Watch a Video Introduction to our TESOL Program

Master's Program in International Language Education: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Language

Introduction to our TESOL Program
Introduction to our TESOL Program
The program emphasizes the development of a broad understanding of second language acquisition theory and research methods as well as individualized supervision and practical experience for all students as each works closely with experienced faculty. In addition, the program allows students the flexibility to pursue their professional interests.

The ILE: TESOL program has four core components that are emphasized throughout the two-year program:
  • Understanding and utilizing learning theory and methodology
  • Understanding, utilizing, and conducting research
  • Practical experience and practice
  • Specialization through research, practical interests, and elective courses
While based in Japan, the ILE: TESOL Program is a rigorous academic program at the graduate level, comparable to similar programs in the United States, Australia, or the United Kingdom. The program employs a distinctively western approach to graduate study, requiring students to actively prepare for and participate in class discussions, write academic papers based on surveys of research, and deliver presentations. There are few lecture-style classes. Although challenging, the program staff and faculty are dedicated to providing support for students so that they can meet their educational goals and the expectations of our program successfully.

Upon completion of the program, graduates can expect to have the foundation knowledge and skills as well as the confidence to become effective language educators in a variety of contexts, or to pursue graduate study at the doctoral level.

The ILE: TESOL Program welcomes
Professor Yilin Sun as a Visiting Faculty Member in the Fall of 2022

Yilin Sun

Dr. Yilin Sun is a tenured professor at the Seattle Colleges in Seattle, WA, U.S.A. She has served the field of TESOL for over 38 years as a classroom teacher, program leader, teacher educator, and researcher with many higher education institutions in China, Macau, Canada, and the USA. Dr. Sun is a former president of the TESOL International Association (2013-2016) and president of Washington Association for the Education of Speakers of Other Languages (WAESOL) in 2003 and 2007.  Dr. Sun was the founding president of Macau Association for Applied Linguistics (MAAL, 2016-2018). She is also serving as Chief Editor of the series Foreign Language Teacher Education and Development: Selected Works of Renowned TESOL Experts published by Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.
 
As a dedicated English Language Specialist, Dr. Sun has provided training workshops in many countries including Russia, Cambodia, Laos, China, Peru and Thailand. In 2021, 30@30 Celebration of The English Language Specialist Program of U.S. Department of State recognized Yilin as one of a select group of thirty specialists who have made a lasting impact on the specialist program and on the TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) field since 1991. Over the years, Dr. Sun has given numerous keynote/plenary and featured presentations at international professional conferences.  She has authored and co-authored books, book chapters, and journal articles. Her research interests include curriculum development, program assessment and evaluation, L2 reading, vocabulary learning, critical thinking, classroom-based action research, teacher education, ESP/EAP, Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT), Project-based Learning, and Bilingual/Multilingual English-speaking Teachers in the ELT field.

Selected publications
Editor/author (in progress) Personal Learning Environments in Higher Education- Promoting Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learner Autonomy. New York: Routledge, an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group. (to be published in 2023)

Building Bridges, Crossing Borders: Journey to a Better Future for ELT21st Century ELT Field.(2021). Reconceptualizing English Language Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century. Taipei: Crane Publishing Company Ltd.

Investigating the impact of increased student feedback literacy level on their expectations on university teachers’ feedback, Wei wei, Sun, Yilin and Xiaoshu Xu (2020). Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education. Nov. 2020

Series Editor/author (2016-2019), Selected Works of Renowned TESOL Experts “外语教师教育与发展国际权威”Foreign Language Teacher Education and Development. Shanghai: Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press.

A Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) Framework for ESP Teachers in Tertiary Education in China. Xu, Xiaoshu and Sun, Yilin (2018). The Asian ESP Journal, Vol 15, Issue 3.

Building Bridges- English Teaching in the Glocalized World. (2017). Journal of World Education, Vol 30, Issue 7 (2017) 年, 第 7 期 (第 30 卷 总第 415 期, General No. 415). Ministry of Education, P.R. China, ISSN 1672-3937.

“Peer Assessment” in The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching (2017). Wiley, in partnership with TESOL International Association.

Building Bridges, Crossing Boarders: Journey to A Better Future for TESOL (2016). Vol. 1(2)

Voices from the ETA World: A Critical Casebook for Fulbright English Teaching Assistants (2015). Taipei: Foundation for Scholarly Exchange Fulbright Taiwan. ISBN: 978-986-92307-0-4

Major Trends in the Global ELT Field: A Non-Native English-Speaking Professional's Perspective. Journal of Language Education in Asia. Volume 5, Issue 1(2014)
http://dx.doi.org/10.5746/LEiA/14/V5/I1/A02/Sun

Demystifying the Myths about Leadership (2014) The English Connection. Volume 18, Issue (1 & 2)
http://www.koreatesol.org/sites/default/files/pdf_publications/TECv18n1-2.pdf

Teaching and Learning Second Language Listening. Book review article (2013). Teachers College Record, The Voice of Scholarship in Education.
http://www.tcrecord.org/Content.asp?ContentId=17346

“Critical Ethnography as Action Research- Untold Success Stories of ESOL Students of Color at An Urban College.” In K. Kuji-Shikatani, M. Narushima (2013. Eds) A Celebration of Qualitative Research: A Festschrift for Dr. Barbara Burnaby. Lulu Press. 

A Small Step in Integrating Information-Literacy for Adult English Learning: Challenges and Strategies – AEIS TESOL News, Jan. 2013.

Co-editor with Kubota, R. (2012). Demystifying career after graduate school: A guide for second language professionals. Charlotte: Information Age Publishing. 2012.

“Providing Leadership Support and Access Professional Development at the Community College: A Focus on Leaders.” In J. Carmona (ed) Language Teaching and Learning in ESL Education: Current Issues, Collaborations and Practice. Kona Publishing and Media Group. 2010.

Standards, Equity and Advocacy: Challenges and Issues that Adult ESOL Educators Face in the 21st Century Preliminary Survey Results of ESOL Teachers in Adult Basic Education and Literacy Systems. TESOL Journal, March 2010.
http://www.tesolmedia.com/docs/TJ/firstissue/11_TJ_Sun.pdf

For more information about Professor Willy A Renandya, please see the Visiting Faculty Member webpage.


Soka University offers a graduate program in International Language Education (ILE): TESOL that produces exceptional language educators by providing opportunities for students to develop a deeper understanding of language acquisition, language teaching, and intercultural communication.

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