English as a Second Language (ESL) Certificate Program

• ELL 315/515 Basic Language and Communication
• ELL 320/520 Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity
• ELL 325/525 Assessment and Support Services for ELLs
• ELL 332/532 Communication and Educational Strategies for ELLs
• ELL 397/597 Professionalism and Field Experiences

ELL315/515 Basics of Language and Communication (3 credits): This course is intended for educators and speech-language pathologists who support ELLs in educational settings. Content focuses on knowledge of English usage and developing linguistic awareness. Students acquire knowledge of the components of the English language, including semantics, morphology, syntax, phonology, and pragmatics. The process of first and second language acquisition is presented. This course is designed to meet the ESL Program Specialist certification for English usage and developing linguistic awareness.

ELL 320/520 Developing Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity (3 credits): This course is intended for educators and speech-language pathologists who support English Language Learners (ELLs) in educational settings. Students will acquire knowledge and skills in working with culturally and linguistically diverse students and families. Course content will focus on the behaviors, beliefs, values, and attitudes of ELLs and their families. Strategies for promoting cultural awareness and sensitivity within educational and community settings will be discussed. This course is designed to meet the ESL Program Specialist certification for developing cultural awareness/sensitivity.

ELL 325/525 Assessment and Support Services for ELLs (3 credits): This course is intended for educators, including speech-language pathologists who support English Language Learners (ELLs) in educational settings. Students will acquire knowledge and skills in designing and implementing assessment practices and support services for ELLs. Course content will focus on assessment practices, models, evaluation techniques, and assessment tools for language learning and academic achievement. Individualized Education Plans for ELLs and parent and family involvement will be discussed. This course is designed to meet the ESL Program Specialist certification for language and support services knowledge.

ELL332/532 Communication/Educational Strategies for ELL Individuals (3 credits): This course is designed for educators including speech-language pathologists of English Language Learners (ELLs). Participants will be able to identify, design, and implement ESL program materials to facilitate English proficiency and academic standards. Instructional materials and strategies will be based on educational and language learning theory to develop appropriate methodology to use with children at diverse levels of English proficiency. This course is designed to meet the ESL Program Specialist Certificate for instructional materials/development.

ELL 392/592 Field Experience and Professionalism (3 credits): This course is designed for educators including speech-language pathologists of English Language Learners (ELLs). Participants will be able to identify, design, and implement ESL program materials to facilitate English proficiency and academic standards. Instructional materials and strategies will be based on educational and language learning theory to develop appropriate methodology to use with children at diverse levels of English proficiency. All ESL program Specialist candidates will be required to complete a 60-hour field experience under the guidance and supervision of Pennsylvania-certified ELL Specialists. Candidates will divide the amount of time spent completing their field experience in a public school district and ESL clinic at Commonwealth University.

Student progress is measured through coursework, presentations, exams, and a 60-hour supervised field experience. They are assessed on their mastery of the PDE competencies necessary to fulfill the requirements for the ESL Program Specialist Certification and are eligible for endorsement of the certification upon completion of the Level I instructional certificate. Instructional I Coursework and exams aligned with the PDE competencies are outlined in the student learning objectives, and assessed using multiple models as stipulated in the program syllabi. At Commonwealth University the benchmark is 80%. An assessment score at or above that benchmark is considered by the program to represent mastery of that particular competency.

Competencies:

• Competency 1 - Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior:
  • Make ethical decisions by applying the standards of the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, relevant laws and regulations, models for ethical decision making, ethical conduct of research, and additional codes of ethics within the profession as appropriate to the context.
  • Demonstrate professional behavior, appearance, and oral, written, and electronic communication.
  • Use technology ethically and appropriately to facilitate practice outcomes.
  • Use supervision and consultation to guide professional judgment and behavior.
• Competency 2 - Advance Human Rights and Social, Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice:
  • Advocate for human rights at the individual, family, group, organizational, and community system levels.
  • Engage in practices that advance human rights to promote social, racial, economic, and environmental justice. 
• Competency 3 - Engage Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) in Practice:
  • Demonstrate anti-racist and anti-oppressive social work practice at the individual, family, group, organizational, community, research, and policy levels.
  • Demonstrate cultural humility by applying critical reflection, self-awareness, and self-regulation to manage the influence of bias, power, privilege, and values in working with clients and constituencies, acknowledging them as experts of their own lived experiences. 
• Competency 4 - Engage in Practice-Informed Research and Research-Informed Practice:
  • Apply research findings to inform and improve practice, policy, and programs.
  • Identify ethical, culturally informed, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive strategies that address inherent biases for use in quantitative and qualitative research methods to advance the purposes of social work. 
• Competency 5 - Engage in Policy Practice:
  • Use social justice, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive lenses to assess how social welfare policies affect the delivery of and access to social services.
  • Apply critical thinking to analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice. 
• Competency 6 - Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities:
  • Apply knowledge of human behavior and person-in-environment, as well as interprofessional conceptual frameworks, to engage with clients and constituencies.
  • Use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to engage in culturally responsive practice with clients and constituencies. 
• Competency 7 - Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities:
  • Apply theories of human behavior and person-in-environment, as well as other culturally responsive and interprofessional conceptual frameworks, when assessing clients and constituencies.
  • Demonstrate respect for client self-determination during the assessment process by collaborating with clients and constituencies in developing a mutually agreed-upon plan. 
• Competency 8 - Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities:
  • Engage with clients and constituencies to critically choose and implement culturally responsive, evidence-informed interventions to achieve client and constituency goals.
  • Incorporate culturally responsive methods to negotiate, mediate, and advocate with and on behalf of clients and constituencies.
• Competency 9 - Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities:
  • Select and use culturally responsive methods for evaluation of outcomes.
  • Critically analyze outcomes and apply evaluation findings to improve practice effectiveness with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.