Why study this course?

This master's degree is designed for teachers and language professionals to learn how to teach the English language. The course is also suitable if you don't have any teaching experience. 

We have a divese cohort so you'll benefit from a varied learning experience. You'll explore new theories and conversation around language, teaching languages and learning in various social and educational environments. 

More about this course

Explore language pedagogy, linguistics, sociolinguistics in relation to theory and practice on this English Language Teaching MA. You'll also learn about topics such as the psychology of language and language testing.

Develop the skills needed to become an employable language teacher, policy maker, educator or researcher. On this course you'll take part in discussions on language, undertake reading and be supported through research, plus you'll have the opportunity to go into schools and understand the English language teaching process.

Our teaching team are experienced practitioners who have published work and research in the sector. Research topics have included the processes of second language learning and teaching and English as a second language and English as a foreign language in higher education.

This master's degree explores the sociocultural, political, economic and cultural aspects of how the English language is learned, taught and used worldwide.

The reflexive and reflective element of this course aims to improve in your practice by encouraging you to think of yourself as a global language professional. 

Assessment

There are no exams. You’ll be assessed through a variety of methods including coursework, essays, presentations, research and a final dissertation.

Fees and key information

Course type
Postgraduate
Entry requirements View
Apply now

Entry requirements

You will be required to have:

  • a second class honours degree or above (in any subject)

English language requirements

To study a degree at London Met, you must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. If you require a Student visa you may need to provide the results of a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. This course requires you to meet our higher requirements.

If you need (or wish) to improve your English before starting your degree, the University offers a Pre-sessional Academic English course to help you build your confidence and reach the level of English you require.

Modular structure

The modules listed below are for the academic year 2023/24 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.

Year 1 modules include:

This module currently runs:
  • autumn semester - Tuesday morning

This module focuses on key issues in language learning and teaching that are relevant to contemporary classroom practice. You will explore how pedagogical thinking has developed in different cultural contexts and how this influences language teaching and learning in particular.

This module aims to extend your knowledge of cultural differences in the creation of methodologies and approaches in language teaching and learning; the different cultural status of teachers; the role of the learner and their languages in their learning process; and more specific considerations of curriculum, syllabus and teaching materials in the teaching of global languages in local classrooms.

The module also promotes the problematisation of key concepts in language teaching and learning, such as ‘culture’, ‘language’, and ‘identity’ and you will be encouraged to reflect on your own experiences as a learner and/or teacher in order to evaluate your own knowledge and expertise and develop an analytical, critical and global perspective to the teaching of languages that is essential for your professional development.

In this module, you will:

  • explore the relationship between language and culture in the teaching of global languages
  • examine how language teaching methodologies are influenced by different understandings of language, culture, and learning
  • reflect on the role that culture plays in communication, particularly in multicultural contexts
  • study how language teaching curricula, methodologies, and materials can impact the identity construction of language learners
This module currently runs:
  • autumn semester - Wednesday afternoon

This module is intended to familiarise – or refamiliarise – you with key areas of linguistic analysis such as typology, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics and corpus linguistics. The areas are introduced contrastively, and you will be invited to compare with equivalent phenomena in your or your students’ languages, including cultural differences in realising speech acts. The module makes reference to different language teaching approaches and their very different stances on the usefulness (or lack thereof) of explicit teacher and student knowledge of linguistics. You will develop an in-depth understanding of how knowledge of the different make-ups of languages allows you to predict problems encountered by your students in learning English. You will have the opportunity to develop learning and teaching resources which will address particular problems of your students that derive from contrasts between your students’ first or main language(s) and English. You will also be invited to reflect critically on the language teaching choices in your particular institutional context, on the expectations of your students, and on your journey as a language teacher.

In this module, you will

  • raise your language awareness
  • deepen your understanding of the make-up of English
  • contrast English with your and/or your students’ first or main language(s)
  • develop tools to investigate the make-up of languages
  • reflect on your language teaching approaches and develop learning and teaching materials that address selected problems caused by the structure of your students’ first or main language(s)
  • reflect on the extent to which knowledge of linguistics can help language teachers to gain a better understanding of their students’ learning and to help them in their teaching
This module currently runs:
  • autumn semester - Wednesday morning

This module is designed to equip students with a critical and informed understanding of the complex ways in which language and languages are configured in societies around the world. The module will encourage students to think critically about the sociolinguistic patterns of their own context and speech community, and to reflect upon the influence of historical, ideological, and political factors in the development of these patterns. The module will also help students develop the necessary skills to become active sociolinguistic observers and researchers in order to identify, explore, and discuss patterns and principles which underlie language use, language choice, language planning, language attitudes, and language policy. By doing so, students will also familiarise themselves with the core terminology and theoretical frameworks of sociolinguistics. Finally, students will be expected to take a critical and informed view of issues surrounding the use and teaching of English worldwide and investigate matters of language and language education in a number of contexts in order to develop responses to current language-related problems.

