EDBL-Bilingual Education

This course promotes understanding of fundamental language concepts, the structure and conventions of the English language, and the process of first-and second-language acquisition. In order to promote students’ language development in English, the factors that affect ESL students’ learning of academic content, language, and culture are addressed.

The primary focus of this course is planning and implementing effective, developmentally-appropriate ESL instruction. Foundations of ESL education and the factors that contribute to an effective multicultural and multilingual environment are taught. ESL instruction includes theoretical bases, concepts, and research related to first-and second-language development. Formal and informal assessment procedures and instruments are taught. Family and community advocacy and collaboration between school and home are addressed.

This course provides the pre-service bilingual educator with knowledge of first-and second-language acquisition processes and development as it applies to Spanish and English. Application of major language components such as phonetics, semantics, morphology, syntax, and pragmatics will be addressed in both languages. Statewide Spanish language arts and reading curriculum as specified by the TEKS will be addressed for literacy development in grades EC-12. Attention will be given to implementation of instructional methods, materials, and strategies for teaching both English and Spanish. Both formal and informal literacy assessments in Spanish will be explored to assist in planning for effective literacy instruction in Spanish. Authentic children’s literature will be included in this course as a way to promote biliteracy.

This course offers the pre-service bilingual educator a comprehensive knowledge of content area instruction in both Spanish and English as a way to promote bilingual students’ academic achievement across the curriculum. Exploration of various types of assessment of bilingual students’ development of academic language proficiency and content-area concepts in both languages will be used to plan appropriate bilingual instruction. The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills and the English Language Proficiency Standards will guide the development of content-based instruction that includes foundational English-language vocabulary, grammar, syntax, and English mechanics. Integration of language arts skills in both languages will be promoted in all content areas.

This course provides students with 60 hours of field experience working with bilingual students in public schools. Students will be supervised by university faculty and mentored by in-service bilingual educators.