As you look into possible minors, you may notice the variety of teaching minors the McKay School has to offer. One of those minors is the TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) K-12 minor. This is a popular minor! Four out of five of the student ambassadors have chosen this minor. We'd like to share why we chose this minor and some experiences we had while completing the coursework.
Early Childhood Education Ambassor, Stella Beeson:
I first learned about TESOL when I went to an information meeting held between my classes. I went in knowing nothing about the minor or what it stood for. I hadn't realized how big of a need there was for teachers to be certified to know how to teach students who don't speak English as their first language. The world is so diverse, and I wanted to be prepared to help students in my classroom who are struggling. I look back on notes from this day and I love being able to read a note I wrote to myself saying, "you need to do this minor! It truly helps to know how to teach these kids who are struggling because there are so many kids who need your help". I thought that adding a couple more classes may seem daunting, but it will be worth it to have the knowledge I will receive to help my future students. I have loved the minor and have not regretted it one bit!
Elementary Education Student Ambassador, Stefania Amado:
I chose the TESOL minor because I want to help my community have the same opportunities I did. I immigrated to the United States when I was almost three years old. Because I immigrated at such a young age, I learned Spanish and English at the same time. I was never an English learner but an English speaker and Spanish speaker. Being bilingual at a young age opened more doors than those who immigrated like me but were English learners. For this reason, I feel very privileged and have a sense of responsibility to help those that were not as privileged as I was. With a TESOL minor, I will be able to give back to my community by being prepared to help English learners on their journey with the English language. One of my favorite experiences in the TESOL minor has been the open conversations we have with my fellow classmates and seeing how motivated people are to make English learning better for our future students.
Elementary Education Student Ambassador, Valery Abila:
When I started Elementary School, I was put in TESOL classes and I was in them up until 2nd grade! I remember having really pleasant experiences with my teachers and I am grateful that they took the time to make sure I learned the language so I could be successful in school! I chose the TESOL minor because I know what it's like to be in a class where you don't really understand what's going on, and because I have been in the shoes of English Language Learners, I want to make sure I am the best equipped I can be as a teacher, to help them feel included, to help them know that the contributions they make are wanted, and help them stay on the path to success in school!
Special Education Student Ambassador, Anna Glenn:
When I first declared my major, I wanted to have a minor that would make me a well-rounded teacher. I've lived in many different countries where I was not a native speaker, but I was lucky to have teachers who made the process of learning those native languages a positive one. I knew that this was not the case for every second language learner. When I found out TESOL was an Education minor, I was reminded of the experience I had and immediately decided to join. I chose TESOL as a minor because I knew that its applications in developing cultural awareness and helping others feel unified in a community where they have difficulty communicating related well to my major in Special Education. I also knew that my positive experience with learning a second language in another country could be valuable in English Language Learning classrooms in the future. I want to help students know and feel they belong and I want to help them express that.
TESOL K-12 minor gives McKay School students the opportunity to better understand English learners and multilingual students while certifying them to be English Language Learner teachers for kindergarten to twelfth grade. Whether you are teaching 4th grade, a 7th grade math class, or leading the resource room, your English learners will make up a portion of your students. TESOL K-12 can give you the resources and knowledge on how to provide these students with the greatest access to a quality education.
To learn more about the TESOL K-12 minor, click here
To meet with an ambassador in the TESOL K-12 minor, click here