Ohio Dominican Offers Master in TESOL Degree Program

May 2, 2005

COLUMBUS, OH – Beginning this fall, Ohio Dominican University will offer a new Master of Arts in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) degree program. Classes will be held on ODU’s main campus on Sunbury Road.

ODU’s Master of TESOL degree combines the knowledge of a second language and cross-cultural communication with practical teaching experience.

Researchers in the area of Second Language Acquisition have found that while most students master social language skills in six months, the skills required at an academic level can take five to seven years or longer to develop. Without the help of English as a Second Language (ESL) courses, students who are not primarily English speakers often become frustrated with learning, leading to a high drop-out rate. Programs such as ODU’s MA in TESOL provides teachers with the skills and the knowledge they need to help these students not only stay in school, but even excel.

“There is an increasing demand for teachers who are equipped to teach English as a Second language, both in the U.S. and abroad,” said Dr. Timothy Micek, associate professor of Languages and director of the Master of TESOL program. “Ohio Dominican, which has a long history in the field, is introducing this innovative program that is based on Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages/National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (TESOL/NCATE) standards. It incorporates language, culture, instruction, assessment and professionalism, and prepares candidates to be reflective educational leaders through an MA program that offers TESOL licensure and endorsement.”

Brenda Custodio, the ESL Coordinator of Columbus Public Schools, concurred. "We continue to see increasing numbers of children who are learning English as their second language. Of the 60,000 students currently enrolled in the Columbus Public school system, more than 3,000 have another language as their primary means of communication. In fact, more than 100 different languages are represented in our classrooms, primarily Spanish and Somali, as well as Arabic, Japanese and Korean. These students need to learn from teachers who are professionally prepared and empathetic about the students’ success in their adopted country."

Ohio Dominican University’s Master of Arts in TESOL has been approved by the Ohio Board of Regents and the Ohio Department of Education and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

For admission requirements and more information about the program, or any of ODU’s graduate programs, call the Office of Graduate Studies at 614.251.4615 or e-mail westerfj@ohiodominican.edu.