English as a Second Language Program (ESL)
The introduction of programs for Teacher of English as a Second Language in Summer 2007 continued CES’s commitment to recognizing and meeting emerging needs. Our ESL Licensure Programs have been developed in partnership with the CES’s Center for English Language Education (CELE).
CES offers preparation for these Initial Licenses:
- English as a Second Language, PreK-6
- English as a Second Language, 5-12
Candidates may come from either inside or outside of the field of public education. Enrollment is available for those who have a Bachelor’s Degree and can provide evidence of knowledge or study of a second language.
All courses may be taken for graduate credit. For those interested in obtaining a graduate degree, graduate credits may be applied toward a M.Ed.-Curriculum & Teaching or a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS), through CES’s partnership with Fitchburg State University. Graduate credit registration forms are available at the first session of each course. For graduate program procedures and information, contact Beverly Streeter.
Requirements
Requirements for ESL Licensure inlcude completion of six rigorous, graduate level courses, a 150 hour Practicum, and passing scores on the Communication and Literacy and ELL Mtels.
We look forward to helping you reach your career goals. For information, please contact us.
Additional Application Requirements
To enroll in the English as a Second Language program, evidence of knowledge or study of a language other than English must be provided
MTEL Requirements
- Communication and Literacy Skills Test
- English Learners Language Test (taken upon completion of all or part of the program)
Practicum
150 hours
Courses
While every course in the CES Licensure Program may be taken individually (for PDPs or optional graduate credit), six Licensure courses and a Practicum must be successfully completed to obtain an Initial License as a Teacher of English as a Second Language.
Note: All courses in the ESL Licensure program are 3-credits; 2-credit courses are no longer available. Three of our ESL Licensure courses also meet the Massachusetts DESE Professional Development Category Training requirements for elementary and subject matter teachers seeking qualifications for working with the English Language Learners in their classrooms (Categories 1, 2, and 4).
Category Trainings for Professional Development (including Category 3 MELA-O training and retraining) are offered through CES Professional Services; for information, please check the Collaborative’s Events Calendar or contact Beth Lizardo at the Center for English Language Education (CELE). PDPs are available.
Fall
(3 CR) Teaching and Assessing Reading and Writing for ELLs
This course is designed to provide participants with an introduction to:
- approaches and practices for developing reading skills and reading comprehension in English for English language learners;
- strategies for developing English and content area vocabulary for English language learners;
- approaches and practices for using writing in sheltered content classrooms;
- effects of first language literacy on second language learning and literacy;
- development of a listening, speaking, and reading vocabulary in a new language;
- approaches and practices to developing writing skills and the use of writing tools for new language learning;
- the writing process and formal elements in writing as it applies to second language learning in content area classes; and
- using scientifically based readings programs that have been found to assist students in reading successfully.
Note: This course covers the required skills and knowledge covered in the Massachusetts Department of Education’s Commissioner’s April 25, 2006, document on professional development.
(3 CR) Theory & Practice of Second Language Acquisition
This course provides participants with an introduction to the principles of second language acquisition at different age levels, with a focus on linguistics, cultural differences, language variation, and the developmental factors that influence successful bilingualism and multilingualism. In this course, we will examine the implications of these factors on classroom organization and instruction. Further, we will review their relation to the organization, content, and performance levels of the Massachusetts English Language Benchmarks and Outcomes (ELPBO). Additionally, we will examine the principles of second language acquisition through developing a construct of communicative competence.
The course will primarily focus on students who are not yet communicatively competent in English, have learned a language or languages other than English during their preschool years, and are learning English as a necessity for becoming socially, culturally, and, most importantly, academically active in their school community and for becoming successful learners. Included in this course is the study of the linguistics of English and other languages; a focus on regional, socioeconomic, and developmental factors influencing language variation, bilingualism, and multilingualism; and the concept of languaculture. It will involve a range of collaborative, self-reflective, and authentic activities about the principles of second language learning.
Note: This course covers the required skills and knowledge covered in the Massachusetts Department of Education’s Commissioner’s June 2004 memo on Sheltered English Immersion Category 1 trainings.
