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Project SPEAK

Project S.P.E.A.K.

A Grant Program for TESOL Endorsement

The Speaking Proficiently Enables All Kids (S.P.E.A.K.) project is designed to provide Missouri teachers with endorsement in Teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and make a significant impact on the lives and academic achievement of at-risk English Language Learners (ELLs) in Southwest Missouri.

This National Professional Development (NPD) Grant project will provide the necessary resources to enable Project S.P.E.A.K./MSSU personnel to use both TESOL coursework and professional development as they prepare pre-service and in-service teachers to work with diverse student populations.  In addition, the grant provides financial support for books and tuition.

Eligibility for Project S.P.E.A.K

  • MSSU teacher education major AND
  • Accepted into Junior Block OR
  • Teachers in participating districts

Participating School Districts:

  • Carthage
  • Cassville
  • East Newton
  • Joplin
  • McDonald County
  • Monett
  • Neosho

Project S.P.E.A.K. Courses:

  • Provide high-quality instruction taught by TESOL certified professors
  • Are offered at convenient times, online or as hybrids
  • Meet the Missouri requirements for TESOL endorsement

The MSSU ESOL coursework (18 credit hours) includes the following:

  • Eng 301-Introduction to English Linguistics or
  • Educ 387-Grammar for Pedagogical Purposes
  • Educ 380-Theories of Teaching English as a Second Language
  • Educ 381-Teaching in a Multicultural Society
  • Educ 480-Methods and Techniques for TESOL
  • Educ 481-Material Development and Assessment for TESOL
  • Educ 482-Practicum for TESOL
  • Course Listings

**According to the Missouri Migrant Education and English Language Learning (MELL) Program, the non-English language population has grown sharply, increasing by 86% from 2000 to 2005.

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