ESL Endorsement Program Montana
Advance your teaching career by earning your
ESL/Bilingual Endorsement
The ESL and Bilingual endorsement programs are pre-approved by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) through our partnership with Calumet College of St. Joseph
In Partnership with
Overview
The fastest growing population in education is English learners, regardless of the grade level you teach. Which also means that ESL teachers are in high demand right now. You can get a master's degree if you are looking to pay more money, but that also costs more money. That's why we're offering a more budget friendly option.
The most affordable ESL endorsement program for Montana teachers is now available. We've partnered with Calumet College of St. Joseph (CCSJ) to help teachers save more of their money, while also making themselves more marketable.
If you are a certified teacher in Montana, all you have to do is pass our courses with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
The reason you are allowed to take our classes is that Calumet College of St. Joseph holds regional accreditation (CCSJ also qualifies since they are approved by Illinois and other states as an alternative program).
We’ve done the legwork, contacting the Montana Office of Public Instruction to make sure you are covered. Of course, we also recommend that you check in as well about approval prior to signing up for courses.
After that, all you'll need to do is take 18 credit hours (semester hours) that meet the specific requirements of our program. That's it.
When We Say Affordable, We Mean It.
Total tuition cost for either endorsement: $3,600. That's 18 hours at $200 per credit hour. No hidden application fees, book fees, technology fees, library fees, or anything else. Total transparency for your piece of mind.
As fellow teachers, we also know the limits of your time. That's why all of our endorsement courses are added to our online programs. This means each of your classes is only 5 weeks long and is delivered in an asynchronous format, meaning you can log in and complete assignments when you have time in your busy schedule. Multiple classes run at the same time, meaning you have choices in the speed you move through our program.
And unlike almost all of the other schools, we allow you to choose the order of the courses you want to take. There are no prerequisites, meaning you can jump in and start taking classes at any time.
We believe you should take classes when you are ready, therefore we're always ready to help you get started. No waiting lists here.
You also get to choose the speed of the program. Take 2 classes at a time and finish in as fast as 18 weeks, or space them out and take longer. We realize not everyone has the same schedule, or the same ability to pay. So we leave it up to you to decide how fast you want to go.
Courses and Competencies
Whether you are looking for an ESL or bilingual endorsement, you'll have to take 6 specific courses. These courses are almost the same, with 1 slight variation.
Regardless of the endorsement, these 5 classes are the same:
- MTI 511 Linguistics for ESL/Bilingual Educators (3 hours)
- MTI 514 Theoretical Foundations of Teaching ESL and Bilingual Students (3 hours)
- MTI 551 Assessment of Bilingual and ESL Students (3 hours)
- MTI 550 Cross-Cultural Studies for Teaching Limited English Proficient Students (3 hours)
- MTI 569 Culturally Responsive Teaching for ESL and Bilingual Students (3 hours)
If you are getting your ESL endorsement, you will also take:
If you are getting your bilingual endorsement, you will also take:
There is also a requirement with this endorsement to have 100 clock hours field experience in applicable settings. All hours must be in a setting where ESL students are receiving services. To help satisfy this, we've built 100 hours into our courses. However, there is another option.
In lieu of documenting 100 hours, teachers can provide an administrator’s letter saying they are working with English learners in their classroom.
Technically speaking, clock hours may be waived if the educator has at least 3 months of teaching experience in an ESL setting, in which case a school district may submit an employment verification letter (not clock hours) to verify the educator’s teaching experience in an ESL setting.
To earn the bilingual endorsement, teachers must also pass the appropriate language proficiency test administered by the Illinois Licensure Testing System. (The ESL endorsement does not require an exam as of this date).
A different way to learn: ENDORSEMENT programs designed to fit your life—and all the demands on your time, resources and budget.
We understand that you have professional responsibilities, family obligations, and personal commitments. That’s why we offer a personalized, flexible and cost-effective approach to earn your ESL or Bilingual Endorsement. Our programs are developed “By ACTUAL Teachers for Teachers” and are personalized, career-focused and built to fit your life. Complete your ESL or Bilingual endorsement coursework using asynchronous online courses anytime and anywhere your schedule allows, and move through your studies and assessments as quickly as you are able.
- Each course takes only a short 5 weeks to complete.
- They run continuously through the year so take them in any order.
- Finish in less than 6 months or take your time.
- Pay as you go for each course or use our PayPal Later for monthly tuition payments.
- The additional 100 clock hours required is built into the courses.