Study tesol abroad

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TESOL degrees abroad

TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) degree programs aim to give you all the skills you’ll need to teach people from all over the world how to speak English.

They are designed for educators who want to expand their expertise and travel the globe teaching English to speakers of other languages. You’ll study the four main areas of reading, writing, speaking and listening, and focus on grammar and vocabulary. You will also look at the theoretical and practical requirements of teaching those who don’t speak English.

TESOL programs are mainly available in the UK and the US, but there are other counties you can study in like China or Cyprus. By studying TESOL abroad in an English-speaking country, not only will you get a first-class education, but you’ll be able to hone your own language skills.

TESOL program structure

Although it is possible to study TESOL programs at the undergraduate level, most programs are offered as a master’s. The bachelor’s programs that are available are usually joint-honors degrees where you will study TESOL alongside another related subject like a language, English, or linguistics.

Master’s programs are designed for those who already hold a bachelor’s degree in a related field like education, English or modern languages, and want to start a career teaching English to non-native speakers. Most master’s are available as an MA qualification and take one or two years of study to complete.

TESOL programs are usually taught through a mixture of lectures, seminars and workshops. You’ll also spend a lot of time doing independent study and have one-to-one sessions with professors where you can discuss your research and dissertation.

The modules and topics you’ll cover will vary depending on the TESOL program you choose and the university you attend. Some common areas of study include:

  • English language teaching
  • Language teacher education
  • Key issues in TESOL
  • Pedagogical grammar
  • Psychology of language learning
  • Materials development
  • Language variation and acquisition
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TESOL study abroad programs

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Future tesol careers

Most students that graduate with a TESOL degree do so with the aim of becoming an English teacher. If this is your aim, be aware that you may need additional teaching qualifications before you are able to teach professionally.

Some of the roles TESOL graduates achieve include:

  • English teacher
  • Education administrator
  • Education manager
  • Teacher trainer
  • Materials developer
  • Education researcher
  • Publisher

Use your university’s careers service if it has one, as they’ll be able to help you with your job search after graduation.

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