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Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Residency Program

MSEd

  • Program Overview

    Become an advocate, critical thinker, and innovator of language teaching and learning.

    This program is designed for prospective teachers who are interested in working with students learning English as a new language (ENL) in grades pre-K-12. Grounded in a developmental-interaction approach, our program is steeped in the belief that through careful observation, culturally sustaining pedagogy, inquiry learning, and assessment, teachers are able to respond to students’ shifts in development and interests. No prior teaching certification is needed. 

    Program Highlights

    Our two-year cohorts start in January and September. As a student in our TESOL Residency Program, you will:

    • Be hired as a teacher apprentice
    • Earn a salary
    • Be eligible to be hired as a full-time teacher after your yearlong residency
    • Receive discounted tuition

    Through coursework, hands-on experience, and mentoring, you will:

    • Acquire a rich teaching repertoire to understand the intellectual, linguistic, and emotional needs of emergent bilingual students.
    • Develop a strong voice as an ENL teacher, advocate, critical thinker, and innovator of language instruction.
    • Receive a strong literacy foundation through coursework and inquiry projects.
    • Validate students’ authentic use of language by incorporating students’ diverse linguistic resources into your planning.
    • Collaborate and make decisions with a range of colleagues and families around curriculum development, assessment, and program planning for emergent bilingual students.
    • Learn to work practically and effectively in a field that requires proficiency with state/national standards, rigorous instruction, assessments, and data analysis.
    • Develop an ability to react flexibly to the needs of students by adapting instruction to linguistic, academic, and special needs.

    This program culminates in a Master of Science in Education and requires 41 credits.

    Not interested in pursuing a residency program?  If you already hold a master’s degree, you should consider applying to our advanced certificate program.

    Three graduate students in a class

  • Admissions Requirements

    In addition to the main admissions criteria, there are additional requirements needed to apply for this program:

    • To fulfill New York State certification requirements, applicants must have at least 6 semester hours or the equivalent of study (i.e. passing CLEP exam scores) in a language other than English at the time the program begins, but must fulfill a total of 12 semester hours in order to complete and graduate from the program.

    A note for our international applicants regarding our Teacher Residency Programs offered through the New York State Department of Labor Empire State Teacher Residency Program:

    • If you are a student intending to applying with an F-1 Visa:  F-1 Visa recipients must promise to work in New York State for two years in a teacher capacity post graduation. Therefore, international students on F-1 Visas are unfortunately ineligible for our residency programs because they do not have immigration status to remain in the USA and work for more than one year following their graduation. A non-STEM degree F-1 Visa student is limited to one year of post-graduate work experience (also referred to as twelve month post completion Optional Practical Training or OPT).  
    • If you are a student who would apply as a DACA recipient: DACA recipients are eligible to participate in the Empire State Teacher Residency Program, as long as they represent that they intend to work in New York State in the required teacher capacity for two years.

    Questions? We encourage you to contact the Office of Graduate Admissions for a personal response.

  • Coursework

    View the coursework for this program.

  • Supervised Fieldwork/Advisement

    At Bank Street College, we believe that what sets us apart in the field of education is using theory to inform practice and practice to inform theory. During supervised fieldwork/advisement, you will apply theories of language, human, and literacy development to your practice while also critically examining how social, political, and economic factors impact your students and their use of language in schools.

    Supervised fieldwork will occur during the residency year. You will have teaching experiences in grades pre-K-6 and grades 7-12 over the course of the program.

    Taken concurrently with coursework, supervised fieldwork is designed to foster the integration of theory and practice. You will:

    • Be supervised by your advisor, a core graduate faculty mentor, and an experienced teacher.
    • Participate in a weekly conference group of 6-8 students and your advisor.
    • Discuss challenges and successes that arise in your school, strengthen your instructional practices, and come to a better understanding of your needs as an ENL educator.
    • Reflect on a lesson with your advisor once each month.
    • Meet individually with your advisor once each month.
    • Complete projects to help you take a deeper look at the setting and students you work with.

  • Faculty

  • Certification

    Upon graduation, you will be eligible for New York State certification in TESOL, grades pre-K–12, provided you complete all other state requirements.

    No prior teaching certification is necessary for this program.

Headshot of Miki Tomaru, GSE '22
Meet our alumni
I loved that my residency was so much more than a student teaching experience. I was there almost full time for the entire school year. I was one of the staff at the school, everyone knew me, and I got to experience everything the teachers did.
Miki Tomaru - Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Residency Program '22
Meet Miki Meet Our Alumni

Alumni Voices

“I didn’t choose Bank Street; it chose me.” ­­Carolina Soto Bonds, GSE ’18, describes why Bank Street’s approach to teaching and learning resonated so deeply with her.

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