In this module, you will:

  • Explore the relationship between language and society and its influence on English language teaching theory and practice
  • Examine the role that the spread and distribution of English has in educational and governmental language planning and policy
  • Develop a critical understanding of the ideological underpinnings of the spread of English
  • Evaluate the extent to which different theoretical and applied aspects of sociolinguistics can influence English language curricula and teaching practices
This module currently runs:
  • spring semester - Tuesday morning
  • autumn semester - Tuesday morning
  • summer studies - Tuesday morning

This module combines a taught module and a supervised research project. During the spring term, the module explores the range of approaches, methods and traditions in research in Applied Linguistics. You will explore competing and complementary research paradigms found in the field and their corresponding approaches to research design. You will examine the opportunities and challenges that quantitative approaches offer as well as issues of validity, reliability, and sampling. Similarly, you will be introduced to a wide range of qualitative approaches to research in language and language teaching.

You will discuss issues surrounding the use of questionnaires as research tools and the uses of interviewing and observations. You will also investigate current approaches, issues and debates in classroom research, with a particular focus on Action Research.
In this module you will also be encouraged to explore issues and current approaches to collecting and analysing naturalistic language data as well as, more broadly, communication research.

Each session will consist of a 2-hour session using English as a medium of instruction and a 1-hour class discussion in the language of the students’ corresponding pathway (English or Arabic).

The ultimate aim of this module is to prepare you for the Dissertation project that follows by giving you a solid grounding in both current research methodology in language teaching and Applied Linguistics and the theoretical paradigms from which they arise and to understand, identify and evaluate different research methodologies.

The second part of the module involves a supervised but independent research study leading to a 12,000 dissertation. You will have the chance to explore a disciplinary topic that is of your particular interest or relevance to your context. You will be able to conduct classroom research on aspects of English or Arabic language teaching and learning, or can choose other relevant themes such as sociolinguistics, linguistics, language testing, or intercultural communication, among others. You will be encouraged to draw on different data collection methodologies and use relevant paradigms in analysing your data.


In this module, you will:

  • pursue an area of personal disciplinary interest in a way that demands rigorous analytical and critical thinking and encourages you to push your own personal and professional boundaries
  • formulate relevant and original questions, undertake research that addresses them, and provide persuasive and academically sustainable arguments to support them
  • develop your ability to critically review and make use of an extensive and appropriate bibliography in your own work
  • expand your understanding of the relationship between research, theory, practice and ‘real world’ problems
  • develop your independence as a self-directed and self-motivated professional in problem-posing and problem-solving through designing, undertaking, and writing about your own research.
This module currently runs:
  • spring semester - Tuesday afternoon

This module is an investigation into the language classroom and into learner and teacher roles and interactions. It develops themes relating to how languages are learned, what motivates people to learn other languages, and how best to support and develop learning in the classroom. The module draws on students' own experiences of language learning or teaching and encourages them to reflect on theoretical and practical aspects of language learning while the implications in developing their own practice as language teachers.

Through language classroom observations, students will become familiar with common practices in language teaching and learning and have the opportunity to develop a teacher-researcher perspective. The module introduces a range of theoretical considerations and practical implications of recent developments regarding the language classroom, including theoretical debates that widen students’ understanding of language learning and teaching processes. The practical implications of these debates on classroom teaching and learning will be considered. In doing so, the students are provided with an opportunity to evaluate and analyse learners and learning through exploring classroom solutions and incorporating lived experiences with academic literature.

Importantly, students are required to find an institution where they can observe at least 4 hours of English language tuition at any level.

Module Aims:

  • You will become familiar with common practices in language teaching and learning and investigate how different cultural, social, and psychological factors influence learning
  • You will undertake research on teaching and learning
  • You will critically analyse recent theoretical developments in language teaching
  • You will consider the practical classroom implications of these theories
  • You will analyse learners' needs and identify classroom solutions while observing students in a classroom setting
  • You will identify a range of techniques for promoting learning in the classroom
This module currently runs:
  • all year (September start)

Applying Learning Technologies (ALT) focuses on the wider issues of educational technology, with specific reference to the use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) for teaching learning and assessment, including the use of social media and other open educational resources.

ALT is a supervised independent study module, which offers an opportunity to further develop expertise with online eLearning tools in the participant’s own academic discipline. ALT is provided as a self-study, small-scale, action research module, investigating the pedagogical application of digital tools. It is offered as a project- based module with supervisor support and access to online learning resources and spaces.

