Program Overview

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This is a Masters course that can take you into employment anywhere in the world. If you are enthusiastic about teaching English to speakers of other languages, then our course offers you vocationally-relevant, research-led training of the highest quality, taught by academics known for their teaching excellence. You explore teaching methods and the description of English used in the investigation of language learning and teaching, and study additional topics according to your needs. These might include:

• How second language learners acquire the four skills as well as language systems
• How the four skills, vocabulary and grammar can be taught
• How language learning can be assessed and tested
• How different aspects of the psychology of language learners and teachers influence learning and classroom practice
• How language lessons are planned, how materials are evaluated and designed, and how language classrooms can be managed

You also gain hands-on teaching experience through our one-term Teaching Practice module. Whether you have no prior teaching experience or are already an English language teacher, this course can be adapted to suit you. If you have little or no previous teaching experience, you receive ‘hands on’ teaching practice throughout our teaching practice module, while if you already have substantial teaching experience, you can undertake specialist study through our educational leadership and management options instead You'll be part of our Centre for Research in Language Development throughout the Lifespan (LaDeLi), a unique research centre specialising in all aspects of language learning and development. We are 1st in UK for research impact in modern languages and linguistics (Grade Point Average, Research Excellence Framework 2021). We're also ranked 11th in the UK for Linguistics in the QS World University Rankings by Subject (2023). If you want a global outlook, are interested in human communication, and want to study for a degree with real-world practical value in an established department, welcome to Essex. This course is also available on a part-time basis. Why we're great.

• Perfect the skills to take on a TESOL role anywhere in the world
• Study in our world-renowned language and linguistics department, ranked 1st in UK for research impact in modern languages and linguistics (Grade Point Average, Research Excellence Framework 2021).
• Enjoy the flexibility of a course which adapts to suit your needs and builds on your experience

Our expert staff

Our staff are internationally renowned and our research has demonstrable impact, leading to our department being recognised as 1st in terms of research impact (REF 2021). We maintain excellent student-staff ratios, and we integrate language learning with linguistics wherever there is synergy. In applied linguistics Karen Roehr-Brackin and Adela Gánem-Gutiérrez focus on the learning of second and further languages, whilst Tracey Costley, Christina Gkonou, Neophytos Mitsigkas and Nasser Jabbari focus on issues to do with the classroom teaching of English as a foreign language. Christina Gkonou has conducted extensive research into the effects of individual factors like anxiety on success in language learning and teaching, and Tracey Costley has taught English in Europe and the Far East for many years before coming to Essex, with ongoing research. Karen Roehr-Brackin is a leading expert on the relationship between metalinguistic knowledge (conscious awareness of the rules of language) and language learning ability, and Adela Gánem-Gutiérrez is a leading expert on the use of computers and the role that interaction in the classroom plays in language learning. Florence Myles authored the best-selling Second Language Learning Theories.

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Specialist facilities

The study of linguistics provides the opportunity for plenty of hands-on experience as well as theoretical work. You might be listening to interviews, studying language processing, or analysing sounds, so we provide extensive facilities to allow you to fully engage with a wide variety of linguistics methods:

• Our Eye-Tracking Lab has equipment for monitoring responses times and eye movements when individuals are presented with pictures and videos.
• Our Psycholinguistics Lab has computing facilities for measuring how long it takes individuals to reach to words, texts and sounds.
• Our Linguistics Lab is where we run behavioural experiments.
• Our EEG Lab is used for recording brain activity during reading, listening or watching video of language materials.

Within our department we also offer:

• An exciting programme of research seminars and other events
• Our Languages for All programme offers you the opportunity to study an additional language alongside your course at no extra cost
• Our Albert Sloman Library houses a strong collection of books, journals, electronic resources and major archives.
• Meet other language enthusiasts through out student-run Linguistics Society.

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Your future

Takers of our MA TESOL come with the specific intention of entering the ELT/TESOL profession, which they duly go on to do. Experiences English language teachers also join us to update their expertise and return to the classroom with a career enhancement. The specialist knowledge you gain enables you to take senior or specialist roles, not necessarily only in the classroom but also in educational advice and management, programme evaluation, syllabus design and teacher education. We also work with the University’s Careers Services to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.