UofL now offers online option for ESL endorsement

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville’s College of Education and Human Development has launched an online option for its popular English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement program.

“The English language learner student population is on the rise,” said education professor Elizabeth Patton, who directs the ESL program. According to the Kentucky Department of Education, Kentucky’s P-12 student population speaks more than 94 different languages.

The endorsement is for Kentucky certified teachers who want to hone their skills in teaching English to the growing number of K-12 students whose first language is not English.

“While the program is designed for certified P-12 teachers, this is also a popular program for seminarians, language tutors and other candidates wanting high-quality preparation for teaching English as private tutors and in preparation for teaching English as an international language overseas,” Patton said.

Patton said the endorsement is a 12-credit-hour graduate program, structured in four courses and offered in three different ways: entirely online, in the traditional face-to-face classroom format, or in the accelerated summer hybrid format where candidates complete the entire course between May and July. The curriculum focuses on ESL strategies that are research-based and recognized as best practices. Courses are offered each semester. Details and deadlines are available at the program site.

Admission requirements include completion of two semesters of a foreign language (or a qualifying international language experience), 30 hours of ESL field experience and a passing score on the ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) Praxis examination.

For more information, contact Patton at Elizabeth.patton@louisville.edu.

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