New York, NY — November 28, 2006 — The New School, a leading university in New York City, announces the launch of a groundbreaking master’s program in the TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) professions, with an emphasis on the political, cultural, economic, and ethical issues relevant to teaching English in a time of rapidly accelerating globalization. “Technology and the English language are driving forces of globalization,” said Marjorie Vai, Chair of the English Language Studies Department at The New School. “Students around the globe are clamoring to learn English and our challenge is to prepare ESOL professionals to help these students interact and prosper in this new world.” This innovative online program offers an engaging, multi-layered learning experience, with courses authored by some of the leaders in the field. Applications are being accepted now for the fall 2007 semester and information is available at www.newschool.edu/TESOL.

Designed to raise the standards of professionals in the TESOL field, The New School’s new master’s program, known as MATESOL, will give students from around the world the practical, relevant training they need to advance in careers in their choice of four specialized areas: 1) Teaching; 2) Publishing and Writing; 3) Program Development and Management; and 4) Curriculum Development for the public or private sector. The MATESOL program is the only one of its kind offering a concentration in publishing and writing, and one of the few offering a specialization in program development and management. Students in all concentrations, except Teaching, must have training and at least two years of ESOL teaching experience to enter the program.

Most often TESOL graduate programs emphasize theory and research over practicality, forcing graduates who enter the workforce to learn on the job. The New School is supporting real change in the ELT (English Language Teaching) field by being pragmatic rather than purely theoretical in its approach. At least half of The New School’s new MATESOL program will consist of practical, hands-on courses in the program’s four professional concentrations, and theory courses will show how theory relates to real-world situations. Additionally, internships, practica and special projects are attached to each concentration. That means that students will apply what they learn immediately, on the job.

“Providing the highest quality instruction is our prime objective,” said Ms. Vai. “That’s why we’re collaborating with some of the most respected professionals in the ESOL field to create our courses. Our course authors include Michael Carrier, Executive Director of International House World (a network of language schools in more than 40 countries); Erik Gundersen, ESOL publisher at McGraw-Hill; Jeremy Harmer, series editor for the Pearson/Longman Teaching Resource Books, author of Practical English Language Teaching; and Scott Thornbury, series editor for Cambridge University Press Teaching Handbooks, author of About Language and Teach Grammar. It’s important to us that their personalities come through in these online courses as well as their ideas.”

Online Studies

With that in mind, The New School is going beyond the traditional “read and discuss” model of online education, creating a more engaging and layered online experience that fosters a true feeling of community. The online program will be enhanced by video, audio, and interactive components such as self-administered quizzes and activities that help students manage and assess their own learning, and a discussion board called the Greenwich Village Café, where students can share questions and ideas 24-hours a day.

“Online, your peers are all over the world and, because most are already working in the field, they provide tremendous cultural and real-world perspective,” said Dhal Anglada, a producer at LearningTimes, who is overseeing the initial instructional design of the online program. “Our goal is to humanize cyberspace and create a global classroom where students interact even more than they would in a traditional classroom.”

Students of The New School’s highly respected ELT Certificate program, which has been offered online since 1992, attest to the distinct benefits of online learning. “Not only were the teachers top notch and thought provoking, but the online student body has been fascinating,” said Ellie Lavi, an ELT Certificate student. “I recently made an international move and much of the push from ‘dream’ phase to the ‘actual’ phase was due to the virtual community I’ve met at The New School.” Student Russell Ricard adds, “With my busy work schedule, I loved being able to attend class anytime, day or night.”

Flexible Program

The New School’s MATESOL program is being developed to accommodate the schedules of busy professionals, and to address students’ varying learning styles. Fulltime MATESOL students studying entirely online can complete their studies in as few as four semesters. Students starting in the summer in the onsite intensive program (which begins in summer 2008) can finish in three semesters. Alternatively students may take longer and study part time. This flexibility is unique for master’s programs in the field.

“The New School has always encouraged students to develop imaginative, problem-solving perspectives on the issues of the day,” said Linda Dunne, Dean of The New School for General Studies. “In that spirit, we hope to increase the momentum toward professionalizing the TESOL field in a way that gives students the ability to determine how they wish to develop their careers while also supporting employers in their quest for professionally educated and trained employees.”

Information Session

Prospective students can learn more about the program at an Information Session at The New School, in Greenwich Village, on Monday, December 11 at 6 p.m. To RSVP or find out more information about the program, visit www.newschool.edu/TESOL or call The New School’s admissions office at 212.229.5630.

Located in the heart of New York’s Greenwich Village, The New School is a center of academic excellence where intellectual and artistic freedoms thrive. The 8,900 matriculated students and thousands of continuing education students who attend the university’s eight schools enjoy a disciplined education supported by small class sizes, superior resources, and renowned working faculty who practice what they teach. Artists, scholars, and students from all walks of life attend its diverse programs and can earn everything from program certificates to bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. When The New School was founded in 1919, its mission was to create a place where global peace and justice were more than theoretical ideals. New School students participate in programs that to this day strive for academic excellence, technical mastery, and engaged world citizenship.

For more information, visit www.newschool.edu.