The weekly column

Article 87, February 2002

ESL Certification: A Teaching Career with Great Rewards

By Lynda Whitney

Each year more and more students who speak languages other than English and who come from homes and communities with diverse histories, traditions, and educational experiences are attending public schools. In the past decade, the number of school-aged children who speak languages other than English at home has increased by 68.6 percent. This trend is primarily due to the influx of Hispanics and Asian and Pacific Islanders to the U.S. The U.S. Census estimates that from July 1,1990 to July 1,1999, the nation's Asian and Pacific Islander population grew 43 percent to 10.8 million, and the Hispanic population grew 38.3 percent to 31.3 million.

Some students are recent immigrants, brought to the U.S. by families seeking refuge from political repression or persecution, or by families seeking economic opportunities. Others are members of ethnolinguistic groups that have lived on this continent for generations, some for longer than the U.S. has existed as a nation. Some have had prior education, including literacy, in their native languages. Others have had limited formal schooling.

In order to realize their personal, social and long-term career goals, these students need to be able to communicate with others. The challenge for educators is to prepare them to live in increasingly diverse local communities and in an ever-shrinking world community. Terminology Used: People who teach English to these students are referred to as TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages); learners who are in the process of acquiring English as an additional language are called ESOL students; and ESL refers to English as a second language.

Shortage of TESOL

According to Lynore Carnuccio, an educational consultant specializing in ESL bilingual education, there is a tremendous shortage of certified ESL teachers across the country.

"There is a large demand for ESL teachers at all levels," said Carnuccio. "School districts are offering bonuses to attract ESL teachers because the need is so great. ESL certification can tip the scales in your favor when you are competing for a position."

Carnuccio believes that ESL certification not only makes you more marketable, but also prepares you for working in classroom of the no-too-distant future. "Anyone entering the teaching field now will definitely encounter students who do not speak English in the home," she said. "No matter where I visit, rural, suburban or urban schools, 60-70 percent of the teachers I meet have non-English speaking children in their classrooms. Having ESL certification will make you a more effective teacher when you work with multi-lingual, multi-cultural students even if you are not an ESL teacher."

How to Obtain ESL Certification

So how do you become an ESL teacher? "Teaching ESL does require certification in most states at the public school level, but not generally in private schools, intensive English programs or academies," said the EXP.com ESL expert. "To become certified, contact the Department of Education (DOE) in the state you plan to work in, since not all states have the same requirements. You can also gather information about your state's requirements through the National Association of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and the National Clearing House for Bilingual Education (NCBE)."

'To obtain certification, you must enroll in an undergraduate or graduate program, depending on the degree(s) you already have, accumulate sufficient credits by taking required courses, and finally logging between 300 and 1,000 hours in classroom observations, as well as actual classroom teaching under a supervisor," explained Carnuccio.

"ESL certification course topics include language acquisition, methods in ESL, linguistics, bilingual education, cultural differences, cultural awareness, and in some states a practicum. Most states require about 120-135 hours for an initial teaching degree and certification. If you already have a teaching degree, but want to be certified in ESL you need to obtain an endorsement from your state which requires an additional 18-35 hours of study, depending on the state. Many teachers get ESL/Bilingual Endorsements through Title VII grants. Title VII makes federal money available to school districts and universities wanting to develop or expand ESL programs."

Diane Cinar, the elementary Special Interest Group (SIG) Representative for MATSOL (Massachusetts Association of Teachers of Students of Other Languages), first became certified as an elementary education teacher in Massachusetts and later obtained her master's degree in ESL and reading. "After I became certified in elementary education, I became an ESL aide," said Cinar. "I loved it so much that I went on for my master's. In addition to teaching elementary education in a regular classroom and being a reading specialist, I've been an ESL teacher for the last eight years." Cinar also teaches at Harvard University's ESL Program and at Framingham State College, Framingham, MA.

Carnuccio first obtained a teaching certificate in secondary education in English in New Jersey. She became involved in teaching ESL when her principal asked her to teach English to non-native speaking students. "In the 1980s, people assumed you could teach English to anyone if you were an English teacher," explained Carnuccio. "But I found out differently. I really didn't have the skills necessary to do a good job, so I went on for my master's degree with a concentration in ESL and am now also certified in Oklahoma."

