In the second course of this module, you carry out a practical multimedia project by developing digital materials collaboratively and independently. Based on relevant theoretical, methodological and empirical literature as well as peer feedback, you reflect on and improve your digital teaching activities continuously. The module will close with a written paper that demonstrates your learning gain from both courses.

The TESOL specialization of your MA program deals with the processes and practices of English Language Teaching (ELT).

Introduction to English Language Teaching

In this course, we lay important methodological and practical foundations for your further TESOL studies and teaching career. To extend your knowledge from your BA studies, you first gain an updated overview of relevant theories and frameworks for teaching. We then talk about the broad range of teacher competencies and exemplify them by taking a closer look at the teaching of grammar, vocabulary and culture as well as the skills of reading, writing, listening, speaking and mediation in an integrated manner.

Curriculum Planning & Materials Development

In your second MA semester, you develop a variety of materials for concrete teaching purposes in adult education, professional development, higher education and schools. Starting with a needs analysis and a clear definition of the learning objectives, you develop course plans, lesson plans and teaching activities and reflect on suitable adaptations for heterogeneous learner groups.

Classroom Observation & Practical Language Teaching

An internship (e.g. in a school or language institution) is a compulsory part of your MA TESOL studies. You are encouraged to search for an internship that matches your aspirations for your future ELT career (potential future employers; also see the section “Internships” on this website). This internship is accompanied by a course which helps you prepare, analyze, reflect on and evaluate the sessions that you have observed and taught (see the OPAL course “Classroom Observation & Practical Language Teaching” for further information).

TESOL Research Colloquium & Master Project

The Master project is the final milestone of your study program. If you choose TESOL, you could analyze ELT textbooks, e-learning applications, videos or other multimedia contents, conduct surveys and interviews, create materials on your own, implement them and explore their usability or effectiveness, critically analyze curricula or teaching sessions and conclude with recommendations for improvement. There are many possibilities. You develop, present and discuss your research project during the MA colloquium and finally write your thesis to gain your MA degree.