TESOL

This course is suitable for a wide range of professionals, educators or prospective educators working in English language teaching in international or local contexts and leads to a postgraduate qualification in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). It prepares you as a language teacher, for a wide range of professional contexts in Australia and internationally, who is able to operate with confidence in a changing and increasingly 'internationalised' world.

This course helps you understand the connections between theory and practice and the importance of developing strong principles of evidence-based practice in English language teaching and learning.

Note: This course does not provide a recognised initial teaching qualification. If you are seeking an initial teaching qualification, refer to the information on the Faculty of Education's Master of Teaching course.

The course is structured in four parts: Part A. Orientation to education, Part B. Key constructs in education, Part C. Enhanced professional learning and Part D. Professional inquiry. Depending upon prior qualifications, you may receive credit for Part A, and some units from other parts.

Note: If you are eligible for credit for prior studies you may elect not to receive the credit and complete one of the higher credit-point options.

Part A. Orientation to education

These studies will introduce you to contemporary issues in the study of education. They are intended for students who come into the course without previous qualifications in education or work experience in education-related fields. You will engage with academic traditions and scholarly practices in the field of education at the postgraduate level, become acquainted with a broad range of debates across education contexts and develop an understanding of the complexities in the field.

Part B. Key constructs in education

These studies present key theoretical frames to understand ideas and research conducted across a broad theme of significance in the study of education. The themes offered include learners and learning, curriculum, pedagogy and assessment, education and work, sustainability and inclusion, from which you will choose one or two. You will engage with research that responds to the themes you choose and as a result, advance your capacity to apply scholarly concepts in education more broadly.

Part C. Enhanced professional learning

These studies will deepen your knowledge of particular ideas and practices in TESOL, build your skills and address professional issues. They include consideration of language culture and curriculum, bilingualism, and the development of pedagogy and monitoring of learning in TESOL. Taken together, these knowledge and skills will develop your expertise to be applied across your learning and work contexts.

Part D. Professional inquiry

The focus of these studies is professional inquiry. You will address the challenges and opportunities of using and evaluating research evidence in professional practice. This will include engagement in professional practice to develop and upgrade the practical skills you need to function as effective teachers of TESOL in a variety of contexts. This may include an independent research dimension requiring the knowledge and application of research principles.

Requirements

The course comprises 96 points structured into four parts: Part A. Orientation to education (24 points), Part B. Key constructs in education (12 or 24 points), Part C. Enhanced professional learning (24 or 36 points) and Part D. Professional inquiry (12 or 24 points).

Students admitted at:

• entry level 1 complete 96 points (8 units), comprising Part A (2 units), Part B (1 or 2 units), Part C (3 units) and Part D (1 or 2 units*).
• entry level 2 complete 72 points (6 units), comprising units from Part B (1 or 2 units), Part C (3 units) and Part D (1 or 2 units*).
• entry level 3 complete 48 points (4 units), comprising units from Part B (1 unit), Part C (2 units) and Part D (1 unit*).

* Two units are required in Part D, for students taking the research pathway.

The course progression map will assist you to plan to meet the course requirements, and guidance on unit enrolment for each semester of study.

Units are 12 credit points unless otherwise stated.

Part A. Orientation to education (24 points)

Students complete:

• EDF4610 Interacting with research in education contexts
• EDF4611 Investigating education issues in global contexts

Part B. Key constructs in education (12 or 24 points)

Students complete one or two units from the following:

• EDF5620 Leading education and work
• EDF5621 Challenging curriculum, pedagogy and assessment
• EDF5622 Developing learners and learning
• EDF5623 Deepening education and sustainability

Part C. Enhanced professional learning (24 or 36 points)

Students complete:

• EDF5641 Pedagogy and assessment in TESOL

and one or two units from the following:

• EDF5640 Language, culture and curriculum
• EDF5642 Bilingualism and content-based programs

Part D. Professional inquiry (12 or 24 points)

Students complete a. or b. below.

a. The following unit:

• EDF5696 Professional practice for teachers of TESOL

and, if only one unit is completed in Part B, one of the following units:

• EDF5691 Professional project
• EDF5693 Using and evaluating research evidence
• EDF5694 Taking a stand in education debates
• EDF5695 Self-study as professional inquiry
• EDF5814 Creative research approaches

b. An alternative research pathway is available for students who achieve a weighted average mark of at least 65 per cent (high credit) in the units of this course. This is not available at the point of entry, however students commencing at entry level 1 or 2 and interested in this possibility must make space to pursue two units of professional inquiry by only taking one unit in Part B. Students commencing at entry level 3 who are interested in a research pathway should contact the student adviser to discuss options immediately after completing their first two units (with at least a 65 per cent average).

Students invited into this pathway complete the following two units:

• EDF5613 Research approaches in education
• EDF5614 Research project in education

Qualifications

English entry requirements

Minimum English language requirement for Monash University

• IELTS: 6.5 overall (no band lower than 6.0); or
• TOEFL Paper-based test: 550 with a TWE of 4.5; or
• TOEFL Internet-based test: score of 79 overall with minimum scores: Writing: 21, Listening: 12, Reading: 13 and Speaking: 18.