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Adult ESL Teacher Credentialing and CertificationJoAnn Crandall, University of Maryland Baltimore County Background on Adult Learners Adult education programs serve both learners who are native English speakers and those whose first, or native, language is not English. Native English speakers attend adult basic education (ABE) classes to learn the skills needed to earn high school equivalency certificates or to achieve other goals related to job, family, or further education. English language learners attend English as a second language (ESL), ABE, or workforce preparation classes to improve their oral and literacy skills in English and to achieve goals similar to those of native English speakers. Audience for This Brief This brief is written for program administrators, education researchers, and policy makers concerned with professionalizing the workforce of educators who serve adult English language learners. Introduction To meet these needs, the United States needs a qualified teacher workforce that is prepared to work effectively with adult immigrants. The Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (1998) provides resources for improving the quality of instructional staff and allows each state to determine its own teacher development systems. At the same time, some challenges exist in the development of a teacher workforce that is qualified to work with adults learning English. Many adult educators have backgrounds in K–12 education, no training or credentials in teaching adults (Smith & Gillespie, 2007), and limited access to professional development opportunities. In fact, there are disparities among states in the credentials required for adult ESL teachers and the professional development opportunities available to them (Schaetzel, Peyton, & Burt, 2007). This brief describes efforts to professionalize the workforce of adult ESL educators, including efforts to certify and credential these teachers; discusses the qualification requirements for adult ESL teachers in the 50 states and the District of Columbia; and recommends steps for states to take to continue to professionalize the field. Efforts to Professionalize Adult ESL Instruction There have been a number of efforts to professionalize adult education in general and adult ESL education in particular. Central to these efforts has been a focus on professional standards, which have been developed by professional organizations, states, and the federal government as part of a call for increased accountability in education. To date, content, program, and teacher standards have been developed for adult ESL, which are helping to professionalize the teaching of adults learning English. These three types of standards are described here. Standards Content standards provide guidance for educators on what students should know and be able to do as a result of instruction (Florez, 2002; Schaetzel & Young, 2007). Adult ESL content standards from 11 states, as well as those from the Equipped for the Future (EFF) initiative at the Center for Literacy Studies at the University of Tennessee (http://eff.cls.utk.edu) and the Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS), are available through the Adult Education Content Standards Warehouse, an online resource for use by others developing standards (www.adultedcontentstandards.ed.gov). A Process Guide for Establishing Adult Education Content Standards (American Institutes for Research & U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education, 2005) is also available for states seeking to develop content standards. Program standards identify the characteristics of effective programs, providing guidance on areas such as curriculum, staffing, professional development, and facilities (Peyton, 2005). Program standards for adult ESL programs have been developed by Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), the major professional association for ESL practitioners in the United States, as well as by a number of states, including Arizona, California, and Maryland. The TESOL Standards for Adult Education ESL Programs (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, 2002) provide program quality indicators for program structure, administration, learner instruction and assessment, support services, employment conditions, hiring and evaluation of instructors and other staff, and professional development. The online document includes a program self-review instrument that can be used to measure “continuous improvement,” a requirement of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 that provides federal funds for adult English as a second language/English for speakers of other languages (ESL/ESOL) programs (U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, 1998). Peyton (2005) discusses the ways the standards can be used in adult ESL programs and provides an electronic version of the self-review instrument. Teacher standards identify the knowledge and skills that adult ESL teachers and other educators need. TESOL has developed Standards for Teachers of Adult Learners (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, in press) for teacher training programs, educational institutions with adult ESL and English as a foreign language (EFL) programs, and professional development of teachers and administrators. There are eight standards: three related to planning, instructing, and assessing student learning; three related to understanding language, learning, and content within and outside of ESL classes; one on the importance of identity and context (the sociocultural and sociopolitical contexts that influence identity and learning); and one on commitment and professionalism (commitment to ongoing participation in adult ESL teaching and professional development). The standards provide a series of performance indicators; vignettes that illustrate the presence of the indicators in a range of contexts such as large, open-entry programs and workforce programs; and rubrics that can be used by teachers in self-assessment or by supervisors in teacher supervision. A set of instructor competencies has also been developed by PRO-NET 2000 through research and consultation with instructors, administrators, and learners (Sherman, Tibbetts, Woodruff, & Weidler, 1999). While these competencies were not explicitly focused on adult ESL, the similarities to the TESOL Standards for Teachers of Adult Learners are striking. The six categories of PRO-NET competencies are (1) Maintains Knowledge and Pursues Professional Development, (2) Organizes and Delivers Instruction, (3) Manages Instructional Resources, (4) Continually Assesses and Monitors Learning, (5) Manages Program Responsibly and Enhances Program Organization, and (6) Provides Learner Guidance and Referral. Other Efforts to Professionalize the Field In addition to the development of standards by professional organizations and states, the federal