State grant supports College’s efforts to prepare teachers for work with English learners

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) will support an intensive teacher preparation program at SUNY New Paltz that is tailor-made for current teachers seeking certification in working with English as a New Language (ENL) students.

Much of the NYSED grant money has been allocated to return to teachers as a reimbursement for tuition costs upon completion of ENL certification requirements.

“In New York State, the number of English learners in schools is growing, and new regulations have made clear what services these students are entitled to,” said Beth Clark-Gareca, co-director, with Devon Duhaney, of the Clinically Rich Intensive Teacher Institute at New Paltz. “There’s a need for more ENL teachers in New York State, so it’s great to see funding for projects that will help already-certified teachers earn that credential, and help schools develop more of these teachers within their buildings.”

New Paltz’s School of Education houses one of NYSED’s Intensive Teacher Institute program sites, which has responded to this grant by developing a new, flexible curriculum for teachers interested in taking advantage of this opportunity.

Teachers can complete the 15-credit Certificate for Advanced Study in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) program in just one academic year.

All courses are now hybrid, meaning the majority of coursework can be completed online, with just a few in-person meetings each semester.

This new model was developed to accommodate working education professionals, and help meet the needs of districts and students who depend on having great ENL teachers in their classrooms.

“We developed the hybrid model to relieve pressure on working teachers, to provide flexibility and allow them to make their own schedules,” Clark-Gareca said.

The New Paltz program partners enrollees with ENL-certified teachers in their districts, who work to help them apply the skills they’re learning in real time, and ensure they are prepared to complete the Content Specialty Test and workshops that are requirements for certification.

The curriculum has also been updated to reflect trends in school districts, including the increasing prevalence of co teaching in classrooms.

“Now more than ever districts are pairing content teachers with ENL teachers in as many classrooms as they can, instead of having ENL teachers in a separate space, working only with ENL students,” said Clark-Gareca. “That model has incredible potential to be the best case for students – they have fewer transitions between learning environments, and they’re spending more time in academic settings with peers who are only English speaking, so it creates a learning environment for all students. We’re working on ways to make this model as effective as it can be, but that requires more ENL certified teachers.”

Those interested in learning more about earning a Certificate of Advanced Study in TESOL can visit the website of the SUNY New Paltz Intensive Teacher Institute.