Should teachers of English language learners have ESL certification? That is the argument in Indiana. Many ESL teachers both in Indiana and other states do not have the proper certification to teach ESL, but does that mean they wouldn’t make good teachers? Jeanne Taylor, a teacher at Franke Park elementary school in Indiana has spent 30 years traveling around the world and teaching English to non-English speakers. She does not have ESL certification.
And she’s in the majority. Most of the teachers in Indiana assigned to teach English as a New Language do not hold a certification in the subject, according to data provided by the Indiana Department of Education and local school districts.
In my opinion when someone has that kind of experience, certification should not be a problem. Learning from experience is just as good if not better than learning in a classroom. Some people disagree.
“I think it’s important that teachers who teach their subject areas be licensed in that area,” said April Steury, English as a Second Language coordinator for East Allen County Schools, who is certified.
Personally, I also believe that every teacher should have take a class on how to teach ELL students. No matter what they are teaching, most teachers will have at least one ELL student in their classroom and they should know how to teach them effectively.
Certification for teaching 2nd language under debate
Journal Gazette
November 23, 2008
