Faculty Profiles

Alan Seaman (Ph.D., University of Virginia) serves as Director of TESOL and Intercultural Studies and Professor of TESOL in the Wheaton College Graduate School.  He teaches courses in applied linguistics, second language teaching methodology, intercultural studies, and qualitative research.  A popular and well-traveled speaker, he has delivered keynote addresses, teacher-training workshops, and academic conference presentations in over 20 countries. 

During his years as a faculty member at Wheaton, Alan has designed and directed several successful programs: the M.A. in TESOL and Intercultural Studies, the undergraduate endorsements in ESL and Bilingual Education, and the Certificate in Teaching English as Foreign Language (TEFL) offered each summer on the campus of Colorado State University.  Over the past decade, he has developed the first fully-online degree program in the history of Wheaton College, as the MA in TESOL is now offered in both residential and online formats.

Alan's entire adult life has been devoted to teaching English in various forms: English literature, creative writing, and English as a foreign language.  He worked as a high school teacher for nearly a decade and oversaw the ESL program for a school district in Virginia. He lived for extended periods of time in China, teaching at three Chinese universities, and taught a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses for four years at the University of Virginia. Since 1993 he has been a professor at Wheaton College in Illinois, directing the MA program in TESOL and Intercultural Studies and serving as a senior editor for two major textbook series.

University of Virginia
Ph.D., English Education/TESOL

University of Virginia
M.Ed., English Education

University of Virginia
M.A., English

College of William and Mary
B.A., English and Fine Arts

• Research on bilingual schooling in the U.S. and Global South
• Assessment of English language learners
• English language program design and curriculum
• Materials development for English language learning

• Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc. (TESOL)
• American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL)
• American Educational Research Association (AERA)
• Illinois TESOL-BE
• Phi Beta Kappa

• Presentations (2000-2016) at TESOL Conventions
• Workshops for National and International Schools Outside the U.S. (2000-2012)
• Passport to Adventure!

• Descriptive English Grammar for TESOL
• Teaching Reading and Composition to ESL/EFL Learners
• Teaching Speaking and Listening to ESL/EFL Learners
• Curriculum and Materials Development for TESOL
• Principles of Assessment for TESOL
• Teaching ESL to Children, K-12
• Qualitative Research for Second Language Educators
• Theoretical Foundations of TESOL Methodology
• Classroom Dynamics Practicum in TESOL
• Foundations of Materials Development for TESOL
• Practicum in Materials Development

My individual research interests include second language writing processes (my dissertation focus), the history of English language teaching in Asia, and best practices for teaching English speaking, listening, reading, and writing. I am currently researching local methods for teaching the English language to younger children in bilingual schools worldwide. I also have a current research study that is a comparative analysis of English teaching practices with children in Indonesia and Columbia.

I have worked on a number of collaborative research projects in the areas of second language assessment, program models for elementary and secondary ESL, materials development for adult ESL, and ESL issues in international schools.

I have presented or co-presented over seventy-five papers at International TESOL Conventions, and have presented workshops for teachers in a number of countries, including China, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Hungary, Austria, Germany, Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, Morocco, Egypt, Kenya, Cambodia, Costa Rica and Indonesia.

Presentations 

Seaman, Alan and Canning, Michael. English as a Lingua Franca: A Target for Classroom Assessments.  International TESOL Convention, Denver, CO, April 2020 (postponed).

Canning, Michael and Seaman, Alan.  Cultivating Confidence: A Necessary Factor for Success in English. International TESOL Convention, Denver, CO, April 2020 (postponed).

Seaman, Alan. Using Calligraphy and the Visual Arts to Teach English Vocabulary. Featured workshop, International TESOL Convention, Denver, CO, April 2020 (postponed).

Seaman, Alan. Visual Literacy and Second Language Fluency: The Visual Arts and Second Language Teaching. Plenary address, Illinois TESOL-BE State Convention, February 2020.

Seaman, Alan. Giving Voice to English Language Diversity Through Audio Recordings.  Illinois TESOL-BE State Convention, Naperville, IL, Feb. 2019  (featured speaker).

Seaman, Alan. TESOL Advocacy in Higher Education. Higher Education Interest Section. Illinois TESOL-BE, February 2019.

Seaman, Alan and Vroom Fick, Sara.  Issues and Models for English Language Learners in International Schools International TESOL Convention, Chicago, March 2018.

Seaman, Alan and Welch, Audrey. Methodology for Teaching English to Children in the Global South. International TESOL Convention, Seattle, WA, March 2017.

Seaman, Alan. English Language Instruction for Children in the Global South. Featured Speaker. Illinois TESOL-BE State Convention, February 2017.

