Early Childhood Education Specialization in Dual Language Learning

Estimated Program Completers at the end of the second year: 40 students 

Estimated Program Completers at the end of the fifth year: 100 students 

Program Objectives:  

 
- Bilingual Proficiency: Students will focus on developing fluency in both English and a second language, enabling them to effectively communicate with bilingual children and their families. 

- Cultural Competence: Students will acquire the skills and knowledge needed to work with diverse cultures and communities, promoting inclusivity and understanding within early childhood settings. 

- Effective Communication: Students will emphasize effective communication strategies, including active listening and clear articulation, enabling students to engage effectively with children, parents, and other professionals in the field. 

- Curriculum Development: Students will learn how to develop bilingual curricula that promote language acquisition, literacy development, and cultural appreciation, enhancing the learning experiences of young children in bilingual settings. 

-Family and Community Engagement: Students will gain knowledge in creating strong partnerships with parents, offering resources, workshops, and opportunities for them to actively participate in their child's bilingual journey. As well as knowledge in collaboration with community organizations and linguistic/cultural experts to enrich the program and provide authentic learning experiences 

- Early Childhood Instruction: Students will develop knowledge and competencies to plan and implement developmentally appropriate bilingual instruction, fostering children's cognitive, social, and emotional growth. 

Upon completion of this program, students will be well-prepared for specific occupations in the field of early childhood education, including: 

- Dual Language Preschool Teacher 

- Dual-Language TK/Kindergarten Teacher (Credential Needed) 

- Dual Language Early Intervention Specialist 

- Dual Language Family Support Specialist 

- Dual Language Curriculum Coordinator 

-Family and Community Engagement  

Dual Language knowledge is of utmost importance in our diverse community as it serves as a bridge that promotes inclusivity and fosters a sense of belonging among students from various cultural and linguistic backgrounds. These programs provide a unique opportunity for early education teachers to foster fluency in multiple languages, enabling children and families to communicate and connect with their social support network. This program is an enhancement to what the CFES department currently offers, but providing more language equity to participants who will then share this with children and families in the community. This program contains an additional course, CH DEV 14, which counts as an elective for our degree programming.  

This program brings together teachers from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds, ultimately preparing them to teach in an increasingly globalized world. Furthermore, bilingual programs support cross-cultural understanding, break down barriers, and create a more cohesive and harmonious community that values and celebrates its diversity. 

As of now, there are no related programs in the local area specifically focused on a bilingual certification program. This new program aims to fulfill a need that existing programs do not by providing specialized training and certification in bilingual education for early childhood teachers.  

The introduction of this program is not likely to create significant enrollment changes, but will accommodate an overflow of students interested in pursuing a career in early childhood bilingual education. It may also attract a different type of student who is specifically interested in bilingual pedagogy. 

Core Courses:  

CH DEV1 - 65 per year – 2275 students 

CH DEV 2 - 20 per year – 800 students 

CH DEV 11 - 20 per year – 800 students 

CH DEV 14 – 2 per year (when unarchived) – 40 per year 

CH DEV 15 – 2 per year (when unarchived) – 40 per year

CH DEV 40 – 2 per year (when created) – 40 per year 

CH DEV 42 – 9 per year – 360 students 

Spanish 1 – 10 per year – 250 students 

Spanish 2 – 3 per year – 36 per year 

Spanish 35 –10 sections per year – 280 students  

Spanish 36 – 2 per year – 50 students 

ASL 1 – 14 per year - 205 students 

ASL 2 – 4 per year – 141 students 

Chinese 1 – 6 per year – 122 per year 

Chinese 2 – 2 per year – 45 students 

Japanese 1 – 8 per year – 224 students 

Japanese 2 – 4 per year – 60 students  

French 1 – 6 per year – 134 students 

French 2 – 2 per year – 28 students