MDE PK-12 English as a Second Language (ESL) Endorsement
Interns may elect the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) PreK-12 English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement by completing a sequence of courses and clinical experiences, focused on English Language Development (ELD), during their elementary or secondary certification programs at the undergraduate or master’s levels.
Fully approved by the State of Michigan, the ELD Coursework is a 20-credit, six course sequence, which meets Michigan state standards and prepares interns to take the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) ESL exam. Interns who complete all requirements for certification and the ELD coursework are fully prepared to teach and co-teach multilingual learners (MLs) in the State of Michigan. The PreK-12th endorsement offers career flexibility.
Students who elect to pursue ELD receive a $3,000 scholarship to help cover the tuition costs of the endorsement.
- PROGRAM GOALS
We aim to develop teachers who have the practical skills and knowledge to
- create meaningful instruction drawing on their specialized knowledge about the English language;
- use formal and informal assessments to assess the needs of multilingual learners and their families and design pathways for their full participation in the school community;
- draw on the full range of knowledge of students, their families, and their communities as they design culturally responsive instruction;
- teach multilingual learners the language and interactional skills to facilitate their entry into school and support their success in increasingly complex social contexts;
- plan, enact, and assess instruction in the areas of literacy and academic content to provide full, equitable access to the learning of content for multilingual learners;
- design and use multiple models of instruction including full integration of multilingual learners into the regular classroom setting;
- advocate for multilingual learners by leading and collaborating with and serving as resources to their colleagues in their schools and communities and to families.
- ELIGIBILITY
Interns in the following programs are eligible for the endorsement:
- REASONS INTERNS ELECT THIS ENDORSEMENT
Interns elect this endorsement because they...
- see meeting both the academic content and language needs of multilingual learners as an opportunity to act on their commitments to social justice through education.
- want to be classroom teachers who are well prepared to serve the increasing numbers of students who are learning English while in grade-level classrooms.
- want to improve professional marketability and flexibility with an additional endorsement that is PreK-12th and makes teaching in grade bands beyond those of initial certification possible.
- apply for classroom teaching positions in states and districts that include multilingual learners and find that hiring committees are seeking classroom teachers with these additional skills. (in some states it is required)
- intend to work as an ELD teacher or desire the flexibility to apply for those positions in the future.
- plan to teach in international contexts and the ELD coursework provides them with the knowledge and credentials to be viable candidates for these positions.
- ELD ABROAD IN MEXICO
Teacher education interns in both undergraduate and master’s programs can elect to go abroad to Cuernavaca, Mexico as part of their ELD course sequence.
Requirements
All interns must meet the following requirements to elect to participate in the ELD Coursework.
Provide evidence of experience learning a world language
Interns who elect the ELD Coursework must provide evidence of significant world language learning experience either through two semesters of college coursework (provide transcripts), or through documented life experience, including native language proficiency or other experiences.
MTTC ESL endorsement test
Interns must pass the Michigan Department of Education MTTC ESL exam for endorsement. The MTTC will be taken in July, after all courses for the endorsement are completed.
Spring and Summer coursework credits
Interns pay for and complete courses in Spring and Summer semesters to finish course requirements in the ELD Coursework. Financial Aid (including federal student loans and/or scholarship support) may be available for these terms of enrollment.
Interns complete one of the following courses depending on their certification program:
- EDUC 407 – Literacy 4: Teaching Language, Literacy and Academic Content to Diverse Learners (3 credits, Elementary interns only)
- EDUC 418 – Teaching Language, Literacy and Academic Content to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners (3 credits, Secondary interns only)
All interns complete the following courses:
- EDUC 590 – Applying ELD Theory to Practice (3 credits)
- EDUC 592 – Methods for Teaching Language and Literacy to K-12 Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners (4 credits)
- EDUC 593 – Educational Lingustics (3 credits)
- EDUC 594 – Education in a Multilingual Society (3 credits)
- EDUC 595 – Leadership and Advocacy Practices for Teachers of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners (4 credits)
These courses are completed in specific course sequences.
ELD Abroad
Teacher education interns in both undergraduate and master’s programs can elect to go abroad to Cuernavaca, Mexico as part of their ELD course sequence.
