RHODE ISLAND ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE ENDORSEMENT

ELEMENTARY, EARLY CHILDHOOD, SPECIAL EDUCATION, SECONDARY ENGLISH, AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHERS

Holders of an elementary, early childhood, special education, secondary English and foreign language teaching certificate may obtain an endorsement to teach English as a Second Language at the appropriate grade level by meeting the following requirements:

1. English Language Proficiency - Applicants who have not graduated from an institution of higher education in which English is the medium of instruction will demonstrate proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking English through testing. This proficiency must be attested to by an official designated by the Commissioner of Education at approved colleges or universities in Rhode Island.

2. Completion of college level study of a second language as follows: Elementary and Intermediate Grammar and Conversation, and Culture and Civilization.

3. Completion of eighteen (18) semester hours of coursework to include work in each of the following content areas: Introduction to English Linguistics, Curriculum and Methods for ESL Programs, Second Language Assessment and Evaluation, Socio-Cultural Foundations of ESL Education, Second Language Literacy for LEP Learners, and Theories of First and Second Language Acquisition.

4. Completion of a forty-five (45) clock hour practicum in an ESL program. The practicum requirement can be satisfied through a college or university program or by a supervised experience through the local school district.

NOTE: Individuals certified with an ESL Endorsement prior to October 1, 1992 are exempt from these regulations.

Effective May 6, 1976

Revised Oct. 1, 1992