Master in Applied Linguistics: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Program Presentation

With English being the global language it is, the provision of quality training for professional development becomes a must. In response to the growing demand in Europe and Latin America, as well as in the rest of the world, for improvement in the quality and effectiveness of English language teaching in both the public and the private sector, a programme in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) has been developed. It is specifically designed for distance learning, and has been developed in collaboration with La Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana (FUNIBER).

The programme aims to help practicing teachers, or those wishing to become teachers, address in an informed and principled way the issues and professional needs that relate to their own working environment. The type of training is thus developed to encourage the learner’s autonomy without losing sight of elements of constant but flexible interaction, tailored to the specific needs of teachers in professional development.

As a result, the material used has been designed to be accessed on the Internet by means of a special interface created for this reason. The interface is a central part of this type of teacher training since the virtual interaction, by means of e-mail, discussion groups, chats, etc., bridges the geographical gap between the different components of the course.

Who is the programme for?

The programme leading to the Master, Diploma or Certificates in TEFL is intended for:

The programme aims to help practicing teachers, or those wishing to become teachers, address in an informed and principled way the issues and professional needs that relate to their own working environment. The type of training is thus developed to encourage the learner’s autonomy without losing sight of elements of constant but flexible interaction, tailored to the specific needs of teachers in professional development.

  • Primary and secondary level English language teachers in public or private institutions.
  • Teachers of EFL working in adult education.
  • Graduates with relevant qualifications intending to work as English language teachers.

Holders of all degrees, irrespective of subject, can be considered for the programme as long as the following requirements are fulfilled:

  1. Academic requirements

    Master:

    BA Honours (4 years of university studies) in a field relating to Educational Studies, Languages or Social Sciences. Degrees in other areas will also be considered for admission on the MA programme prior to completion of the entry exam. If the candidate has ample experience in the TEFL field and holds an Ordinary degree (3-year degree), he/she may be admitted onto the MA course prior to individual evaluation by the Academic Committee.

    Diploma & Certificate:

    University degree is needed in a field relating to Educational Studies, Languages or Social Sciences, except for Certificate A, B and C. Degrees in other areas will also be considered for admission on the MA programme prior to completion of the entry exam.

  2. Teaching experience

    For all the courses in TEFL (Master, Diploma, Certificates) a minimum of one year's teaching experience in ELT at any type of institution or in private tuition, is recommended. For the Certificates, if the candidate has no previous teaching experience, he/she may be asked to do an entrance exam before being admitted onto the course.

  3. Linguistic requirements

    All candidates who are non-native speakers of English will have to provide evidence of having passed one of the following exams:

    Cambridge:

    Cambridge FCE (First Certificate) - grade A. (Grade B or C requires the entrance exam to be taken)
    Cambridge CAE (Advanced) or CPE (Proficiency) - any pass grade

    TOEFL: 

    There are 3 versions of this exam:
    Paper-based test (PBT) is out of a total 677 points, a minimum of 550 points is required.
    Computer-based test (CBT) is out of a total 300 points, a minimum of 230 points is required.
    Internet-based test (iBT) is out of a total 120 points, a minimum of 79 is required.

    Michigan Test: 

    ECEP (Examination for the Certification of Proficiency in English) - a pass. The Michigan ECCE (Examination for the Certification of Competency in English) is not accepted since the level is too low. If the candidate does not have any of the above-mentioned certificates, and if he/she is not a native English speaker, then he/she will have to sit the entrance exam. English certificates from any other language schools will generally not be accepted, but may still be submitted for evaluation by the teachers on the course. If no consensus is reached regarding the qualification, the candidate will have to sit the entrance exam.

    Anyway, having English as an L1 doesn't presuppose that a student has the linguistic level that this Masters demands. So, as a last resort, the company's management team of this programme can demand that the candidates pass a test that proves that they possess the level required

Diploma

Successful completion of the Program will enable you to be awarded the degree in Master in Applied Linguistics: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages.

After successfully completing the Program, the student will receive the degree as awarded by the University where they have enrolled.