Visit ELD Abroad to learn more.
Satisfactory progress
Interns must demonstrate satisfactory progress toward earning their elementary or secondary certification in order to participate in the ELD Coursework and fieldwork. Satisfactory progress will be determined by course grades, consistent high-quality practice in fieldwork, and consultation with the ELD Lead Faculty and the Chairs of Elementary and Secondary Teacher Education.
Course Sequences
The ELD Coursework is scheduled at times that do not conflict with any required courses in the undergraduate or MAC programs. Ideally, coursework should be completed in the sequence outlined below; please discuss exceptions to this with the Teacher Education advisors and the ELD Coursework.
- Elementary Undergraduate ELD Coursework Sequence
Semester Course Credits Notes Fall
(Aug/Sep–Dec)No ELD Coursework Winter
(Jan–April/May)EDUC 407 – Literacy 4: Teaching Language, Literacy, and Academic Content to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners 3 EDUC 407 is required for both ELD Coursework and regular certification EDUC 593 – Language Development & Second Language Learning 3 Class sessions are completed at the same time as student teaching Spring
(May–Jun)EDUC 592 – Methods for Teaching Language & Literacy to K-12 Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners 4 All ELD interns EDUC 594 – Education in a Multilingual Society 3 Elementary undergraduate, Secondary undergraduate, and SECMAC interns only EDUC 595 – Leadership and Advocacy Practices for Teachers of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students 4 All ELD interns Summer
(Jun/Jul–Aug)EDUC 590 – Applying ELD Theory to Practice 3 All ELD interns
- 3 weeks
- Mon–Fri
- Usually concludes between July 9–12
Total credits: 20 Complete coursework in senior year. - ELMAC ELD Coursework Sequence (including ELD abroad)
Semester Course Credits Notes Summer
(Jun/July–Aug)EDUC 594 – Education in a Multilingual Society 3 EDUC 594 is required for both ELD Coursework and regular certification Fall
(Aug/Sep–Dec)No ELD Coursework Winter
(Jan–April/May)EDUC 407 – Literacy 4: Teaching Language, Literacy, and Academic Content to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners
EDUC 407 can be taken in Cuernavaca, Mexico as part of ELD Abroad in early January3 EDUC 407 is required for both ELD Coursework and regular certification EDUC 593 – Language Development & Second Language Learning 3 Elementary undergraduate and ELMAC interns only Spring
(May–Jun)EDUC 592 – Methods for Teaching Language & Literacy to K-12 Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners 4 All ELD interns EDUC 595 – Leadership and Advocacy Practices for Teachers of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students 4 All ELD interns Summer
(Jun/July–Aug)EDUC 590 – Applying ELD Theory to Practice 3 All ELD interns
- 3 weeks
- Mon–Fri
- Usually concludes between July 9–12
Total credits: 20 - Secondary Undergraduate ELD Coursework Sequence
Semester Course Credits Notes Fall
(Aug/Sep–Dec)EDUC 593 – Language Development & Second Language Learning 3 Secondary undergraduate and SECMAC interns only Winter
(Jan–April/May)EDUC 418 – Teaching Language, Literacy, and Academic Content to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners 3 Secondary undergraduate and SECMAC interns only Spring
(May–Jun/Jul)EDUC 592 – Methods for Teaching Language & Literacy to K-12 Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners 4 All ELD interns EDUC 594 – Education in a Multilingual Society 3 Elementary undergraduate, Secondary undergraduate, and SECMAC interns only EDUC 595 – Leadership and Advocacy Practices for Teachers of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students 4 All ELD interns Summer
(Jun/Jul–Aug)EDUC 590 – Applying ELD Theory to Practice 3 All ELD interns
- 3 weeks
- Mon–Fri
- Usually concludes between July 9–12
Total credits: 20 Complete coursework in senior year. - SECMAC ELD Coursework Sequence (including ELD abroad)
Semester Course Credits Notes Fall
(Aug/Sep–Dec)EDUC 593 – Language Development & Second Language Learning 3 Secondary undergraduate and SECMAC interns only Winter
(Jan–April/May)EDUC 418 – Teaching Language, Literacy, and Academic Content to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners
EDUC 418 can be taken in Cuernavaca, Mexico as part of ELD Abroad in early January3 Secondary undergraduate and SECMAC interns only Spring
(May–Jun/Jul)EDUC 592 – Methods for Teaching Language & Literacy to K-12 Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners 4 All ELD interns EDUC 594 – Education in a Multilingual Society 3 Elementary undergraduate, Secondary undergraduate, and SECMAC interns only EDUC 595 – Leadership and Advocacy Practices for Teachers of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students 4 All ELD interns Summer
