Elementary School Bilingual Teaching Credential
Multiple Subject Preliminary Teaching Credential (Online & Face to Face Programs)
We prepare the next generation of in-demand, bilingual teachers for K-6 elementary school classrooms. The credential authorizes the holder to teach in any self-contained bilingual Spanish, Arabic*, Japanese*, Mandarin*, Filipino* or regular classroom in which one teacher is responsible for all the subjects commonly taught. In addition, it authorizes the teacher to provide instruction in the primary language.
*depending on the size of the language cohort and the availability of instructors.
What Makes Our Program Unique
- Strong sense of community formed with and by individuals who represent a wide range of experiences and perspectives and brought together with a unifying commitment to dual language education, diversity, and improving educational outcomes for all students.
- Highly personalized and individualized support throughout the entire credential program.
- Weekly seminar class designed to support teacher candidates as they progress through student teaching.
- Student teaching assignments with experienced dual language classroom teachers.
Program Structure and Courses
The multiple subject credential program is designed to be completed in two semesters/one academic school year.
- 3 & 4-Semester Options: Part-time programs are available for students choosing or needing additional time, offered in 3- and 4-semester formats.
- Fall Start: Teacher candidates typically begin the credential program in the Fall of the academic school year.
- Cohort Model: Teacher candidates stay with the same cohort of students with whom they start the program. This may vary slightly if a student chooses the 3- or 4-semester credential program.
- Non-bilingual teacher candidates form the Dual Language Partner Cohort.
- Afternoon/Evening Schedule: All DLE courses are scheduled in the afternoon/evening to facilitate and support student teaching during the day.
Course Sequence
This course sequence is the same for both face-to-face (in-person) and online programs.
2-Semester Course Sequence
Semester 1 (Fall)
Major theories of learning and cognition as applied to bilingual students and their relation to child development, first and second language acquisition, and approaches to teaching in bilingual classroom.
Assessing language proficiency; selecting, designing, and evaluating learning experiences to develop biliteracy in K-6 classrooms in English language arts and language of emphasis (Arabic, Mandarin, or Spanish). Taught bilingually in language of emphasis and English.
Teaching practices to include democratic processes for classroom management in bilingual classrooms. Classroom teaching, classroom discipline, and curriculum management. Social-cultural and political contexts of teaching to include overview of teacher performance assessment tasks.
DLE 954 and DLE 961 go hand in hand. DLE 961 is the course number assigned to student teaching, and DLE 954 is the seminar class designed to support teacher candidates who have begun student teaching.
Field experience at two grade levels in a multicultural setting and a bilingual elementary classroom; student teacher assumes responsibility for planning and instruction for specified time to comply with State requirements.
Tasks required for performance assessment teaching event: context of learning, planning instruction and assessment, instructing students and supporting learning, assessing student learning, and reflecting on teaching and learning.
Study abroad in Education. DLE 450 is currently designed as a 4-day, Trans-Border Experience. This experience may vary from year to year, but includes opportunities to visit schools in Tijuana, Tecate and/or Ensenada to gain a wide-lens understanding of Mexico’s educational system from the primary grades through the university level, visit emerging dual language programs, and participate in local social justice efforts.
Semester 2 (Fall)
Conceptual approaches for teaching bilingual social studies curriculum, incorporating sociocultural characteristics of multicultural community, social concepts, and community social issues.
Strategies for development of process skills and concept acquisition. Methodology for teaching activity-oriented science class bilingually.
Teaching reading in English, including methods, strategies, assessment, materials, and techniques of transition for implementing reading programs in the bilingual classroom.
Field experience in a multicultural setting or a bilingual elementary classroom. Student must provide own transportation to student teaching site.
DLE 962 and DLE 960 go hand in hand. DLE 962 is the course number assigned to student teaching, and DLE 960 is the seminar class designed to support teacher candidates who are completing their second semester of student teaching.
Tasks required for performance assessment teaching event: context of learning, planning instruction and assessment, instructing students and supporting learning, assessing student learning, and reflecting on teaching and learning.
