M.Ed. with English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Concentration

The English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) concentration in the Master of Education program is designed to prepare prospective and practicing educators with the knowledge, strategies, resources, and experiences necessary to effectively support the academic and social-emotional growth of multilingual learners across diverse educational settings. 

Throughout the program, students will engage in rigorous coursework and practical experiences aimed at deepening their understanding of language acquisition, inclusive practices for language assessment and pedagogy, sheltered instruction, and ESOL leadership and program evaluation. Emphasizing hands-on learning experiences, our curriculum includes three field-embedded courses and a 10-week teaching practicum, in which students have the opportunities work directly with multilingual learners in K-12 classrooms and community-based organizations of their choice.

A teaching certificate is not required for admission to this program. Educators with a Washington teaching certificate can pursue the addition of an English Language Learner (ELL) teaching endorsement upon successful completion of coursework and endorsement tests. 

ESOL Concentration Highlights

• Evening courses to support working professionals and caregivers.
• Field-based components embedded in all four ESOL concentration courses.
• Over 140 hours of hands-on experience observing and teaching in diverse educational settings under the mentorship of experienced K-12 educators.
• Opportunities to interact with educators worldwide through Collaborative Online International Learning.
• Certain courses offered in a hybrid model to maximize flexibility for our students.

Careers

Current students and program graduates go on to and advance in careers such as:

• General education classroom teachers in K-12 schools 
• English language development teachers/Language specialists in K-12 schools  
• Teaching English as a foreign language in a global setting
• Language instructors in community-based organizations

Credit Structure

The ESOL concentration within the Master of Education program requires that students earn a minimum of 37 credits. Students complete 10 credits of professional seminars, 20 credits of ESOL concentration courses, 5 credits of electives, and 2 credits of a dossier. ESOL candidates are required to complete a 100-hour practicum in an ESOL classroom, mentored by a practicing teacher.

Course descriptions can be found here.