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Certification – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  • What is the nature of the certification?

When you finish your certification program at TCNJ, you are eligible for Teacher of ESL or Teacher of Bilingual Education certifications issued by the State of New Jersey. They are for K-12.  After you are hired by any public school in NJ and work successfully for one year, you can apply for your standard certification, a permanent one. This type of certification is normally recognized by ESL/EFL programs beyond the public school domain, such as those in higher education, adult education, and special programs both at home and abroad. Detailed information on New Jersey ESL and Bilingual certification is on the NJ Department of Education Licensure and Credentials.

 

  • What is ESL initial certification?

Initial certification is for persons who hold a Bachelor’s degree but who are not certified to teach in any field (did not major in education).  Initial certification requires 21 credits (or seven courses).  They are:

  1. ESLM 525/Second Language Acquisition
  2. ESLM 577/Sociolinguistics and Cultural Foundations of ESL
  3. ESLM 578/Theory and Practice of Teaching ESL
  4. ESLM 587/Curriculum, Methods and Assessment for ESL/Bilingual Education
  5. ESLM 688/Practicum for Second Language Teachers (if a candidate has less than three years teaching experience in a multilingual setting)
  6. ESLM 545/English Structure and Proficiency Assessment
  7. ESLM 579/Language and Literacy for ESL

Candidates receive a one-year provisional license and after successful completion of the induction year they can apply for the permanent one. The ESL certificate is for K-12.  Candidates’ English language proficiency must be assessed through an oral English Language Proficiency Interview (no NTE is required at this time).

 

  • What is ESL endorsement certification?

An ESL endorsement certification is for persons who hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in education and are therefore certified in a field such as elementary education.  The following courses are required in this case:

  1. ESLM 525/Second Language Acquisition
  2. ESLM 577/Sociolinguistics and Cultural Foundations of ESL
  3. ESLM 578/Theory and Practice of Teaching ESL
  4. ESLM 587/Curriculum, Methods and Assessment for ESL/Bilingual Education
  5. ESLM 688/Practicum for Second Language Teachers (if a candidate has less than three years teaching experience in a multilingual setting)
  6. ESLM 545/English Structure and Proficiency Assessment

Candidates receive a permanent K-12 ESL license after passing an oral English Language Proficiency Interview (no NTE is required at this time).

 

  • What is a Bilingual endorsement certification?

A bilingual certificate cannot stand alone meaning that a person must already hold a teaching credential in another field (i.e., elementary education or secondary math, science, English, social studies). The bilingual certificate requires five courses. They are:

  1. ESLM 525/Second Language Acquisition
  2. ESLM 577/Sociolinguistics and Cultural Foundations of ESL
  3. ESLM 578/Theory and Practice of Teaching ESL
  4. ESLM 587/Curriculum, Methods and Assessment for ESL/Bilingual Education
  5. ESLM 688/Practicum for Second Language Teachers (if a candidate has less than three years teaching experience in a multilingual setting)

Candidates must prove proficiency in another language.

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