(Jun/Jul–Aug)EDUC 590 – Applying ELD Theory to Practice 3 All ELD interns
- 3 weeks
- Mon–Fri
- Usually concludes between July 9–12
Total credits: 20 - ELD Abroad Undergraduate Coursework Sequence
Semester Course Credits Notes Spring after junior year
(May–Jun/Jul)EDUC 592 – Methods for Teaching Language & Literacy to K-12 Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners 4 All ELD interns (in Cuernavaca, Mexico) EDUC 595 – Leadership and Advocacy Practices for Teachers of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students 4 Fall
(Aug/Sep–Dec)EDUC 593 – Language Development & Second Language Learning 3 Secondary undergraduate interns only Winter
(Jan–Apr/May)EDUC 418 – Teaching Language, Literacy, and Academic Content to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners 3 Secondary undergraduate interns only EDUC 407 – Literacy 4: Teaching Language, Literacy, and Academic Content to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners 3 Elementary undergraduate interns only EDUC 593 – Language Development & Second Language Learning 3 Summer after senior year
(Jun/Jul–Aug)EDUC 594 – Education in a Multilingual Society 3 All ELD interns (on Ann Arbor campus) EDUC 590 – Applying ELD Theory to Practice 3
Connect with us
Please contact the ELD Lead Faculty with your questions.
ELD Lead Faculty
Location
610 E. University Avenue
Room 1302 A
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1259
Office Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Teacher education interns in both undergraduate and master’s programs can elect to travel abroad with U-M faculty to Cuernavaca, Mexico as part of their ELD course sequence. Upon arrival in Mexico City, interns are met by in-country partners from Azteca Total Immersion Center (ATIC), who support the group throughout the stay. Please visit the ELD Abroad photo gallery to see what this experience can be like for you!
- UNDERGRADUATES
During the junior year Spring term, UG teaching interns travel to Mexico for three and a half weeks to complete two ELD courses led by U-M faculty: EDUC 592 and EDUC 595. Undergraduate interns who travel abroad complete the rest of the required ELD courses on campus, including the additional Spring term of senior year. ELD classes are typically done in late May or early June.
- MASTER'S
MAC teaching interns travel with U-M faculty to Mexico in early January for a twelve- day condensed version of EDUC 407/418. This is a required course for the ELD coursework and is done in lieu of a Friday afternoon version of the course taught on campus during Winter semester. MAC interns finish the ELD courses on campus during the additional half Spring/Summer terms. ELD classes are typically done in early July.
- WHY ELD ABROAD?
Travel abroad to Mexico allows interns rich opportunities to learn linguistic, cultural, and pedagogical knowledge that supports a career in teaching. Roughly 77% of all designated multilingual learner students in U.S. public schools speak Spanish. This opportunity is an experience in perspective-taking and cross-cultural relationship building. Please see ELD Abroad Testimonials to hear directly from students about their experiences abroad.
Cuernavaca, Mexico is located about 40 miles south of Mexico City, and is known as the “city of the eternal Spring” because of its ideal weather. The beautiful colonial city is nestled in the Tepozteco mountains and has a rich geographical, cultural, and human history. It is the perfect location for experiential learning.
- ELD EXPERIENCE
Beyond the ELD coursework, the ELD abroad experience includes:
- A homestay in Cuernavaca with a Mexican family who has experience hosting U.S. students (interns are placed in pairs or small groups)
- Opportunities to visit Mexican schools and interact with Mexican children and teachers
- Supplemental lessons on relevant topics, such as immigration and schooling, from a Mexican perspective
- Field trips to cultural sites across the state of Morelos, Mexico, including museums, the downtown plaza, and nearby towns like Tepozlán and Xochicalco
- Opportunities to use, practice, and learn Spanish, including “emergency Spanish” to support Spanish-speaking families in schools
- A 3-day guided stay in Mexico City, with visits to museums and cultural sites (undergraduates only)
- COSTS
Costs for the travel abroad program include the following:
- The flight from Detroit to Mexico City
- All passport fees
- Spending money
- 8 credits of U-M Spring term tuition (undergraduates only)
Scholarships and financial aid are available.
