which university is best for learning TESOL or TEFL in UK?

[Melinda Wu]

Hey, everyone, I am a Chinese university student and I am graduating from our university next July. I have learned English Education for my Bachelor's Degree. I'm thinking about studying in UK for my Master Degree and the subject TESOL and TEFL seem to be a good choice for me. However, I am not sure about which university is best for learning it in UK. Do you guys know some information about the universities? Your advice will be very heplful for my decision.

In addition, I feel that one year in UK is really short for one to get to know the culture and life of UK. I am thinking whether it's possibe for me find a job there. Do you think it is very difficult for a Chinese student like me? Furthermore, does the location or the city of the university is important for choose a university and get a job in UK? If yes, do you think where is the best choice?

so much questions about me, but because I am a little confused now.
Anyway, Thank you for reading my letters!

[Eric18]

You've asked a great question.

While many governments provide accreditation, I'm unaware of a ranking of TESOL programs in England, the United Kingdom, Canada, or the US. TESOL provides a directory listing, and the British Council lists qualified schools, but does anybody rank the programs? I'm very curious.

The problem becomes even more serious when considering teaching abroad. Unless you work for a univerity or have a personal connection, I don't see how you can make a rational assessment of various job offers.

Good luck and I hope somebody can provide you with a better answer!

[fluffyhamster]

I doubt if there are national let alone international league tables for postgrad ELT qualifications (or if there are, they won't be that illuminating). All you can really do is browse national course guides/directories, then look at individual institutions and decide if their range of compulsory and optional subjects/courses/modules appeals (and I myself tend to find that the less appealing = the more "vanilla-flavoured", without generally interesting and/or, to me, "vital" options i.e. ones that match my interests and "theoretical" persuasions). Location would be of secondary importance, but obviously one wouldn't want anywhere too rough/dangerous or isolated!

Why not tell us which institutions you're considering, Melinda, and see what people think of your possible choices.

Remember that there may be other subject titles out there besides TEFL and TESOL e.g. Applied Linguistics.

[Melinda Wu]

I doubt if there are national let alone international league tables for postgrad ELT qualifications (or if there are, they won't be that illuminating). All you can really do is browse national course guides/directories, then look at individual institutions and decide if their range of compulsory and optional subjects/courses/modules appeals (and I myself tend to find that the less appealing = the more "vanilla-flavoured", without generally interesting and/or, to me, "vital" options i.e. ones that match my interests and "theoretical" persuasions). Location would be of secondary importance, but obviously one wouldn't want anywhere too rough/dangerous or isolated!

Why not tell us which institutions you're considering, Melinda, and see what people think of your possible choices.

Remember that there may be other subject titles out there besides TEFL and TESOL e.g. Applied Linguistics.

Thank you very much!
Actually, until now I have got three offers from the University of Warwick, the University of Birmingham and University of Leeds. Now my job is to decide which one I should go.
The subject I applied in these three schools are almost same, TESOL or English Language Studies and Methods. the rank of Warwick is the best, the environment of Birmingham is good for it's in the city center of Birmingham, while in terms of Leeds, it may be the cheapest one to live.
which one do you prefer?
Thank you!

[fluffyhamster]

Hi again Melinda! The university that rings the most linguistic bells for me is Birmingham (due to John Sinclair's legacy, in the form of his and Malcolm Coulthard's brand of Discourse Analysis, and especially the COBUILD project and publications), and from a brief look at their taught postgraduate programmes, I would still say that they offer the most interesting (sprawling, even?) range of courses and options (I am not sure if you've been offered a research degree position, but these seem to be under the 'School of English' rather than the CELS); that being said, the Warwick courses also look solid yet interesting enough. As for Leeds, there seem to be few details online beyond very vague general course descriptions (most courses usually will share a core of modules, sure, but what are the actual elective options?!), but the range of titles is pretty wide, and one thing that caught my eye especially was their MA TESOL (China) (I realize that you plan to study in the UK rather than at GDFSU (Guangdong Foreign Studies University) in Guangzhou, but I thought it worth noting that Leeds seems to have forged closer links with China than may be the case with the other universities).

So I'd be inclined to study at Birmingham or Warwick rather than Leeds (the CELS and CELTE/CALS buildings respectively look nice!), but I'm not sure where I'd like to stay/live for a while. Birmingham's obviously the biggest and perhaps most cosmopolitan and exciting place of the three, but Leeds is better placed to my mind (e.g. near to York, Manchester and Sheffield), whilst Warwick has the scenic castle etc...smaller cities and towns can have more charm.

Maybe you should do a bit of research on crime statistics and unemployment, if you need a final decider?

[searchingnow]

I'm also comparing UK university MA programmes, including at Warwick, Birmingham, Leeds and Essex.

