EVERETT—The Woodring College of Education at Western Washington University is launching a new multilingual education program in Snohomish County to address the growing need for educators prepared to work with multilingual students.
There are 140,000 multilingual English learners in Washington state, representing 13% of K-12 students. These students speak more than 230 languages, the most popular of which is Spanish, which is spoken by 55% of English-learning students.
In Snohomish County, 23.7% of homes speak a language other than English.
State Superintendent Chris Reykdal has set a goal to offer all students dual language education by 2040. The state legislature has designated grants for schools to establish dual language education programs beginning in kindergarten, especially to schools in the education opportunity grant.
Joe Gaydo’s (upper left) book, “Explore the Salish Sea,” was used as a part of Migrant Summer School’s salmon study.
Students in the Bilingual Teaching Fellows – Everett program will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Multilingual Elementary Education, an Elementary K-8 teaching certification and either an English Language Learners or Bilingual Education endorsement.
Students will enroll in a 7-quarter, full-time program with classes held on weekday evenings and summer daytime hours at Everett Community College. Bilingual Teaching Fellows will work in Dual Language schools or multilingual classrooms throughout Snohomish County. The program is designed as a small, cohort-based model with a focus on language, culture and educational equity.
“All students benefit academically from Dual Language education, and for our multilingual learners it is the best way to close the opportunity gap they face in U.S. public schools,” WWU Professor of Multilingual Education Maria Timmons Flores said. “The program recognizes the cultural, linguistic and professional assets that paraeducators bring to this work, and we anchor the curriculum in their experiences in schools.”
While priority is given to multilingual applicants, it is not a requirement to enroll in the program.
Online information sessions will be held at 4 p.m. every Wednesday until July 23. Learn more about the program and how to enroll at https://wce.wwu.edu/bilingual-teaching-fellows-everett
Source: Mikayla King, Western Washington University
Author: Lynnwood Times Staff
