ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE EDUCATION
Program Overview
The program leading to add-on licensure in English as a Second Language (ESL)
provides professional training for individuals seeking to add either North Carolina Class
teacher licensure in English as a Second Language education (grades K–12) to their
existing initial or advanced licensure. The program is comprised of 18 semester hours.
The proposed add-on licensure in Teaching English as a Second Language is a
response to the increasing need for all teachers in Southeastern North Carolina to be
prepared to work with English language learners (ELLs). While the entire United States
has seen a 65% increase in the number of ELLs since 1994, North Carolina has seen
an increase of over 370% in the number of ELLs in our schools. This increase has
been seen across the state, but especially in the rural areas surrounding the University
of North Carolina Wilmington where many of our graduates will eventually teach. While
the numbers of ELLs in schools has increased, unfortunately, professional development
and teacher preparation in this field has not kept pace with the rapid student population
growth. It was reported that over 40% of all teachers had ELLs in their classrooms
during the 1999-2000 school year but only 12.5% had received 8 or more hours of
related training.
The UNCW ESL add-on licensure program emphasizes the preparation of teachers who
will cultivate bicultural and biliterate individuals who are able to enjoy success in the US
academic system while being encouraged to maintain their native language and culture.
To this end, the program is based on the importance of providing preservice and
inservice teachers a strong pedagogical foundation with a sense of social justice
through community involvement. From an educational standpoint, the theoretical
framework of the program is based on socioculturalism and critical literacy. We believe
that learning best takes place in an interactive environment that facilitates the
development of higher order thinking skills, enabling learners to critically examine their
own environment. It is this philosophy that we have embedded in the ESL add-on
licensure program at UNCW.
GRADUATE PROGRAM OF STUDY
1. Introduction to English as a Second Language (EDN 511), 3 credit hours
This course is the first course in the sequence and will introduce candidates to the field
of English as a Second Language. Candidates will explore the cultural, social, and
political contexts of working with ELLs from historical and critical perspectives. This
course will also include the legal and administrative aspects of the field with regard to
national and state regulations. This course will have a 10-hour field experience
attached to it. Graduate candidates will be responsible for exploring these issues from a
critical perspective and researching topics related to social justice, discrimination and
linguistic power relationships. Current teachers, who have a strong ESL practical
background, can apply for a waiver of this course based upon demonstration of required
competencies.
2. Second Language Research and Theory (EDN 516), 3 credit hours
This course will be the second course in the sequence and can be taken concurrently
with EDN 511. In this course, candidates gain in-depth knowledge of first and second
language acquisition, comparing the two. They will study the research, theories and
principles in the field of English as a Second Language. Candidates will conduct a
critical analysis of how the theoretical development of the field of second language
acquisition has compared to that of educational psychology in general and how various
paradigm shifts in second language acquisition theory have impacted methodological
practices in the ESL classroom.
3. Methods and Assessment for Second Language Learners (EDN 517), 3 credit
hours
EDN 511 and EDN 516 are prerequisites for this course. This course will review
methods of TESL and involve a 20-hour field experience in which candidates implement
strategies and methods, reflecting on the efficacy of each. Candidates will be prepared
to use the SIOP model as well as other communicative methodologies. Additionally,
candidates will learn how to ensure valid and reliable results when assessing second
language learners. The purpose of this course is to examine the cycle of teaching and
explore methods of integrating instruction, curriculum and assessment to increase
academic outcomes for ELLs. Candidates will be expected to critically examine current
methods of classroom and large-scale assessment with a particular emphasis on
assessing and analyzing student academic outcomes.
4. Second Language Literacy (EDN 518), 3 credit hours
This course is considered a capstone course in the sequence, and EDN courses 511,
516, 517 are prerequisites for this course. In this class, candidates will use the concepts
and skills that they have learned and apply them to increasing literacy and academic
outcomes for English language learners. An emphasis will be placed on developing
biliteracy skills as well as literacy skills in English. Candidates will focus on assessing
student skills and developing literacy improvement plans that can be implemented and
assessed. This course includes a 20-hour field experience.
5. Linguistics for Teachers (EDN 537; ENG 525 also accepted), (3 credit hours)
A study of current American English and of the principles of analysis of spoken and
written language; emphasis on understanding that nature and structure of the language
that students bring into the classroom. Includes exploration of language related
educational issues such as bilingualism, dialects, and disorders.
6. Pedagogical Grammar for Teachers (EDN 501), 3 credit hours
ENG 525 is strongly recommended as a prerequisite for this course. In this course,
candidates study the mechanics of the English language and learn how to teach basic
and advanced grammatical structures.