TEFL Practicum: Best Methods in Developing and Delivering Lesson Plans

Darren Bigelow has over 20 years of ESL teaching experience. He has been at the UC San Diego English Language Institute since 2006, where he teaches in all skill areas. Darren is also a teacher-trainer in the UCSD Extension TEFL program, where he specializes in teaching methods for young learners of English. Darren previously taught EFL in Japan. In addition, he trained new teachers for one of the largest English language schools in Japan.

Debbie Inada has been an ESL instructor for the English Language Institute (ELI) at UCSD Extension since July 1988. She has taught ESL at all levels and in all skill areas, including reading, writing, listening, and speaking as well as grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary. In addition to her extensive experience teaching ESL, Debbie has taught in UCSD's TEFL Certificate Program since 2006 and served on ELI's Curriculum and Assessment Committees since 2009. While serving on these committees, Debbie assisted in the CEA accreditation process for ELI and created libraries for reading classes at the low intermediate to intermediate levels. Debbie has also created and reviewed curriculum and written assessments for ELI. During her early years at ELI, Debbie scored TOEFL (TWE) essays for ETS. Debbie's volunteer work includes teaching English to agricultural workers in San Diego and to agroforestry workers in the Dominican Republic as well as training volunteers to teach English in Ethiopia.

Nicola Teague taught ESL in Switzerland for four years after completing her studies in England. She has taught ESL in San Diego for over twenty years, specializing in designing and delivering interactive communication classes. Nicola started teaching at American Language Institute at SDSU. Here she taught in both the academic and communicative programs. The classes she taught included Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking, Presentations and TOEFL. She taught a range of levels from beginner to advanced. Not only did she teach in the two primary programs but also in short term programs that included business and the teacher training programs. In 1991 Nicola moved to the English Language Program at UCSD. Here she started in the 10 week program, again teaching a range of skills and levels. Nicola also worked in the short term customized programs which included Korean and Brazilian teacher training programs. For the last eight years Nicola has taught in the TEFL Program. Here she has taught the core classes of Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. In addition she teaches a TOEFL Workshop that teaches students how to teach the TOEFL.  Nicola is also a private tutor both here and by using Skype where she designs materials specifically for learners needs. At this time she is tutoring students in Taiwan, Korea and Japan.

Debbie Inada has been an ESL instructor for the English Language Institute (ELI) at UCSD Extension since July 1988. She has taught ESL at all levels and in all skill areas, including reading, writing, listening, and speaking as well as grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary. In addition to her extensive experience teaching ESL, Debbie has taught in UCSD's TEFL Certificate Program since 2006 and served on ELI's Curriculum and Assessment Committees since 2009. While serving on these committees, Debbie assisted in the CEA accreditation process for ELI and created libraries for reading classes at the low intermediate to intermediate levels. Debbie has also created and reviewed curriculum and written assessments for ELI. During her early years at ELI, Debbie scored TOEFL (TWE) essays for ETS. Debbie's volunteer work includes teaching English to agricultural workers in San Diego and to agroforestry workers in the Dominican Republic as well as training volunteers to teach English in Ethiopia.