Bachelor of Arts in Education in Multilingual and Elementary Education

Bilingual Education
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Support Students From Diverse Backgrounds

The Multilingual and Elementary Education major prepares you to lead in an increasingly interconnected world. As classrooms become more linguistically and culturally diverse, skilled educators who understand bilingualism, language acquisition, and culturally responsive teaching are in high demand.

This program gives you research‑based strategies, practical teaching experience, and a global perspective to help you support multilingual learners and advocate for educational equity in schools and communities.

Through the program, you’ll pursue either the Bilingual Education Endorsement, which qualifies you to teach in dual‑language settings, or the English Language Learners Endorsement, which prepares you to teach multilingual learners in mainstream or English Language Development classrooms. Because these are not standalone endorsements, you’ll complete both the Elementary Education Prerequisites and the Elementary Education Core Requirements as part of your degree pathway.

Alongside your elementary education coursework, you’ll explore topics essential to effective multilingual teaching, including:

  • Language structure and acquisition: understand how languages work and how students acquire them.
  • Principles of bilingual education: learn research‑based approaches to dual‑language instruction.
  • Diversity in the classroom: develop strategies for creating inclusive, culturally responsive learning environments.

A degree in Multilingual Education will open doors to meaningful and in-demand careers. Washington continues to face a statewide teacher shortage, with multilingual educators among the most urgently needed.

The Professional Educator Standards Board recognizes both bilingual and ELL endorsements as official shortage areas, creating strong career opportunities for graduates prepared to support multilingual learners.

Scholarship opportunities are also available for students who declare this major.
Questions? Contact: Dr. Gina Petrie gpetrie@ewu.edu or Dr. Miguel Novella mnovella@ewu.edu.

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Applied Learning Opportunities

  • Student Teaching: Build confidence and hone your skills by leading lessons in real classrooms.
  • Study Abroad: Travel, learn, and experience new cultures while earning credit and building communication skills that help you thrive anywhere.
  • Volunteerism: Give back to your community while gaining experience, building connections, and seeing how you can apply your classroom knowledge to make an impact in the world.
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What You'll Learn

The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.

Multilingual and Elementary Education, Bachelor of Arts in Education (BAE)

Elementary Education Program Prerequisites

Elementary Education Core
EDUC 303FOUNDATIONS OF ASSESSMENT3
EDUC 304INTRODUCTION TO ELEMENTARY READING3
EDUC 308FOUNDATIONS OF ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT3
EDUC 310LITERACY METHODS, MANAGEMENT AND ASSESSMENT IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL4
EDUC 338LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL STUDIES METHODS 1: INTEGRATED LANGUAGE ARTS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL4
EDUC 340LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL STUDIES METHODS 2: INTEGRATED SOCIAL STUDIES FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL4
EDUC 380INTEGRATED STEM METHODS 14
EDUC 381INTEGRATED STEM METHODS 24
Require Education Fieldwork Courses
EDUC 386AFIELD EXPERIENCE 12
EDUC 386BFIELD EXPERIENCE 22
EDUC 386CFIELD EXPERIENCE 35
EDUC 423FULL-TIME STUDENT TEACHING15
Multilingual Education
Linguistics Foundation
ENGL 360LANGUAGE STRUCTURE AND USE5
Required Core
ESLG 380INTRODUCTION TO TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE5
ESLG 489CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY IN THE CLASSROOM4
ESLG 492SECOND LANGUAGE LITERACY PLACEMENT AND ASSESSMENT3
ESLG 488SECOND LANGUAGE PRINT LITERACY THEORIES3
Choose ONE of the following endorsement options16
Bilingual Education Endorsement Option
PRINCIPLES OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION
PRACTICES AND ASSESSMENT FOR BILINGUAL EDUCATION
PRACTICUM: BILINGUAL EDUCATION (must be taken twice for a total of 6 credits)
Upon completion of these courses, take and pass the Washington State assessment (WEST-E) for the Bilingual Education Endorsement. Bilingual Education candidates must pass the ACTFL oral and written tests at the Advanced-Low level in the language they plan to teach (for example, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish).
Contact the Bilingual Endorsement Advisor in the HAMML Department to plan next steps and ensure a successful outcome.
ELL Endorsement Option
SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
METHODS AND MATERIALS IN ENGLISH AS A SECOND OR FOREIGN LANGUAGE
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE PRACTICUM
ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CAPSTONE
Upon completion of these courses, take and pass the Washington State assessment (WEST-E) for the English Language Learners endorsement.
Total Credits89

