Alternative Pathway to Initial Licensure in
a World Language or ESL.

This program is designed primarily for teachers of less-commonly taught languages that are in high demand in Minnesota schools, such as Mandarin Chinese and Arabic. Under highly exceptional circumstances, licenses in other world languages and ESL may also be obtained through this program.

Candidates may specialize in one of the following languages and cultures:

• Arabic
• Chinese (Mandarin)
• English as a Second Language
• French
• German
• Hebrew
• Italian
• Japanese
• Latin
• Norwegian
• Ojibwe
• Polish
• Russian
• Spanish
• Swedish

Eligibility

The following individuals may be eligible for this program:

• Individuals who do not yet hold a K-12 Minnesota teaching license but who have been hired to teach in a K-12 public school with a temporary license (variance) issued by the state of Minnesota.
• Individuals who have earned a graduate-level degree or certificate in language education (e.g., MA TESOL program), have extensive experience teaching a language, but do not yet hold a Minnesota K-12 teaching license.
• Individuals for whom the full-time post baccalaureate initial licensure program is not suitable, to be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Before applying, applicants should contact Dr. Susan Ranney to determine eligibility.

Dr. Susan Ranney
ranne001@umn.edu
612-626-0319

Program requirements for the Alternative Pathway to Initial Licensure

• At least two years are generally needed to complete the requirements for the initial licensure in a world language or ESL. This time frame will vary, depending upon the rate at which a student completes coursework, the scheduling of required courses, and the availability of student teaching placement experiences in any given year. Students should plan coursework carefully as some courses are only offered once during a two-year period.
• Candidates may receive a license in only one language through this program. Once that licensure is complete, applicants may apply for licensure in another language through the additional licensure program.
• Coursework must be taken within seven years to be acceptable for use toward the initial licensure and M.Ed., if applicable.
• Students must maintain a GPA of at least 3.00 in all licensure courses.
• To transfer credits from another institution, all non-University of Minnesota coursework must be evaluated and approved by a faculty adviser. Students are advised to seek adviser approval prior to enrollment in a non-University of Minnesota course.

Testing Requirements

Language proficiency tests

Candidates interested in obtaining licensure to teach a world language or ESL must demonstrate proficiency in the language(s) for which licensure is sought by passing proficiency tests. Proficiency testing information can be obtained from on the language proficiency requirements web page. Further questions should be directed to Student Services. Note that the “Advanced Low” level required by the SLC program on the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) for world language licensure exceeds the “Intermediate High” level required by the state of Minnesota. Applicants may apply to the program prior to taking proficiency tests but are strongly encouraged to take them as soon as possible after beginning course requirements. Should a nonnative-speaking applicant not achieve a minimum rating of “Advanced Low” on the OPI for world language licensure or a rating of “Superior” for ESL, s/he will not be recommended for licensure even if all other licensure requirements are completed.

Additionally, all applicants must provide evidence that they have completed at least two upper-division courses focusing on the development of advanced grammar and composition skills in the world language in which licensure is sought or that they have successfully completed university-level academic coursework in that language.

MTLE tests

The Minnesota Board of Teaching requires licensure applicants to pass several standardized tests administered by Pearson Education. These tests are offered several times a year; students are responsible for registering for and taking the Minnesota Teacher Licensure Examinations (MTLE) by the required deadlines. Test information is available from the MTLE site.

• MTLE Basic Skills Tests. Students must take this test before officially starting the licensure program. Official test scores must be submitted to Student Services. Students may retake the tests as needed, but are advised to drop the program if they have not successfully passed the tests within the first year of the program. Non-native speakers of English can register for special test accommodations.

The following tests must be taken before licensure program completion:

• MTLE Content Area Test: (Candidates take the test that corresponds to their licensure areas)
• English as a Second Language (Grades K-12)
• World Language and Culture: Chinese (Mandarin) (Grades K-12)
• World Language and Culture: French (Grades K-12)
• World Language and Culture: German (Grades K-12)
• World Language and Culture: Spanish (Grades K-12)
• MTLE Pedagogy Test: Elementary (Grades K-6) or Secondary (Grades 5-12) (Choose just one. Either level is acceptable for the K-12 license.)

