Second Language Teaching
Program Overview
The Second Language Teaching (SLT) Program provides unique training for students who are interested in becoming second language tutors, second language teaching assistants, and – with further training – second language teachers, in various global contexts. Students focus on the language of their choice, depending on their career goals and interests. Our graduates can pursue careers – in various contexts – in public and private K-12 schools, adult education, private language schools and even schools of their own!
Contact Information
- Counselors/Advisors: Coordinator, Shawn Ford (808) 734-9328
Degree & Certificates
Associate in Arts – Liberal Arts with a concentration in Second Language Teaching (60 credits)
The Associate in Arts (AA) degree in Liberal Arts is designed to give students the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to transfer to a four-year college/university, seek employment, contribute to their communities, and pursue lifelong learning. These skills, knowledge, and attitudes include creative problem solving, clear communication, analytical thinking, informed decision making, ethical judgment, teamwork and collaboration, and strong leadership.
The AA degree in Liberal Arts with a concentration in Second Language Teaching (SLT) prepares students to transfer to four-year institutions. This 60-credit program satisfies all of the requirements for the AA degree in Liberal Arts and also provides students with knowledge and skills to be successful in entering a university program in second language teaching, teacher education, and other closely related fields.
This degree provides students with an understanding of a framework for second language learning and teaching, skills and strategies for second language teaching, the diversity of second language learners, legal issues and advocacy strategies to support second language learners, classroom management strategies, linguistic principles to support second language learning, and the importance of assessment for second language learning. The degree also provides students with numerous opportunities to discuss and research current issues and challenges in second language education, advocate for second language students and their families, and engage in a variety of service learning and field experiences working with children and adults in public and private classroom settings.
Personalized advising and a carefully planned course sequence enable students to successfully transfer to baccalaureate institutions in Hawai‘i that have language education-related majors, such as the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Second Language Studies Department and College of Education, and Hawai‘i Pacific University, TESL Program.
Associate in Science – Educational Paraprofessional with a specialization in Second Language Teaching (60-62 credits)
The Associate in Science (AS) degree for Educational Paraprofessionals with a specialization in Second Language Teaching (SLT) will prepare students to work as assistants with English as a Second Language (ESL) students in various classroom settings, including public and private, K-12 and adult education settings, locally and abroad. The program is intended to serve ESL teachers and assistants presently working in the field to update and refine their skills and individuals preparing for work in the field of ESL.
Certificate of Competence – Educational Paraprofessionals Emphasis: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (21 credits)
The Certificate of Competence (CO) for Educational Paraprofessionals with an emphasis in TESOL will prepare students to work as ESL assistants and teachers in various educational settings. This certificate will serve to upgrade job skills of in-service educational paraprofessionals in the Hawai‘i Department of Education (HIDOE) to work with ESL students, provide TESOL certification to in-service content teachers in the HIDOE, and provide TESOL certification necessary for students to work as ESL assistants and teachers in many international settings.
Program Information
Potential Careers and Employers
The SLT Program provides unique training for students who are interested in becoming second language tutors, second language teaching assistants, and – with further training – second language teachers, in various global contexts. Students focus on the language of their choice, depending on their career goals and interests. Our graduates can pursue careers – in various contexts – in public and private K-12 schools, adult education, private language schools and even schools of their own!
Program Outcomes
AA-LBRT-SLT
Upon successful completion of the AA degree for Educational Paraprofessional with a concentration in SLT, the student will be able to:
- Ethically, compose, convey, and interpret varied perspectives with respect to an intended audience using visual, oral, written, social, and other forms of communication.
- Evaluate one’s own ethics and traditions in relation to those of other peoples and embrace the diversity of human experience while actively engaging in local, regional, and other global communities.
- Explore and synthesize knowledge, attitudes, and skills from a variety of cultural and academic perspectives to enhance our local and global communities
- Make effective decisions with intellectual integrity to solve problems and/or achieve goals utilizing the skills of critical thinking, creative thinking, information literacy, and quantitative/symbolic reasoning.
- Through various modes of inquiry, demonstrate how aesthetics engage the human experience, revealing the interconnectedness of knowledge and life.
- Demonstrate an ability to effectively facilitate the language development of students based on individual language needs.
- Demonstrate knowledge and skills specific to the instruction and support of ELL students in a variety of settings.
- Demonstrate professionalism and ethical practices in the classroom, school, local, and professional communities.
- Use communication skills to work effectively with students, their families, school administrators, teachers, staff, and other related personnel.
- Use informed decision making to function effectively in the classroom, school, local, and/or professional communities.
- Use instructional and behavioral management strategies to facilitate a positive learning environment for students.
AS-EDPA-SLT
Upon successful completion of the AS degree – Educational Paraprofessional with a concentration in SLT, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate an ability to effectively facilitate the language development of students based on individual language needs.D
- emonstrate knowledge and skills specific to the instruction and support of ELL students in a variety of settings.
- Demonstrate professionalism and ethical practices in the classroom, school, local, and professional communities.
- Use communication skills to work effectively with students, their families, school administrators, teachers, staff, and other related personnel.
- Use informed decision-making to function effectively with students, their families, school administrators, teachers, staff, and other related professional communities.
- Use instructional and behavioral management strategies to facilitate a positive learning environment for students.
CO-EDPA-SLT
Upon completion of the Certificate of Competence for Educational Paraprofessionals, Emphasis: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, the student will be able to:
- Apply communication skills to work effectively with students, their families, school administrators, teachers, staff, and other related personnel.
- Apply instructional and behavioral management strategies to facilitate a positive learning environment for students.
- Apply knowledge and skills specific to the instruction and support of ELL students in a variety of settings.
- Demonstrate an ability to effectively facilitate the language development of students based on individual language needs.
- Demonstrate informed decision-making to function effectively in the classroom, school, local, and professional communities.
- Demonstrate professionalism and ethical practices in the classroom, school, local, and professional communities.
“The SLT program at Kapiʻolani was one of the most ideal learning experiences that I could have in college. The SLT program allowed me to get into a real classroom setting to observe what was happening and help students who were second language learners.”
Reiko Suzuki, Kapiʻolani CC Graduate
