Mi-Hyun Chung, Ph.D., Chair
(914) 674-3057
mchung@mercy.edu

The Bilingual Extension program is offered to candidates who are already certified to teach in New York State and wish to teach English Language Learners (ELLs) in a bilingual setting. Upon successful completion of the Bilingual Education Assessment (BEA) and course requirements for this extension, teacher candidates, holding a NYS base teaching certificate, will be certified to teach English Language Learners in a bilingual setting. As part of the required clinical experience, candidates must complete university supervised field experiences of 50 hours within a bilingual setting. A copy of a valid teaching certificate and passing score on the BEA test are additional requirements for participation.

Bilingual Extension Program Goals:

Candidates in the Bilingual Extension to a Teaching Certificate Program are expected to acquire the knowledge, skills, and professionalism necessary to use both the native languages of English language learners and English the English language for instruction. The candidates will develop expertise in the following areas:

1. Understand major theories of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism.
2. Develop multicultural perspectives and sensitivity to English language learners from diverse cultural and family backgrounds.
3. Acquire pedagogical skills to teach English language arts, native language arts and other content areas in a bilingual setting.
4. Develop linguistic knowledge of language as a complex system of language acquisition and of second language acquisition theories and research.