Department of Elementary Education, Woodring College of Education
27 credits
Note: The ELL endorsement is only for those who are already P-12 teachers or in a P-12 teacher education program. If you are interested in teaching or working with language learners in a non P-12 school, you may be interested in the Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) certificate (see TESL Certificate handout or consult http://www.wwu.edu/tesol).
Introduction
The Department of Elementary Education offers teacher endorsement programs in both English Language Learners (ELL) and in Bilingual Education. While an undergraduate can add both an ELL and a bilingual endorsement, only one minor can be declared; TESOL P-12 focus or bilingual education.
This program leads to an additional endorsement in English Language Learners based on Washington state English Language Learners endorsement competencies, when accompanied by a professional teacher education program and a first endorsement in another content area. Students must demonstrate study of another culture (gained through experience, or the minimum of 3 credits of approved course work) and the equivalent of one year of college-level language study world language other than English. A passing score on the ELL WEST-E is required by the state.
Why Consider an English Language Learner Endorsement?
Students who are English language learners are the fastest growing student population in the public school system. Statewide, approximately 10% of all P-12 students are ELLs, but in some districts that percentage is much, much higher. In order to meet the needs of this diverse population in the regular classroom and as an ELL specialist, we need teachers at all grade levels and content areas who have the ELL endorsement. For many schools, this is a highly recommended endorsement.
Teachers with the endorsement in English Language Learners (ELL) from Western Washington University possess in-depth understandings of the role of cultural and linguistic diversity in each student’s education. Our program focuses on developing the mainstream P-12 classroom teacher’s ability to shelter and support the instruction of language learners in mainstream classrooms, who are at all levels of fluency, as they work to achieve state expectations in subject matter content. Some teachers with ELL endorsements go on to become school ELL Specialists. ELL Specialists are usually experienced teachers who have taught language learners successfully for several years and have previously earned the ELL endorsement. Many earn a master’s degree or National Board certification in ELL prior to becoming a school or district ELL Specialist.
The ELL endorsement program prepares you to:
- Obtain the WA state endorsement for English Language Learners.
- Teach a range of language learners in a mainstream classroom.
- Work with families from various cultures and home languages.
- Serve as a resource for other teachers.
- Plan instruction using the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP).
- Instruct using effective methods including strategies from the Guided Language Acquisition Design (GLAD).
- Thrive in culturally and linguistically diverse settings.
|
|
Classroom teacher P-12 | ELL specialist
|
How to Declare (Admission and Declaration Process):
Once you are admitted into an education program in Woodring, you will need to fill out a pink ELL endorsement application form prior to register for any of the ELL courses. This is not a competitive process. If you made it into an education program, you can be in the ELL endorsement program. If you have questions about the form, please contact Margaret Gegenhuber at margaret.gegenhuber@wwu.edu.
Grade Requirements
Each required course must be completed with a grade of B- (2.7) or better.
Return to: