Master's in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

The University of Limerick is a prestigious institution known for its excellence in teaching, research, and innovation. Situated on a beautiful riverside campus, the university offers a diverse range of programs across disciplines such as arts, humanities, social sciences, business, education, engineering, science, and health sciences. With a strong commitment to experiential learning and industry engagement, the University of Limerick provides students with opportunities to gain practical skills, work experience, and develop a global perspective. The university's vibrant campus life, state-of-the-art facilities, and supportive community contribute to a transformative educational experience.

This MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) has been designed specifically with the aim of providing initial teacher education for those wishing to become teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL; this takes in English as a Foreign Language, EFL, and English as a Second Language, ESL). The programme is designed to accommodate participants in search of an initial English language teaching qualification, as well as experienced English language teachers who wish to upskill and/or gain an MA level qualification. The programme encourages participants to develop and reflect upon their understanding of the various theoretical and practical issues that impact upon the field of language teaching. It places particular emphasis on the notion of informed and critical teaching and the need for teachers to mediate between theory and practice in constructing pedagogies according to specific teaching and learning contexts. In line with the most recent approaches in the field, language technology and, particularly, corpus-based approaches to the study and description of language, feature strongly in our modules. A balance is maintained throughout the course between linguistic content, pedagogic content, and teaching-related research. Participants have the opportunity to complete one or two modules of teaching practice as part of the programme. After completing the two taught semesters of the programme (60 credits), participants may opt to exit the programme at the end of Semester 2 with a Graduate Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.