Another ESL teacher who has been working in the field for 10 years at a Boston-area high school shares her experience with school administrators. "In the earliest years of the field, second language students were lucky if they got an English teacher to teach them," he said. "Twenty years ago, a colleague of mine was a history teacher, but because his principal didn't like him, he was "demoted" to teaching immigrant students English!" Now an ESL expert (who prefers to remain anonymous) for the web site www.EXP.com., this teacher first obtained a bachelor's degree in Spanish Language, then a master's in ESL.

Prestigiousness Can Depend on Community Attitudes

Recognition of the importance of ESL is growing, but often depends largely on a school district's demographics. "ESL teachers are gaining prestige, particularly in schools systems where there are large populations of English learners," said Carnuccio. "The value placed on ESL teachers depends on how the schools and communities view the students," she said. "When they are embraced by the community, the value is enormous, but when they are viewed as outsiders, the value diminishes."

Although its prestige has room for growth, there's no shortage of enthusiasm when it comes to being an ESL teacher. Many ESL teachers express enjoyment and satisfaction knowing they have had a positive influence on their student's lives. "What I enjoy most about this work is that the students and their parents are so willing to learn and appreciative of my help," said Cinar. "I feel I'm making a big difference in the lives of my students, perhaps more than any other classroom teacher simply because everything I do in class directly impacts their ability to function in daily life."

Carnuccio added that she gets satisfaction from knowing the tools she provides ESL teachers have a direct impact on students' lives. "Kids today are world-citizens, not just citizens of their home town," she said. "My work helps them acquire the skills needed to keep up with that more diverse, interdependent world."

ESL certification has led to a very rewarding career for the people engaged in helping student acquire proficiency in English. Diane Cinar summed it up when she said,"I love my work, my students and teaching others about ESL!"

Professional Organizations Provide Information, Networking and Support

Once you are a certified ESL teacher, there are several professional organizations such as TESOL, MATSOL and NCBE that offer continuing education courses, networking venues and information resources to help you with your career.

TESOL is an international professional association with a 15,000-person membership headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. Students interested in learning more about ESL can visit TESOL's new Online Career Center and search worldwide job listings, find out how to become qualified in TESOL and obtain job search advice. The association also runs continuing education programs called TESOL Academies four times a year that:

• provide opportunities to network with colleagues throughout the world;
• test the latest classroom techniques and practices on a topic of interest;
• spend 12 hours in one area of concentrated study with a top educator; and
• earn continuing education credits.

TESOL has also developed ESL Standards for Pre-k-12 students that help educate all students more effectively. The ESL Standards cover topics such as myths about second language learning, general principles of language acquisition, and goals for ESOL learners.

MATSOL is the Massachusetts chapter of TESOL. It offers many resources to its 450+ members, including an online graduate course on the adult ESOL curriculum framework, a job bank, a ESL teacher exchange with other countries, participation in special interest groups (SIGs), and resources for learners called Mass AAL.

The NCBE is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs (OBEMLA). The NCBE collects, analyzes and disseminates information relating to the effective education of linguistically and culturally diverse learners in the U.S. It offers many general, K-12 and adult resource sites such as Dave's ESL Café on the Web; Thematic Units for ESL; ESL Teacher Connection. Also listed are the online addresses of the TESOL State Affiliates and job listings.

About the Author:

Lynda Whitney has been in the communications field for 25 years. Based in Reading, Massachusetts, she covers high technology, business and healthcare.

Resources:

Lynore Carnuccio
ESL, etc.
404 Cactus Road
Yukon, OK 73099
Ph: 405-324-5140
Email: nuch@flash.net

The E.S.L. Expert
Web site: www.exp.com
Prefers anonymity; not a web site policy

TESOL
700 S. Washington Street, Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22314
Ph: 703-836-0774
Email: info@tesol.org
Web site: www.tesol.org

NCBE The George Washington University
Center for the Study of Language & Education
2011 Eye Street NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20006
Ph: 202-467-0867
Email: askncbe@ncbe.gwu.edu
Web site: www.ncbe.gwu.edu

MATSOL
Diane Cinar
Elementary Ed SIG Representative
E email: dcinar@aol.com
Ph: 617-489-3661
Web site: www.matsol.org

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