ACT-Houston
Houston 832-200-0552
Dallas 214-267-2222Austin 1-877-286-0024
Alternative Certification for Teachers
Bilingual Education Supplemental – Spanish (Grades 4-8)
Earning an alternative certification as a bilingual education supplemental Spanish/English teacher for fourth grade through eighth grade students will require general education courses and foundational skills in bilingual education. As a supplemental specialist, the focus for students will revolve more around the language and communication skills and less around the actual academic topics that would apply to a generalist. Upper elementary through middle school aged students may have acquired habits that need to be changed when it comes to language skills; however, younger people typically have an easier time learning languages than adults.
What is Needed for Bilingual Alternative Teaching Certification
To be eligible for an alternative certification as a bilingual Spanish supplemental educator for upper elementary through middle school students, the teaching candidate will need to demonstrate the successful completion of coursework in general education topics such as English literature, science, history, social studies, mathematics and electives such as educational psychology, speech communication and linguistics.
The majority of certification programs will require an internship or student teaching opportunity in order to provide hands on experience as well as valuable exposure to the classroom setting for future educators. Early adolescence aged students can present challenges with self-confidence and self-esteem that prevent them from learning the most effectively. The ability to work directly with an experienced teacher will help to develop skills that simply cannot be obtained from traditional coursework.
Teaching as a Bilingual Generalist
Coursework will be necessary in education strategies and teaching methods as well as technical skills for accurate English language versus utilizing conversational English. As a bilingual specialist teaching skills in both English and Spanish, it is important to ensure the right level of cognitive development for students. Balancing the actual language skills necessary for Spanish and English as well as all of the general writing skills will be important for the overall continued development of the student.