PLAINFIELD, Vt. — Goddard College is the first college or university in Vermont to gain state approval to add bilingual education to its teacher education program.
The U.S. Department of Education identifies bilingual education as a high-need field in schools that serve low-income students. The Latino population in the U.S. grew by 43 percent between 2000 and 2010 – providing more than half the nation’s total population growth. Since 1980 their number of school-aged children who speak a language other than English at home has doubled, making them 21 percent of the school-aged population.
“Given the high level of expertise that currently exists in our EDU program and the national shortage of bilingual teachers, we believe Goddard is perfectly positioned to become a leader in the state by creating Vermont’s first bilingual endorsement program,” said Gail Cueto, Ph.D., Education Program faculty and the College’s educator licensure coordinator.
Goddard is authorized for Spanish/English bilingual education. The bilingual education endorsement authorizes educators to teach students who are English Language Learners (ELL) and/or native English speakers in both English and Spanish. Goddard offers two study options: the MA in Education with the Bilingual Education Endorsement (36 credits, three semesters) and the Bilingual Education Post-Baccalaureate Endorsement (24 credits, two semesters). Both options will prepare educators to plan, develop, implement and assess standards-based content instruction in English and Spanish.
To be admitted into the program, applicants must have already earned a bachelor’s degree, received an initial educator’s license, and have proficiency in a second language. Applicants demonstrate proficiency by taking the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) assessment or taking a language proficiency course at Goddard College.
Goddard College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education. The Education Program is approved by the Vermont Agency of Education and the Vermont Standards Board for Professional Educators for preparing licensure-seeking students to receive a Vermont Initial License. Vermont participates with all other states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico in the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification Interstate Agreement, which governs licensure reciprocity.
About Goddard College
Founded in 1863 as the Goddard Seminary in Barre, Vt., Goddard College moved to its current Plainfield campus and was chartered in 1938 by founding President Royce “Tim” Pitkin. In 1963, Goddard became the first U.S. college to offer low-residency adult degree programs. Goddard now offers accredited MA, MFA, BA and BFA degree programs from the main campus in Plainfield, Vermont and sites in Seattle and Port Townsend, Washington. The low-residency education model offers the best of on-campus and distance education, with experienced faculty advisors, rigorous on-campus residencies, and the freedom to study from anywhere.