Criminal background check

Before starting student teaching or practica, students are subject to a criminal background check required by the CEHD. This requirement is designed to meet school district guidelines governing adults with responsibility for children. Decisions about candidate placement will be made by the district approving the assignment. For background check details and fees, contact Bob Utke at CEHD, 612-625-1084, email: stuteach@umn.edu.

Admission criteria and application materials

Applicants must submit the following items to:

Student Services
360 Education Sciences Building
56 River Road
Minneapolis, MN 55455

• Alternative Pathway to Initial Licensure Program Application form. For more information on this program, contact Student Services at 612-625-3339, email: cehdinfo@umn.edu.
• Application fee: Make check, money order, or bank draft in the amount of $55 payable to the University of Minnesota. This fee must be paid each time an application is submitted.
• Documentation (e.g., undergraduate transcript) of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with at least a 2.80 overall GPA and a 3.00 GPA in major coursework.
• Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions applicant has attended or is currently attending, except the University of Minnesota. Transcripts must be received from the issuing school in a sealed and stamped envelope.

• Any student with a U.S. bachelor’s degree or a comparable foreign degree from an accredited college or university may apply to CEHD. Official transcripts of all previous post-secondary academic study must be submitted.
• If applicant completed coursework at a university outside of the United States, the transcripts must be evaluated by a professional credential evaluation center. Request a “course-by-course” evaluation. This process can take four-six weeks, so please plan in advance. A suggested provider of this service is Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE), P.O. Box 514070, Milwaukee, WI 53203-3470 (414-289-3400, fax: 414-289-3411).

• Résumé
• Documentation that highlights U.S. K-12 classroom observation/volunteering/experience totaling at least 100 hours. We recommend that applicants observe in a range of contexts such as world language classes at a high school, immersion programs at the elementary level, other world language classes and subject areas. The documentation must include the following details for each experience:
  • Dates and total hours (e.g., October 2007-December 2007; two days/week to total 100 hours)
  • Name and location of site
  • Supervisor’s name and phone number
  • Description of activities
  • Description of the cultural background of the population with which you worked
• Educational goal statement—The applicant should discuss goals and motivations in becoming a language teacher. The goals statement should relate the ways in which the experiences listed on the résumé have influenced the decision to become a language teacher. Limited to two double-spaced pages, typed.

Additional application materials are required for the following student groups:

Nonnative English speakers and/or international students
All nonnative English speakers must submit an official score report from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). (Exceptions may be granted for applicants who will have completed 16 semester or 24 quarter credits within the past 24 months in residence as a full-time student at an accredited institution of higher learning in the United States before entering the University of Minnesota.)

Minimum TOEFL score requirements are listed below:

Applicants may also be required to demonstrate spoken English proficiency in an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and/or oral interview with faculty or staff. Contact Student Services for more information about arranging for this assessment. Nonnative speakers of English seeking licensure in ESL must achieve a rating of Superior on the OPI. See language proficiency requirements.

International applicants who will require an I-20 for a student visa must submit a Financial Certification Statement, which will be mailed to them upon admission to the program.

Application deadlines

Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Submission deadlines for each academic term are listed below:

Fall semester - June 1

Spring semester - October 1

Summer session - February 1

Applicants’ files will be reviewed for admission by SLC faculty. Based on each individual candidate’s background, experiences, and prior coursework, a list of requirements is determined and is then forwarded to Student Services, where a formal contract is issued and sent to the applicant. Prior coursework that is 7 or more years old is not considered for transfer. The contract identifies the faculty adviser and stipulates all requirements that must be met in order for the candidate to be recommended to the state for the licensure in a world language. Any alternatives to courses on the contract must be approved by the adviser and communicated via email to Student Services.

