PLACEHOLDER — insert a quote from a TESOL student or graduate about a field placement or a moment with English learners, and where the credential took them, locally or abroad.
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Major | Minor
Teach English With Empathy, Here and Around the World
Help English language learners find their voice, in your own community and across the world.
TESOL at Goshen College prepares you to teach English to language learners with empathy, clarity, and confidence, in classrooms and communities, locally and globally. You can work toward English-learner teaching licensure or follow a non-licensure track.
If you want to teach in a classroom, serve in an international setting, or simply communicate better across cultures, TESOL pairs seamlessly with majors in education, global studies, Spanish, and more. You’ll graduate ready to connect across cultures and make a real impact through language.
Made for People Who Want to Connect Across Difference
This program fits people who care about language, culture, and helping others belong, future teachers, community volunteers, and anyone drawn to working across cultures. It’s also a natural way to take Goshen’s global strengths further: With Goshen’s Study-Service Term (SST,) TESOL graduates also serve in K-12 classrooms, adult ESL programs, refugee and cross-cultural services, and international teaching settings like the Peace Corps and language schools abroad.
You won’t do it alone. Faculty mentors who have real TESOL experience, and field placements in local schools, you’re supported and known by name as you build confidence in front of a classroom. It’s a welcoming community for students of every background.
What You’ll Study
You’ll explore linguistics, intercultural communication, and language-teaching methodologies, and put them into practice through fieldwork and practicum experiences in real educational settings. The program prepares students for English-learner licensure in several forms:
- English Learners, Elementary K-6
- English Learners, Secondary 5-12
- English Learners, All Grade P-12
- TESOL (non-licensure track)
View the complete program requirements in our catalog.
Where a TESOL Credential Takes You
TESOL opens doors to careers in:
- K-12 education
- Adult ESL instruction
- International English teaching (Peace Corps, volunteer service, private language schools)
- Cross-cultural and refugee services
- Language curriculum development
It’s a valuable credential for careers in education, international development, and nonprofit work, and it strengthens almost any path where you’ll communicate across languages and cultures.
STUDENT NAME
Class Year · Current Role or Setting
Paying for Goshen
It’s worth asking about early. TESOL students are eligible for a variety of Goshen College scholarships, and most students receive financial aid.
To see your own price after aid, run the net price calculator and talk with a real person in the financial aid office.
Common Questions About TESOL Major
Yes. TESOL is offered as both a major and a minor, and it pairs seamlessly with majors in education, global studies, Spanish, and more. To add the minor, declare it with your academic advisor; there is no separate application beyond admission to Goshen. It’s a strong complement to almost any field that involves language and culture.
The program prepares students for English-learner licensure as Elementary K-6, Secondary 5-12, or All Grade P-12, and also offers a TESOL non-licensure track. Review the Professional Licensure Disclosure for state-specific details, and talk with the education department about the path that fits your goals.
Graduates teach in K-12 schools and adult ESL programs, work in cross-cultural and refugee services, develop language curriculum, and teach English internationally through the Peace Corps, volunteer service, and language schools abroad. TESOL is also a valuable credential in education, international development, and nonprofit work.
Yes. You’ll complete field placements and practicum experiences in K-12 classrooms, community organizations, and adult ESL programs, building confidence in lesson planning, classroom management, and cultural competency. Goshen’s intercultural emphasis also lets you work with English learners both on campus and abroad.
TESOL students are eligible for a variety of Goshen College scholarships, and most students receive financial aid. Use the net price calculator on the financial aid page to see your real number, explore available scholarships, and talk with a financial aid counselor about your situation.
Ready to get started?
Jessica Baldanzi
Professor of English
Department ChairDiana Boussom
Assistant Professor of American Sign Language
Cristobal Garza Gonzalez
Associate Professor of Spanish
Colleen Geier
Professor of ASL Interpreting
Roy Jackson
Associate Professor of Education
Brooke Lemmon
Professor of Education
Director of Special EducationTerry Martin
Associate Professor of Spanish
Robina Sommers
Associate Professor of Education
Steven Thalheimer
Associate Professor of Education
Department ChairDanae Wirth
Assistant Professor of Education
