A handbook for TESOL student teaching in Puebla, Mexico

Abstract

The purpose of this Master's project was to create a handbook to prepare students of the State University of New York (SUNY) at Fredonia to student teach in Puebla, Mexico. The opportunity to student teach in Puebla, Mexico is a new program that was introduced in the spring semester of 2011. The handbook that was created is intended for SUNY Fredonia's Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) students who choose to fulfill their student teaching requirements abroad by teaching in Puebla, Mexico. The handbook is designed to orient students to this experience and assist them in acclimating to Mexico and the schools of Puebla. Two bodies of literature, background knowledge regarding Mexico and information pertaining to study aboard, informed the creation of this handbook. Observations, consultations, a daily journal, and photos were used in the generation of the handbook. The final formation of the handbook was based upon the review of model handbooks from various study aboard and student teaching aboard programs across the United States. This handbook was specifically created to benefit students within the TESOL program planning to student teach abroad, but is limited to this specific program at SUNY Fredonia.