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© 2013, Collaborative for Evaluation and Assessment Capacity (CEAC) 1
California University –Intermediate Unit 1 ESL Professional
Development Project
The California University of Pennsylvania (Cal U)/
Intermediate Unit 1 (IU1) English as a Second Language (ESL)
Professional Development Project was established to
improve classroom instruction for English language learners
by developing a model continuum of professional
development opportunities for pre‐service teachers; new
teachers; experienced teachers; principals; assistant
principals; and paraprofessionals that offer a range of
training programs to meet varying degrees of interest and
needs.
The goal of the 5‐year project is to provide training to over
1,650 educators in ESL, as well as make training available via
the Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units’ website
(PAIUnet) to over 122,000 teachers, 2,500 administrators,
and 10,000 paraprofessionals in Pennsylvania.
Year 1 of the project (2012‐2013) focused on development
and state approval of an ESL Program Specialist Certificate
Program for in‐service educators and an undergraduate
course for pre‐service teachers, focusing on
accommodations and adaptions for English Language
Learners (ELL). Year 1 also included IU1’s development of
programs for paraprofessionals and administrators. These
programs and courses will provide foundations for
strengthening the pool of PA educators with substantial
knowledge and skills to serve a growing ESL population.
Year 1 Evaluation
The program goal of year 1 was to develop quality training
and certification programs in ESL to be offered in years 2‐5
of the project by Cal U and Intermediate Unit 1, respectively.
The Year 1 evaluation involved review of documentation of program/course
development and approval. Primary documents reviewed included the proposal
submitted by Intermediate Unit 1 (IU 1) to the Pennsylvania Department of Education
(PDE) to become an approved provider of an English as a Second Language (ESL)
certification, the subsequent proposal review and approval rubric from PDE, Cal U’s
course proposals (EDU 350) and subsequent review and approval by PDE, and IU1’s
National Professional Development Program Grantee Progress Report.
© 2013, Collaborative for Evaluation and Assessment Capacity (CEAC) 2
Findings
Findings showed both IU1’s in‐service ESL certificate program and Cal U’s pre‐service
course (EDU 350) met the guideline requirements established by the Pennsylvania
Department of Education (PDE). IU1’s proposed ESL program was granted initial
program approval by PDE on December 21, 2012. PDE found that the program
substantially met state standards in all required areas. Cal U’s proposed pre‐service ESL
course was reviewed by PDE and deemed to meet the accommodations and adaptations
for ELL requirements in Pre‐K‐4, 4‐8, and special education Pre K‐8 certificate programs
on October 4, 2010, and in Secondary Biology, Chemistry, Communication, Earth and
Space Science, English, Mathematics, Physics, Social Studies, and K‐12 Art, French,
Spanish, Speech and Language Impaired, and Reading Specialist certificate programs on
November 8, 2012. All courses are ready to begin enrolling participants in fall 2013.
IU1 also developed an online ESL program for paraprofessionals and began the
development process for an online ESL program for administrators. Each program was
developed as a professional development workshop. The paraprofessional workshop
addresses special needs, academic routines, communication of manners, cultural
awareness, and speaking support for ELL. The administrators’ workshop is in
development. It will cover laws, regulations, and policies relating to ELL, focusing
specifically on relevant court cases, ELL identification criteria, and academic supporting
needs for ELL. Both the paraprofessionals’ and administrators’ workshops are to be
offered in fall 2013. These workshops did not require PDE approval.
The following two sections summarize Cal U’s pre‐service course and IU1’s certificate
program in relation to state ESL requirements and standards.
Summary of Pre‐Service Teacher Course EDU 350 developed by California University of
Pennsylvania and Approved by PDE
Offered by the College of Education and Human Services at California University of
Pennsylvania, EDU 350 prepares pre‐service teachers to adequately serve the needs of
ELL students in the general setting. It fulfills new Pennsylvania state requirements for
9/270 and Chapter 49.2, Education Certification Guidelines for Highly Qualified status in
the General Education Certification. It is a 3‐credit course, being required for Elementary
Education, Early Childhood Education, all 11 Secondary Education areas, Special
Education, and Technology Education at the Undergraduate and post‐baccalaureate
levels (cross‐listed as EDU 610).
