Teaching Additional Languages

Ed.S. in TESOL: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Guidelines for Ed.S. Prospectus, Project, and Defense

All Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) candidates must complete and defend an applied project relating to classroom teaching and learning.

Procedure:

1. At the beginning of their last year in the program, Ed.S. candidates should decide on a topic for the Applied Project in consultation with their faculty advisor.

2. The candidate will develop a project proposal or prospectus approximately 15 pages in length. The prospectus will explain the purpose of the project and its importance, briefly note related literature, fully detail the methodology to be followed in the project, suggest the nature of the final product, and note the potential educational applications of the project. At the same time, the candidate will develop a draft of a Human Subjects protocol if applicable.

3. The candidate will seek out a project committee consisting of the faculty advisor and two additional faculty in Language Education or elsewhere at UGA.

4. When the prospectus is complete, the candidate should schedule a one-hour meeting with the faculty committee. The completed prospectus must be distributed to each member of the committee no later than two weeks prior to the scheduled meeting. During the meeting, committee members will discuss the project with the candidate and identify necessary revisions and additions to the project and Human Subjects protocol if applicable.

5. After making necessary revisions and submitting the Human Subjects protocol if applicable, the candidate will initiate the project. Candidates must register for ELAN 7650 during the semester in which the project is completed. Candidates are responsible for notifying the faculty advisor of progress being made, problems encountered, and any necessary changes in the topic or design of the project. Candidates are encouraged to consult with the faculty advisor as they complete the project.

6. The candidate will write a draft of the project. The first draft must be submitted to the faculty advisor no later than the mid-point of the semester in which the project is to be completed. The faculty advisor will consult with committee members and convey suggested revisions to the candidate. This step may be repeated up to three times.

7. The candidate is responsible for scheduling a one-hour project defense and oral examination. The final project must be distributed to all members of the committee at least two weeks prior to the scheduled defense.

8. At the defense, the candidate will make a 5-10 minute presentation on the final project. Committee members will then question the candidate regarding the project as well as on broader issues of language teaching and learning addressed in the candidate's coursework. Results of the final defense will be reported to the Graduate School, and a letter grade will be assigned for ELAN 7650.

Project organization and format:

The final project should be approximately 50-75 pages in length (excluding bibliography and appendices). It should be written in APA manuscript style.

A variety of research designs and types of projects are possible, including but not limited to:

a program evaluation
an analysis of classroom discourse
an ethnography of a particular school, home, or community setting
case studies of students or teachers
a model curriculum with a specific underlying theoretical or research-based rationale
an experimental or quasi-experimental study
a content analysis of curriculum
a media-based project (e.g., video) accompanied by explanatory text

While the specific organization of the project will vary by topic, a typical project might be organized as follows:

Section 1: Introduction and statement of purpose

This section should provide the reader with the project objectives and state clearly why it is important. It may be the only project that has been done in a specific area, for example. This section may also include a definition of key concepts or terms your will be using throughout the study.

Section 2: Related research

Begin this section by providing an overview of what literature you are reviewing and how you are going to organize the discussion. Sub-headings are a useful means of guiding readers through this section. Try to show two things throughout the review: 1) how your project is related to existing work and draws on it; and 2) how your project is unique or fills a gap in existing work in the area. Your review should be organized by key concepts or themes that run across the pieces you read (in other words, don't simply summarize each article one by one). It is also important to say not only what research has been done, but also to identify the theories of teaching and learning that have underlied it, and that underlie your own project. End your review with a summary that restates why your project is important.

Section 3: Methodology

Describe exactly what you did in your project. Repeat the project objectives you gave in the first section. Then describe all of the following as applicable: participants, setting, means of collecting data, texts, or other information collected; tests, questionnaires, or surveys given. Describe data collection and analysis procedures. A timeline may be useful for describing research projects.

Section 4: Results/Discussion

This may be one or several sections, depending on your project design. This is where you explain what new contribution or findings you have made in your project.

Section 5: Conclusion/implications

Recap your study's purpose and why it is important. Summarize what new contribution you have made in this project. Describe how your findings may be used to improve the teaching and learning of additional languages. Discuss the theoretical implications of your study and ideas for further research.