government and states have undertaken a number of efforts to improve access to resources and professional development through state Adult Literacy Resource Centers; online discussion lists such as NIFL-ESL and NIFL-Professional Development, sponsored by the National Institute for Literacy; training and technical assistance provided by the Center for Adult English Language Acquisition (CAELA), funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education; and various statewide professional development efforts such as those undertaken in California through the Outreach and Technical Assistance Network, in Indiana through English Works, in Massachusetts through the System for Adult Basic Education Support, and in Texas through Texas LEARNS. Together, these initiatives point to increasing efforts to professionalize the field of adult education and adult ESL, involving what Shanahan, Meehan, and Mogge (1994, cited in Sabatini, Ginsburg, & Russell, 2002) characterize as the use of “education or training to improve the quality of practice” and “standardization of professional responses” in an attempt to “define the persons representing a field and enhance communication within that field” (p. 1). It is not clear, however, how teachers are to acquire, maintain, and extend that expertise. It is here that teacher certification and credentialing efforts become important. Certification and Credentialing of Adult ESL Educators While there is some agreement about standards for the knowledge and skills that adult ESL teachers need, there is less agreement about how teachers should acquire and demonstrate their mastery of these standards. Two approaches to documenting that expertise are certification and credentialing.
The list below, from the Directory of Teacher Education Programs in TESOL in the United States and Canada, 2005–2007 (Christopher, 2005), gives examples of three kinds of certification programs that are available to teachers of adult English language learners. One provides a certificate to prepare teachers to work with learners in workplace settings to build workplace skills, one provides a master’s degree in TESOL with a focus on research in adult ESL settings, and one delivers instruction online.
Adult ESL Certification and Credentialing in States Earlier attempts to document state efforts to professionalize the field of adult basic education include, for example, Sabatini, Ginsburg, and Russell’s report (2002), which looked at professional development certification offered to practitioners in adult basic education programs at that time; and the report from the National Adult Education Professional Development Consortium (1998). However, to date, there has been no systematic documentation of adult ESL teacher certification and credentialing requirements in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Even within states, this information is not always available, as states may not have a staff person who is responsible for gathering and maintaining it. Moreover, as the number of adult English language learners increases and efforts are undertaken to professionalize the teaching of adult ESL, it is difficult to keep this information up-to-date. This brief sets out to provide this documentation. Data Collection The basis for information-gathering used in this brief is a template that was developed by the Massachusetts Department of Education, Adult (Basic) Education Credential Information by State (www.doe.mass.edu/acls/abecert/abecred.xls). Permission was received from the Massachusetts Department of Education to use the template as the basis for the work, and a section on credentialing of teachers of adult English language learners was added to the template. A formal survey was not conducted. Instead, several communication channels were used to update the survey and to add information about credentialing for adult ESL instruction. First, state department of education Web sites were examined. Then, state department of education credentialing departments were emailed and called and asked to confirm the information and to add credentialing information specific to teachers of adult English language learners. In many cases, there was multiple correspondence with multiple state and district representatives or one representative a number of times. The information in Table 1 (click to access the table) was confirmed by staff at the Department of Education in each state, who also gave permission to publish it. Information was accurate at the time of publication. Findings As shown in Table 1, the requirements for teaching adult ESL vary widely. Some states have specific requirements for certification; others require an endorsement (often to a K–12 teaching license); others offer an optional certificate or voluntary license; and some have no special requirements other than perhaps a level of education. The range of expected education also varies, from an advanced graduate degree to a bachelor’s degree, an associate degree, a high school diploma, a score on a specific test, or no stated educational level. Some of the differences in requirements result from differences in the type of institution at which adult ESL instruction is delivered. For example, several states, including Iowa, Oregon, and Washington, deliver adult ESL through the community college system, with the colleges determining the requirements. Because these are postsecondary institutions, it is likely that many of the teachers have specialized (and often graduate-level) training in TESOL, applied linguistics, or a related field. Other states, such as Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Virginia, deliver some or all of their instruction through local education agencies (LEAs). In these states, the initial requirements relate to certification for teaching in elementary or secondary schools, with an optional or required ESL endorsement. States that fund a number of different education service providers—LEAs, community colleges, or community-based organizations (CBOs)—may find it difficult to specify requirements that apply to these different settings. Several states, such as Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, require some kind of adult education certification or teaching license. A number of these states require ESL preparation; others offer the option of an ESL endorsement or certificate; still others are planning to require ESL coursework for an adult education/ESL certificate. Colorado requires a four-course series to obtain an Authorization in Literacy Instruction, with one of the four courses focused on teaching ESL to adult learners. Among those states that do not currently require a credential, a number are considering some kind of additional coursework and verification of experience or expertise in the form of an endorsement, a credential, or a certificate. For example,
There are some promising developments related to voluntary credentials, certificates, or licenses.
