Graduate Certificate in Teaching Adults English as a Second Language

Gain the skills you need to deliver effective English as a second language (ESL) instruction to adult learners.

This certificate program combines adult learning theory with established ESL instruction methods to prepare educators and professionals in diverse settings and industries to meet the unique challenges of adult English language learners. Learn the fundamentals and professional vocabulary of teaching ESL; key concepts in second language acquisition theory; and best practices in ESL instruction, assessment, and evaluation. Whether you speak your students’ native language or teach in a multilingual classroom, this program provides you with the tools you need to help adults gain essential English reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Reflecting Walden’s commitment to serving students in more than 140 countries around the world, this program emphasizes respect for diverse languages, cultures, and belief systems.

Sign Up for a Free Information Packet

  • Curriculum

  • Tuition and Fees

  • Program Data

  • Learn More

Completion Requirements

  • 12 total semester credits

This program can be completed in as little as 8 months. Time to completion may vary by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. For a personalized estimate of your time to completion, call an enrollment advisor at 1-866-492-5336. Credits from this program may be applied toward Walden’s M.S. in Adult Learning with a specialization in Teaching Adults English as a Second Language. 

Courses

  • Theories and Frameworks for Adult Learning

    Close Popup

    To understand adult learning, one must ask and answer complex questions: Who is the adult learner? What is the social context of learning? What motivates adult learners? In this course, education professionals explore the theories and frameworks that inform the field of adult learning today. They identify, compare, and contrast foundational and emerging perspectives on adult learning with the aim of transforming theory into practice. They engage in an integrative course project through which they synthesize and apply various theories to real-world situations, including their own development; summarize how the idea of wisdom impacts their experiences as adult learners; interview an adult learner; and assess various perspectives in regard to educating diverse learners.

  • Fundamentals of Teaching Adults English as a Second Language

    Close Popup

    This course introduces students to the fundamentals of teaching English as a second language to adult learners. The vocabulary and acronyms relevant to the field are introduced, and the essential theories and concepts of second language acquisition are explored. The diversity of adult learners and their motivations, as well as the variety of formal and informal teaching settings, both in the United States and abroad, are examined. Professionalism and respect for differences in language, culture, and belief systems are emphasized.

  • Methods of Teaching Adults English as a Second Language

    Close Popup

    A variety of instructional methodologies for teaching English as a second language to adult learners are introduced. The basic principles, current trends, and established techniques of second language instruction are examined, with an emphasis on the communicative language teaching (CLT) approach. Best practices in reading/writing and speaking/listening instruction are given special attention, while challenges such as community building and managing the learning environment are also addressed.

  • Planning, Assessment, and Evaluation for Teaching Adults English as a Second Language

    Close Popup

    Students are introduced to the basics of planning lessons, designing assessments, and evaluating adult learners in English as a second language settings. Strategies for creating meaningful, authentic lessons and materials for a variety of contexts are explored; the various approaches to testing and assessing language needs and competencies are analyzed; and best practices in evaluation and placement are examined with the goal of creating the most conducive and effective environments for language learning possible.

  • Prev
  • Next
Request Info

Next State Date is July 1. Apply Now

2013-2014

Curriculum Component Requirements Cost
Courses 12 total semester credit hours $640 per semester credit hour
Technology Fee per semester $150

Tuition and fees are subject to change.

Call 1-866-492-5336 for information about a full range of options for:

Walden is committed to providing the information you need to make an informed decision about where you pursue your education. Please find below detailed information for the Graduate Certificate in Teaching Adults English as a Second Language relating to the types of occupations this program may lead to, completion rate, program costs, and median loan debt of students who have graduated from this program.

Occupations
Program Completion Rate
Program Costs
Median Loan Debt

Occupations—This program generally prepares students to enter the types of occupations listed below. For more information on these specific occupations, visit www.onetonline.org.

In addition to this list, there are other career options that graduates of this program may choose to pursue. To enter certain professions, students may need to satisfy specific additional requirements established by state and/or professional organizations in addition to completing their program.

View examples of our student and alumni accomplishments in their chosen fields.

Occupation Name*  Occupation Code* 
 Education Administrators, Postsecondary  11-9033
 Postsecondary Teachers  25-1000
 Training and Development Managers  11-3042
 Instructional Coordinators  25-9031
 Human Resources, Training, and Labor Relations Specialists, All Other  13-1079
 Vocational Education Teachers, Postsecondary  25-1194
 Teachers and Instructors, All Other  25-3099

*The “occupation name” is a general job title. “Occupation code” refers to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Standard Occupation Classification.

Program Completion—The program completion rate for July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012, is not available because this program was not yet offered.

Program Costs—The total program costs are the estimated average costs over the duration of the program, excluding any scholarship or tuition reductions, for students completing the program on time. These costs can vary based on the number of credits. Typically, tuition and fees are subject to change annually.

 Expense Cost 
 Tuition and Fees $7,740 
 Books and Supplies $0 
 Room and Board Not applicable 

View cost per credit in the Tuition and Fees section.

Median Loan Debt—The Median Loan Debt for July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012, is not available because this program was not yet offered.

For assistance in deciding which online certificate program fits your goals, request information or speak with an enrollment advisor by calling 1-866-492-5336. A list of international toll-free phone numbers is available for students outside the United States.