Subp. 2.
Licensure requirements.
A candidate recommended for licensure to teach
bilingual/bicultural education shall:
A. hold a baccalaureate degree from a college
or university that is accredited by the regional association for accreditation
of colleges and secondary schools;
B. hold a valid Minnesota elementary
education or a grade 5 through 12 or grade 7 through 12 license in mathematics,
a science field, social studies, or health education;
C. demonstrate oral and written proficiency
in the students' native or first language as described in subpart
3;
D. demonstrate the standards of effective
practice for teaching in part
8710.2000; and
E. show verification of completing a Board of
Teaching preparation program approved under part
8700.7600 leading to licensure of
teachers of bilingual/bicultural education under subpart
4.
Subp.
4.
Subject matter standard.
A candidate for licensure as a teacher of
bilingual/bicultural education must complete a preparation program under
subpart
2, item E, that must include
the candidate's demonstration of the knowledge and skills in items A to
I.
A. A bilingual/bicultural education
teacher demonstrates an understanding of the contributions of general and
applied linguistics to second language education. The bilingual/bicultural
education teacher must:
(1) understand basic
phonology of language;
(2)
understand grammatical concepts that are applicable to dual language
instruction;
(3) compare and
contrast English with another language;
(4) understand word forms and their
contribution to the lexicon in English and other languages;
(5) understand the multiple perspectives of
language learners who share a common first language but come from a number of
different cultural backgrounds; and
(6) understand how to promote proficiency in
two languages.
B. A
bilingual/bicultural education teacher understands the fundamentals of the
first and second language acquisition process. The bilingual/bicultural
education teacher must:
(1) understand the
processes of and differences between first and second language
acquisition;
(2) understand the
similarities and differences between child and adult language
acquisition;
(3) understand
individual variation in language development of the first and second
language;
(4) understand that
making errors is part of the natural language acquisition process;
and
(5) develop and use curricula
that demonstrates an understanding of first and second language
acquisition.
C. A
bilingual/bicultural education teacher demonstrates an understanding of the
history of bilingual education and the cultures represented in the United
States and other countries. This includes a solid understanding of the
foundations of bilingual education. The bilingual/bicultural education teacher
must:
(1) understand cultural pluralism in the
United States and the relationships between the majority and minority
groups;
(2) be knowledgeable about
the cultures of the United States and how these cultures interrelate in the
global context;
(3) know about the
history and development of bilingual education in the United States;
(4) understand the historical contributions
of bilingual educators and advocates who have facilitated development of the
field;
(5) understand the
contributions of the various communities and the importance of family and
community participation in education; and
(6) understand the various bilingual
education program models and the implications for implementation.
D. A bilingual/bicultural
education teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment
techniques to evaluate the progress of English learners. This understanding
includes using two languages for assessment purposes. The bilingual/bicultural
education teacher must understand:
(1)
entrance, exiting, and monitoring procedures for determining the readiness of
English learners for academic mainstreaming;
(2) the characteristics, uses, advantages,
and limitations of formal and informal second language assessment instruments
and techniques in assessing English learners;
(3) the characteristics, uses, advantages,
and limitations of formal and informal academic assessment instruments and
techniques in assessing English learners;
(4) item and test construction methods
appropriate to the learning needs of English learners including a thorough
knowledge of dual language assessment;
(5) how to administer, interpret, and explain
the results of standardized and alternative methods of assessment to English
learners, parents, and colleagues;
(6) measurement theory and assessment-related
issues including validity, reliability, linguistic, and cultural bias, and
scoring concerns;
(7) that ongoing
assessment is essential to the instructional process and recognize that many
different assessment strategies are necessary for monitoring and promoting an
English learner's learning; and
(8)
the limitations of using traditional special education assessment procedures in
the identification and placement of English learners in special education
programs.
E. A
bilingual/bicultural education teacher understands the importance of developing
communication skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing as being
essential to student achievement in all academic areas. The
bilingual/bicultural education teacher must:
(1) understand the differences between
literacy development in the first language and second language, and the
implications for teaching second language learners;
(2) recognize the critical role of language
in fostering identity and self-esteem;
(3) understand how cultural and linguistic
differences influence communication; and
(4) understand the variation in communication
styles of English learners from diverse cultural backgrounds.
F. A bilingual/bicultural
education teacher demonstrates the ability to communicate successfully with
students, parents, and members of various cultural groups in the community. The
bilingual/bicultural education teacher must understand:
(1) the social structures of diverse cultural
groups represented in the bilingual education classroom;
(2) schools as organizations within the
larger community and how to communicate successfully with English learners and
their parents within the larger cultural framework;
(3) how factors in the English learners'
environment that include family circumstances, community status, health, and
economic conditions may influence learning; and
(4) the legal issues evolving the education
of English learners.
G.
A bilingual/bicultural education teacher understands and facilitates
content-based language instruction as a means to provide integrated learning
experiences for English learners. The bilingual/bicultural education teacher
must:
(1) understand the major concepts,
assumptions, and processes of inquiry that are central to the academic content
areas that are taught;
(2)
understand the connection between language proficiency and learning subject
matter content;
(3) understand the
importance of building relationships with content area specialists in order to
facilitate the acquisition of content knowledge by English learners;
and
(4) develop and use curricula
and instructional approaches that enable English learners to acquire content
understandings and skills.
H. The bilingual/bicultural education teacher
models correct usage of the English language. The teacher must demonstrate an
advanced level of speaking proficiency as defined in the ACTFL Proficiency
Guidelines as established by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign
Languages.
I. A
bilingual/bicultural education teacher understands and uses a variety of
methods and materials suitable for teaching diverse bilingual education
learners. The bilingual/bicultural education teacher must:
(1) understand and apply educational
principles relevant to the physical, social, emotional, moral, and cognitive
development of preadolescents and adolescents;
(2) understand and apply the research base
for and the best practices of middle level and high school education;
(3) develop curriculum goals and purposes
based on the central concepts of the bilingual/bicultural education and know
how to apply instructional strategies and materials for achieving student
understanding;
(4) understand the
role and alignment of district, school, and department mission and goals in
program planning;
(5) understand
the need for and how to connect students' schooling experiences with everyday
life, the workplace, and further educational opportunities;
(6) know how to involve representatives of
business, industry, and community organizations as active partners in creating
educational opportunities;
(7)
understand the role and purpose of cocurricular and extracurricular activities
in the teaching and learning process;
(8) understand how English learners construct
knowledge, acquire skills, and develop proficiency in both social and academic
setting;
(9) understand the
importance of using multiple forms of instructional approaches to address the
different learning styles, background experiences, and performance modes of
English learners;
(10) know how to
create, select, and adapt learning materials to meet the dual language needs of
English learners in a school setting;
(11) understand the developmental progression
and range of individual variation that can be expected of English learners in
the context in which taught;
(12)
know when and how to access appropriate services to meet exceptional learning
needs beyond the scope of the bilingual education program; and
(13) apply the standards of effective
practice in teaching students in kindergarten through grade 8 or in grades 5
through 12 through a variety of early and ongoing experiences within a range of
educational programming models.