Program Structure

Assessment

The assessment process for the Master, Diploma and Certificates in TEFL, aims to maximise successful outcomes for students. Due to the practical nature of the courses, there are no examinations as such. Instead, a variety of methods for assessing performance are used including the submission of written assignments, reports, the creation of didactic materials, etc.

Your course teacher(s) will mark your assignments, and you will receive detailed feedback on your work through the Virtual Campus.

Degree

When successfully completed the programme, the student will be awarded with the title of MAESTRÍA / MASTER EN LINGÜÍSTICA APLICADA A LA ENSEÑANZA DEL INGLÉS COMO LENGUA EXTRANJERA o de MAESTRÍA / MASTER IN TEACHING ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE according to the University chosen.

Double Degree

FUNIBER’s Department of Teacher Development also offers, parallel to the TEFL programme, the programme "Formación de Profesores de Español como Lengua Extranjera- FOPELE" (Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language), and gives you the possibility to transfer credits between the two programmes. In order to do this, the student has to choose which programme to study as the first Master, and then, once the course is completed, continues to study the course specific subjects for the other programme.

The common course contents are as follows:

SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING
# SUBJECTS CREDITS
1 Second language acquisition 3
2 Individual factors in the learner's development 3
3 Observation and research in the language classroom 3
TOTAL 9
METHODOLOGIES AND MATERIALS IN LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING
# SUBJECTS CREDITS
1 Methodological approaches 3
2 Developing language skills in the classroom 3
3 Materials and resources in EFL - design, creation, adaptation and evaluation 3
4 Classroom management - techniques and reflections on practice 3
5 Computer Assisted Language Learning 3
TOTAL 15
CURRICULUM AND COURSE DESIGN
# SUBJECTS CREDITS
1 Tasks and projects 3
2 Learning strategies 3
3 Assessment and testing in the classroom 3
4 Curriculum and course design - principles and practice 3
TOTAL 12

The student only has to study the specific subjetcts of the Máster en Formación de Profesores de Español como Lengua Extranjear or the Master en Lingüística Aplicada a la Enseñanza del Español como Lengua Extranjera:

SPECIFIC SUBJECTS MASTER FOPELE
# SUBJECTS CREDITS
1 Communication and pragmatics 3
2 Language, Culture and Bilingualism 3
3 Spanish Grammar for SPL Teachers 3
4 Spanish Language Varieties 3
5 Vocabulary Teaching 3
TOTAL 15
PRACTICUM & FINAL PROJECT
# SUBJECTS CREDITS
1 A separate Practicum and Research Project has to be written up in Spanish for the Master in FOPELE. 
Students who decide to enrol on both courses from the beginning will benefit from reduced enrolment fees.
30
TOTAL 30

Students who decide to enrol on both courses from the beginning will benefit from reduced enrolment fees.

Objectives

General objective

The overall objective of the programme TEFL is to provide a base for the development of the academic and professional skills required to teach English in any of the various teaching-learning contexts that exist. The aim thus being to complement professional practice with contemporary knowledge and insights, concerning the nature of foreign language learning and teaching, and to develop the perceptions, knowledge, resources and practical skills necessary to build on this theoretical base.

The promotion of critical reflection is one of the aspects, which define the very nature of the project, and bridges the gap between a solid theoretical knowledge and its required practical application.

Specific objectives

  • To provide a comprehensive understanding of the English teacher's work and to help develop strategies for dealing with major aspects of this work, as much as possible within the context of your own current or anticipated work situation.
  • To acquaint you with current approaches to the study of language that are relevant to the field of English language teaching and to help you develop, in the context of these approaches, a deeper understanding of and sensitivity to the nature of language, language use and language development.
  • To emphasize individual professional growth and to enable you to pursue in greater depth new aspects of English language teaching that are of particular interest, concern or relevance to you personally.
  • To provide students with the necessary support to be able to carry out action research in an autonomous manner and, as a result, promote professional development.

