Adapting U.S.‐Based TESOL Education to Meet the Needs of Nonnative English Speakers

LARGE NUMBERS OF nonnative English speakers (NNSs) are admitted to TESOL MA programs in the United States each year.These individuals come from different backgrounds and have different educational goals.Some come to the United States for the sole purpose of obtaining an MA degree and returning to their home country.Others are immigrants who have received elementary or high school education in the United States and plan to teach in the United States or abroad.Still others are U.S.-born, speak a language other than English as their home l a n g u a g e , have gone through the U.S. educational system, and plan to teach in the United States.Over the past few years, there has been an increased interest in issues related to NNS teachers.This interest has been reflected in publications focusing on the perceived advantages and disadvantages of being a NNS teacher in the TESOL field (e.g.,