About

The ESL Summer Institute

LING 499/699: Issues in Teaching English Learners

An Online Course for Delaware Educators

The ESL Summer Institute is a course for all current and pre-service K-12 teachers, administrators, counselors, paraprofessionals, and support staff who:

  • work with, advise, or support English learners (ELs) in K-12 schoolsDSCF0278
  • teach ELs in ESL, mainstream, special education, or content-area classes
The Institute also allows teachers to:
  • complete a requirement towards EL Teacher/Bilingual Education certification in Delaware
  • earn graduate credits, which may be applied towards certain master’s degrees and/or salary increments
  • accrue professional development clock hours

The Institute is offered every summer through a partnership between the University of Delaware and the Delaware Department of Education Title III Program Office. It is taught by faculty from the UD English Language Institute. The program is also offered as a UD course, LING 499 (undergraduate) and 699 (graduate): “Issues in Teaching English Language Learners/Second Language Acquisition and Bilingualism”

2022 Online Course Information

The 2022 Summer Institute will be an online course using a mixture of synchronous (live via Zoom) and asynchronous online learning (modules you work through at your own pace). It will run in UD’s 5-week summer session from June 6 – July 8. The live sessions will be organized around the Delaware public school schedule. If public-health conditions allow, an optional in-person meeting may be scheduled in Dover.

The course is available for professional development clock hours (at no charge) and UD graduate or undergraduate credit (see costs).

Almost 1 in 5 students in Delaware’s K-12 schools is multilingual, and developing literacy in English is one of their greatest challenges. In this year’s EL Summer Institute, you will join with educators from across the state to develop techniques and materials for promoting multilingual learners’ reading and writing development. The all-new content for 2022 is aligned with the revised WIDA framework, which sets the standards for English learners in our state!

Textbook and syllabus information will be posted here in May.

The following options are available:DSCF0273

  • LING699 — 3 graduate credits. Recommended for: teachers and specialists seeking certification as an EL/bilingual teacher and/or credits towards a Master’s degree and/or salary step; ARTC candidates, with approval. There are written assignments and online modules, suitable for a Master’s-level graduate course. UD tuition rates apply (see Costs). Registration opens April 1. This year’s course meets the Literacy for English Learners (EDUC 740) requirement for certification.
  • LING499 — 3 undergraduate credits. Recommended for: teachers and specialists seeking certification as an EL/bilingual teacher who already have or do not wish to pursue a graduate degree. There are written assignments and online modules suitable for an advanced undergraduate course. UD tuition applies (see Costs). Registration opens April 1.
  • Professional development — Educators, paraprofessionals and administrators in Delaware schools may take the Institute without paying tuition but will not earn university credit. PDMS registration will be available so that you can earn “clock hours.” Online registration is now open; space is limited!

Please explore this site for more information, or contact the course instructor, Dr. Nigel Caplan, Associate Professor, University of Delaware English Language Institute by email.