3-Semester Option
Semester 1 (Spring)
Conceptual approaches for teaching bilingual social studies curriculum, incorporating sociocultural characteristics of multicultural community, social concepts, and community social issues.
Strategies for development of process skills and concept acquisition. Methodology for teaching activity-oriented science class bilingually.
Teaching strategies in content specific fields from second language acquisition perspective taken concurrently with student teaching or practicum.
If not already taken. Bilingual partners do not take this course.
Oral, written, and communicative competencies in Spanish through practical experiences and study of sociopolitical and sociocultural contexts impacting bilingual learners in culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Required if not already taken.
Pedagogical and programmatic practices for addressing linguistic and academic needs of multilingual learners. Historical and theoretical foundations of bilingual education as related to bilingual and dual language programs to include instruction, curriculum, and assessment.
Semester 2 (Fall)
Underlying learning theories for teaching mathematical concepts, computation, and problem-solving skills to bilingual students.
Major theories of learning and cognition as applied to bilingual students and their relation to child development, first and second language acquisition, and approaches to teaching in bilingual classroom.
Assessing language proficiency; selecting, designing, and evaluating learning experiences to develop biliteracy in K-6 classrooms in English language arts and language of emphasis (Arabic, Mandarin, or Spanish). Taught bilingually in language of emphasis and English.
Teaching practices to include democratic processes for classroom management in bilingual classrooms. Classroom teaching, classroom discipline, and curriculum management. Social-cultural and political contexts of teaching to include overview of teacher performance assessment tasks.
DLE 954 and DLE 961 go hand in hand. DLE 961 is the course number assigned to student teaching, and DLE 954 is the seminar class designed to support teacher candidates who have begun student teaching.
Field experience at two grade levels in a multicultural setting and a bilingual elementary classroom; student teacher assumes responsibility for planning and instruction for specified time to comply with State requirements.
Study abroad in Education. DLE 450 is currently designed as a 4-day, Trans-Border Experience. This experience may vary from year to year, but includes opportunities to visit schools in Tijuana, Tecate and/or Ensenada to gain a wide-lens understanding of Mexico’s educational system from the primary grades through the university level, visit emerging dual language programs, and participate in local social justice efforts.
Tasks required for performance assessment teaching event: context of learning, planning instruction and assessment, instructing students and supporting learning, assessing student learning, and reflecting on teaching and learning.
Semester 3 (Spring)
Teaching reading in English, including methods, strategies, assessment, materials, and techniques of transition for implementing reading programs in the bilingual classroom.
Lesson planning and organizing instruction for equity and access for bilingual elementary and secondary classrooms. Maximum credit eight units.
Field experience in a multicultural setting or a bilingual elementary classroom. Student must provide own transportation to student teaching site.
DLE 962 and DLE 960 go hand in hand. DLE 962 is the course number assigned to student teaching, and DLE 960 is the seminar class designed to support teacher candidates who are completing their second semester of student teaching.
Tasks required for performance assessment teaching event: context of learning, planning instruction and assessment, instructing students and supporting learning, assessing student learning, and reflecting on teaching and learning.
4-Semester Option
Semester 1 (Fall)
Teaching strategies in content specific fields from second language acquisition perspective taken concurrently with student teaching or practicum.
Semester 2 (Spring)
Conceptual approaches for teaching bilingual social studies curriculum, incorporating sociocultural characteristics of multicultural community, social concepts, and community social issues.
Semester 3 (Fall)
Underlying learning theories for teaching mathematical concepts, computation, and problem-solving skills to bilingual students.
Teaching practices to include democratic processes for classroom management in bilingual classrooms. Classroom teaching, classroom discipline, and curriculum management. Social-cultural and political contexts of teaching to include overview of teacher performance assessment tasks.
DLE 954 and DLE 961 go hand in hand. DLE 961 is the course number assigned to student teaching, and DLE 954 is the seminar class designed to support teacher candidates who have begun student teaching.
Field experience at two grade levels in a multicultural setting and a bilingual elementary classroom; student teacher assumes responsibility for planning and instruction for specified time to comply with State requirements.
Tasks required for performance assessment teaching event: context of learning, planning instruction and assessment, instructing students and supporting learning, assessing student learning, and reflecting on teaching and learning.
