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.
Admission Requirements
To be eligible for the combined Early Childhood Bilingual and ESL endorsement program, students must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university as well as a valid Professional Educator License (PEL) that includes an early childhood endorsement.
To apply, please submit the following items to The Office of Graduate Admission:
- A completed application
- Online application fee
- One official transcript from all colleges and/or universities attended
- A copy of a valid professional educator license
- A résumé or curriculum vitae
- Two letters of recommendation from professors or employers
- Statement of purpose indicating professional development goals and related experience (750 words)
Course Requirements
36 Quarter Hours, Grade of B or Better Required in All Courses
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Quarter Hours |
| BBE 408 | BILINGUAL EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS | 4 |
| BBE 409 | ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE INSTRUCTIONAL FOUNDATIONS IN EARLY
CHILDHOOD SETTINGS | 4 |
| T&L 443 | ASSESSMENT OF DUAL LANGUAGE AND MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS (DLL/ML) | 4 |
| T&L 440 | EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CROSS-CULTURAL STUDIES | 4 |
| T&L 441 | METHODS AND MATERIALS FOR DUAL LANGUAGE AND MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS | 4 |
| BBE 425 | BILITERACY PRACTICES IN BILINGUAL EDUCATION AND ESL | 4 |
| BBE 560 | SECOND, WORLD AND HERITAGE LANGUAGE ACQUISITION | 4 |
| T&L 442 | EARLY LITERACY DEVELOPMENT AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION | 4 |
| T&L 444 | INTERNSHIP IN EARLY CHILDHOOD ESL/BILINGUAL EDUCATION SETTINGS | 4 |
Licensure Test
Individuals seeking a bilingual endorsement must complete the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) Target Language Proficiency (TLP) test in the non-English language.
Endorsement Application
All individuals must notify their advisor upon completion of the required coursework and licensure tests for DePaul to submit entitlement notification to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Application for the endorsement may require an additional application fee if the individual already holds a Professional Educator License (PEL). All individuals must meet ISBE requirements at the time of application. Requirements are subject to change per the discretion of ISBE.
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