Education

English as a Second Language (5-12)

License-only program for Initial teacher license (5-12): on-campus program

Make a difference in the lives of English language learners.

Today’s student bodies are linguistically diverse, with English language learners in three out of every four classrooms. With a license in ESL, you'll prepare to teach effectively in multilingual classrooms. You’ll increase your marketability. And you’ll gain an edge as a culturally competent teacher who can put learning and language into context.

In this program, you’ll explore culturally-responsive teaching and your own cultural identity. You’ll take courses in linguistics and language acquisition. Study literacy and literature as well as content areas in the context of teaching ELLs. How to distinguish learning disabilities from language differences. Apply what you've learned in classroom settings through student teaching opportunities. You’ll also take activity-based courses that meet national TESOL standards.

Throughout every step of your experience, you’ll receive personalized attention and feedback from faculty who are experienced practitioners. At the end of your program, you’ll be prepared for a rewarding career in the 21st century classroom. In fact, employers in Massachusetts prefer to hire Lesley graduates, saying that they are best prepared to enter the classroom on day one. 

Program Structure

Full-time or part-time on-campus program

24 Credits
  • Prerequisites
    • Language requirement:

      Prior to completing this licensure program, you’ll need to submit documentation of having earned a minimum of six (6) college credits, or equivalent, in a language other than English. For non-native English speakers, English is the foreign language.
  • Required Courses 18 Credits
    • Required courses culturally responsive teaching, linguistics, language acquisition, literacy and literature, 5-12 content areas, and assessment. Up to 9 credits may be waived based on previous coursework or experience, reducing the total number of program credits.
  • Practicum/Student Teaching 6 Credits
    • Practicum/student teaching, a full-time, semester-long experience in a 5-12 classroom, accompanied by a seminar.
  • Licensure
    • English as a Second Language (5-12), License-Only, is approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for:

      Initial Teacher License in English as a Second Language (5-12) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

      If you are seeking to be licensed in another state, it is your responsibility to understand and comply with the requirements for that particular state.
  • Program Start
    • Start in spring, summer, or fall semester; take classes on Lesley’s Cambridge, Massachusetts campus.

  • Approximate Time to Complete
    • Unless otherwise noted, times include summer semesters.

      Part-time example: 6 credits/semester for 4 semesters. Complete in under 1.5 years.

      Full-time example (spring or summer start): 6-9 credits/semester for 3 semesters. Complete in 1 year.

      Full-time example (fall start): 6-9 credits/semester for 3 semesters, not including summer. Complete in 1.5 years, due to 6-credit practicum needing to take place in fall or spring semester.
View Program of Study
child reading a book at a desk with crayons and pencils

Teaching English Language Learners

Mistaking second language behaviors for learning disabilities is becoming an urgent issue. Faculty discuss strategies for addressing this problem.
Read more about English language learners.
a group of children work on art projects in a classroom

Anti-Bias Education

Through anti-bias education, early childhood educators can create learning communities that support human differences. Discover how you can foster an empathetic classroom.
Read more about anti-bias education.
News

Teaching in two languages

Lesley hosts bilingual education conference in light of new law
Read more about Teaching in two languages
Teacher and students in the classroom, reading a book on the floor

Thinking of Becoming a Teacher?

You'll need a number of solid skills, naturally, but here are a few traits that will be indispensable in your teaching career.
Read more about essential teacher traits.
Graduate Programs
94%

of our 2018 graduating class is employed or furthering their education.

teacher at a table with students

Levels of Educator Licensure

Learn which license you need to teach in a Massachusetts public school, depending on where you are in your teaching career.
Read more about educator licenses.
Classroom bookshelf filled with books about social justice

Teaching Social Justice Through Children's Literature

Faculty discuss ways books can help children learn to read, but also provide glimpses into unfamiliar worlds.
Read Full Article
Gain Skills and Expertise
Our English as a Second Language license-only program prepares you to:
  • Understand the components of language and language acquisition.
  • Apply knowledge about cultural values and beliefs to student learning.
  • Plan, implement, and manage ESL and content instruction.
  • Use resources and technology effectively.
  • Assess students for learning disabilities versus language differences.
$78,100
Average salary for teachers in Massachusetts, according to the National Education Association.
#1
Superintendents and other hiring managers across Massachusetts prefer to hire Lesley graduates, reporting that they are best prepared to enter the classroom on day one. (Source: Radius Global Market Research)
Top Schools
Massachusetts ranks as the best state to be a teacher, with some of the highest performing schools and best salaries in the country, according to US News.
faculty laura schall-leckrone
Reading & Literacy
Laura Schall-Leckrone
Laura was a bilingual teacher, a Spanish teacher, and K–12 curriculum director in urban and suburban settings before becoming a professor. Her current work focuses on preparing teachers to teach linguistically diverse youth, and she is engaged in research with high school history teachers aimed at teaching bilingual learners skills of civic engagement. She publishes and presents frequently on ESL and TESOL subjects.
The degree employers are looking for.
Lesley graduates go on to rewarding careers in public and private schools, charter schools, and beyond. That's because our programs are ranked #1 for preparing teachers with the skills Massachusetts employers are seeking, including:
  • Putting theory into practice with an emphasis on instruction and assessment.
  • Reflecting on lesson effectiveness and sharing best practices to improve student learning. 
  • Applying innovative, progressive, cutting-edge approaches. 
  • Using varied practices to help each student meet or exceed state and local standards.
  • Recognizing technology as an integral component of the teaching and learning process.
  • Radius Global Market Research 2017.

