Language Teaching/Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

Birkbeck's specialist MA Language Teaching/Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages (TESOL) is ideal if you wish to pursue your career opportunities. You will already have experience of teaching second or foreign languages or have a strong academic background in a relevant subject and an interest in the theory and practice of language teaching.

This programme is specially structured to bridge the gap between theory and practice and help you reflect on the important balance between them. You will develop knowledge in key areas of research and gain further confidence in your own practice through appreciating individual and cultural styles of learning and communication. By advancing your knowledge of current literature and carrying out your own research for course assignments, you will be able to engage critically and constructively in debates relating to many aspects of language teaching.

This MA uniquely offers you:

• a focus on the multilingual and multicultural contexts of language learning and teaching
• the opportunity to learn with students from all over the world and share experiences with locally based teachers to gain an insight into a range of language teaching contexts in the UK
• the chance to choose between your dissertation pathways - an empirical research investigation of an aspect of language teaching and learning or an independent library-based project on a relevant topic of your choice

An important feature of this MA is its flexibility. You can follow your professional interests and choose to study aspects of teaching English and graduate with an MA TESOL, or you can choose to focus on the teaching of languages other than English and graduate with an MA Language Teaching.

Highlights

• This is an essential qualification for those who wish to teach languages at university level, whether for general or more specific purposes. For those with less teaching experience, the MA will give you a competitive early career advantage as you gain more experience in teaching posts.
• In the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF), Modern Languages and Linguistics achieved 100% for a research environment conducive to producing research of the highest quality, while 73% of our research was recognised as world-leading or internationally excellent.
• You will be part of a vibrant scholarly and research community in the heart of London.
• The Birkbeck College Applied Linguistics Society, an official University of London society, was formed to bring together students interested in applied linguistics and related fields (for example multilingualism, intercultural communication and TESOL) in the London area.
• Birkbeck’s Centre for Multilingual and Multicultural Research hosts visiting scholars from all over the world and runs regular research seminars given by speakers from overseas and other UK institutions. The Centre also supports postgraduate training in applied linguistics, bilingualism, intercultural communication and translation.
• Read a blog post by Professor Penelope Gardner-Chloros considering linguistics.