Language Teaching Studies (MA)

The University of Oregon Master of Arts (MA) degree program in Language Teaching Studies is a 15-month intensive graduate degree designed to prepare leaders in the field of language teaching and learning. A unique feature of this program is that participants are able to specialize in more than one language, including majority languages such as English and minoritized languages such as the indigenous languages of the Pacific Northwest.

The MA in Language Teaching Studies focuses on transformational approaches to language instruction through innovation in curriculum, pedagogy, materials development, digital technologies, and assessment, including how evidence-based principles and practices can be adapted across a wide range of language learning contexts. The program is particularly sensitive to the evolving needs of both majority and minority language learners in this era of globalization and internationalization.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of current linguistic and educational research and theory in the fields of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) and Second Language Teaching (SLT). Students demonstrate understanding of how this research and theory applies to their own areas of focus in second language, world language, or indigenous language teaching and learning.
• Demonstrate critical understanding of influential current and historical methodological frameworks in language teaching, as well as demonstrate the ability to evaluate, adapt, and apply pedagogical techniques drawn from these frameworks in principled and innovative lesson planning, according to contextual need.
• Recognize, value, and integrate instructional, curricular, and learner initiated elements related to culture, interaction, and pragmatics within their teaching practices. Students will be able to value and integrate elements of text and performance as they pertain to literature and multiliteracies.
• Demonstrate ability to apply key principles derived from current SLA and SLT research, standards, and practice to curriculum design, course design, materials design, and assessment design in empirically grounded and innovative ways.
• Demonstrate the ability to apply key principles derived from current SLA/SLT research and practice to effective incorporation of digital technologies into their plans and teaching.
• Demonstrate the ability to put key principles derived from current SLA/SLT research into embodied practice within actual teaching contexts, including the appropriate use of classroom management and leadership skills.
• Successfully review, organize, synthesize, and critically evaluate appropriate scholarly sources, as well as demonstrate the ability to apply principled small-scale needs analysis research methods and appropriate data collection techniques for the development of their teaching and curriculum materials.
• Demonstrate sensitivity to the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse learners through differentiation of curricula and practice.
• Demonstrate flexibility and innovation in the face of the various sociocultural and contextual factors impacting language instruction.
• Demonstrate autonomy and initiative in their own professional development, including welcoming peer and faculty mentoring, engaging in teamwork, and adapting to the dynamic nature of the language-teaching field.

Only graded courses may be used to satisfy degree requirements. Exceptions must be approved by the department. No course with a grade lower than B- may be used to satisfy degree requirements.

Master of Arts in Language Teaching Studies

Students who choose to take 2 years to complete the program can delay some coursework to the 2nd year but must take LT 535 before LT 536 or LT 548. Electives credits are described after the required courses.

Electives

Students may take additional elective coursework, which may include any number of language or education related coursework, internships, or supervised tutoring or teaching opportunities.

Students who have already taken any of the required courses or their equivalents previous to entering LTS should replace them with elective credits in consultation with the LTS Director. Students who already have two years or more of language teaching experience can choose to focus on additional coursework for their elective credit, while students with less than two years are advised to gain additional practical experience through the many supervised teaching opportunities noted below.

Courses that can count as electives include additional LT seminars and any graduate Linguistics course (e.g. LING 507 Heritage Language Acquisition; LING 507 Bilingualism, and LING 507 Speech Perception and Production; LING 591 Sociolinguistics; or LING 644 Advanced Second Language Acquisition), as well as graduate level courses in other language departments, the School of Education, International Studies, Psychology, and others. Any course that relates to topics in education, language, or both is a potential elective choice, with Director approval. A few examples of the many possible electives courses are EDLD 530 Comparative Education, CHN 581 Chinese Pedagogical Grammar, GLBL 534 Language Issues in International Studies, and PSY 533 Learning and Memory.

Internships and Practica are arranged on an individual basis in a range of language teaching or curriculum development contexts. Students can assist in language classrooms at the American English Institute (AEI) at all proficiency levels, at Lane Community College, in various Foreign Language classes at the UO or LCC, at the Center for Applied Second Language Studies (CASLS), and in K-12 classrooms, such as in the local Japanese, Spanish, or French immersion programs. Classroom internships involve observation, assisting, and some teaching under the supervision of a cooperating teacher. 

Master's Project

Students working toward the Language Teaching Studies MA degree must complete a master's project over two consecutive terms. The project topic must be approved by the faculty advisor, and be presented in a LT 611 class session during the final term.