Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

8-1998

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Education

Major Professor

Patricia Davis-Wiley

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify and examine the issues, emphases, and trends in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) teacher preparation programs in the Southeastern United States. The researcher also sought to compare and examine the congruency between what is taught in these methods classes and the TESOL Guidelines (Guidelines for the Certification and Preparation of Teachers of English to Sneakers of Other Languages in the United States). A survey questionnaire was sent to 24 TESOL teacher preparation program supervisors/directors in the Southeastern United States in order to gather information to answer the following Questions:

  1. What do post-secondary instructors of ESL methods courses consider to be important for prospective ESL teachers to learn?
  2. What are instructors in these 24 institutions currently offering in their ESL methods classes?
  3. How congruent are TESOL Guidelines with ESL methods courses being offered in these 24 teacher preparation programs?
The findings of the research indicated that there were both differences and commonalities among the supervisors/directors of TESOL teacher preparation programs in what they consider to be important in their methods classes. The following are some specific conclusions reached after analyzing the data.
    Pedagogy is emphasized in all the programs surveyed. Teaching techniques received the most attention in the methods courses, while human growth and the study of social foundations were perceived to be of the least import. Of the three major categories of Professional Education, Second-language Pedagogy, and Second-language Assessment, the latter was perceived to be the least important.
  1. Most of the supervisors/directors believe that their students already come to their programs with a high degree of knowledge and/or exposure to other cultures, but they provide various ways for their students to learn even more about different cultures. Although there was a section in the questionnaire specifically dedicated to culture, several of the respondents mentioned culture issues in other parts of the questionnaire, indicating they view this area to be important.
  2. Faculty members as a group perceive their major responsibility is to "be a role model for 'good' teaching."
  3. The learning of theory is still very important, and the participants ranked it as such, but they also put much emphasis upon the application of theory, dispelling the often-heard complaint of pre-service teachers that there is too much emphasis upon theory and not enough upon application.
  4. Overall, not much emphasis is put upon the need and use of computers. This is indicated not only by the fact that so few students are required to take computer courses but also because not many of them prepare any substantial number of lesson plans requiring computer use on the part of the LEP student.
  5. The practicum is an integral part of TESOL teacher preparation programs, but it varies greatly from institution to institution, with different emphases upon the number of hours required, where the practicum is located, and the amount and type of supervision given.
  6. Overall, what supervisors/directors provided in their methods courses is congruent with what the TESOL Guidelines recommend, but some areas are lacking the emphasis the Guidelines suggest, such as knowledge about human growth, social foundations, and the role of teachers in traditional schools.

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