Some states also have specific requirements related to adult ESL:
It is important to remember that while states may identify minimal requirements for hiring or professional development of teachers, specific programs in those states may have substantially higher teacher expectations and requirements. In addition, even states with limited requirements for adult ESL teachers at the time they are hired may have stated expectations for the types and amount of professional development activities that teachers must engage in after they are hired. These expectations might include enrollment in undergraduate or graduate-level courses; participation in workshops or seminars; demonstration of competencies through portfolio or performance assessments; and participation in study circles, group inquiry, or action research. Recognizing that many adult ESL teachers receive much of their training while they are teaching, many states have undertaken substantial professional development initiatives, some of which may lead to recognized certificates or credentials. In recognition of this fact, Illinois, for example, is implementing a new information management system that will document teacher educational backgrounds and professional development hours. Next Steps CAELA has recognized the preparation of, and professional development for, professionals working with adults learning English as a national priority (Schaetzel, Peyton, & Burt, 2007). The results of the study of teacher credentialing and certification in states reported here make clear the need for more systematic data on the steps that states are taking to professionalize their adult ESL workforce. This could be accomplished by systematic data collection within the states through a formal survey. The survey could be informed by a series of questions that are relevant to all states considering certification or credentialing of adult ESL instructors. These include the following:
Conclusion In their review of the literature on professional development (e.g., Belzer, Drennon, & Smith, 2001; Sabatini, Ginsburg, & Russell, 2002; Shanahan, Meehan, & Mogge, 1994; Smith & Gillespie, 2007) Schaetzel, Peyton, and Burt (2007) found that sustained, systematic, high-quality professional development had a larger impact on outcomes than did one-day workshops with little or no follow-up. This apparent value of high-quality professional development suggests a need for credentialing or certification of those working with adult English language learners. Schaetzel, Peyton, and Burt’s paper provides information about what teachers of adult English language learners need to know and be able to do. Research on successful adult ESL teachers would help in creating teacher preparation and professional development programs and in addressing the question of how much and what kinds of professional development should be provided. Additional research on adult ESL teacher certification and credentialing in states, through a formal survey, would provide a national picture of this important component of developing a professional adult ESL workforce across the United States. ReferencesAdult Education and Family Literacy Act of 1998. (1998). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved January 7, 2008, from www.ed.gov/policy/adulted/leg /legis.html American Institutes for Research & U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education. (2005). A process guide for establishing adult education content standards. Washington, DC: Authors. Retrieved January 7, 2008 from www.adultedcontentstandards.ed.gov/ Association of Adult Literacy Professional Developers. (In press). Professional development standards and indicators. Syracuse, NY: Author. Belzer, A., Drennon, C., & Smith, C. (2001). Building professional development systems in adult basic education: Lessons from the field. Review of Adult Learning and Literacy, 2. Retrieved August 31, 2007, from www.ncsall.net/?id=559 Capps, R., Fix, M., & Passel, M. (2002). The dispersal of immigrants in the 1990s. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute. Retrieved August 31, 2007, from www.urban.org/publications/410589.html.Christopher, V. (Ed.). (2005). Directory of teacher education programs in TESOL in the United States and Canada, 2005–2007. Alexandria, VA: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages.Crandall, J. A. (1993). Professionalism and professionalization of adult ESL literacy. TESOL Quarterly, 27(3), 497–515. Crandall, J. A. (1994). Creating a professional workforce in adult ESL literacy. Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics. Retrieved January 7, 2008, from cal-org.wdi.net/caela/esl_resources/digests/CRANDALL.html Florez, M. A. (2002). Content standards in adult ESL. Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics. Retrieved January 7, 2008, from cal-org.wdi.net/caela/esl_resources/bibliographies/constanbib.htmlFreeman, D., & Johnson, K. (1998). Reconceptualizing the knowledge-base of language teacher education. TESOL Quarterly, 32(3), 397–417. Jensen, L. (2006). New immigrant settlements in rural America: Problems, prospects, and policies. Durham, NH: Carsey Institute, University of New Hampshire. Available from www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/ Kochhar, R. (2006). Growth in the foreign-born workforce and employment of native born. Washington, DC: Pew Hispanic Center. Retrieved January 7, 2008, from http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.php?ReportID=69 McHugh, M., Gelatt, J., & Fix, M. (2007). Adult English language instruction in the United States: Determining need and investing wisely. Washington, DC: Migration Policy Institute. Retrieved January 7, 2008, www.migrationpolicy.org/pubs/NCIIP_English_Instruction073107.pdfMassachusetts Department of Education. (n.d.). Adult (basic) education credential information by state. Boston, MA: Author. Retrieved January 7, 2008, from www.doe.mass.edu/acls/abecert/abecred.xls National Adult Education Professional Development Consortium. (1998). State organizational survey 1996–1997. Washington, DC: Author. Peyton, J. K. (2005). Using the ESL program standards to evaluate and improve adult ESL programs. Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics. Retrieved January 7, 2008, from cal-org.wdi.net/caela/esl_resources/briefs/eslprogstandards.html Sabatini, J., Ginsburg, L., & Russell, M. (2002). Professionalization and certification for teachers in Adult Basic Education. In Review of adult language and literacy, Vol. 3 (Ch. 6). Boston: National Center for the Study of Adult Language and Literacy. Retrieved January 7, 2008, from www.ncsall.net/?id=572 Schaetzel, K., Peyton, J. K., & Burt, M. (2007). Professional development for adult ESL practitioners: Building capacity. Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics. Retrieved January 7, 2008, from ww.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/briefs/profdev.html Shanahan, T., Meehan, M., & Mogge, S. (1994). The professionalization of the teacher in adult literacy education. Philadelphia: National Center on Adult Literacy. Sherman, R., Tibbetts, J., Woodruff, D., & Weidler, D. (1999). Instructor competencies and performance indicators for the improvement of adult education programs. Washington, DC: Pelavin Research Institute. Available from www.eric.ed.gov Sivell, J. (2005). Second language teacher education in Canada: The development of professional standards. TESL-EJ, 9(2). Retrieved January 7, 2008, from http://tesl-ej.org/ej34/a1.html Smith, C., & Gillespie, M. (2007). Research on professional development and teacher change: Implications for Adult Basic Education. Review of Adult Learning and Literacy, 7, 205–244. Retrieved January 7, 2008, from www.ncsall.net/fileadmin/resources/ann_rev/smith-gillespie-07.pdf Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. (2002). TESOL standards for adult education ESL programs. Alexandria, VA: Author. Available from Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. (In press). Standards for teachers of adult learners. Alexandria, VA: Author. U.S. Census Bureau. (2003, June). United States foreign-born population (Census Data Tables). Retrieved November 12, 2007, from www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/foreign/datatbls.html U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. (1998). Workforce Investment Act laws and regulations. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved January 7, 2008, from www.doleta.gov/USworkforce/WIA This document was produced at the Center for Applied Linguistics (4646 40th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20016 202-362-0700) with funding from the U.S. Department of Education (ED), Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), under Contract No. ED-04-CO-0031/0001. The opinions expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the positions or policies of ED. This document is in the public domain and may be reproduced without permission. |
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