Under the Alternative Route to Certification in English as a Second Language (ARTC/ESL) program, a qualified applicant who completes an 18-credit course sequence may be hired as an ESL teacher in a Delaware public or charter school and complete the requirements for teacher certification, and the Master’s degree, while they are teaching.
ARTC/ESL is offered within the School of Education’s Masters of Arts program in Teaching English as a Second Language (MA TESL). All ARTC/ESL candidates must first apply to and be admitted to the MA TESL program.
Prior to obtaining a teaching position in ESL, candidates must pass the Praxis I tests, and successfully complete the following courses with a grade of “B” or higher:
| COURSE # | COURSE NAME | CREDITS |
| EDUC613 | Educational Psychology: Social Aspects | 3 |
| EDUC619 | Diversity in the Classroom | 3 |
| LING677 | Structure of English | 3 |
| EDUC698 | Methods of Teaching English as a Second Language | 3 |
| EDUC740 | Literacy Instruction for English Language Learners | 3 |
| FLLT622 | Language Syllabus Design | 3 |
The candidate may then be hired by a Delaware public or charter school with an Initial License and Emergency Certificate from the Delaware Department of Education, and register for a student teaching internship (6 credits) to be completed during the first year of teaching.
From the date of hire, the candidate will have up to two years to complete the remainder of the MA TESL degree/certification requirements, which include:
| FLLT624 | Second Language Testing | 3 |
| EDUC647 | Advanced ESL Teaching Methods, Design & Strategies | 3 |
| EDUC658 | Classroom Management & Discipline | 3 |
| EDUC627 | Models of Instruction | 3 |
| LING676 | Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| Portfolio Completion | ||
| Passing score on the Praxis II test in ESL |
Once the candidate has fulfilled all of the requirements for the MA TESL program, he or she will receive a Masters Degree and be recommended for Delaware certification.
More information on the MA
TESL program
Program
Coordinator: Dr. Scott Stevens
Director, English Language Institute