Introduction to Teacher Approvals and Endorsements

Bilingual Endorsement

• EDUC 3540/5540 ESL Practicum
• EDUC 3602/5602 Sociolinguistics and Cross-Cultural Differences
• EDUC 3603/5603 Theoretical Foundations of teaching ESL, and Foreign Language
• EDUC 3604/5604 Assessment of ESL Students
• EDUC 3606/5606 Foundations of Bilingual Education
• EDUC 3607/5607 Methods and Materials for Teaching Bilingual Students

ESL Endorsement

• EDUC 3540/5540 ESL Practicum
• EDUC 3601/5601 Introduction to Linguistics
• EDUC 3602/5602 Sociolinguistics and Cross-Cultural Differences
• EDUC 3603/5603 Theoretical Foundations of teaching ESL and Foreign Language
• EDUC 3604/5604 Assessment of ESL Students
• EDUC 3605/5605 Methods and Materials for teaching ESL and Foreign Language

To earn both the Bilingual and ESL Endorsement:

Undergraduate:  EDUC 3601, 3602, 3603, 3604, 3605, 3606, 3607, 3540

Graduate:  EDUC 5601, 5602, 5603, 5604, 5605, 5607, 5540

If you are you planning on teaching English overseas as a career, these courses will serve as a foundation for teaching ESL abroad. Only certified teachers in Illinois can add this endorsement officially with the State of Illinois offices.

Bilingual and ESL courses are conveniently offered on Saturdays and sometimes in the evening.

LBS1 Approval (Limited)

Special Education approval in the State of Illinois:

• Approvals in SPED will be limited to the grade level of the teaching
  certificate which the individual possesses
• To apply for an APPROVAL, an applicant must complete ISBE Form 73-52
  and apply for an Approval in LBSI on an 03 — Elementary, 04 — Early
  Childhood, 09 — Secondary or 10 — Special K-12 certificate, and must
  have completed a four course sequence of (such as courses listed above):
• Survey of Exceptional Learners
• Characteristics Course in Multi-categorical disabilities
• Methods Course in Multi-categorical disabilities
• Assessment of Exceptional Learners
• Approvals issued Jan 1, 2002 or later are valid for 3 years only, are
  nonrenewable, and do not qualify a teacher as ‘Highly Qualified” under
  NCLB or IDEA 2004.
• If the individual passes the LBSI test (#155) and the general education
  exam (#163) and submits form ISBE 73.52 they may have the LBSI
  APPROVAL added to their current Early Childhood, Elementary,
  Secondary, or Special K-12 certificate.

Forms and additional information are available online.

Source: Regional Office of Education: Certification Requirements. This document cites as its sources: (Per Section 25.46 Special Provisions for the LBSI Endorsement; Section 25.47 Special Provisions for the LBSI Approval; Section 226.8109 Special Education Teaching Approval.)

• EDUC 3430/5430 Survey of Exceptional Children
• EDUC 3431/5431 Characteristics of Students with Special Needs
• EDUC 3436/5436 Psychological and Educational Assessment for Special Populations
• EDUC 3437/5437 Methods of Teaching Students with Special Needs

Classes are offered on Saturdays from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm every 8 weeks on our Chicago campus. In summer, schedules may vary.

Middle School Endorsement

• EDUC 3011/5011 Middle School and Adolescent Development
• EDUC 3311/5311 Topics: Middle School Curriculum and Instruction (varies with subject area)
• These two courses are IN ADDITION to the State of Illinois' semester hour requirement in your subject area

The Illinois State Board of Education is currently revising many of the above listed programs. The above requirements are subject to change. Please verify with our North Park certification officers as to the current status of the programs. The 3000 level courses are for undergraduate credit and the 5000 level courses are for graduate credit.