Minn. R. agency 188, ch. 8710, TEACHER STANDARDS, pt. 8710.4150

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 24, December 9, 2024

Part 8710.4150 - TEACHERS OF BILINGUAL/BICULTURAL EDUCATION

Subpart 1.Scope of practice.

A teacher holding a bilingual/bicultural license is authorized to teach the academic content in the students' native or first language at the grade levels defined by the prerequisite classroom teacher license in subpart 2, item B. Bilingual/bicultural education licensure is required when the teaching assignment focuses on providing academic content instruction to English learners in their native or first language for the purposes of gaining access to the curriculum through instruction of academic content in the students' native or first language and developing both the students' native or first language and English language skills.

Subp. 2.Licensure requirements.

A candidate recommended for licensure to teach bilingual/bicultural education shall:

A. hold a baccalaureate degree from a college or university that is accredited by the regional association for accreditation of colleges and secondary schools;

B. hold a valid Minnesota elementary education or a grade 5 through 12 or grade 7 through 12 license in mathematics, a science field, social studies, or health education;

C. demonstrate oral and written proficiency in the students' native or first language as described in subpart 3;

D. demonstrate the standards of effective practice for teaching in part 8710.2000; and

E. show verification of completing a Board of Teaching preparation program approved under part 8700.7600 leading to licensure of teachers of bilingual/bicultural education under subpart 4.

Subp. 3.Demonstration of oral and written proficiency.

A candidate for licensure as a teacher of bilingual/bicultural education shall demonstrate oral and written proficiency in the students' native or first language under item A or B.

A. The candidate shall verify the completion of a high school or postsecondary education using the students' native or first language as the means of oral and written communication.

B. The candidate shall demonstrate an advanced level of oral proficiency as defined in the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines established by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages and an advanced level writing proficiency as defined in this part. The written language proficiency does not apply to a candidate for licensure whose first or native language is a language that is not commonly communicated in written form by native speakers of that language.

A candidate who has an advanced level of written proficiency is able to write routine social correspondence and join sentences in simple discourse of at least several paragraphs in length on familiar topics; write simple social correspondence, take notes, write cohesive summaries and resumes, and narratives and descriptions of a factual nature; use sufficient writing vocabulary to express self simply with some circumlocution; make few errors in punctuation, spelling, or the formation of nonalphabetic symbols; and demonstrate good control of the morphology and the most frequently used syntactic structures; for example, common word order patterns, coordination, and subordination.

Subp. 4.Subject matter standard.

A candidate for licensure as a teacher of bilingual/bicultural education must complete a preparation program under subpart 2, item E, that must include the candidate's demonstration of the knowledge and skills in items A to I.

A. A bilingual/bicultural education teacher demonstrates an understanding of the contributions of general and applied linguistics to second language education. The bilingual/bicultural education teacher must:

(1) understand basic phonology of language;

(2) understand grammatical concepts that are applicable to dual language instruction;

(3) compare and contrast English with another language;

(4) understand word forms and their contribution to the lexicon in English and other languages;

(5) understand the multiple perspectives of language learners who share a common first language but come from a number of different cultural backgrounds; and

(6) understand how to promote proficiency in two languages.

B. A bilingual/bicultural education teacher understands the fundamentals of the first and second language acquisition process. The bilingual/bicultural education teacher must:

(1) understand the processes of and differences between first and second language acquisition;

(2) understand the similarities and differences between child and adult language acquisition;

(3) understand individual variation in language development of the first and second language;

(4) understand that making errors is part of the natural language acquisition process; and

(5) develop and use curricula that demonstrates an understanding of first and second language acquisition.

C. A bilingual/bicultural education teacher demonstrates an understanding of the history of bilingual education and the cultures represented in the United States and other countries. This includes a solid understanding of the foundations of bilingual education. The bilingual/bicultural education teacher must:

(1) understand cultural pluralism in the United States and the relationships between the majority and minority groups;

(2) be knowledgeable about the cultures of the United States and how these cultures interrelate in the global context;

(3) know about the history and development of bilingual education in the United States;

(4) understand the historical contributions of bilingual educators and advocates who have facilitated development of the field;

(5) understand the contributions of the various communities and the importance of family and community participation in education; and

(6) understand the various bilingual education program models and the implications for implementation.