Spring
(3 CR) Literacy Learning or Younger Children (For ESL, PreK-6)
This course provides students with an in-depth study of elements of an early literacy instructional framework, with a focus on the reading components. Included in the course of study are investigations of the following: Reading comprehension, interactive reading aloud to students, assessment of reading skills, shared reading, guided reading, independent reading, and word study. Students are expected to effectively implement each of these elements into a typical classroom study with a theoretical understanding of why particular instructional decisions are being made.
OR
(3 CR) Literacy Learning for Pre-adolescents and Adolescents (For ESL, 5-12)
This course is designed to assist participants in teaching intermediate students, including English language learners, to read and write and to use literacy skills for a variety of purposes. Sessions will focus on implementing effective literacy practices with groups of students, using observations of students’ reading and writing behaviors to effectively plan for different learners, and establishing a supportive, well-managed environment for learning. Participants will gain experience in observational assessments, lesson planning, guided reading, writing process, and language/word study.
(3 CR) Theory & Practice of Sheltering Instruction
This course is designed as an introduction to the theories and sheltered strategies for teaching content and grade level subject matter to English Language Learners. It covers the required skills and knowledge covered in the Massachusetts Department of Education’s Commissioner’s June 2004 memo on Sheltered English Immersion Category 2 trainings. This course will include strategies for teaching sheltered subject matter and assessing student learning. It will involve a range of collaborative, self-reflective, and authentic activities about assessing, testing, and examining English Language Learners’ communicative skills as they perform classroom tasks. It is intended to strengthen and enhance collaboration among ESL, classroom, and resource teachers.
The essential question that will guide this course is: How can we design curriculum and classroom practices to simultaneously develop the language and content knowledge that is necessary to meet the goals of students, the expectations of their families and community, and the expectations of the broader society? The course will center on curriculum projects that will be developed in small, collaborative learning groups for use in classrooms that use groupwork methods for English language and content learning. The curriculum projects, along with course reading and writing tasks and whole class and small group discussions, are the vehicles for helping us to explore and answer the question posed above. Therefore, much of what we produce will be jointly generated as we work together.
We will be joining in a dialogue about “standards-based” education by aligning our work with various standards, including the Massachusetts ELPBO (English Language Performance Benchmarks and Outcomes), Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for subject matter, and the TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) standards. We will critically reflect on how these standards affect English language learners. We will also learn about the SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) and its use in designing and implementing curriculum.
Summer
(3 CR) Language Learning and Literacy
The purpose of this course is to prepare teachers of reading with a broad understanding of approaches to the study of language, linguistic concepts applicable to the study of English, concepts regarding language learning, and the ability to use this knowledge in the context of classroom teaching and program development. This course primarily focuses on the social context of language, including dialect variations such as Black English, and how home and community experiences influence language learning in school. As a result of this course, students will have an understanding of how student background relates to language learning and, most importantly, how classroom teachers, teachers of reading, and other professionals can promote language learning for all.
(3 CR) Curriculum and Instruction for Teachers
This course is designed so that teachers will become knowledgeable about the theory and practice of standards-based curriculum and assessment. It explores the teacher’s role in designing instruction that helps all children achieve to high standards. Participants become familiar with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, focusing particularly on student work that reflects proficiency in those standards. Using a backward design model, teachers develop units of study that enable all students to reach clearly defined academic targets. Teachers who complete this course successfully approach teaching with an expectation that they will ultimately be leaders in the field of curriculum.
Optional Training
This course is not required for licensure, but may be required by local school districts for employment and may be taken for an additional fee.
(1 CR) Assessing English Language Learners for Instruction (MELA-O)
This course is designed as an introduction to the field of testing, assessment, and evaluation in second language education. Participants in this training will gain understanding about the MELA-0, a state-mandated assessment used to evaluate the English speaking and listening skills of English Language Learners, and the qualifications for administering this assessment. Participants will engage in a range of authentic activities about assessing, testing, and examining English Language Learners’ speaking and comprehension skills as they perform classroom tasks. (This program meets Mass. DESE Category 3 Professional Development Training requirements.)
For information about MELA-O/Category 3 Training or Re-Training, contact:
Beth Lizardo at the Center for English Language Education (CELE).