Last updated: March 11, 2008 @ 12:58PM

Applied Linguistics

Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics

Field of Specialization
Teaching English as a Subsequent Language

Dean
Rosemary Drage Hale
Faculty of Humanities

Associate Dean
Jane Koustas
Faculty of Humanities

Graduate Faculty

Professor
Thomas S. C. Farrell (Applied Linguistics), Hedy McGarrell (Applied Linguistics), John Sivell (Applied Linguistics)

Associate Professors
Cheng Luo (Applied Linguistics)

Assistant Professor
David Hayes (Applied Linguistics), Deborah Yeager (Applied Linguistics)

Graduate Program Director
David Hayes
dhayes@brocku.ca

Administrative Assistant
Kathleen Noble
905-688-5550, extension 5165
Mackenzie Chown D450D
gradapplingtesl@brocku.ca
http://www.brocku.ca/appliedlinguistics/

Program Description
Teaching English as a Subsequent Language is a complex process, with a knowledge base combining such diverse areas as applied linguistics, language-teaching methodology, curriculum design, and testing. This MA program is designed to integrate these important elements in an educational experience promoting a high level of expertise and professionalism. Faculty teaching in the program bring a valuable range of attributes, including extensive international experience, hands-on proficiency in ESL teaching right here in Canada, capacity in a range of different languages beyond English, and energetic research and scholarship published and presented around the world. Graduates of this dynamic program will be well prepared as Teaching English as a Subsequent Language professionals practising in Canada or abroad and those who have completed a thesis will be well prepared for further graduate study at the doctoral level.

There are two program options: a 12-month Direct Entry Program and a special 15-month Bridged Entry Program especially for students for whom English is a subsequent language. The Bridged Entry Program includes a non-credit summer bridging segment (LING 5N01, LING 5N02 and LING 5N03) as well as academic writing mentoring throughout the academic year. However, all students, in both programs, choose courses from the same course bank and all study the credit courses together in the same classes.

Candidates entering the Direct Entry Program should anticipate commencing courses in the month of September. Course work will normally be completed by the end of April, with the major essay finished by the end of August. Thesis-route students will typically require one or two terms longer to complete the degree.

Applicants admitted into the Bridged Entry Program should anticipate commencing the bridging session in the month of June, with regular credit courses beginning in the following September. Course work will normally be completed by the end of April, with the major essay finished by the end of August. Thus, the time commitment will be approximately 15 months.

Admission Requirements
Successful completion of an Honours Bachelor's degree, or equivalent, in a relevant discipline with a minimum overall average of 75%. Applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements for admission, who believe they may be eligible for admission, should contact the Graduate Program Director to discuss their admission qualifications.

Applicants should have an honours (or equivalent) undergraduate background which includes English, linguistics, TESL, or a comparable field, with courses relevant to the theory and practice of Teaching English as a Subsequent Language (e.g. general linguistics, syntax, phonology, discourse analysis, or other linguistics courses with a focus on English; educational psychology or similar courses related to ESL learning; ESL teaching methodology; or ESL practice teaching). Applicants without the required subject background at the undergraduate level, but with a minimum overall average of 75%, may be admitted if they show strong academic performance on a graduate certificate in TESL from a recognized university and have relevant teaching experience.

Strong English language skills are essential for all applicants.
·   For Direct Entry, candidates whose first language is not English and who have not completed 3 or more years of full-time study at a Canadian post-secondary institution are required to provide proof of English language proficiency as follows: TOEFL PBT 630/CBT 267/iBT 109, TWE 5.5 and TSE 55 or IELTS 8 and writing band 8.
·   For Bridged Entry, the following English language proficiency scores are required: TOEFL PBT 550/CBT 213/iBT 79, TWE 4.5 and TSE 45, IELTS 6.5 and writing band 6.5, or ITELP 520-545 (range 2) with a minimum writing score of 225-235.
Applicants who submit TOEFL, IELTS, or ITELP scores may be asked to submit a writing sample.

Even with excellent language skills, applicants without a thorough undergraduate grounding in TESL-relevant courses are very unlikely to be admitted to the Direct Entry Program. In those circumstances, native speakers or others with a near-native command of English are advised to consider, in consultation with the Graduate Program Director, applying for the undergraduate TESL Certificate program also offered by the Department of Applied Linguistics. TESL Certificate graduates with a strong 'B' average (mid-70 or higher) are well-placed to apply for admission to the MA-level study of TESL at Brock or elsewhere.

The Graduate Admissions Committee will review all applications and recommend admission for a limited number of suitable candidates.

Part-time students will be admitted only in exceptional circumstances.

Degree Requirements
Students will consult with the Graduate Program Director when planning their programs of study. Graduate students follow either Scheme A or Scheme B. Scheme A candidates must submit a preliminary thesis proposal and find a supervisor as advised by the Graduate Program Director. Bridged Entry students may only complete Scheme B. For either scheme, supervisory responsibilities will be assigned within the proposed supervisor's and second reader's area of interest and expertise, with reasonable attention to equitable distribution of supervisory assignments and under the overall guidance of the MA Program Committee.

Scheme A: Course Work and Thesis
Students must successfully complete the two core courses, two additional courses, and the MA thesis.

Core Courses
LING 5P00 Foundations of Language Teaching and Learning
LING 5P85 Research Issues and Methodology in Subsequent Language Education

Additional Courses (two of the following)
LING 5P01 Sociolinguistics Applied to Language Teaching and Learning
LING 5P02 Pedagogical Grammar: Theory, Research and Practice
LING 5P03 Oral/Aural Skills in Teaching English as a Subsequent Language: Theory, Research and Practice
LING 5P04 Reading in Teaching English as a Subsequent Language: Theory, Research and Practice
LING 5P05 Writing in Teaching English as a Subsequent Language: Theory, Research and Practice
LING 5P07 Topics in Subsequent Language Acquisition Theory and Research
LING 5P10 Independent Study (approval of the Graduate Committee required)
LING 5V60-69 Special Issues in Applied Linguistics

Thesis
LING 5F90 M.A. Research and Thesis

Scheme B: Course Work and Major Essay
Students must successfully complete the two core courses, six additional courses, and the major essay.