D. A bilingual/bicultural education teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment techniques to evaluate the progress of English learners. This understanding includes using two languages for assessment purposes. The bilingual/bicultural education teacher must understand:

(1) entrance, exiting, and monitoring procedures for determining the readiness of English learners for academic mainstreaming;

(2) the characteristics, uses, advantages, and limitations of formal and informal second language assessment instruments and techniques in assessing English learners;

(3) the characteristics, uses, advantages, and limitations of formal and informal academic assessment instruments and techniques in assessing English learners;

(4) item and test construction methods appropriate to the learning needs of English learners including a thorough knowledge of dual language assessment;

(5) how to administer, interpret, and explain the results of standardized and alternative methods of assessment to English learners, parents, and colleagues;

(6) measurement theory and assessment-related issues including validity, reliability, linguistic, and cultural bias, and scoring concerns;

(7) that ongoing assessment is essential to the instructional process and recognize that many different assessment strategies are necessary for monitoring and promoting an English learner's learning; and

(8) the limitations of using traditional special education assessment procedures in the identification and placement of English learners in special education programs.

E. A bilingual/bicultural education teacher understands the importance of developing communication skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing as being essential to student achievement in all academic areas. The bilingual/bicultural education teacher must:

(1) understand the differences between literacy development in the first language and second language, and the implications for teaching second language learners;

(2) recognize the critical role of language in fostering identity and self-esteem;

(3) understand how cultural and linguistic differences influence communication; and

(4) understand the variation in communication styles of English learners from diverse cultural backgrounds.

F. A bilingual/bicultural education teacher demonstrates the ability to communicate successfully with students, parents, and members of various cultural groups in the community. The bilingual/bicultural education teacher must understand:

(1) the social structures of diverse cultural groups represented in the bilingual education classroom;

(2) schools as organizations within the larger community and how to communicate successfully with English learners and their parents within the larger cultural framework;

(3) how factors in the English learners' environment that include family circumstances, community status, health, and economic conditions may influence learning; and

(4) the legal issues evolving the education of English learners.

G. A bilingual/bicultural education teacher understands and facilitates content-based language instruction as a means to provide integrated learning experiences for English learners. The bilingual/bicultural education teacher must:

(1) understand the major concepts, assumptions, and processes of inquiry that are central to the academic content areas that are taught;

(2) understand the connection between language proficiency and learning subject matter content;

(3) understand the importance of building relationships with content area specialists in order to facilitate the acquisition of content knowledge by English learners; and

(4) develop and use curricula and instructional approaches that enable English learners to acquire content understandings and skills.

H. The bilingual/bicultural education teacher models correct usage of the English language. The teacher must demonstrate an advanced level of speaking proficiency as defined in the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines as established by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

I. A bilingual/bicultural education teacher understands and uses a variety of methods and materials suitable for teaching diverse bilingual education learners. The bilingual/bicultural education teacher must:

(1) understand and apply educational principles relevant to the physical, social, emotional, moral, and cognitive development of preadolescents and adolescents;

(2) understand and apply the research base for and the best practices of middle level and high school education;

(3) develop curriculum goals and purposes based on the central concepts of the bilingual/bicultural education and know how to apply instructional strategies and materials for achieving student understanding;

(4) understand the role and alignment of district, school, and department mission and goals in program planning;

(5) understand the need for and how to connect students' schooling experiences with everyday life, the workplace, and further educational opportunities;

(6) know how to involve representatives of business, industry, and community organizations as active partners in creating educational opportunities;

(7) understand the role and purpose of cocurricular and extracurricular activities in the teaching and learning process;

(8) understand how English learners construct knowledge, acquire skills, and develop proficiency in both social and academic setting;

(9) understand the importance of using multiple forms of instructional approaches to address the different learning styles, background experiences, and performance modes of English learners;

(10) know how to create, select, and adapt learning materials to meet the dual language needs of English learners in a school setting;

(11) understand the developmental progression and range of individual variation that can be expected of English learners in the context in which taught;

(12) know when and how to access appropriate services to meet exceptional learning needs beyond the scope of the bilingual education program; and

(13) apply the standards of effective practice in teaching students in kindergarten through grade 8 or in grades 5 through 12 through a variety of early and ongoing experiences within a range of educational programming models.

Subp. 5.Continuing license.

A continuing license shall be issued and renewed according to the rules of the Board of Teaching governing continuing licensure.

Subp. 6.Incorporation by reference.

For the purposes of this part, the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines published in 1986 by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, 6 Executive Plaza, Yonkers, NY 10701-6801, and subsequent editions are incorporated by reference. The guidelines are not subject to frequent change and are available from the State Law Library.

Subp. 7.Effective date.

The requirements of this part for licensure as a teacher of bilingual/bicultural education are effective on September 1, 2001, and thereafter.

Minn. R. agency 188, ch. 8710, TEACHER STANDARDS, pt. 8710.4150

23 SR 1928; L 2012 c 239 art 1s 33

Statutory Authority: MS s 122A.09; 122A.18