Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) with Assessment and Evaluation (Taught)

The TESOL with a Specialism in Assessment and Evaluation course is aimed at teachers with a particular interest in assessment and evaluation.

Assessment is increasingly becoming part of English language teaching (ELT) pedagogy:

• mastery and active learning approaches use assessment tasks as learning tasks

• low-stakes testing is structuring engagement in online learning

• increasingly, credential-oriented societies require teachers to make creative use of testing to support learning.

A specialism in assessment and evaluation will support you to understand the development of the current testing culture in ELT, including reflecting on where teachers can work with or need to resist current developments.

There is also a highly practical value to the specialism: assessment is often done poorly, in a hurry, and with little awareness of consequences. Being able to develop tests, create supporting materials, and train examiners are therefore prized skills for ELT practitioners.

As part of this course, you will be able to experience and evaluate different types of assessment through the weekly coursework tasks.

Careers

A specialism in assessment and evaluation opens up possibilities to work in a wide variety of academic settings, either writing assessment material or training those who write and deliver assessment and evaluation.

The modules in this programme have varying methods of delivery and assessment. Those on the MSc and PGDip will take five compulsory modules plus three optional modules.

Further information is available via the "Course contact details" section at the bottom of this webpage.

In these modules, you will integrate theory and practice by discussing and critiquing theoretical concepts and frameworks, and then applying them through a range of practical assessments. Assessments include:

• a variety of different types of written assignments
• presentations
• development of teaching plans