 

Graduate TESOL/ESL, Literacy, and Reading Specialist Programs
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Literacy

*Fully online programs.

Reading Specialist

Faculty

Meg Margaret Burns
Margaret Burns
Assistant Professor
faculty laura schall-leckrone
Laura Schall-Leckrone
Associate Professor
Adjunct Professor Tara Tuck
Tara Tuck
Adjunct Professor
Meg Margaret Burns

Margaret Burns

Assistant Professor

Meg is a faculty member in the English Language Learning/TESOL programs at Lesley. She specializes in the theoretical and pedagogical foundations of bilingual education, with a focus on Spanish-English paired literacy instruction in elementary Dual Language schools. Her research also investigates issues of culture, race, and power in linguistically diverse settings, specifically Two-Way Dual Language schools.

Meg teaches courses in first and second language acquisition, early language and literacy development, sheltered English instruction, culturally responsive pedagogy, family and community engagement, and qualitative research methods. In professional development settings, Meg works with both monolingual and bilingual teachers to build classroom practices which support emerging bilingual learners’ oral language development as a foundation for biliteracy.  

After learning Spanish as a second language, Meg began her teaching career as a first grade Two-Way Dual Language Spanish immersion teacher. She currently serves on the board of the Massachusetts Association for Bilingual Education and is a member of the Bilingual Education Research Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association.

Meg is the incoming president of the Multistate Association for Bilingual Education. Lesley recently hosted a dual-language MABE conference featuring Meg and Lesley colleagues Laura Schall-Leckrone and Amanda Wager. Read more.

Education: BA, Vassar College; MA in Applied Linguistics, University of Massachusetts, Boston; PhD in Bilingual Multicultural Education, University of Colorado, Boulder.

Read Full Bio
Selected Publications and Presentations,
Awards,
In the News
faculty laura schall-leckrone

Laura Schall-Leckrone

Associate Professor

Laura Schall-Leckrone teaches in the graduate Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and English Language Learners (TESOL/ELL) programs at Lesley. Prior to completing her doctorate, she worked for seventeen years as a bilingual teacher, Spanish teacher, and K-12 curriculum director in urban and suburban public school settings. Her teaching and research center on the preparation of teachers to teach linguistically diverse youth and pedagogy that promotes disciplinary and critical literacies.

Laura is currently engaged in collaborative classroom-based research in a K-6 elementary school supporting the implementation of a one-way (all Spanish speakers) dual immersion kindergarten program in a multilingual community in a gateway city.

Laura was one of the speakers at a 2018 Lesley-hosted dual-language conference sponsored by the Multistate Association for Bilingual Educators, with colleagues Meg Burns and Amanda Wager. Read more.

Education

BA, Swarthmore College
MAT, School for International Training
PhD, Boston College

Read Full Bio
Selected Publications,
Selected Presentations
Adjunct Professor Tara Tuck

Tara Tuck

Adjunct Professor

Tara Tuck teaches in the language and literacy programs at Lesley.

I have a rather varied background in education, beginning with earning a B.S. in Education from Lesley College (long before it was a university). After teaching first and fifth grade, I earned a M.S. in Speech and Language Pathology from Boston University. As an SLP I started one of the first self-contained special education classrooms for students with severe language disorders. Wanting to help teachers work with these special students in general education classrooms led me to continue as an SLP specializing in inclusion, working in the public schools, presenting workshops for teachers, and teaching at Lesley (on campus and around the country).

I also earned a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Administration, Planning and Social Policy at Harvard, and shortly thereafter moved to Florida to thaw out and continue as a District Inclusion Specialist. I now devote my time to teaching for Lesley and getting the word out about my book, The Joy of Language: The Guide to Language and Learning for Parents and Caregivers. It is my passion to inspire parents and teachers to empower children with the communication skills necessary to become lifelong learners and to make a real difference in the world. We (parents, teachers and children) are all teachers and all learners.

Tara's Joy of Language Facebook page.

Education

BS, Education, Lesley College
MS, Speech and Language Pathology, Boston University
CAS in Administration, Planning and Social Policy, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Read Full Bio
Selected Publications,
Selected Presentations
Total approximate cost for this license-only program. Tuition and fees are for the 2019–2020 academic year.
English as a Second Language (5-12)
  • Tuition
    Online Tuition: $650/credit x 18
    $11,700
    On-Campus Tuition: $840/credit x 6
    $5,040
  • Fees
    Field Experience Fee
    $650
    Technology Fees
    $180
    Registration Fees
    $160
    Map ePortfolio Fee
    $150
    Practicum Fee
    $35
    Materials Fee
    $10
  • Total
Estimated Cost

Review all graduate tuition and fees, and what they cover.

Tuition and fees are subject to change each year, effective June 1.

Apply Now

Ready to get started? We're here to make the application process as smooth as possible. Just answer a few quick questions, and get your customized application guide.

View apply guide
View Full Program Cost
Your degree is an investment, and we're committed to ensuring its value. That's why we offer the best teacher education in Massachusetts, at competitive tuition rates.
Financial Aid
We'll help ensure your degree is as affordable as possible. Use our step-by-step guide to apply for federal and university funding. Scholarships, grants, Work-Study, and loans. It’s all right here.

Next steps to apply

Ready to get started? We're here to make the application process as smooth as possible. Just answer a few quick questions, and get your customized application guide.

Apply Now
29 Everett St, Cambridge, MA 02138
617.868.9600