Cal State Fullerton is offering new programs in “World Language: English Language Development” to prepare teachers to instruct English-language learners in California’s diverse K-12 classrooms.
Beginning this spring semester, the World Language: English Language Development (ELD) subject matter preparation program is offered to undergraduates of any major planning to pursue a teaching career. A new teacher credential program focused on training candidates to teach ELD in California’s schools is scheduled to launch in the fall.
“With California’s large population of non-native English speakers, this is the first time that the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) approved such programs to train teachers specifically for this population,” said Janet Eyring, professor of modern languages and literatures, who teaches in the TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) Program.
“English language development is instruction that is designed to help non-native English speakers learn and acquire English to a level of proficiency to be successful throughout their academic studies and professional careers,” she explained.
Late last fall, the commission approved the new subject matter preparation coursework and credential program, a collaborative effort developed between the College of Education’s Department of Secondary Education and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences’ TESOL Program, and the departments of Modern Languages and Literatures; English, Comparative Literature and Linguistics; and American Studies. CSUF is the first university in the state to receive approval, Eyring said.
“While our programs are unique, the ability to offer both an undergraduate program and a credential program in English language development has placed CSUF at the forefront of English language development studies and training throughout California,” said Tonja Byrom, lecturer in secondary education and world languages subject area coordinator.