The course introduces major theories of second language acquisition and their
implications for K‐12 classroom teaching and learning. The objectives of the course are
to facilitate teacher candidates to (1) understand major theoretical issues and research‐
based methods in second language learning in formal and informal situations, (2)
develop communication skills that support ELL students learning, (3) apply appropriate
© 2013, Collaborative for Evaluation and Assessment Capacity (CEAC) 3
instructional activities that meet the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse ELL
students, and (4) support other teachers and administrators in working effectively with
ELL students.
More specifically, this course is divided into seven units of study, including
demographics and policies of language diversity in the US, theory and practice of
teaching English language learners, instructional approaches for ELL students, academic
achievement and language acquisition for ELL students, assessment of learning and
academic achievement for ELL students in the classroom, communication skills to teach
ELL students, and dispelling myths about ELL students’ teaching and learning.
Instructors will employ a variety of teaching methods to deliver the course. For example,
lectures, small group discussions, analysis of readings, case studies, reflections, group
projects, and incorporation of Internet resources and Blackboards are implemented in
the teaching. Teacher candidates’ performance will be assessed based on a variety of
activities, including oral presentations, written assignments and reports, exams and/or
quizzes, individual projects, group projects, case studies, analysis of ELL student work
samples, article/book critique, journal reflections, and portfolio development.
Summary of Intermediate Unit 1 (IU 1) English as a Second Language (ESL) Program
Specialist Certification Program
The summary of IU 1 ESL Program Specialist Certification Program is composed of five
sections: needs assessment and rationale for the program, admission criteria and
enrollment requirements, program design and delivery, candidate competencies in
courses, and candidate field experiences.
Needs Assessment and Rationale for the Program
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the number of school‐
age children (children ages 5‐17) who spoke a non‐English language at home increased
between 1980 and 2009. School enrollment patterns for these children rose from 90%
to 93% between 1980 and 2009, and the percentage of these children who spoke
English with difficulty generally decreased over time. According to the 2009 data, the
percentage of school‐age children who spoke a non‐English language at home and spoke
English with difficulty varied by demographic and socioeconomic characteristics,
including race, citizenship status, age, geographic areas, and poverty status.
A 2002 Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) report indicated the low national
ratio of ESL‐certified teachers to English‐learner students (1:44), suggesting that the ESL
certified teachers are in demand.
According to 2006‐2007 Limited English Proficient (LEP) data on the Pennsylvania
Department of Education website, there were 45,307 LEP students. The enrollment of
students with LEP is substantially increased in many schools in Pennsylvania. Title 22,
© 2013, Collaborative for Evaluation and Assessment Capacity (CEAC) 4
Chapter 4, Section 4.26 of the Curriculum Regulations requires that the school
district/charter school provide a program for every English Language Learner student.
Responding to the requirement and growing number of ELL students, the school district
must provide a program of ESL to facilitate students to achieve second language
acquisition. Teachers in areas of high concentration of ELL students specially need to be
trained to comply with No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requirements. Therefore, ESL
Program Specialist Certification Program offered by IU 1 would produce competent
teachers who are able to facilitate ELL students to acquire English language skills and
participate meaningfully in education programs.
Admission Criteria and Enrollment Requirements
To apply for the ESL Program Specialist Certification Program, applicants must provide
PA Instructional I or II certification or its equivalent from another state, evidence of
English proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and listening, demonstration of English
proficiency via the ACTFL test “English, OPT” for foreign applicants, evidence of attaining
a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited US college or university, transcripts from every
institution attended, and teaching certificates.
Program Design and Delivery
The program is designed to ensure candidates to acquire and learn to apply the
professional and pedagogical knowledge and skill dimensions necessary, and teach,
guide, and assist public school students in achieving PA academic standards.
IU 1 offers six courses to prepare candidates to support English language learning of
culturally and linguistically diverse ELL students. Each course is 3 credits, progressing
from introductory to higher level and known to unknown in complexity. In addition to
online instruction, each course includes a 10 hours field‐based practicum. Field
placement mentors use the Danielson’s Educator Effectiveness model to monitor and
evaluate candidates’ performance in a face‐to‐face setting. Communication modes
between instructor, candidates, and field placement mentors are various, including
face‐to‐face, online class, Skype, wimba, and email. The following part of this section
provides a brief description of each of the six courses.
ESL 1, Introduction to Teaching English as a Second Language, is focused on exploration
of research‐based practices and the role of ESL teachers in the classroom. The course
aims to assist teachers to develop understanding of culturally based language teaching,
literacy instruction for English language development, standard‐based instruction for
ELL students, communication activities adapting instruction, assessment methods for
ELL students, and the profession of teaching ELL students. Constructing an ESL profile
serves as a key assessment tool in this course.
