Teaching English Language Learners (First Certification), MS

Contact:

Zaline Roy-Campbell, 200 Huntington Hall, 315-443-8194, zmroycam@syr.edu

Description

The Teaching English Language Learners (TELL)/First Certificate program prepares teachers to help students develop proficiency in English for academic and social purposes in integrated and free-standing services, compatible to current school programs, and to become effective advocates for integrated, fully inclusive classroom-based programs that draw on student strengths and address student needs. The program is grounded on the principles that the linguistic and cultural backgrounds of English language learners are valuable resources and that students best acquire and develop English language literacy - speaking, listening, reading and writing-in rich language contexts.
Through academic work, TELL degree candidates gain knowledge of theories, strategies, and methodologies in teaching English language learners and become conversant in socio-cultural and socio-linguistic issues that impact acquisition of English as an additional language. The combination of coursework and practical experience prepares teachers as specialists in educating English language learners by providing them a thorough understanding of how theory is connected to effective practice in promoting second language acquisition and developing literacy for social and academic purposes.

This program is designed for those without certification in another teaching area or an education background, and is a 40-credit course of study typically pursued full-time over 15 months, beginning in May (a summer-fall-spring-summer sequence). It meets the academic requirements for the New York teaching certificate to teach English to Speakers of Other Languages (for all grades, PreK-12).

The program also requires a minimum of 12 credits in one language other than English as an entry requirement.

Master’s Level Course Requirements

EDU 606 - Understanding Learning and Teaching 4 credit(s) (35 hours including some hours of observation and analysis of video episodes of teaching)
ELL 645 - Issues in Educating English Language Learners 3 credit(s)
LIN 601 - Introductory Linguistic Analysis 3 credit(s)
RED 607 - Issues in Multicultural Literacy 3 credit(s)
ELL 625 - Methods of Teaching Literacy to English Language Learners 3 credit(s) (25 hours of fieldwork, PreK-6)
RED 626 - Early Intervention for Children’s Reading Problems 3 credit(s)
Safe and Healthy Learning Environments (0 credit), which includes the following topics: Identifying/reporting child abuse, violence prevention, child abduction prevention, highway/general safety, alcohol/drug/tobacco prevention, fire and arson prevention, and training related to the Dignity for All Students (DASA) Act.To be completed before student teaching.
ELL 615 - Linguistics for Teachers of English Language Learners 3 credit(s)
ELL 635 - Methods of Literacy Across the Curriculum for English Language Learners 3 credit(s) (25 hours of fieldwork, 7-12)
SPE 612 - Adapting Instruction for Diverse Student Needs 3 credit(s) 15 hours of fieldwork
LIN 591 - Second Language Acquisition 3 credit(s)
EDU 508 - Student Teaching 2-15 credit(s) 3 credit(s) required (one semester of half-day work in schools; includes SPE 612 and ELL 635 fieldwork time)
ELL 655 - Teaching English Language Learners Practicum and Capstone Seminar 6 credit(s) (minimum of 20 days student teaching in an ESL classroom)
Students will complete a professional portfolio requiring the integration of research and practice at two different points in the program–one following the completion of three key courses (ELL 615, Linguistics for Teachers of English Language Learners; ELL 625, Methods of Teaching Literacy to English Language Learners; RED 607, Issues in Multicultural Literacies) and the other following the completion of ELL 655, Teaching English Language Learners Practicum and Capstone Seminar.

Required Seminars

To be eligible for these New York State teacher certifications, students in the Teaching English Language Learners programs must complete or have completed training in:

Child Abuse Prevention
Child Abduction Prevention
Violence Prevention
Fire and Arson Prevention
Prevention of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drug Abuse
Highway Safety
Dignity for All Students Act

Students must complete this requirement prior to their first student teaching experience.

Liberal Arts Course Requirements

The requirements of this program include several undergraduate social science and distribution courses. It is not unusual that an applicant will have one or more of these courses left to take. These do not need to be completed before applying and may be taken at an institution other than Syracuse University. However, some of the courses need to be done before starting the graduate program, and all must be finished before a degree can be granted. The program helps students identify appropriate courses.

Liberal Arts Concentration or Major

A liberal arts concentration or major of at least 30 semester hours, with 15 upper division credits, or equivalent, is required. The program does admit students with college majors in non-liberal arts areas.. The transcript review process includes determining the best concentration area choice and how many additional courses students may need to take. If appropriate, concentration courses may also be used to meet the distribution course requirements listed below.

Interested students should contact the program coordinator as early as possible (including before applying) to have unofficial transcripts reviewed against the liberal arts requirements. This allows more time to enroll in needed courses.

Liberal Arts Distribution course requirements:

Language Other than English 12 credits or equivalent of a language other than English must be completed no later than the semester before EDU 508. Equivalency would include such things as passing the Level II CLEP examination in a foreign language; or completing one or more college courses at a level beyond introductory, such that the college credits earned plus the credits represented by the lower level courses that were waived would equal 12 or more semester hours.

One course in each of the following

Writing
Mathematics
Natural Science
Artistic Expression
History
Social Science other than History