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Bachelor of Education Teaching English as a Second Language Elementary and Secondary

If you have a passion for fostering language development and cross-cultural connections, McGill's English as a Second Language (ESL) Teacher Preparation program will allow you to become a skilled ESL educator, shaping the futures of diverse learners with the power of language and communication. This comprehensive program equips you to become a specialist English second-language teacher at both elementary and secondary school levels. Through a combination of academic and practical experiences, you will gain a profound understanding of language learning from linguistic, social, cultural, and psychological perspectives, to create a lasting impact on the lives of young learners.

Have questions? info.education [at] mcgill.ca (Contact a Student Recruitment Associate.)

Details from the eCalendar

Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) - Teaching English as a Second Language - TESL Elementary and Secondary(120 Credits)

    Offered by:Integrated Studies in Ed
    Degree:Bachelor of Education

Program Requirement:

The Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) - Teaching English as a Second Language - TESL Elementary and Secondary program requires 120 credits and leads to teacher certification. Students who have not completed Quebec CEGEP, French Baccalaureate, International Baccalaureate, or at least one year of university studies prior to commencing the B.Ed. must also complete a minimum of 30 credits of Freshman courses (in addition to the 120-credit program) for a total of 150 credits.

The program includes studies in language and language learning from linguistic, literary, social, cultural, and psychological perspectives, accompanied by field experiences. It prepares students to teach English as a Second Language (ESL) at both the elementary school level (including regular and intensive ESL) and the secondary school level (including regular ESL and ESLA - English Second Language Arts), and provides a base for adult and other ESL teaching.

Please note that graduates of teacher education programs are recommended by the University to the Quebec Ministry of Education for Quebec teacher certification. For more information about teacher certification in Quebec, please refer to the Faculty of Education section under "Overview of Faculty Programs", "Undergraduate Education Programs", and "Quebec Teacher Certification".

The Department is committed to supporting students in the development and creation of their individual professional portfolios throughout their program.

Freshman Program

Students normally complete 30 credits in their Freshman (U0) year.

The Freshman year is the time to take introductory-level courses in the subject field, as well as to explore areas that are not normally taken as academic subjects within B.Ed. programs (e.g., Sociology, Psychology, Political Science, etc.). Students should also investigate the possibility of taking one of the First Year Seminar courses offered by the Faculty of Arts or the Faculty of Science.

In consultation with the Program Adviser, students may select courses from the recommended course list below or other courses. Included in the list are several French Second Language (FRSL) courses for which placement tests are required to determine the appropriate level. In Quebec, ESL is taught within the French school system. Thus, proficiency in French is an asset for student teaching placements, and is a requirement for employment in Quebec.

Other language courses (selected from CLAS Greek/Latin; EAST Korean/Chinese/Japanese; GERM German; HISP Spanish, ISLA Arabic; ITAL Italian; RUSS Russian/Polish) are also good choices for the Freshman year.


  • EDEC 203 Communication in Education 3 Credits
      Offered in the:
    • Fall
    • Winter
    • Summer

  • EDEE 325 Children's Literature 3 Credits
      Offered in the:
    • Fall
    • Winter
    • Summer

  • EDEM 220 Contemporary Issues in Ed. 3 Credits
      Offered in the:
    • Fall
    • Winter
    • Summer

  • ENGL 201 Survey of English Lit 2 3 Credits
      Offered in the:
    • Fall
    • Winter
    • Summer

  • FRSL 101 Beginners French 1 3 Credits
      Offered in the:
    • Fall
    • Winter
    • Summer

  • FRSL 102 Beginners French 2 3 Credits
      Offered in the:
    • Fall
    • Winter
    • Summer

  • FRSL 207D1 Elementary French 01 3 Credits
      Offered in the:
    • Fall
    • Winter
    • Summer

  • FRSL 207D2 Elementary French 01 3 Credits
      Offered in the:
    • Fall
    • Winter
    • Summer

  • FRSL 211D1 Oral and Written French 1 3 Credits
      Offered in the:
    • Fall
    • Winter
    • Summer

  • FRSL 211D2 Oral and Written French 1 3 Credits
      Offered in the:
    • Fall
    • Winter
    • Summer

  • LING 200 Intro to the Study of Language 3 Credits
      Offered in the:
    • Fall
    • Winter
    • Summer

  • LING 201 Introduction to Linguistics 3 Credits
      Offered in the:
    • Fall
    • Winter
    • Summer




    Required Courses (90 credits)


    • EDEC 215 English Exam for Teacher Cert.
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDEC 233 Indigenous Education 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDEC 247 Policy Issues:QC&Indigenous Ed 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDEC 260 Philosophical Foundations 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDEC 262 Media, Tech. and Education 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDES 350 Classroom Practices 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDES 361 Teaching Secondary English 1 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDFE 209 First Field Exp. (TESL) 2 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDFE 255 Second Field Exp. (TESL) 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDFE 359 Third Field Exp. (TESL) 8 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDFE 459 Fourth Field Exp (TESL) 7 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDPE 300 Educational Psychology 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDPI 309 Diverse Learners 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDPI 341 Instruction in Inclusive Schls 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDSL 210 First Professional Seminar 1 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDSL 215 Communctn: Ed for TESL: Quebec 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDSL 254 Second Prof Seminar (TESL) 1 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDSL 300 Foundations of L2 Education 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDSL 304 Sociolinguistics&L2 Education 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDSL 305 L2 Learning:Classroom Settings 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDSL 311 Pedagogical Grammar 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDSL 315 3rd Yr Professional Seminar 2 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDSL 330 Lit 1:Teaching Reading in ESL 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDSL 332 Lit. 2:Teaching Writing in ESL 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDSL 334 Teaching Oral Skills in ESL 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDSL 350 Essentials of English Grammar 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDSL 412 Assessment in TESL 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDSL 415 Fourth Professional Seminar 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDSL 447 Methods in TESL 1 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer

    • EDSL 458 Methods in TESL 2 3 Credits
        Offered in the:
      • Fall
      • Winter
      • Summer


    Complementary Courses (24 credits)

    24 credits selected as described below:



      3 credits from:


      • EDEC 248 Equity and Education 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • EDEC 249 Global Ed. and Social Justice 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer


      3 credits from:


      • EDEA 332 Art C&I--Elementary 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • EDEA 342 C&I in Drama Education 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • EDEA 345 Music C&I for Generalists 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • EDKP 332 Physical Education C&I 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer


      3 credits from:


      • LING 200 Intro to the Study of Language 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • LING 201 Introduction to Linguistics 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer


      3 credits* from:

      FRSL

      OR:


      • FREN 201 Le français littéraire (FLS) 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • FREN 203 Analyse de textes (FLS) 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • FREN 239 Stylistique comparée 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • FREN 245 Grammaire normative 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • FREN 250 Litt française avant 1800 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • FREN 251 Litt française depuis 1800 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      • FREN 252 Littérature québécoise 3 Credits
          Offered in the:
        • Fall
        • Winter
        • Summer

      (*selected according to individual student’s French proficiency level)


      12 credits of English and other complementary courses distributed as follows:

      6-9 credits of English (ENGL) courses
      And
      3-6 credits of other complementary courses including
      Foreign language courses (0-6 credits)
      Other Complementary courses (0-6 credits)



        Electives (6 credits)

        6 credits



          For more information, see Programs, Courses and University Regulations.
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