ESL 2, Developing Culturally Awareness and Sensitivity, provides an examination of
theory, diversity, and pedagogy constructs for classroom practices with ELL students.
The course emphasizes culturally responsive curriculum and instruction, exploring
© 2013, Collaborative for Evaluation and Assessment Capacity (CEAC) 5
immigration, cultural perspectives, and teaching practices that demonstrate the
interconnectedness of culture and cognition. Developing a multicultural curriculum
education plan severs as a key assessment tool in this course.
ESL 3, Observing, Planning, Implementing, and Managing Instruction, emphasizes
standards‐based instruction and adapting instruction in the content areas to assist ELL
students in achieving academic success. The course advocates for the importance of
family and community in ELL students’ achievement, and the role of teachers in
identifying learning goals and assessment measures appropriate for ELL students of
diverse background. Lesson plan management and instructional support severs as a key
assessment tool in this course.
ESL 4, Language Acquisition and Development, introduces candidates to the theories of
second language acquisition, literacy strategies in language learning, and socio‐cultural
factors that influence language learning. Candidates also learn the structure and nature
of second language, getting a better sense of aiding ELL students in adjusting to the
challenges of learning a second language. Language and literacy instruction and
assessment plan serves as a key assessment tool in this course.
ESL 5, Assessment and Support, offers candidates knowledge of tools necessary to
assess ELL students appropriately and in a timely way. Assessment tools explored
include observation checklists, reading logs, video spreadsheet software, and self‐ and
peer‐assessment. In addition, benchmarks for different proficiency levels are
introduced. Case study of ELL serves as a key assessment tool in this course.
ESL 6, English Language Leaners, Families, Community, and Professionalism, is geared
toward equipping ESL teachers with the necessary tools to facilitate ELL students to
adjust culturally and transition smoothly to the new language and culture. The course
addresses the role of classrooms, schools, and community environments in supporting
students’ second language learning. For example, a supportive school‐wide climate,
organizational structure, and professional learning community supporting ELL students
are recognized as effective approaches for student learning. An action research project,
focusing on school supports serves as a key assessment tool in this course.
Candidate Competencies in Courses
PDE ESL competencies are reflected through key course assessments on five domains:
(1) language, (2) culture, (3) observing, planning, implementation, and managing
instruction, (4) assessment, and (5) professionalism. Notably, ESL courses 1, 2, 3, 4, and
5 meet competencies listed in each of the five domains, while ESL 6 meets
competencies listed in domains 3, 4, and 5. More specifically, ESL 1 meets PDE ESL
competencies in 19 components across the six domains; ESL 2 meets PDE ESL
competencies in 19 components; ESL 3 meets PDE ESL competencies in 27 components;
ESL 4 meets PDE ESL competencies in 35 components; ESL 5 meets PDE ESL
competencies in 36 components; and ESL 6 meets PDE ESL competencies in 7
© 2013, Collaborative for Evaluation and Assessment Capacity (CEAC) 6
components.
Candidate Field Experiences
The certification program assures that candidates completed a planned sequence of
field experiences. Each course requires candidates to experience 10 hours of field‐based
practicum; totaling 60 hours of field experiences to meet the requirements of the
certificate program. Field experiences are provided in public school setting, either
practicing in ESL teachers’ classroom or working one‐on‐one with ELL students. Field
experiences are also aligned with competencies addressed in coursework.
Conclusion
With a successful Year 1, focusing on program and course development, completed,
Year 2 of the Cal U/ IU1 ESL Professional Development Project is on track and set to
begin. The in‐service ESL certificate program, pre‐service ESL course, and
paraprofessional and administrator workshops are slated to begin accepting student in
the fall of 2013. Thus, the evaluation focus will shift to implementation, particularly
educators’ participant and experience in the program and course. Evaluation activities in
Year 2 will move towards a more empirical focus.
For question regarding the evaluation of the IU1‐Cal U ESL Project, please contact:
Dr. Keith W. Trahan, Assistant Director
The Collaborative for Evaluation and Assessment Capacity (CEAC)
School of Education
University of Pittsburgh
4139 WW Posvar Hall
412‐624‐7240
For question regarding the Cal U/ IU1 ESL Professional Development Project, please
contact:
Dr. Kevin Koury, Dean
College of Education and Human Services
California University of Pennsylvania
Keystone Hall 200B
724‐938‐4125
