English as a Second Language

Addressing the Needs of ELL Children in Regular Classrooms

The term Cognate is used here to describe a prescribed program of study leading to skill acquisition in the area of ESL. It is used to avoid any possibility that this program may be confused with an academic degree or a state-issued teaching certificate.

Background

The Cognate called “Addressing the Needs of ELL Children in Regular Classrooms” is a result of the feedback from teachers, administrators, and school districts, sharing that their schools are in great need of content and specials teachers who could better service non-English speaking children and families. According to the Department of Education, Kentucky is a state in which “EVERY TEACHER IS AN ESL TEACHER”. Hence, the responsibility for teaching ESL children rests predominantly with classroom and specials teachers. School personnel and administrators are in need of teachers who can show evidence of their ability to successfully meet the needs of non-English speaking children and their families and who further can infuse this knowledge into their everyday lessons so that the achievement gaps can be closed. The cognate will provide teachers with needed knowledge and a “Georgetown College Cognate Certificate” listing the recipients’ areas of expertise in teaching ELL children.

Connection to Georgetown College’s Graduate Program

Many teachers seeking their MATL (Masters in Teacher Leadership) or additional credit hours for professional development or certificate reinstatement are not interested in teaching certificates or endorsements. Instead, they are at a point in their life where they are able to identify areas of growth for their classroom needs. Therefore, for many graduate students, earning an ESL Cognate would provide the opportunity to use it in place of the electives in the Teacher Leader MA program or to fill hours with content that will help them gain much needed skills.

Cognate Courses

ESL Methods	ESL Assessment	Communicating with Immigrants	ESL Issues in Mainstream Classrooms	Practicum (Skill Demonstration)
3 c/h	3 c/h	3 c/h	3 c/h	1 c/h
EDU 580	EDU 581	EDU 587	EDU 589	EDU 595

Note: Courses will not need to be taken in sequence except for EDU 595 which will be taken as the last course

Admission

1. As special student
   1. Contact the graduate office for admission as a special student
   2. After official admission meet with cognate program director to sign program contract sheet
2. As Teacher Leader MA student
   1. Contact the graduate office for admission to the graduate program
   2. After official admission meet academic advisor to sign program contract sheet
      Graduate Office:
      Sandra_Whelan@georgetowncollege.edu
      (502)863-8176

Program Director

• Dr. Christel Broady