Connect with us
Please contact the ELD Lead Faculty with your questions.
ELD Lead Faculty
Location
610 E. University Avenue
Room 1302 A
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1259
Office Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Here's what Marsal School interns pursuing the MDE PK–12 ESL Endorsement had to say about their ELD coursework.
Tasneem Madani
Why did you decide to pursue the ELD coursework and obtain the MDE ESL endorsement?
"As an English teacher, ELD was the puzzle piece I’d been missing. But even more generally, the ELD endorsement so strongly aligns with my values as a teacher serving diverse learners. “Necessary for multilingual learners, great for ALL learners” is a common refrain in the ELD world, and for good reason. An ELD teaching approach enriches the learning experience by making it more multimodal, scaffolded, and centered around our diverse learners, linguistically or otherwise."
What stands out to you about your experience in the ELD coursework?
"Our ELD coursework fills in the gaps of a traditional TEP with a robust bank of teaching strategies and a pedagogical approach that leads with cultural humility and inclusion of all learners. Simply put, it’s just good teaching. My coursework was housed in a vibrant community of like-minded educators committed to improving educational access for multilingual learners. What struck me was how our ELD coursework pushed us to interrogate the relationship between language, literacy, and power, which is critical to pedagogy centered on anti-racism and social justice."
How has the ELD coursework impacted your teaching of multilingual learners?
"It has helped me envision what I want student-centered teaching to look like: an approach that celebrates our students’ full selves, draws in their linguistic and cultural assets, collaborates with their families and communities, and invites a co-construction of knowledge. The joy that comes with working with multilingual learners and celebrating every “small” win is unmatched."
Christine Martinez
Why did you decide to pursue the ELD coursework and obtain the MDE ESL endorsement?
"I wanted to be able to fully support all of my students whether I was teaching in a general education classroom or as an ELD teacher."
What stands out to you about your experience in the ELD coursework?
"Working at SESLA has given me the invaluable experience to work with kids of all different ages. I feel prepared to work in any classroom and support students by meeting them where they’re at and knowing where to take them next, with both content and language in mind."
How has the ELD coursework impacted your teaching of multilingual learners?
"I have an understanding of teaching as social justice work. Multilingual learners never fit into any one box or category. They enter our classroom as whole human beings with their own unique strengths and challenges. I feel prepared to act not only as a teacher, but as an advocate."
Chloé Ruelle
Why did you decide to pursue the ELD coursework and obtain the MDE ESL endorsement?
"I've always been passionate about creating an inclusive and supportive environment for all my students. With a growing number of multilingual learners in classrooms, I recognized the need to better understand and support their unique needs. Pursuing the ELD coursework and obtaining the (MDE) ESL endorsement seemed like the best way to equip myself with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively teach and advocate for these students."
What stands out to you about your experience in the ELD coursework?
"The coursework provided me with a comprehensive understanding of how languages are learned, which was instrumental in designing more effective instructional strategies. Furthermore, engaging with fellow educators who are passionate about supporting multilingual learners was inspiring and enriching. The exchange of ideas and experiences enhance my learning and broadened my perspective."
How has the ELD coursework impacted your teaching of multilingual learners?
"I now incorporate a variety of instructional strategies that cater to different language proficiency levels. This includes using visuals, modeling, and language scaffolds to make content accessible and engaging for all students."
Liz Brisson
Why did you decide to pursue the ELD coursework and obtain the MDE ESL endorsement?
“I chose to engage in ELD coursework to expand my knowledge on ways to support multilingual students and families. When I began my Master's program, I was placed to student teach in a school with a large population of multilingual learners. Choosing to pursue my MDE ESL endorsement meant that I could learn, practice, and build confidence in strategies to create a more equitable environment for my multilingual students.”
What stands out to you about your experience in the ELD coursework?
