Division of Education & Leadership
Home » Bilingual/ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Certificate
Bilingual/ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Certificate
The Bilingual/ESOL Certificate prepares teachers and other education professionals to develop students’ competencies in bilingualism, biliteracy and multiculturalism. Builds expertise for effective instruction and services for children and families in bilingual settings.
You can complete the Bilingual/ESOL Certificate as part of the undergraduate teacher licensure program, or as a stand-alone program. The Certificate includes all the requirements for the ESOL endorsement/minor, plus 8 credits of upper division Modern Language courses (e.g., 300-level and above coursework in Spanish, German, French, ASL).
Learning Outcomes
- Prepare teachers and other education professionals who have advanced language proficiency necessary to deliver instruction bilingually, in English and a modern language of emphasis.
- Prepare teachers and other education professionals who understand how first and second languages are acquired and developed, and apply research-based teaching and assessment practices that address the needs of emerging bilingual students in a variety of school settings.
- Prepare teachers and other education professionals who foster a climate that is inclusive of all diversity, understand the influence of culture on students’ learning process and academic achievement, are knowledgeable about policies related to the education of emerging bilingual students, and collaborate with colleagues, administrators and families to meet learners’ needs.
Courses
The following courses are the core curriculum of 29 hours.
- ED 481 Introduction to ESOL and Bilingual Education (3 credits)
- ED 482 Foundations of ESOL/Bilingual Education (3 credits)
- ED 483 Culture, Community and the ESOL/Bilingual Classroom (3 credits)
- ED 484 First and Second Language Acquisition and Educational Linguistics (3 credits)
- ED 491 Curriculum Models, Instructional Approaches and Assessment Strategies for Emergent Bilinguals (3 credits)
- ED 492 Classroom Strategies for English Language Development in ESOL and Bilingual Settings (3 credits)
- ED 407 Seminar* or ED 409 Practicum (3 credits)*
- Modern Language (8 credits): Upper division Modern Language courses (e.g., 300-level and above coursework in Spanish, German, French, ASL)
Please Note:
- All students must meet with an ESOL advisor to complete a program plan.
- Students seeking the ESOL Endorsement (added to an Oregon educator license) must obtain a passing score on the required ESOL test.
- Students seeking the Bilingual Specialization (added to an Oregon educator license) must obtain a passing score on the required language test.
ESOL ORELA-NES Exam Preparation
- Review an outline of the content you need to learn to pass your ESOL exam.
- Check out the study guide from the library or purchase your own (you will need to be logged into your WOU Portal to access this study guide).
- To access a more in depth study guide on Canvas, log into your WOU Portal, click on the Canvas icon, then select “Commons” and search for ESOL ORELA NES TEST.
- Register for your ESOL exam.
Questions?
If you would like to add the Bilingual/ESOL certificate to your academic plan, please contact one of our pre-education advisors, Olivia Flores, Kolbie Kopp, or Darlene Fritz. For more detailed information about the program, please contact the Bilingual Teacher Scholars Program Coordinator, Maria Dantas-Whitney (dantasm@wou.edu).