English as a Second Language

If you want to teach English, it’s not enough to know English. And this rule applies many times over if your students have grown up using a native language other than English. The English as a Second Language (ESL) program shows aspiring teachers how to address the unique language issues faced by new users of English and explores the cultural issues faced by those students when they negotiate the English-speaking world, both in and out of school.

Lakeland students who gain this expertise, however, and receive their ESL teaching certification enter an educational system that desperately needs their services. Demographically and legislatively, the demand for ESL teachers has never been higher, with more of these rewarding positions opening every year.

Students who have successfully completed a minor in English as a Second Language from Lakeland University should be able to:

Demonstrate a high degree of fluency in English.
Describe the linguistic and paralinguistic features of the English language.
Recognize the processes through which languages are acquired in both formal and informal contexts.
Identify the developmental, social, political, and cultural contexts of their students’ lives and educational experiences.
Explain how the development, social, political, and cultural contexts relate to classroom performance and educational practice.
Employ effective curriculum, instruction and assessment practices for English language learners.
Explain how the relevant communities of English language learners affect linguistic success.
Engage in ongoing professional development, networking, research, and innovation (see Standard 9, Wisconsin Teacher Standards)

Programs

Minor

ESL (English as a Second Language) Minor

Courses

English as a Second Language