Applicants can expect to receive written notification of the admission decision and the formal contract outlining program requirements within eight to ten weeks after the application deadline.

Curriculum

Students complete educational foundations, second languages and cultures, and clinical experience (practicum) coursework for licensure.

Prerequisite course

• PSY 1001 or PSTL 1281 or equivalent introductory psychology course

Foundations coursework

Foundations courses provide students with the psychological, sociological, philosophical, and theoretical foundations of education. These courses lay the foundation for developing a breadth and depth of knowledge and skills in education and meet state standards for teacher preparation. Through inquiry, analysis, and reflection, prospective teachers learn to examine educational issues from multiple perspectives.

• CI 5452—Reading in the Content Areas for Initial Licensure Candidates (1 cr) [online]
• EDHD 5001—Learning, Cognition, and Assessment (3 cr)
• EDHD 5003—Developmental and Individual Differences in Educational Contexts (2 cr)
• EDHD 5004—Teaching Students with Special Needs in Inclusive Settings (2 cr)
• EDHD 5005—School and Society (2 cr)
• EDHD 5007—Technology for Teaching and Learning (1.5 cr)
• EDHD 5009—Human Relations: Applied Skills for School and Society (1 cr)
• PUBH 6003—Fundamentals of Alcohol and Drug Abuse (1 cr)

Note: The PUBH-designated course listed above may not be applied toward the M.Ed. degree.

Second languages and cultures coursework

Second languages and cultures coursework addresses current theory and practice in the teaching of world languages and ESL.  They address competencies for world languages and cultures and ESL licensure that were established by the Minnesota Board of Teaching.

Requirements for licensure in a world language:

• CI 5619—Teaching Second Languages and Cultures in Elementary Schools (3 cr)
• CI 5651—Foundations of Second Languages and Cultures Education (3 cr)
• CI 5652—Integrating Culture in the Second Language Classroom (3 cr)
  or CARLA Summer Institute: CI 5621 Culture as the Core in the Second Language Classroom (2 cr)
• CI 5656—Reading and Writing in a Second Language (3 cr)
• CI 5657—Speaking and Listening in a Second Language (3 cr)
• CI 5658—Second Language Testing and Assessment (3 cr)
  or CARLA Summer Institute: CI 5625 Developing Assessments for the Second Language Classroom (2 cr)
• CI 5662—Issues in Second Language Curriculum Design (3 cr)
  or CARLA Summer Institute: CI 5624 Content-Based Language Instruction and Curriculum Development (2 cr)
• CI 5696—Practicum: Teaching World Languages and Cultures in Elementary Schools (2-6 cr)
• CI 5698—Student Teaching in Second Languages and Cultures (2-6 cr)

Requirements for licensure in ESL:

• LING 5001—Introduction to Linguistics (4 cr)
• LING 5501—Introduction to Language Acquisition (3 cr)
• CI 5641—Language, Culture, and Education (3 cr)
• CI 5642—Assessment of LEP Students (3 cr)
• CI 5646—Understanding and Teaching English Grammar (3 cr)
• CI 5656—Reading and Writing in a Second Language (3 cr)
• CI 5657—Speaking and Listening in a Second Language (3 cr)
• CI 5662—Issues in Second Language Curriculum Design (3 cr)
• CI 5697—Practicum: Teaching ESL in Elementary Schools (2-6 cr)
• CI 5698—Student Teaching in Second Languages and Cultures (2-6 cr)

Practicum (student teaching) experiences

Because world languages and cultures and ESL are K-12 licenses, candidates must complete student teaching practica (student teaching) involving observed teaching experiences in both elementary and secondary settings.

The number of credits that are required for each practicum are determined on a case-by-case basis depending upon the background, experiences, and teaching circumstances of each candidate.