I've visited Warwick Uni (which doesn't have a castle, as it's outside Coventry, not in the town of Warwick) - it seems a well-balanced course, but the university is keen on making money wherever it can. Birmingham Uni is another campus-based uni - it's not in the centre of the city. Its CELS seems relatively small, as 7 staff are listed on its site. Leeds Uni has a lot of info on its site, you just have to connect to its "Campusweb", eg
http://webprod1.leeds.ac.uk/banner/dynp ... =MA-TSL-FT

Does anyone else have info/opinions on the reputation of UK universities in the TESOL field?

[fluffyhamster]

Hi Searchingnow! I wasn't quite sure how far those campuses were in relation to town centers, landmarks etc, but vaguely recall once seeing a Warwick prospectus emblazoned with images of the/a castle - false advertising? (Or is the bus ride to it from the campus not actually too far?).

By the way, if you want more response re. the reputation of UK unis, you might like to apply to join the Job Discussion forums and then post on the General Discussion forum there. Birmingham, Leicester and Aston seem to be the ones most frequently mentioned (in that order, and always in a positive sense) on the JD-GD forum at least. Like I say, Birmingham seems to have brought empiricism and empirical findings back into vogue (not that that tradition was ever really dead in Britain at least - witness the pre-computer work of West, Palmer and Hornby, Quirk etc, say), certainly in AL circles; the COBUILD project, dictionary, grammar, and related spinoffs, have all been pretty popular and clearly influential.

Something like this might prove interesting and even helpful:
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=QHrq ... frontcover
(Linguistics in Britain: Personal Histories). (Originally posted on the Teacher Discussion - Applied Linguistics forum's 'Brian Broswer's book-filled trouers' thread ).

[searchingnow]

Thanks for the summary. I'm interested more in courses which concentrate on how theory is applied to teaching - classroom, testing, CALL, curriculum design - with some elements of AL & SLA than in courses in linguistics itself.

I'll post something in the forum that you suggested and see...

(No doubt the name "Warwick" was chosen to give a sense of history and style, so it's false advertising in that sense. )

[fluffyhamster]

Hmm, that book (in whatever edition) no longer seems previewable on GBS (from what I can see via my PC). I can't recall exactly who was included in it, but there might've been a more "applied" linguist or two...but not to worry, it probably wasn't that relevant anyway!

SLA in some sort of guise (perhaps as part of a look at connected methods) is often a required module, with curriculum design and testing also likely to get a look in, as electives at least. Again, hope you get more of a response over on the JD-GD forum (and perhaps a little more here)!

[Melinda Wu]

Thanks for the summary. I'm interested more in courses which concentrate on how theory is applied to teaching - classroom, testing, CALL, curriculum design - with some elements of AL & SLA than in courses in linguistics itself.

I'll post something in the forum that you suggested and see...

(No doubt the name "Warwick" was chosen to give a sense of history and style, so it's false advertising in that sense. )

Yes, just same to u, I am also interested in learning some practical courses like how theory is applied to teaching-classroom, curriculum design especially testing. you have also searched the courses provided by Warwick uni, Leeds Uni and Birmingham Uni, Do u think which serve it better????

[searchingnow]

I'm looking at courses for people with teaching experience - not sure if that's your situation too.

All seem to stress the practical application of theory, not just studying theory for the sake of it. Typically, the assessment (usually essay) for a module involves evaluating aspects of your teaching practice in the light of theory learned.

Stressing again that this is for people with teaching experience - MA ELT at Warwick, MA TESOL at Leeds, MA TEFL/ TESL at Birmingham - curriculum design is an option at Leeds, compulsory at Bir and is part of a compulsory module at Warwick; testing is an option at all (I can't find extra info on Bir's site on their optional modules), the description of Warwick's is vague, Leeds sounds solid.

Bir's course seems well balanced, but I'm not keen on the city; Warwick's involves more theoretical aspects, as does that of Leeds. I'm leaning towards Leeds, but also looking at Essex.

Perhaps one way of evaluating one module (eg testing) is to look at the description and the reading list. You can also e-mail the person listed as the teaching contact for the module/course to ask for more details.

[Melinda Wu]

I'm looking at courses for people with teaching experience - not sure if that's your situation too.

All seem to stress the practical application of theory, not just studying theory for the sake of it. Typically, the assessment (usually essay) for a module involves evaluating aspects of your teaching practice in the light of theory learned.

Stressing again that this is for people with teaching experience - MA ELT at Warwick, MA TESOL at Leeds, MA TEFL/ TESL at Birmingham - curriculum design is an option at Leeds, compulsory at Bir and is part of a compulsory module at Warwick; testing is an option at all (I can't find extra info on Bir's site on their optional modules), the description of Warwick's is vague, Leeds sounds solid.

ya, I do agree with what you said aobut the courses at the above three Unis. But acually, I just do some teaching in my spire time during my university days. so finally I choose Warwick……

Bir's course seems well balanced, but I'm not keen on the city; Warwick's involves more theoretical aspects, as does that of Leeds. I'm leaning towards Leeds, but also looking at Essex.

Perhaps one way of evaluating one module (eg testing) is to look at the description and the reading list. You can also e-mail the person listed as the teaching contact for the module/course to ask for more details.