English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Endorsement
Prepare to teach non-native speakers
The ESOL or ELL (English Language Learner) endorsement program is designed to prepare teachers to provide classroom instruction to elementary or secondary students that are non-native speakers. The ESOL program is fully online. The endorsement is intended as an add-on endorsement to an existing license and can be completed in 1 to 2 years depending on the number of courses taken by the student. ESOL endorsement students begin in the summer or spring. A fall start is not available for the ESOL endorsement.
The endorsement can be obtained in these ways:
- As a stand-alone, non-degree seeking program
- As a special endorsement as part of the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program (known as MAT Plus)
- As an area of specialization within the Master of Education (MEd) program
ESOL Teachers Are in Demand
"In 2016, the U.S. Department of Education reported that at least 32 states have a shortage of teachers to work with English-learners, but the problem is not new. School districts have struggled for decades to find qualified bilingual teachers, especially in communities where English is not the first language for many students." (Education Week, 2018)
Not much has changed for ESOL teachers since 2016. These teaching positions are still hard to fill in many areas, which means that an endorsement can make you stand out.
ESOL Endorsement Requirements
To meet the approved program for an ESOL endorsement at George Fox University, the student must complete a minimum of 15 semester hours of graduate subject matter distributed to strengthen the applicant's background in ESOL including an ESOL Practicum at two of the licensure authorization levels.
In addition to the course requirements, the candidate must also successfully complete the ORELA: ESOL Exam in order to be recommended for the endorsement. The course work for this specialty has been designed to provide a broad base of understanding about successful ESOL methods, programs and assessments, but also to prepare the individual to successfully complete the ESOL Exam.
Note:
Students can add the bilingual category to the ESOL Endorsement by showing competency in a second language approved by TSPC.
