ESL Goes Online and Global: Integrating OERs into TESOL Courses

Abstract

This session provides an overview on ways that two instructors in the field of TESOL (Teaching English as a Second or Other Language) integrate OERs into their undergraduate teaching methods courses and graduate level courses on TESOL education. A broader trend in the field of TESOL education includes 1) the shift to online and digital teaching spaces prior to, during, and post-pandemic and 2) the need for TESOL students to be able to transition into digital teaching long-term as a workforce trend while being able to curate their own OER resources for teaching. The first presenter will share about the recent growth of OER resources for undergraduate TESOL and ESL teaching, specifically for university level academic ESL. In addition, resource curation will be discussed as a knowledge-building activity that supports the ideals behind open resources, and provides ESL teachers with a wealth of relevant resources at their fingertips. Participants will gain access to some examples of student-curated resources and suggestions for helping students curate their own resources effectively. The second presenter will share how she leverages OER and principles of open pedagogy in graduate courses: OER as an approach for TESOL methods. Graduate students read about OER, it is modeled and demonstrated, and students apply it to applied linguistics and TESOL lesson tasks.