Department of Elementary Education, Woodring College of Education
27 credits
Note: The ESOL 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 www.wwu.edu/tesol).
Introduction
The Department of Elementary Education offers teacher endorsement programs in both English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and in Bilingual Education. While an undergraduate can add both an ESOL 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 to Speakers of Other Languages based on Washington state English to Speakers of Other Languages 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 ESOL WEST-E is required by the state.
Why Consider an English to Speakers of Other Languages 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 ESOLs, 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 ESOL specialist, we need teachers at all grade levels and content areas who have the ESOL endorsement. For many schools, this is a highly recommended endorsement.
Teachers with the endorsement in English to Speakers of Other Languages Endorsement (ESOL) 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 ESOL endorsements go on to become school ESOL Specialists. ESOL Specialists are usually experienced teachers who have taught language learners successfully for several years and have previously earned the ESOL endorsement. Many earn a master’s degree or National Board certification in ESOL prior to becoming a school or district ESOL Specialist.
The ESOL endorsement program prepares you to:
- Obtain the WA state endorsement for English to Speakers of Other Languages.
- 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.
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Classroom teacher P-12 | ESOL specialist
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How to Declare (Admission and Declaration Process):
One you are admitted into a teacher education professional program in Woodring, stop by the Elementary Education Department in MH 300 to declare this endorsement.
Grade Requirements
Each required course must be completed with a grade of B- (2.7) or better.
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