English - ELL - Bilingual Education Emphasis with Teaching Endorsement Option Western Washington University

Overview

English - ELL - Bilingual Education Emphasis with Teaching Endorsement Option from Western Washington University offers students the opportunity for the study of English language learning as well as the traditional English fields of literature, film and media, creative writing and composition. 

Majors take a range of courses in the teaching of English language arts and ELL/Bilingual Education. These courses provide a solid foundation for someone interested in teaching English at the secondary level or teaching ELL/Bilingual Education at the P-12 level.

What you'll learn

This major is unique in that it leads students toward multiple endorsements – a Qualifying Endorsement in English Language Arts (Secondary) and an Additional Endorsement in ELL and/or Bilingual Education (P-12). Nine additional credits of ELL/Bilingual coursework must be taken beyond the major to complete all requirements for either of those endorsements. 

Students in the writing studies, creative writing, and most literature courses are expected to write effectively, free of mechanical errors. If you think you need help with your reading and writing, we strongly encourage you, in addition to your work in English courses, to consult the Hacherl Research & Writing Studio and other university resources.

Students who are English learners (ELs) are the fastest growing student population in the public school system. Statewide, approximately 10 percent of all P-12 students are ELs but in some districts that percentage is much, much higher. In order to meet the needs of this diverse population in the regular classroom, teachers are needed 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 from Western Washington University possess in-depth understandings of the role of cultural and linguistic diversity in each student’s education.

The program focuses on developing the mainstream P-12 classroom teacher’s ability to shelter and support the instruction of language learners, who are at all levels of fluency, in mainstream classrooms, 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.