Arts & Humanities

TESOL Topics: ETS Presentation

The TESOL and Applied Linguistics Programs would like to extend a warm thanks to Dr. Philip Everson and Emilie Pooler from Educational Testing Service (ETS) for their innovative presentation on computer-based testing at TC this past Thursday, April 11th. At the presentation, Dr. Everson and Ms. Pooler shared with TC students and faculty the groundbreaking …

Viva Harlem U: Black and Puerto Rican Students and the Transformation of City College

The Development of Orchestrated Collisions: A Summer at Signature Theatre Company ☆

By Erin Moore M.A. Candidate, Arts Administration At most theatres, it would be unusual and thrilling to see the playwright of a particular production lounging in the lobby most afternoons. It would be even more unusual to see two playwrights, both with current productions being mounted, happening upon each other in the lobby. This would …

Cheng-Ling Alice Chen, Recipient of the Dean’s Grant for Student Research ☆

Alice Chen, 2012 recipient of the Dean’s Grant for Student Research, knew from an early age that she wanted to be a teacher. After living in Texas for four years while her father earned his PhD, Chen went back to her home in Taipei, Taiwan with a proficiency in English that set her apart.

Conversations from the Classroom: Revisiting Marisa Militello’s student teaching experience

In the fall, we looked at TESOL student Marisa Militello’s experience as a student teacher in an elementary ESL classroom. Now in her final semester at TC, Ms. Militello has been student teaching at the secondary level.

Teacher-Student Talk ☆

Teachers in training are often told what they need to do to effectively deliver information to their students. But how does that actually look? How does it sound? The how is exactly what TESOL/Applied Linguistics doctoral student Sarah Creider is seeking to uncover through her research.

Culturally Responsive Teaching

Ashley Taylor’s research has brought her into four Social Studies classrooms in newcomer schools across New York City. Through her interviews with teachers and observations of classes comprised of English Language Learners, Taylor has sought to investigate how Social Studies and citizenship education is conceptualized and implemented to culturally and linguistically diverse students.

Building Communities of Readers ☆

Bilingual/Bicultural Education Associate Professor Carmen Martínez-Roldán believes that building a child’s identity as a reader, in any way possible, is one sure way to positively impact literacy and foster a greater connection to school. Working in collaboration with professors from the UK, Spain, and Australia, her research involves using wordless texts as a basis for …

New Faculty: Dr. Inez Heath ☆

We’d like to warmly welcome Dr. Inez A. Heath who is joining our TESOL/AL program as a lecturer.  Dr. Heath, who is originally from Gainesville, Florida earned her PhD in Multilingual, Multicultural Education from Florida State University, with a secondary concentration in International Development Education. Dr. Heath has a passion for indigenous cultures and South …

New Faculty: Dr. Arieh Sherris

Returning from Saudi Arabia, Ghana, and Mt. Kilimanjaro this year, Dr. Ari Sherris is a welcome addition to the TESOL/AL program. With a Ph.D in Second Language Learning from George Mason University, Dr. Sherris has lived and worked in a variety of places and fields, most of which related to education and education reform. Most recently in Saudi Arabia, he co-founded …

Exploring Discourse Analysis

Dr. Hansun Zhang Waring, Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics and TESOL at Teachers College, is bringing a wealth of learning opportunities to the discourse analysis research community. As founder of the Language and Social Interaction Working Group (LANSI), Dr. Waring oversees a monthly meeting of professors, researchers, and students who come together to work on …

Conversations from the Classroom: TESOL student teacher Marisa Militello shares her story ☆

Marisa Militello already knows she is a hardworking, passionate, and caring teacher. But she also knows there is much to gain from her student teaching experience this year. By working alongside her cooperating teacher in a first grade class this semester, she hopes to hone her skills, learning how to challenge and inspire her students, …

Language Teachers Become Language Students: TESOL Students Take on Guatemala ☆

This summer, four fellow students from the TESOL K-12 program and I traveled to Guatemala for an intensive Spanish course and a bit of Central American exploration. While we all had varying levels and backgrounds in Spanish, we headed south with the same goal: to get better.

Arts and Humanities Students: “Most Likely to Succeed at Changing the World” ☆

“When I really want to kvell about Teachers College, I talk about our students,” says Susan Fuhrman in President’s Letter of the Spring 2011 issue of TC Today.  Her comments kick off a special issue dedicated to student profiles, which once read, easily prove Fuhrman’s assertion that TC students are special both for their desire …

At the Interface Between Research and Practice: Professor ZhaoHong Han ☆

With her ongoing research, publications, and teaching, Dr. ZhaoHong Han, Associate Professor of Language and Education, is at the forefront of the interface between research and practice. A strong belief in the importance of using research to inform teaching drives her professional interests and accomplishments, resulting in continuous contributions to the field of Second Language …

Merging Research and Practice: Professor Michael Kieffer ☆

Michael Kieffer, Assistant Professor of Language and Education for the TESOL and Applied Linguistics programs, is making a difference in public schools across the United States. His research, which primarily focuses on the literacy development of English language learners in K-12 schools, is an outstanding example of work that both informs and is informed by …

Energy, Enthusiasm, and English: the TESOL Certificate Program

Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL), particularly to students with whom you do not share a first language, may seem like a daunting task. However, the Teaching English to Students of Other Languages Program (TESOL) has developed a program that not only helps students overcome this anxiety but also become confident, proficient ESL teachers: …