Scheduling the practicum/student teaching experience:

1. Practicum/student teaching experiences are scheduled for fall (September-December) and spring (January-May) terms. For candidates who are teaching full time during the school year, SLC staff works to make it possible for candidates to complete practicum requirements in the school where they are teaching or in nearby schools.
2. Practicum experiences are arranged with SLC faculty or staff on a space-available basis after the candidate has:
   • completed at least 80 percent of the required SLC coursework
   • maintained a minimum 3.00 GPA in courses required for the additional licensure
   • successfully completed criminal background check
   • passed the required MTLE Basic Skills Tests
   • passed the required OPI oral proficiency test (see language proficiency requirements), if a nonnative speaker of the language in which licensure is sought
   • passed the required MTLE Content Area Test (required only for licensure in ESL, Chinese, French, German and Spanish)
3. Candidates must submit a request to arrange each required practicum experience for licensure the semester before completing the practicum. Candidates may request a particular school or that they be permitted to complete the practicum in their current teaching setting, but all requests must be approved by SLC staff.
4. All candidates are assigned a cooperating teacher (MN licensed language teacher) and a university supervisor for each placement.
5. Credits for CI 5696, 5697 and 5698 cannot be applied toward the M.Ed.

Practicum (student teaching) requirements

As stated above, the number of credits that is required for each practicum is determined on a case-by-case basis depending upon the background, experiences, and teaching circumstances of each candidate. The requirements of each practicum correspond to the number of credits that the candidate is required to take. After checking the official contract for the number of credits required for each practicum, candidates can find detailed information by accessing the links below.

2 credits per practicum

3-4 credits per practicum

5-6 credits per practicum

Applying for the licensure

Once all course, testing, and practicum experiences are successfully completed, the candidate completes the paperwork and procedures to apply for licensure.

M.Ed. program in second languages and cultures education

Initial licensure students enrolled in the “Alternative Pathway” program may earn licensure and Master of Education degree credits concurrently. Candidates should indicate intent to enroll in the M.Ed. program at the time they submit the application for the “Alternative Pathway” program. Note that the Public Health course (PUBH 6003) and the practicum courses (CI 5696/97/98) cannot count toward the M.Ed. Students finish the master of education degree by taking three graduate credits on a topic approved by SLC faculty. The additional three credits required for the M.Ed. must be completed after the licensure requirements are complete. Courses should relate directly to students’ teaching area and interests. Recommended courses are listed below. All course selections must be approved by faculty adviser.

Recommended courses include:

• CI 5647 Teaching Middle and Secondary Immigrant and Refugee Students With Limited Formal Schooling
• CI 5660 Special Topics in Second Languages and Cultures: Teaching Academic English to ELLs
• CARLA Summer Institutes

To apply for the M.Ed. degree, candidates must complete and submit the following forms to Student Services:

1. CEHD Application for M.Ed. Degree and/or Certificate
2. Final initial licensure program form signed and approved by a faculty adviser

CEHD Student Services clears degrees for graduation monthly. Both forms must be submitted to a faculty adviser so they can be received at Student Services by the first day of the month that the student intends to graduate. Forms submitted after the first day of a month will clear the student to graduate the following month.

Notes: Students have seven years to complete their degree, beginning with the first coursework used in the program, and must maintain a 3.00 overall GPA.

Candidates must apply by March 1 if they plan to participate in the college commencement ceremony in May.

For more information on these programs, contact Student Services at 612-625-3339, email: cehdinfo@umn.edu.

Program faculty

Martha Bigelow, Ph.D., associate professor
246 Peik Hall
612-624-7087
mbigelow@umn.edu

Kendall King, Ph.D., associate professor
228 Peik Hall
612-625-3692
kendall@umn.edu

Susan Ranney, Ph.D., senior lecturer
374B Peik Hall
612-626-0319
ranne001@umn.edu

Diane Tedick, Ph.D., associate professor
254 Peik Hall
612-625-1081
djtedick@umn.edu

Constance Walker, Ph.D., associate professor
250 Peik Hall
612-625-4828
walke002@umn.edu

Revised March 2012