Berry College offers an ESOL endorsement to an existing Georgia teaching certificate. This program is designed to provide a knowledge base of research, theory, values and methodology to prepare individuals to teach youngsters whose native language is not English.

Upon completion of the ESOL-endorsement course sequence, candidates will demonstrate these competencies:

1. Knowledge of the nature of language, and of the phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics of the English language;
2. Listening, speaking, reading and writing English;
3. Knowledge of and experience in second-language acquisition across age levels;
4. Knowledge of the effects of cognitive, affective and sociocultural variables of language learning;
5. Language-assessment techniques and instruments and the evaluation of students;
6. Curriculum planning and instructional methods for teaching English as a second language;
7. Study of sociocultural and characteristic features of linguistic/minority cultures.

To earn the endorsement the candidates shall be working toward or possess a professional certificate at the bachelor’s or higher certification level in a teaching field, or in the service field of school counselor (provided that a teaching-field prerequisite has been established) or in speech and language pathology.