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Program Details

Teaching English as a Second Language (K-12) Certification [ESL_CERT] (Major)

Students develop the content area knowledge and the pedagogical background necessary to teach English as a Second Language in grades K-12 in New York state. For additional information, visit the Modern Languages Department.

Career Potential

  • Public school ESL teacher
  • ESL instructor in the private sector or overseas

Requirements

  1. Degree Requirements listed here apply to the following major.
  2. Liberal Arts Requirements: 90 credit hours

A. Required ESL Content Core: 33 credit hours
  • AED 437 - Methods of Teaching Second Languages in Middle/Junior and High Schools I (3 cr. hr.)
    Must be taken concurrently with SPE 275.
  • AED 438 - Methods of Teaching Second Languages in Middle/Junior and High Schools II (3 cr. hr.)
    (35 field experience hours) Must be taken concurrently with SPE 275.
  • ESL 300 - Theoretical Foundations of Teaching English as a Second Language (3 cr. hr.)
  • ESL 301 - Methods of Teaching English as a Second Language (3 cr. hr.)
  • ESL 302 - Applied Linguistics for Teachers of English as a Second Language (3 cr. hr.)
  • ESL 303 - English Grammar for TESOL (3 cr. hr.)
  • ESL 400 - Teaching Reading in the Second Language Classroom (3 cr. hr.)
  • ESL 401 - Teaching Writing in the Second Language Classroom (3 cr. hr.)
  • ESL 402 - Teaching English as a Second Language in the Content Area (3 cr. hr.)
    (20 field experience hours)
  • ESL 403 - Second Language Testing and Assessment (3 cr. hr.)
  • ESL 404 - ESL Literacy in the Elementary School (3 cr. hr.)
    (20 field experience hours)
B. Professional Education

Seventeen to 18 credit hours plus 14 credit hours student teaching and SED mandated workshops

  • CARR and SAVE workshops
  • AED 391 - Introduction to Adolescence Education (3 cr. hr.)
    (25 field experience hours)
  • AED 439 - Student Teaching: Adolescence Education - Second Languages (14 cr. hr.)
    Requirements for student teaching: 2.5 grade point average overall; 2.5 grade point average in required professional course work; 2.7 grade point average in major course work; completion of all content core course work; grade of B or better in SL Methods block (AED 437 and 438); passing score on LAST. Grade point averages are figured with all major and/or professional courses taken to date, even if not required prior to student teaching.
  • EDU 471 - Foundations of Modern Education (3 cr. hr.)
  • HLH 110 - Personal and Community Health (3 cr. hr.) or
  • HLH 199 - Critical School Health Issues (2 cr. hr.)
  • PSY 101 - Introductory Psychology (3 cr. hr.)
  • PSY 232 - Adolescent Psychology (3 cr. hr.) or
  • PSY 332 - Educational Psychology (3 cr. hr.)
  • SPE 275 - Teaching Students with Disabilities in Adolescence Classrooms (3 cr. hr.)
    Must be taken concurrently with AED 437 and 438.
Total Credit Hours Required for Graduation: 120
Example of the B.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language over four years
First Year
Fall Total credit hours: 16-17
  • 2 GE courses
  • Foreign language
  • COR 101 - The Cortland Experience: A First Year Seminar (1 cr. hr.)
  • CPN 100 - Writing Studies I (3 cr. hr.) or
  • CPN 102 - Writing Studies in the Community I (4 cr. hr.)
  • PSY 101 - Introductory Psychology (3 cr. hr.)
Spring Total credit hours: 15-16
  • 3 GE courses
  • Foreign language
  • CPN 101 - Writing Studies II (3 cr. hr.) or
  • CPN 103 - Writing Studies in the Community II (4 cr. hr.)
Second Year
Fall Total credit hours: 15
  • 3 GE courses
  • Foreign language
  • ESL 300 - Theoretical Foundations of Teaching English as a Second Language (3 cr. hr.)
Spring Total credit hours: 15
  • 2 GE courses
  • Foreign language or elective
  • ESL 301 - Methods of Teaching English as a Second Language (3 cr. hr.)
  • ESL 303 - English Grammar for TESOL (3 cr. hr.)
Third Year
Fall Total credit hours: 17-18
  • Elective
  • ESL 302 - Applied Linguistics for Teachers of English as a Second Language (3 cr. hr.)
  • ESL 402 - Teaching English as a Second Language in the Content Area (3 cr. hr.)
  • ESL 404 - ESL Literacy in the Elementary School (3 cr. hr.)
  • HLH 110 - Personal and Community Health (3 cr. hr.) or
  • HLH 199 - Critical School Health Issues (2 cr. hr.)
  • PSY 232 - Adolescent Psychology (3 cr. hr.) or
  • PSY 332 - Educational Psychology (3 cr. hr.)
Spring Total credit hours: 15
  • Elective
  • AED 391 - Introduction to Adolescence Education (3 cr. hr.)
  • EDU 471 - Foundations of Modern Education (3 cr. hr.)
  • ESL 400 - Teaching Reading in the Second Language Classroom (3 cr. hr.)
  • ESL 401 - Teaching Writing in the Second Language Classroom (3 cr. hr.)
Fourth Year
Fall Total credit hours: 15
  • Elective
  • AED 437 - Methods of Teaching Second Languages in Middle/Junior and High Schools I (3 cr. hr.)
  • AED 438 - Methods of Teaching Second Languages in Middle/Junior and High Schools II (3 cr. hr.)
  • ESL 403 - Second Language Testing and Assessment (3 cr. hr.)
  • SPE 275 - Teaching Students with Disabilities in Adolescence Classrooms (3 cr. hr.)
Spring Total credit hours: 14
  • AED 439 - Student Teaching: Adolescence Education - Second Languages (14 cr. hr.)