In this way the programme's practical focus encourages you to:

  • Reflect on and interpret the relation between theory and practice.
  • Adapt new ideas and strategies to your own classroom situation.
  • Test and appraise new teaching techniques in your own classrooms.
  • Apply your analytical skills to specific problems or issues.
  • Demonstrate your capacity to review and criticise current relevant literature and research within ELT.
  • Assess the advantages and disadvantages of particular strategies and programmes, which are characteristic of current practice.
  • Apply the knowledge and skills gained in the programme in a continuing process of improving your own teaching and your students' learning.

A guiding principle of the programme is that the participating English teachers are viewed as professional practitioners who through the course are involved in a process of professional development that is directly related to, and located in, their current work situation.

Pedagogical Approach

The programme does not consist simple of the delivery of content, but rather, just as in the case of face-to-face courses, it includes a series of pedagogical aspects aimed at promoting collaborative learning (between peers and tutors). All the courses are based on the following methodological concepts:

  • Learning as a collaborative undertaking.
  • A dynamic and constructivist concept of teaching and learning.
  • Promotion of critical reflection on one’s own teaching practice and beliefs.
  • An approach based within the framework of action-research.
  • Cohesive and multicultural groups.

Study Plan

The programme has this structure:

PRACTICUM & FINAL PROJECT
# SUBJECTS CREDITS
1 Practicum and Final Project 30
TOTAL 30

The regular length of the programme is 25 months and credits vary according to the University awarding the degree.

Description of the Subjects

SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING

  1. Second language acquisition

    This subject introduces the main models of second language acquisition and explores their implications for classroom teaching. First language acquisition is also considered and parallels are drawn between the two processes. The influence of context on second language acquisition is explored, and you are encouraged to reflect on the factors, which may affect the language acquisition of learners in your particular context.

  2. Teaching pronunciation

    This subject provides a formal introduction to the field of phonetics and phonology in the English language. Aspects of phonology such as stress, intonation and sounds are examined in some detail. Current debates over the teaching of phonology are reviewed, and we examine the practical implications for the teaching of pronunciation in the classroom.

  3. Individual factors in the learner's development

    All classrooms are made up of groups of individuals each with their own life experience, patterns of language, emotional and intellectual development, and learning styles. Recently, research has put increasing emphasis on the role of individual factors in the learner’s language development. This subject looks at the cognitive, affective, physical and psychological factors, which influence the individual’s language learning. Constructs such as intelligence, aptitude, motivation and personality are critically examined.

  4. Observation and research in the language classroom

    This subject introduces the major research traditions and the views of knowledge that underpin them. Current approaches to classroom research are explored, as is the assumption that all observation is selective and culturally constructed. This subject provides a solid base of knowledge and techniques from which to approach your Practicum and Final Project.

  5. Approaches to language in the classroom context

    This subject provides an introduction to the most important current psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic theories. We examine how perceptions towards the nature of learner language have changed over the last few decades. The concept of interlanguage is explored in depth, and research into classroom interaction is critically reviewed. We also look at the role of input in language learning, and the current psycholinguistic notions of ’noticing’ and ’restructuring’ are presented.

  6. Content & Language Integrated Learning

    CLIL (Content & Language Integrated Learning) looks like a good candidate for the next revolution in language teaching, although its growing tentacles reach out into other areas of the curriculum and force us to consider more seriously the role of content, how we define that content, how we choose it and how we can teach it more effectively. CLIL also raises interesting questions about the relationship between language and cognition that are too often neglected at classroom level. This subject looks at its brief history, its theoretical bases, and how it might represent the future of language teaching.

METHODOLOGIES AND MATERIALS IN LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING

  1. Methodological approaches

    This subject familiarises you with the main methodological approaches in ELT. Methods such as Grammar-Translation, the Audio-lingual Method and the Direct Method etc. are reviewed historically. Contemporary approaches such as humanistic, communicative, lexical and learner-centred approaches are discussed, and the notion of ‘method’ is analysed in depth.

  2. Developing language skills in the classroom

    This subject looks in detail at approaches to the teaching of the macro skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in ELT. Current views based on recent research into these skills are presented, and the teaching of grammar and vocabulary are also examined. A range of practical classroom activities and teaching techniques for developing learners’ use of the language are evaluated.