Study abroad in Education. DLE 450 is currently designed as a 4-day, Trans-Border Experience. This experience may vary from year to year, but includes opportunities to visit schools in Tijuana, Tecate and/or Ensenada to gain a wide-lens understanding of Mexico’s educational system from the primary grades through the university level, visit emerging dual language programs, and participate in local social justice efforts.
Semester 4 (Spring)
Lesson planning and organizing instruction for equity and access for bilingual elementary and secondary classrooms.
Field experience in a multicultural setting or a bilingual elementary classroom. Student must provide own transportation to student teaching site.
DLE 962 and DLE 960 go hand in hand. DLE 962 is the course number assigned to student teaching, and DLE 960 is the seminar class designed to support teacher candidates who are completing their second semester of student teaching.
Tasks required for performance assessment teaching event: context of learning, planning instruction and assessment, instructing students and supporting learning, assessing student learning, and reflecting on teaching and learning.
Learning Outcomes
The goals of our program include:
- Prepare teachers to effectively serve students who come to school with a language other than English.
- Prepare teachers who are equipped to facilitate the learning process for students to become bilingual, biliterate/bi-cognitive, and multicultural.
- Prepare the Dual Language Partners to become an essential component of a dual language program.
- Support educators at all levels in creating multicultural democratic practices and in bringing bicultural voices to the center of classroom discourse.
To achieve these goals, learning outcomes addressed throughout the course of study include:
- Teacher candidates develop as reflective professional educators willing to critically examine their beliefs, instructional practices, and are open to inquiry.
- Teacher candidates effectively articulate a research and evidence based Personal Philosophy of Teaching and Learning.
- Teacher candidates learn how to create and maintain inclusive learning environments and respond effectively to a diverse student population based on the principles of Universal Design for Learning.
- Teacher candidates develop an understanding of and skill with implementing an effective instructional cycle: Plan, Teach, Assess, Reflect.
- Teacher candidates develop an understanding of and skill with implementing a range of assessment practices and use assessment information to inform their instructional decisions.
- Teacher Candidates design a professional portfolio that reflects their personal philosophy, goals, and accomplishments as a novice teacher.
- Teacher candidates develop a personal Individual Development Induction Plan (as required by CTC) that summarizes professional goals for their first year of teaching.
- Teacher candidates will gain experience on how to implement the Common Core, Next Generation Science standards, and state standards.
Student Teaching
Student teaching is designed to meet all Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) requirements which include a minimum of 600 hours of clinical practice. DLE student teaching hours exceed the CTC minimum requirement. Teacher candidates may begin required coursework for the credential program, but student teaching begins only after successfully passing all CSET exams.
About Student Teaching
Every teacher candidate is assigned both a Guide Teacher at their assigned school for student teaching and a University Supervisor who coaches, mentors, and assesses the teacher candidate's progress over time in meeting the CTC required Teacher Performance Expectations.
The student teaching experience follows a progression over time from initially observing, assisting, and then taking on increasing responsibility for instruction with all subject matter across the day.
Starting Student Teaching
- Face-to-Face Program Students: Begin their student teaching within the first two weeks of SDSU’s academic school year. Engage in student teaching Monday – Thursday.
- Online Program Students: First semester field experience while in their classified placements with observations at a dual language school. Begin their student teaching during second semester. Engage in student teaching throughout the week during second semester for those who have a classified position.
School Placement
Student teaching placements are arranged and assigned by the Multiple Subject Bilingual Program Coordinators.
- Every effort is made to secure a student teaching placement within the geographical vicinity of the teacher candidate’s home residence in order to minimize driving time and expenditures.
- Online teacher candidates could have a placement at their school of employment or nearby.
- Multiple Subject Teacher Candidates usually stay at one school for the entire academic school year.
- Face-to-Face: Grade level assignments are changed at the beginning of each semester to ensure for student teaching experience in both a primary grade (K-2) and an upper grade (3-5).
- Online: Student teacher assignments are in the same classroom for one semester.
Next Steps
Interested in a preliminary credential program?
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SDSU Resources for Future Students
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