Teaching ESL in a K-12 setting offers teachers relative autonomy, opportunities to collaborate, and variety in teaching settings, along with the opportunity to become acquainted with students and families from very diverse cultural backgrounds.  Teachers of ESL are advocates for their students and trainers of their colleagues in the mainstream.

Our philosophy holds that all children, regardless of their cultural and linguistic backgrounds, can and must be helped to reach their maximum potential.  We believe that language learning and academic success are intertwined and that teachers of ESL aim at both.

Our purpose is to prepare teachers able to meet the challenges of today's linguistically and culturally diverse classrooms.  The TESOL program prepares teachers who:

• Have a solid knowledge of language, language acquisition, and culture
• Have a large repertoire of effective teaching strategies
• Have an understanding of NYS and professional standards
• Can foster ongoing assessment
• Are sensitive to multicultural issues and classrooms and communities
• Can collaborate effectively with teachers, families, and communities.

All candidates for certification are required to complete all relevant NYS Liberal Arts pre-requisites, including 12 credits of Foreign Language and a course in Child or Adolescent Development, and NYS certification exams.

Intensive Teacher Institute in ESL

Manhattanville participates in this NY State program for working teachers, who are teaching ESL out-of-certification and/or who have significant numbers of English Language Learners in their classrooms.  This is a 12 credit program with tuition paid by NYS.  The program runs as a cohort, typically starting in January, and application is made directly to the NY State ITI Office.  (Information available at www.nysed.gov.)

NYS TESOL Conference, White Plains, NY, November 13, 2009 (l. to r.) Suzanne Lasser, Director of ELL Programs, K-12, White Plains SD; Diane Lang, Diane Gomez, Connie Dziombak, TESOL adjunct, president of NYS TESOL.