Teaching English as a New Language, Graduate Certificate

Indiana University
Graduate Certificate in Teaching English as a New Language

Department of English and Linguistics
College of Arts and Sciences
Hardin Aasand, Chair
Lewis C. Roberts, Graduate Program Director
Hao Sun, TENL Program Coordinator
260-481-6841 Fax: 260-481-6985
ipfw.edu/engl- Liberal Arts Building 145

The graduate certificate in Teaching English as a New Language (TENL) prepares students for teaching English to speakers of other languages in a variety of learning venues world-wide. It is intended for students who are working toward a graduate degree in English as well as for individuals who plan to live and teach abroad, and wish to obtain credentials and professional training in teaching English to speakers of other languages. The certificate will significantly enhance one’s career opportunities overseas for English language teaching.

Our TENL program matches most other such academic programs nationwide.The required courses will familiarize students with the major theoretical perspectives, pedagogies and resources of English language teaching. The capstone Practicum provides students with real-world experience through teaching English language learners in classroom settings. The TENL certificate can stand alone as a separate credential or be integrated with the requirements of the M.A. or M.A.T. program in English.

In addition, an ENL license is available to TENL ceritficate students who are licensed teachers, candidates who are already licensed in specific content area(s) at specific grade levels, or prospective teachers who are in the process of obtaining such a license. Please see the special requirements below.

Certificate Requirements

The TENL certificate will require satisfactory completion of eighteen credit hours of course work in the areas of TESOL pedagogy and materials preparation, second language acquisition theories, sociolinguistics and cultural issues, English grammar, and practical classroom experiences.

No course with a grade below 3.0 may be applied toward the certificate. Students must maintain a minimum overall 3.0 GPA or better in all graduate courses. Failure to do so will result in automatic dismissal from the program.

Transfer of credit hours from other accredited institutions may be considered based on evaluations of materials presented by students including transcripts, course syllabi and completed assignments.

Courses Required for the Graduate Certificate in TENL

One of the following linguistics courses or equivalent is a prerequisite for all TENL courses, 500-level or higher:

LING L103 - Introduction to the Study of Language Cr. 3
LING L303 - Introduction to Linguistic Analysis Cr. 3
LING L575 - introduction to Linguistic Theory Cr. 3

Grammar (3 credits)

ENG G500 - Introduction to the English Language Cr. 3-4.
Course taken for 3 Credits.

Methods (6 credits)

ENL License Requirements

The ENL license will require satisfactory completion of eighteen credit hours of course work in the areas of ENL pedagogy and materials preparation, second language acquisition theories, sociolinguistics and cultural issues, English grammar and practical classroom experiences.

In addition to regular IPFW admission standards as presented in the IPFW Bulletin, students must meet the College of Education and Public Policy’s requirements for admission to the teacher education program and meet the following criteria:

Successful passage of PPST
Minimum GPA of 2.5
Completion of LING L103

Students must maintain a minimum overall GPA of 2.5 or better (of 4.0) in the program. No course with a grade below 2.0 will count toward the ENL license. Satisfactory completion of LING L0103 or equivalent is a prerequisite for all courses at the 300-level and higher.

After completion of all coursework in the TENL certificate program, those seeking the ENL license must apply to the State of Indiana to have the ENL license added. Applicants must also pass the Praxis II exam: English to Speakers of other Languages (0361). Students will be assisted with applications through the Department of English and Linguistics and the College of Education and Public Policy.”

Applications and Admission

To be eligible for admission to the graduate certificate in TENL, you must have completed:

A Bachelor’s degree, from an accredited college or university, with a minimum of 3.0 GPA.
At least 3 credit hours of coursework in linguistics, with a minimum 3.0 GPA (of 4.0) (e.g. LING L103, LING L303, L575 or other approved courses).
At least 3 credit hours of coursework in college-level writing (or the equivalent), with a minimum 3.0 GPA (of 4.0).

Students who do not meet these requirements may be admitted conditionally.

Students who seek to integrate the graduate TENL Certificate Program with an M.A. or M.A.T. in English must have completed the following to meet the program requirements in addition to the TENL requirements:

A Bachelor’s degree, from an accredited college or university, with at least a 3.0 of 4.0 GPA.
A satisfactory score on the general aptitude section of the GRE (Graduate Record Examination).
To receive the M.A.T., students must have a teaching license in English by the time they graduate.

Students who do not meet these requirements may be admitted conditionally to the M.A. or M.A.T. Program in English.

Note: Admission to the TENL Program does not guarantee admission to the master’s program in English & Linguistics. Students who wish to pursue a master’s will be asked to submit a separate application. If admitted to the master’s degree program in English and Linguistics, you will be able to apply all 18 credits of this certificate to the degree provided that the degree is completed within 5 years of your admission to the program.