“Being exposed to many different professionals within the field of supporting the multilingual community stood out the most to me. We were given opportunities to hear from teachers, legal support staff, and others who inspired me to learn what I can do beyond the classroom to show support.”
How has the ELD coursework impacted your teaching of multilingual learners?
“When I plan any lesson, I consider how I am setting all students up for success. I carefully select methods of teaching that offer multiple uses of language to give student practice with cognitive input and output. Additionally, I have a strong relationship with my building EL staff because we share common knowledge, which makes collaboration flow smoothly.”
MiKayla Kasparian
Why did you decide to pursue the ELD coursework and obtain the MDE ESL endorsement?
“I decided to pursue ELD coursework because I value everything that multicultural and multilingual students bring to the classroom and community and I wanted to spend more time teaching them and learning from them.”
What stands out to you about your experience in the ELD coursework?
“My experience in ELD was amazing- the professors are some of the kindest and most down to earth people you'll ever work with. The experiences working with multilingual students in the Ann Arbor schools were so fun they barely felt like work, and I loved working with people from other educational programs at Umich.”
How has the ELD coursework impacted your teaching of multilingual learners?
“Working with MLs can be challenging, and I think about the most important things I learned at Umich- put the students first, show you care, and have fun. The ELD coursework gave me the foundations to be able to do these things and help kids learn everything from the ABCs to the causes of WWII.”
Fatema Alqamoussi
Why did you decide to pursue the ELD coursework and obtain the MDE ESL endorsement?
“As a child of immigrants whose prospects were limited by language barriers, I wanted to ensure that all of my students would have access to a high-quality education. I felt that the ESL endorsement would provide me with the skills I would need to make my lessons accessible to all.”
What stands out to you about your experience in the ELD coursework?
“I appreciated that the ELD coursework gave us a glimpse into the challenges that multilingual learners experience, because this cultivated compassion in us for the learners and their families.”
How has the ELD coursework impacted your teaching of multilingual learners?
“The ELD coursework gave me the awareness I needed to interact sensitively and compassionately with my multilingual families. It also gave me the skills I needed to effectively communicate with students and their families, and ensure that they had access to the same opportunities as the rest of my class community.”
Brittany Boyle
Why did you decide to pursue the ELD coursework and obtain the MDE ESL endorsement?
“Through my previous classroom experiences as a teaching assistant, I was convinced that knowledge of how to effectively support English language learners would be a game-changing skill to have as a future educator. That, coupled with my desire to teach abroad, made it clear to me that the ELD coursework was something I wanted to pursue, as I knew I would be exclusively working with non-native English speakers once I moved abroad. Furthermore, I saw the ELD coursework as a great opportunity to diversify my skill set and make myself a more attractive applicant to future schools. With two areas of expertise, I knew that I would be a more confident and more useful educator for my future school.”
What stands out to you about your experience in the ELD coursework?
“What really stood out to me about the ELD coursework was how practical our classes were, in that I gained a clear image not only of what to do in my lessons, but also how to lead and foster community. Each seminar that was meant to teach us ways to foster interaction, support language acquisition and make connections across subject matter did *exactly* that, with us as the stand-in students. We played games, brainstormed, had small group discussions, gave presentations and listened to direct instruction. Our lecturers didn't talk at us or bore us with theory; rather, our lecturers knew us on a really meaningful level and conducted classes with us that stood as practical examples of how to engage with your students and foster an atmosphere of true learning.”
How has the ELD coursework impacted your teaching of multilingual learners?
“I can't say enough good things about how the ELD coursework enhanced my skills as an educator. I learned a wide variety of hands-on approaches to help students acquire new vocabulary, make connections across subjects, and in general develop strategies that help them to continue building their language abilities as they continue to encounter more advanced language at school and in the world. Furthermore, I gained a new lens with which to see education; in other words, I gained a way to see each students' vast strengths both in English and the other languages they speak, and the tools to help them build upon that existing foundation. I found our work to be extremely empowering, full of empathy and deeply positive. It shaped me immensely into the educator that I am today.”
Connect with us
Please contact the ELD Lead Faculty with your questions.
ELD Lead Faculty
Location
610 E. University Avenue
Room 1302 A
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1259
Office Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.