Core Courses
LING 5P00 Foundations of Language Teaching and Learning
LING 5P85 Research Issues and Methodology in Subsequent Language Education

Additional Courses (six of the following)
LING 5P01 Sociolinguistics Applied to Language Teaching and Learning
LING 5P02 Pedagogical Grammar: Theory, Research and Practice
LING 5P03 Oral/Aural Skills in Teaching English as a Subsequent Language: Theory, Research and Practice
LING 5P04 Reading in Teaching English as a Subsequent Language: Theory, Research and Practice
LING 5P05 Writing in Teaching English as a Subsequent Language: Theory, Research and Practice
LING5P07 Topics in Subsequent Language Acquisition Theory and Research
LING 5P10 Independent Study (approval of the Graduate Committee required)
LING 5V60-69 Special Issues in Applied Linguistics

Major Essay
LING 5F89 Major Essay

Course Descriptions
Note: Not all courses are offered in every session. Students must have their course selections approved by the Graduate Program Director each term. Refer to the Timetable for scheduling information:
http://www.brocku.ca/registrar/guides/grad/timetable/terms.php
LING 5F89
Major Essay
Major essay, under the supervision of a faculty supervisor, on a specific issue in subsequent language teaching, curriculum design, professional development, student assessment, program evaluation, or a related area. Prerequisite: Completion of all course work; approval of the major essay topic by the supervisor.

LING 5F90
MA Research and Thesis
A research project involving the preparation and defence of a thesis on a topic in subsequent language teaching, curriculum design, professional development, student assessment, program evaluation, or a related area, demonstrating capacity for independent work. Research to be conducted under the supervision of a faculty supervisor and defended at an oral examination.
Prerequisite: Completion of all course work; approval of the thesis proposal by the MA Program Committee.

LING 5N01
Academic and Cultural Orientation for International Graduate Students in Applied Linguistics I
Academic and cultural orientation appropriate to academic context. Foundations of advanced academic skills in library research, note-taking, essay writing, seminar and workshop presentations, based on concepts and terminology in Applied Linguistics. Guidance in individual and group assignments.

LING 5N02
Academic and Cultural Orientation for International Graduate Students in Applied Linguistics II
Development of academic skills in preparation for credit work at the MA level; special emphasis on academic writing skills on topics related to Applied Linguistics. Guidance on individual assignments. Practice with electronic library databases and sources.

LING 5N03
Academic and Cultural Orientation for International Graduate Students in Applied Linguistics III
Continued preparation of academic skills, especially research, note-taking and writing skills, as relevant to Applied Linguistics/Teaching English as a Subsequent Language in preparation for MA work.

LING 5P00
Foundations of Language Teaching and Learning
Linguistic, educational and social foundations of subsequent language teaching in the Canadian context as well as in international settings. Models of curriculum design and student assessment. Current trends in language teaching, program development, professional development, and related areas.

LING 5P01
Sociolinguistics Applied to Language Teaching and Learning
Theoretical concepts and research findings in sociolinguistics applied to the teaching and learning of English as a subsequent language. Focus on the social and cultural aspects of language, on the collaborative and social aspects of language learning, on the link between language and personal or social identity, and on the influence of the social world on language use, learning and teaching.

LING 5P02
Pedagogical Grammar: Theory, Research and Practice
Models of pedagogical grammar and their relationship to theories of subsequent language acquisition. Focus on issues arising in classroom learning. Application of grammar analyses to learning/teaching situations. Survey and critique of selected Information Technology tools available for the development of grammar skills.

LING 5P03
Oral/Aural Skills in Teaching English as a Subsequent Language: Theory, Research and Practice
Theoretical insights and research findings relevant to the pedagogy of speaking and listening, including models of oral interaction and of listening comprehension, and trends in speaking/listening instruction. Canadian Language Benchmarks for speaking and listening.

LING 5P04
Reading in Teaching English as a Subsequent Language: Theory, Research, and Practice
Models of the process and pedagogy of subsequent language reading. Canadian Language Benchmarks. Practical and theoretical foundations for decisions regarding materials design, instructional methodology, and testing.

LING 5P05
Writing in Teaching English as a Subsequent Language: Theory, Research, and Practice
Theoretical models of writing and instructional practices. Current issues in ESL writing research and teaching, including genre theory, contrastive rhetoric, feedback, assessment and critique of assessment tools (e.g. CLBs, IELTS), Information Technology.

LING 5P07
Subsequent Language Acquisition Theory and Research
Critical examination of current theories and key issues in subsequent language acquisition research, from various perspectives (linguistic, psycholinguistic, sociolinguistic, etc.). Integration of theoretical models, research evidence and practice.

LING 5P10
Independent Study
Research project carried out in collaboration with a faculty member. Enrichment of theoretical knowledge in a particular area of TESL, and development of the ability to apply that knowledge practically.
Note: Approval of the Graduate Committee is required for registration in this course.

LING 5P85
Research Issues and Methodology in Subsequent Language Education
Research methods and issues in subsequent language teaching, curriculum design, professional development, student assessment, program evaluation, and related areas.

LING 5V60-5V69
Special Topics in Applied Linguistics
Selected issues or topics in the theory and practice of applied linguistics according to the specific areas of instructional expertise.