General Education Requirements (GER)

  • Minimum Quarter Credits—180 cumulative credit hours
    • 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
    • 45 credits in residence (attendance) at EWU, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at EWU
  • Minimum Semester Credits—120 cumulative credit hours
    • 40 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
    • 30 credits in residence (attendance) at EWU, with at least 10 upper-division credits in major in residence at EWU
  • Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0

University Competencies and Proficiencies

Writing 
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning 

Placement and Clearance 
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB

Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)

Humanities and Arts 
Natural Sciences 
Social Sciences

University Graduation Requirements (UGR)

Diversity Course List
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List 
World Language (for Bachelor of Arts)

Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term expected to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).

Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.

  1. The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Core Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
  2. The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.

Students who earn a BAE in Multilingual and Elementary Education from EWU should be able to:​​

  • analyze and explain the interrelationships among language, culture, identity, and learning, and demonstrate cultural humility by identifying how assumptions and cultural differences affect learning environments;
  • apply research and theories from second language acquisition, applied linguistics, literacy development, and discourse analysis to create effective and inclusive language learning environments for multilingual learners;
  • design developmentally appropriate, standards-aligned multilingual lesson plans and assessments that are responsive to students’ cultural backgrounds, home languages, first and second language literacies, prior educational experiences, ages, and community contexts;
  • implement and evaluate bilingual instructional strategies and assessment tools that support the linguistic and academic development of multilingual learners;
  • demonstrate ongoing engagement in their own additional language development and reflective professional practice to continuously improve their effectiveness as multilingual educators.

Sample Courses

ESLG 471. TEACHING ENGLISH ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES. 3 Credits.

Pre-requisites: junior standing.
Prepares students to teach English Language Learners in U.S. P-12 classrooms with the theory, tools, and strategies needed to plan and implement effective instruction that takes into account the language of the discipline area. Students focus on two areas (Language Arts, Social Studies, Sciences, and Math) exploring with educational linguistics.

Catalog Listing

GNML 392. PRACTICES AND ASSESSMENT FOR BILINGUAL EDUCATION. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: GNML 391; concurrent enrollment with GNML 393.
Designed to outline some of the foundational elements of effective and successful bilingual schools. Covers related to assessment and the measurement of bilingualism. The final goal is to be able to develop lessons and teaching practices. On becoming a teacher, learn ways of keeping knowledge of research and practices current and up-to-date throughout a teaching career.

Catalog Listing

ESLG 488. SECOND LANGUAGE PRINT LITERACY THEORIES. 3 Credits.

Pre-requisites: ESLG 480 and ESLG 481.
Examines current and seminal research that provides insight into the factors affecting the development of literacy by second language learners. Topics covered include prior literacy backgrounds, home-school connections, orthographies, and vocabulary development.

Catalog Listing

ESLG 489. CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY IN THE CLASSROOM. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: ENGL 201.
Provides an introduction to the various cultural and linguistic backgrounds in the region. Covers the impact of background cultures on the interactions that occur and expectations that exist in school environments. Provides an understanding of the role of culture in developing theories about what it means 'to read'.

Catalog Listing

Careers in Multilingual Education

A degree in Multilingual and Elementary Education prepares you for various career possibilities.

Multilingual Classroom Teacher

Educational Interpreter

Multilingual Curriculum Developer

Education Administrator for Multilingual Programs

Outreach Coordinator for Multilingual Communities

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