The aim of this module is to allow learners to investigate, through active learning, the role of ICT in learning and teaching. Participants will review the current educational technologies that are available, together with evaluating their use in teaching, learning and assessment. Learners are then required to complete the process of investigating, analysing, designing, developing, implementing and evaluating the use of digital technology in their own work and use this experience to review their own professional development needs.

This module currently runs:
  • spring semester - Wednesday morning

This module examines the core concepts and main theoretical approaches to language testing and assessment. The module encourages students to evaluate their own experiences of language testing and assessment practices in a reflective manner and to examine the most widely used standardised tests from a critical perspective. The module encourages students to discuss common debates in the field of language testing and assessment and analyse English language tests in terms of their practicality, reliability, validity and authenticity.

Evaluating and examining local and international language tests will allow students to become familiar with the different types, purposes, and objectives of language tests. The module also offers opportunities to design and develop English language tests that can be potentially useful in the students’ future teaching practice.

In this module, you will:

  • Analyse, and evaluate the main theoretical issues and current debates on matters of testing English as a second/foreign language
  • Relate current theories and debates to your own national/professional language testing situation and everyday practices
  • critically analyse language tests and their application in local and global contexts, including your own
  • develop language tests that are appropriate, relevant, and suitable for your teaching and assessment context
This module currently runs:
  • autumn semester - Tuesday afternoon

This module provides students with an overview of current issues in multilingualism with a specific focus on its impact on classroom teaching and learning. It aims to develop a critical understanding of key theoretical frameworks, while inviting students to reflect on their own personal experiences to consider the practical implications of linguistic diversity in educational contexts. Students will increase their awareness of learning environments where learners and/or educators do not have full and equal access to the language(s) of instruction, allowing them a deeper understanding of their future multilingual pupils.

The two-part assessment will provide an opportunity for students to use their creativity, alongside newly developed theoretical understandings, to design a subject-specific lesson plan for an hour-long class in a multilingual setting. The plan will be put into action through a 15 to 20-minute micro teaching session focused on one specific activity. Fellow classmates will become the ‘students,’ with peer evaluations forming part of the micro teaching mark, strengthening students’ skills in critical evaluation of classroom activities in multilingual environments. In doing so, students will deepen and develop their own teaching practices.

The module is targeted at students working or planning to work in multilingual, educational contexts and will be particularly attractive to those interested in teaching languages. However, the increasing prevalence of linguistic diversity in the majority of educational contexts means educators with any specialisation will benefit from being prepared to work with multilingual students and learning to value and draw on their diversity of knowledge and experiences.

Module Aims:

  • You will reflect on and experience teaching and learning in contexts where students and/or teachers do not have full and equal access to the language(s) of instruction
  • You will explore different perspectives on multilingualism and their implications for teaching and learning
  • You will integrate practical theories of multilingualism into the planning, design, and implementation of subject-specific lessons in multilingual contexts
  • You will broaden your understanding of the concept of multilingualism through an interdisciplinary consideration of current debates, discussions, and developments

Web-based Learning & Teaching focuses specifically on the design and implementation of teaching, learning and assessment within managed learning environments (MLE). It is intended for education professionals who wish to investigate and critically examine the professional context for implementing and applying learning technologies for 21st Century learners. The module focuses specifically on the design and implementation of teaching, learning and assessment within managed learning environments (MLE).

At the end of the module, successful participants will have:

  • Participated in an online event as an e-learner
  • Designed, developed and implemented an online teaching module
  • Managed and administered learners online
  • Designed, delivered and evaluated online assessment
  • Integrated open educational resources within a formal learning management system
  • Interacted with other online practitioners in a community of practice

Staff participants who successfully complete WBLT will also qualify as Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA), the professional body for practitioners involved in the teaching and support of learning in higher education (more details in the module handbook).

What our students say

"The MA course in London was a life changing experience for me."

Katarzyna Turska

Where this course can take you

This course is designed to help you further your teaching either in the UK or abroad. You could move on to a senior role in your current or previous role, or move into school management or a language advisory role.

You may also choose to continue your academic study. 

Additional costs

Please note, in addition to the tuition fee there may be additional costs for things like equipment, materials, printing, textbooks, trips or professional body fees.

Additionally, there may be other activities that are not formally part of your course and not required to complete your course, but which you may find helpful (for example, optional field trips). The costs of these are additional to your tuition fee and the fees set out above and will be notified when the activity is being arranged.

How to apply

Use the apply button to begin your application.

Non-EU applicants looking to study part-time should apply direct to the University. If you require a Tier 4 visa and wish to study a postgraduate course on a part-time basis, please read our how to apply information for international students to ensure you have all the details you need about the application process.



When to apply

You are advised to apply as early as possible as applications will only be considered if there are places available on the course.

To find out when teaching for this degree will begin, as well as welcome week and any induction activities, view our academic term dates.

News and success stories