School of Education
Additional Certification in English as a Second Language/Bilingual
Course of Study Coordinator: Nigel Caplan
The University of Delaware offers a Course of Study that enables current Delaware teachers to prepare for an additional certification as a Teacher of English Learners or a Bilingual Teacher. Additional Certification in ESOL/Bilingual (ACE) participants take the 5 classes required for ESOL/Bilingual Teacher certification by the Delaware Department of Education and each course earns three graduate credits. The program takes 12-18 months to complete, depending on your schedule. Online participation is possible in all classes.
Enrollment
We welcome teachers and specialists from all Delaware counties, districts, and charters to participate in ACE. Participants must have at least an undergraduate degree. There are no other requirements for participation. However, in order to earn an additional certificate as a Teacher of English Learners/Bilingual Teacher in Delaware, you must hold a teaching license. The ACE program will not qualify you for an initial teaching license. Educators in other states, private schools, or higher education should consult their own institutions to see whether ACE will benefit them.
Please complete the inquiry form to express interest and receive information about future classes. Once the program coordinator and/or instructor of the course approves the enrollment, you may register for courses through the Office of Professional and Continuing Studies as a Continuing Education Student. Formal admission to the university is not required.
ACE Courses (15 credits)
- EDUC 672: Teaching English as a Second Language (3 credits)
- EDUC 740: Literacy Instruction for English Language Learners (3 credits)
- LING 676/699: Second Language Acquisition & Bilingualism (3 credits)
- LING 677: The Structure of English (3 credits)
- LLCU: 624: Second Language Testing (3 credits)
Tuition
- Tuition for the 2023/24 school year is $812/credit, or $2436 per course plus fees.
- Tuition arrangements must be made before the start of the course (even if you expect reimbursement later).
- Payment plans and credit-card payments are available (additional fees apply).
Financial Support
- Teachers who hold emergency certification as a Teacher of English Learners can apply for the State Critical Needs Scholarship* (see below)
- Some districts have tuition reimbursement funds or have made special arrangements to support ACE teachers. Contact your HR administrator for more information.
- Additional professional-development funding may be available from your school or district.
Critical Needs Scholarship
Teaching English Learners is defined by the State of Delaware as a critical need. The state has set aside funds to help public school teachers earn certification in these areas. To be eligible for the Critical Needs Scholarship (CNS), you need to be a full-time Delaware teacher with emergency certification as a Teacher of English Learners. Only your district can request emergency certification, which must be approved by DOE, and it is not appropriate for all teachers. Please discuss your situation with your school or district administrators. The CNS is administered by DOE and not by UD. This information is provided in good faith but your situation may vary. Full details about the CNS are provided on this Department of Education web page. Please note:
- The CNS offers partial reimbursement up to $1,300 for each of two courses taken during the academic year.
- The academic year runs from the summer session through the spring semester of the following year (summer, fall, winter, spring)
- You must earn a grade of a “C” or higher to be eligible for course reimbursement
- You can only apply for reimbursement once the course has been completed and the grade appears on your transcript
- Reimbursement applications are open at the following times:
- For a course taken during the Fall or Winter semester: Open 2/1 and closes 2/15
- For a course taken during the Spring semester: Open 5/1 and closes 5/15
- For a course taken during the Summer semester: Open 9/1 and closes 9/15
- The amount of time it takes to receive reimbursement varies; reimbursement is often not issued before tuition is due for your next class; therefore, you cannot rely on or wait for your reimbursement in order to fund your next scheduled course
- CNS reimbursements are sent to UD and will appear as a credit on your UD financial account. Please contact Student Financial Services if you have questions about how to apply your credit.
The 5 required courses will be offered on the following schedule in 2023-2026.
Sections in plain text are MA TESL courses which ACE candidates are welcome to join. Sections in italics are only offered to K-12 teachers, and are especially appropriate for ACE candidates.
| Course | Term | Format |
| EDUC 672 Methods of Teaching ESL | Fall | In-person / synchronous online |
| LING 677 Structure of English | Fall Spring |
In-person (online by request) Blended online |
| EDUC 740 Literacy for English Learners | Spring
Fall |
In-person
Asynchronous online in the summer |
| LING 676 Second Language Acquisition & Bilingualism | Spring Summer |
In-person (online by request) Blended online (LING 699) |
| LLCU 624 L2 Testing | Fall Winter Summer |
In-person Online (synchronous) Online (blended) |
Notes:
- ACE candidates may start in any session or semester.
- We recommend taking EDUC 672 or LING 676 first.
- In-person = on-campus in Newark
- Synchronous Online = “live” classes on Zoom
- Asynchronous Online = participate in your own time with regular deadlines
- Blended = synchronous (Zoom or in-person) meetings + asynchronous learning between meetings
- Synchronous participation for other courses may be possible with permission of the instructor
- Summer and Winter sessions are intensive 5-week courses
The Delaware Department of Education also requires a passing score of 149 on the Praxis II ESOL test (5362) for certification as a Teacher of English Learners. Bilingual teachers do not need to take Praxis but must also demonstrate proficiency in their non-English language and must hold another subject or area certification.
All 5 ACE courses are also part of UD’s MA in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL). ACE teachers can apply to the MA TESL during their first courses. If admitted, teachers can take the remaining regular MA TESL courses part-time (18 credits) and expect to complete the degree in approximately 2.5 years from start to finish. The GRE test is not required for MA TESL admission.
Teachers who do not have a qualifying Master’s degree registered in DEEDS are able to apply to the MA TESL for the purpose of earning a +15/30 salary step and are not required to complete the degree.
If you do not hold a Delaware teaching license, please contact UD’s Alternate Routes to Certification (ARTC) program instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please contact DDOE’s Licensing Office to confirm whether your previous courses will count towards certification. However, UD might not allow you to transfer courses taken at other universities or for other degrees towards the MA TESL. Please contact the coordinator to discuss your situation.
No. ACE is an additional certification program for currently licensed Delaware teachers. Please contact your school or district ESL coordinator to discuss possible routes to certification. UD offers both undergraduate and graduate programs that lead to teaching licensure with ESL certification, including the MA in Teaching English as a Second Language and the Alternate Routes to Certification (ARTC) program.
If you are currently a paraprofessional but hold a valid Delaware teaching license, you are welcome to participate in ACE. Please contact us to confirm eligibility.
Yes. There is no difference in the tuition rate.
Yes. If you work outside Delaware, please contact us to ensure you receive the educator tuition rate.
Yes. Contact your school administrators about emergency certification.
Contact
For more information about enrollment, courses, or schedules, please contact:
Dr. Nigel Caplan
Associate Professor & ACE Coordinator
English Language Institute
Phone: (302) 831 7419
Email: nacaplan@udel.edu