  3. Materials and resources in EFL - design, creation, adaptation and evaluation

    This subject includes an examination of EFL materials (textbooks and supplementary materials) that are currently used in the profession, and explores their strengths and weaknesses in relation to features of context and curricula. Principles of materials evaluation are identified and prioritised. The process of materials design, creation, trial and revision in specific teachings contexts is highlighted.

  4. Classroom management techniques and reflections on practice

    This subject identifies some of the key features of management in classrooms, such as classroom talk, corrective feedback, group work and the use of L1. Current views on mixed ability teaching and discipline are also touched on. The important area of teachers’ beliefs, known as ‘teaching thinking’, is covered thoroughly.

  5. Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL)

    This subject introduces students to the ways in which computer software can be used to develop learners' language skills and examines how CALL relates to teaching methodologies. You will be made aware of the issues involved in using computers to assist language learning. You will evaluate software including developments in multimedia software and Internet applications.

  6. Teaching English through Translation

    This subject, written by the University of Vigo, starts with a brief history of translation as an introduction to how translation can be used in the EFL classroom. The differences between teaching translation as a subject per se and as a tool in the teaching of a foreign language are also explored, and different approaches to how translation can be used to enhance the learning process, even in communicative classrooms, are considered.

CURRICULUM AND COURSE DESIGN

  1. Tasks and Projects

    This subject presents an approach to teaching structured around tasks and projects. We examine the structure of a learning task, its components, and the effective sequencing of different types of tasks within units of work (’unidades didácticas’). The criteria for the evaluation of tasks are examined, and the current debate on the need for a focus on form in tasks is reviewed. We analyse the implications of task-based teaching for syllabus and curriculum design, specifically in the context of project work.

  2. Learning strategies

    This subject examines research into learning strategies, and considers how we can encourage our students to develop these further. Taxonomies of learning strategies are presented and related to current trends in ELT course books.

  3. English in the community

    This subject on sociolinguistics looks at the social and cultural context in which language is situated and in which it is learned. The global position of English will be explored to gain a better understanding of its future status, its likely expansion or decline. We examine how gender and race affect language use, as well as the notion of language shift. Important current issues such as the social implications of bilingualism are also explored.

  4. Assessment and testing in the classroom

    This subject looks at the purposes which assessment serves and describes current practices and trends in assessment and testing in ELT. The fundamental principles of testing are examined, and both formal and informal approaches to testing are explored.

  5. Curriculum and course design - principles and practice

    This subject looks at models of curriculum and course design, and their planning, implementation and evaluation in a variety of national contexts. Two main paradigms of curricula are presented, and the principles of syllabus design are examined in depth. An outline of the most significant syllabus types is provided.

PRACTICUM FINAL PROJECT

Even if it seems that the Practicum and the Research Project are not related, they are two different stages of one project. Broadly speaking, the process consists of choosing a topic in which you are interested and doing a monographic project on it. The Practicum is the work camp and the analysis and design is the research.

This project can be a practical piece of research (e.g. teachers that want to improve their teaching methodology), a theoretical one (e.g. teachers that want to research into applied linguistics in the TELF field) or, even, a mixture of them both.


Note: The academic programme may change lightly due to updates or improvements

Management

Academic Administration

  • Dr. Jesús Arzamendi Saéz de Ibarra. Doctor en Filosofía y Letras. Director del Dpto. Ciencias del Lenguaje, Educación y Comunicaciones Universidad Internacional Iberoamericana - UNINI
  • Dr. Antonio Bueno González. Doctor en Filosofía y Letras (Filología Germánica)Profesor titular de la Universidad Europea del Atlántico (UNEATLANTICO)
  • Dr. Narciso Contreras Izquierdo. Doctor en Filología Hispánica. Profesor de la Universidad Europea del Atlántico (UNEATLANTICO)
  • Dr. Jesús López-Peláez Casellas. Doctor en Filosofía y Letras (Filología Germánica).Profesor titular de la Universidad Europea del Atlántico (UNEATLANTICO)
  • Mr. Julio Valladares. Profesor de la Universidad de Piura

Co-ordination

  •  Dra. Silvia Pueyo Villa. Coordinadora del Área de Formación del Profesoradode la Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana

Teaching staff and Authors

  • Dr. Alejandro Alcaraz Sintes. Prof. de la Universidad de Jaén
  • Dra. Ana Almagro Esteban. Prof. de la Universidad de Jaén
  • Dra. Vanessa Anaya Moix. Prof. de la Universidad Internacional Iberoamericana - UNINI
  • Dra. Elixabete Areizaga Orube. Prof. de la Universidad de Granada
  • Dra. Aurora Biedma Torrecillas. Prof. de la Universidad de Granada
  • Dra. Yolanda Caballero Aceituno. Prof. de la Universidad de Jaén
  • Dr. Tony Harris. Prof. de la Universidad de Granada
  • Dr. Carmelo Medina Casado. Prof. de la Universidad de Jaén
  • Dr. Maximiano Cortés Moreno. Profesor de la Universidad Chang Jung
  • Dr. Joseba Ezeiza Ramos. Prof. de la Universidad del País Vasco
  • Dr. Francisco Fernández García. Prof. De la Universidad de Jaén
  • Dr. Manuel Jiménez Raya. Prof. de la Universidad de Granada
  • Dra. Gloria Luque Agulló. Prof. de la Universidad de Jaén
  • Dr. Fermín Martos Eliche. Prof. de la Universidad de Granada
  • Dr. Daniel Madrid Fernández. Prof. de la Universidad de Granada
  • Dra. Mª Victoria Mateo García. Prof. de la Universidad de Almería
  • Dra. María del Carmen Méndez García. Prof. de la Universidad de Jaén
  • Dra. Francisca Molina Navarrete. Prof. de la Universidad de Jaén
  • Dra. María Águeda Moreno Moreno. Prof. de la Universidad de Jaén
  • Dr. Juan Antonio Moya Corral. Prof. de la Universidad de Granada
  • Dr. Jesús Nieto García. Prof. de la Universidad de Jaén
  • Dra. Ana Mª Ortega Cebreros. Prof. de la Universidad de Jaén
  • Dra. Mª José Pareja López. Division of Language Studies Community College of City U. (Hong Kong)
  • Dra. María Luisa Pérez Cañado. Prof. de la Universidad de Jaén
  • Dr. José Luis Ramírez Luengo. Prof. de la Universidad de Jaén
  • Dra. Yolanda Ruíz de Zarobe. Prof. Titular de la Universidad del País Vasco
  • Dr. Majid Safadaran Mosazadeh. General Director of Academic ProgramsInstituto Cultural Peruano Norteamericano
  • Dra. Sagrario Salaberri Ramiro. Prof. de la Universidad de Almería
  • Dr. Ventura Salazar García. Prof. de la Universidad de Jaén
  • Dra. Isabel Sánchez López. Prof. de la Universidad de Jaén
  • Dra. (c) Rosa Lucha. Prof. del Área de Formación del Profesorado Funiber
  • Dra. (c) Leticia Andrea Rojas Castro. Prof. del Área de Formación del Profesorado Funiber
  • Dra. (c) Beatriz Suárez Rodríguez. Prof. del Área de Formación del Profesorado Funiber
  • Ms. Mariángeles Avendaño Casassas. Prof. del Área de Formación del Profesorado Funiber
  • Ms. Philip Ball. Prof. del Área de Formación del Profesorado Funiber
  • Ms. Elena Caixal Manzano. Prof. del Área de Formación del Profesorado Funiber
  • Ms. María Eugenia Falabella. Prof. del Área de Formación del Profesorado Funiber
  • Ms. Anne Lennon. Universidad del País Vasco Prof. del British Council
  • Ms. Scott Thornbury. New School (New York, USA)

FUNIBER Training Scholarships

The Iberoamerican University Foundation (FUNIBER) allocates periodically an extraordinary economic item for FUNIBER Training Scholarships.

To apply, please fill out the information request form that appears in the web of FUNIBER or contact directly the Foundation’s headquarters in your country that will inform you if you need to provide some additional information.

Once the documentation is received, the Evaluation Committee will determine your application's eligibility for the FUNIBER Training Scholarship.