The ESOL and ESOL/Bilingual Program
Mission
Western Oregon University’s ESOL/Bilingual Education program prepares teachers to ensure that English Language Learners (ELLs) succeed in all aspects of their schooling: academics, linguistic development, acculturation, socialization, and physical and emotional health. The program leads to an add-on endorsement to an Oregon teaching license. Students may complete the ESOL/Bilingual program by itself or in conjunction with an undergraduate or graduate degree program.
Learning Outcomes
- Prepare teachers who understand how first and second languages are acquired and developed, and who apply research-based teaching and assessment practices that address the needs of English language learners in a variety of school settings.
- Prepare teachers who foster a classroom climate that is inclusive of all diversity, and who understand the influence of culture on students' learning process and academic achievement.
- Prepare teachers who are knowledgeable about policies related to the education of English language learners, and who collaborate with colleagues, administrators and families to meet their learners’ needs.
- As the demographics of the state change and the language minority population increases, teachers need to be prepared to educate culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students. Teachers with bilingual/ESOL education credentials are in high demand and are usually first to be hired by school districts with high CLD populations.
- This program prepares teachers to work effectively with CLD students in mainstream, bilingual, sheltered and ELD (English Language Development) classrooms.