Research

Faculty within the ESL Education program engage in research to support multilingual learners across educational settings and promote research-based and student-centered ESL teaching and learning. 

Programs

TPTE’s ESL Education program prepares individuals to become PreK–12 ESL educators and supports those seeking to deepen their expertise in the field.

Undergraduate Minor

Students interested in ESL education typically earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Arts and Sciences with a Major in English, linguistics, or a world language. While completing requirements for the baccalaureate degree, students earn a minor in English as a Second Language education. The undergraduate minor leads to a Master of Science (M. S.) degree that includes a year-long internship and the opportunity to earn teacher licensure. 

More on English as a Second Language (ESL) Minor

Graduate

We offer both a Master of Science (M.S.) degree and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in ESL Education.

  • The M.S. program provides flexible pathways, including on-campus and distance education options for those pursuing teacher licensure. It also offers a non-licensure option designed for educators who wish to deepen their expertise in English as a Second Language education.
  • The Ph.D. program is intended for individuals who already hold a master’s degree in education or a related field and are seeking advanced scholarly preparation for leadership roles in research, policy, and practice.

More on M. S. in Teacher Education focusing on English as a Second Language (ESL) Education

More on Ph. D. in Teacher Education focusing on English as a Second Language (ESL) Education

English as a Second Language Education opens doors to connection, learning, and opportunity. By supporting multilingual learners, we foster voices that enrich classrooms, communities, and the world.

ESL Education Faculty 

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Clara Lee Brown

Associate Professor

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Sharing Recent Work From Faculty and Students

Book Chapter
Kim, S. J., Brown, C. L., & An, S. (2022). Bilingualism as a decision-making process: Emergent-Korean bilinguals’ use of dual languages and Korean honorifics. In H. Cho & K. Song (Eds.), Korean as a heritage language from transnational and translanguaging perspectives (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003227250 

TESOL International Conference
Brown, C. L. & Monroe, N. (2024). It is as Simple as That: Use L1 to Teach L2. Paper presented at the 31st Korea TESOL International Conference, Seoul, Korea.

American Educational Research Association 
Schell R. & Brown, C. L. (2021). Expressions of Critical Consciousness: Adolescent English Learners Navigating Middle School. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Virtual Annual Meeting due to COVID.