Canning, Michael and Seaman, Alan.  Cultivating Confidence: A Necessary Factor for Success in English. Illinois TESOL-BE State Convention, February 2017.

Seaman, Alan and Canning, Michael. Teaching Multicultural Leadership Skills in English Language. Illinois TESOL-BE State Convention, February 2017.

Seaman, Alan; Crookes, Graham; and Stone, William. Panel Discussion: The Current State of Educational Methodology in TESOL. Illinois TESOL-BE State Convention, February 2017.

 

Workshops for National and International Schools Outside of the United States

Seaman, Alan. English Language Teaching, Culture, and Globalization in Bilingual Schools. OBED Pre-Convention Seminar, Bogota, Colombia, March 5, 2020.

Seaman, Alan.  Workshops for OBED Convention, Bogota, Colombia (March 6-7, 2020):

            Strategies for Developing Literacy with English Language Learners.

            Strategies for Teaching Speaking and Listening to English Language Learners.

            Integrating a Christian Worldview into Teaching English as a Foreign Language.

Seaman, Alan. English as a Lingua Franca: A Target for Classroom Assessments. Annual Thailand Conference, Chiang Mai, Thailand, February 3, 2020.

Seaman, Alan. The Art of Reflective Teaching. Annual Thailand Conference, Chiang Mai, January 2018.

Seaman, Alan. Enhancing Authentic Assessment in Your EFL Classroom. Featured plenary workshop Annual Thailand Conference, Chiang Mai, Thailand, January 2017.   

Seaman, Alan. Engaging Your Students at a Deeper Level. Workshop. Annual Thailand Conference, Chiang Mai, Thailand, January 2017.

Seaman, Alan. The Current State of TESOL Internationally: What the Research Reveals. Plenary address at Academic Affairs Dinner, Annual Thailand Conference, Chiang Mai, Thailand, January 2017.

 

• Vroom, Sara. and Seaman, Alan. (2014). Cross-cultural perspectives on teaching English as a foreign language to children: A multinational survey. TESOL Journal 5 (3).
• Seaman, Alan, and Vroom, Sara (2014). Passport to Adventure: Explore C Level Student Book, Teacher Book, Blackline Masters, Audio CDs. Colorado Springs: Purposeful Design Publications.
• Passport to Adventure: Wonder, Imagine, Discover, and Explore Levels (2013). Colorado Springs, CO: Purposeful Design Press. (I serve as the senior editor for this PK-12 EFL textbook series for schools in Latin America, Asia, and Central Europe.)
• Seaman, Alan. (2010). Responding to the challenge of large mixed-ability classes in China. In Multilevel and Diverse Classrooms, (pp. 9-21) Baurain, B. and Ha, P., eds., Alexandria, VA: TESOL.
• Seaman, Alan. (2007). Program Report: The Mindanao English Language Education Enhancement Project. U.S. Department of State.
• Seaman, Alan. (2005). "Six Principles for Teaching Large Multilevel Classes." Teacher's Edition. Vol. 17:10-12, March 2005.
• Seaman, Alan. (2004). "Current Approaches to Assessment and English -- No Problem." Hot Topics in ESL Website. www.enp.newreaderspress.com/ENP_hottopics.asp
• English - No Problem! A Five-Level Adult ESL Textbook Series, (2004). Alan Seaman,et al, National Editorial Council, Syracuse, NY: New Readers Press.
• Seaman, Alan. (2002). Methods and Materials for Teaching English as a Second Language. Chicago, IL: Chicago Public Schools, Office of Language and Cultural Education.
• Seaman, Alan. (2000). Evaluating an Innovative Elementary ESL Program. U.S. Department of Education: ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) ED444386.
• Seaman, Alan. (2000). "Evaluating an Innovative Elementary ESL Program," American Language Review. Sept./Oct. 2000.
• Seaman, Alan. (2000). "Program Evaluation as a Critical Context for Teacher Education." TEIS Newsletter, TESOL, Inc., 15:4. Fall 2000.
• Seaman, Alan. (2000). "Developing Effective ESL Programs in International Schools." ACSI World Report. Summer 2000.
• Seaman, Alan, and Linda Hayward. (2000). Standardized ESL Test Equating Study: Equating the CELSA and the NYSPT with the MELT SPLs. U.S. Department of Education: ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) ED 445084.
• Seaman, Alan. and Barry Sweeny, et al. (1997). "Collaboration, Reflection, and Professional Growth: A Mentoring Program for Adult ESL Teachers." TESOL Journal 7:1. Autumn 1997.

• Passport to Adventure series 
• English–No Problem!