Early Childhood Bilingual/ESL Endorsement

​In today’s increasingly multilingual and multicultural schools, there is an ever-growing need for responsive teachers who nurture students’ ability to speak more than one language. Educators who know that literacy development in the early years is crucial and who understand how language and culture interact can be more successful in ensuring a solid foundation for young children.

The Early Childhood Bilingual Education/English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement program offers practicing early childhood teachers the opportunity to support educational and social change for traditionally underserved students, families and communities. In just one year, students can complete all of the coursework required to obtain an Illinois state endorsement in Early Childhood Bilingual Education/ESL.

Program graduates work as ESL and bilingual teachers in urban and suburban, public and private, dual-language and charter schools, as well as in daycare centers and preschools. As the immigrant and English Language Learner (ELL) population continues to grow, so will the need for quality early childhood bilingual/ESL teachers.

Are you interested in enrolling in this program? View its admission requirements and application instructions here or contact the College of Education’s Office of Graduate Admissions at (773) 325-4405.

Licensure/Endorsement

The Early Childhood Bilingual/ESL Endorsement program leads to an Illinois state endorsement in bilingual education and/or ESL for young children, which can be added to an Illinois teaching license.

Program Format

To accommodate working professionals, all classes in the Early Childhood Bilingual/ESL endorsement program meet in the evening at DePaul’s Lincoln Park Campus. In addition, the program’s schedule is flexible, allowing students to enroll full-time or part-time as their professional and personal schedules allow.

Program Requirements

The Bilingual Endorsement program includes seven courses (28 quarter hours) in Bilingual/Bicultural Education and 100 hours of clinical experience.

Candidates seeking the bilingual endorsement must pass one of the state of Illinois’ language proficiency exams in a language other than English.

This program is typically eligible for financial aid. Please see this document and consult your advisor in the COE.

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