Washburn now offers a new certificate program. The International House has worked in conjunction with the Council on International Educational Exchange to offer the Teaching English as a Foreign Language Certificate.

The program will offer students and professionals in the Washburn community the opportunity to gain certification to teach English as a foreign language abroad. It is accredited by the World Teaching English as a Foreign Language Accreditation Commission and abides by Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages International certificate guidelines.

Sarah Springsteen Trumble, lecturer at Washburn and one of the coordinators of the Teaching English as a Foreign Language program, spoke about how she feels the certificate would be ideal for professionals looking to teach English abroad in the future, or even looking for a full-time career in teaching English as a Foreign Language.

“I wanted to help create [the Teaching English as a Foreign Language certificate] because I got my start by teaching English abroad and, especially when you’re from a small town or you’re not rich, the opportunity to travel the world isn’t always there for you,” said Trumble. “So, I feel this is a great opportunity for students to be able to see the world a bit and experience it.”

The program is open to students of any major, Trumble herself being a physics major before teaching English as a foreign language in multiple countries. She worked as an English as a Foreign Language educator before coming to Washburn, spending time in the Peace Corps, teaching the English language in South Korea, Republic of Georgia and Saudi Arabia.

“I’m hoping to offer a level of training which will allow [educators] to be hired abroad and to kind of jump into the world of [English as a second language] with a bit of experience enough to feel comfortable in the classroom,” said Trumble.

Eliza Rezac, freshman English education major, shared her interest in the certificate and how she feels it would benefit her major.

“I think that it’s a great opportunity, especially for English majors, to do something different and definitely worthwhile with your degree,” Rezac said.

The program plans on running year-round for at least the next five years. Trumble expressed her aspirations for the certificate program.

“We hope to just continue it right now because they run classes every two weeks and I hope that we will be able to help it keep going for as long as it is wanted and desired.”

The Teaching English as a Foreign Language certificate will cost a flat rate of $1000 per applicant. It takes 11 weeks of online courses, plus one month of practicum teaching, which will occur at Washburn in an Intensive English class hosting about 12 to 16 students.

For more information, visit Washburn’s Office of International Programs, or contact via email Trumble at [email protected].