Linking a Community-based ESL Program with the MA TESOL Practicum Course - The Tale of a Program

Oct 15, 2026

Immigrant adults in the United States often face limited opportunities to learn English, prompting a modification of an MA TESOL practicum course in California. Teacher educator and three student teachers collaborate to design and implement a community-based ESL program grounded in a communicative teaching philosophy. The program supports immigrant learners through activities extending from self-introductions to participation in Individualized Educational Plan meetings. The narrative also argues that reducing barriers between the MA TESOL program and the surrounding community strengthens both the ESL students served and the MA TESOL program itself.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Linking a Community-based ESL Program with the MA TESOL Practicum Course - The Tale of a Program

Background: Language barriers and the need for adult ESL learning

Collaboration: Teacher educator and student teachers designing the program

Teaching philosophy: Communicative approach

Learning outcomes and community impact

The MA TESOL Practicum Course as the backbone for a community-based ESL program

# Linking a Community-based ESL Program with the MA TESOLPracticum Course:The Tale of a Program Immigrant adults in the United States often have limited opportunities to learn English.Toaddress this issue and to strengthen the preparation of future English language teachers,apracticum course offered in a Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of OtherLanguages(MA TESOL)program in California was modified to engage student teachers in thedesign and implementation of a community-based ESL program.This article describes how ateacher educator and three student teachers collaborated to design and implement theprogram;identifies the program's teaching philosophy,centered around the communicativeapproach;and discusses the program's learning outcomes,ranging from introducing oneself toparticipating in the Individualized Educational Plan meeting.As explained in the article,breaking down the walls that existed between the MA TESOL program and the conimunity ofstudents about whom the program theorized not only helped the ESL students the community-based program served,but it also strengthened the MA TESOL program as a whole. The ESL classes are excellent for our community,since the(English)language is a great limitation for ourLatino community,and it is a barrier that hinders us from advocating for our children;our community is Las clases de ESL son excelentes para nuestra comunidad,ya que el idiomaes una gran limitación para nuestracomunidad hispana,yes una barrera para poder abogar por sus hijos,nuestra comunidad tiene sed de"educación",y elasistir al programa de ESLmientras sus hijos estaban en clases de su programa es muyhermoso,ya que es un "tiempo de aprendizaje familiar,"el recibir un certificado al final del semestre es unatremenda motivación para continuar asistiendo el próximo semestre.Gracias por hacer posible las clases paranuestra comunidad ygracias a ustedes por dar cada semestre su mejor esfuerzo yempoderar a nuestracomunidad,abriendo para nosotros la posibilidad de la educación,porque educación es poder,el poder decreer en tí mismo.("Elina,"ESL student,December 2018). thirsty for "education;"and taking the ESL classes while our children are attending classes in their program isbeautiful,since this is "a time for family learning,"getting a certificate at the end of the term is great motivationto continue attending classes the following semester.Thank you for making the classes possible for ourcommunity.Thank you all for the great effort you make semester after semester and for empowering ourcommunity,since you open the doors to be educated,because education is power,and it gives us the power tobelieve in ourselves.("Elina,"ESL student,December 2018) This pseudonymous comment was made by an adult immigrant learner who attended an ESL course designedand taught by student teachers enrolled in a teaching practicum class offered in a Master of Arts in Teaching Englishto Speakers of Other Languages(MA TESOL)program at a state university in Southern California.It is a fact thatthe growth rate ofimmigrants is transforming the United States'demographiclandscape,particularly in California,which represents home to nearly one third of the nation's immigrants.One of the most linguistically diverse states inthe nation,California residents speak over 200 languages (US Census Bureau,2018).The largest and one of the mostdiverse counties in California,and in the nation,is Los Angeles(LA)county.Nearly one in three LA countyresidents are born outside of the US and the majority speak alanguage other than English at home(US CensusBureau,2018).The two most commonly spoken languages in Los Angeles are Spanish(39%)and Asian or PacificIslander languages(11%)(US Census Bureau,2018).The cultural and linguistic diversity in LA is a valuable assetthat often goes unrealized in social,economic,and political contexts. Linguistic barriers represent one of the challenges to realizing the wealth of resources that LA county residentsbring to

FAQs

Why was the MA TESOL practicum course modified for this project?

The course was modified to engage student teachers in designing and implementing a community-based ESL program that addresses immigrant adults’ limited opportunities to learn English.

What teaching philosophy guides the community-based ESL program?

The program centers on a communicative approach, emphasizing learners’ real communication needs.

What learning outcomes does the program target?

Outcomes range from helping learners introduce themselves to enabling participation in Individualized Educational Plan meetings.

Oct 15, 2026

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