ASU Global Launch achieves milestone 100,000 enrollments in online TESOL certification course

In the wake of the pandemic, many U.S. institutions were forced to reimagine the way education is administered online. 

At Arizona State University, online learning has lived alongside traditional learning models for almost 10 years, and at Global Launch, ASU’s English language learning and academic preparation unit, students have been learning online since 2015.

Part of Global Launch’s arsenal of online programs and courses is the award-winning Teach English Now! (TEN!), a 150-hour TESOLTeaching English to speakers of other languages certification course hosted on the Coursera platform, which has helped more than 2,800 learners from around the world achieve an online TESOL certificate.

This September, Global Launch’s Teach English Now! TESOL certification course surpassed 100,000 online learners for the first time.

“We are honored to see that so many people have access to our certificate program," said Dianna Lippincott, Global Launch’s assistant director of innovation. "Some learners are beginning a new career, while others are already teachers and are improving their craft to impact the future of their students. We continually hear remarks that learners thought online learning would be difficult at first, but find that they enjoy learning in this modality and the community that is built in the courses and sustained through social media.” 

Shane Dixon, Teach English Now!’s primary instructor, attributes collaborative teaching efforts and engaging content to the success of TEN!

“We have more than a dozen TESOL professionals who were willing not only to teach, but to act out visual stories that illustrate major ESL (English as a second language) principles," said Dixon. "For example, participants will watch our educators teach reading and writing through the framework of 'The Wizard of Oz,' as they watch Dorothy, played by Global Educator Jessica Cinco, encounter different reading obstacles and famous characters along the way. Similarly, participants learn listening and speaking in technology through the theme of the movie ‘The Matrix.' The storytelling aspects of these courses help participants not only enjoy our courses, but give learners strong metaphorical links that improve the memory recall of important principles.”

Based on a survey of Teach English Now! participants, 49% of learners started a new career, 50% reported a tangible career benefit and 25% reported actual pay increases or promotions after completing the online course and earning their 150-hour TESOL certificate.

According to learner Patricia T., “I've taught for decades and learned principles I've never heard before. Teach English Now! was my first online class, but I was able to easily follow and retain the information and visualize how I will apply some of the new techniques I learned. The peer assignments were thought-provoking, and it was beneficial to see what my peers in the class had to say. I thoroughly enjoyed this course.”

For more information about the Teach English Now! 150-hour online TESOL certification or for more information about online English language programs at ASU, contact Global Launch at globallaunch@asu.edu.