With more than ten percent* of Massachusetts public elementary and secondary school students classified as English Language Learners (ELL)—students who are native in another language and learning English in school—bilingual education has never been more necessary.
To help meet this pressing demand, the Office of Professional and Continuing Education at Boston College’s Lynch School of Education and Human Development launched the Bilingual Education Certificate (BEC), a professional development course series for teachers seeking Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) endorsement. Launched in 2019, the BEC program consists of three courses, offered both synchronously and asynchronously in an online format. It often takes participants about one year to complete.
The BEC program provides courses that cover topics like language development, cultural competence, and effective teaching strategies. These courses equip educators with the knowledge and skills to create an inclusive classroom environment where all students feel welcomed and supported. Led by standout faculty with expertise in English language learning and bilingual education, this program empowers them to apply their knowledge in real-world situations.
“The program is designed to orient teachers to a contemporary research and practice base that not only centers, celebrates, and uplifts the bilingualism of students, but also the bilingualism and multilingualism of the teachers,” explains C. Patrick Proctor, Ed.D., co-creator of the BEC program, professor of literacy and bilingualism, and chair of the Teaching, Curriculum, and Society Department.
A History of Bilingual Education in Massachusetts
Despite the growing need for bilingual education, it wasn’t until 2017 that Governor Charlie Baker overturned the 15-year law that banned it from most public schools. † Now, the state mandates that core academic teachers who instruct in a language other than English must be properly qualified and hold the Bilingual Education Endorsement. For schools with large dual language populations, that means that even teachers responsible only for instruction in English must still hold the endorsement. ‡
In response, Boston College—led by Proctor, one of very few researchers who studies the intersection of bilingualism and literacy—launched the Bilingual Education Certificate program.
“The program is really meant to combat the ‘English-only mentality’ that has pervaded the state for most of the century,” Proctor asserts.
First gaining a foothold in Lynn and Salem public school districts after launch in summer 2019, the program has since grown to serve six districts across the Commonwealth, including three of Massachusetts’ largest districts: Boston, Worcester, and Springfield. The partnerships are mutually beneficial—schools can’t run dual language programs without endorsed teachers. That’s where Boston College comes in.
“The program has a strong Jesuit ethos in its approach. It focuses on giving back and supporting educators comprehensively to ensure their job security while they make a significant impact on students from multilingual backgrounds,” says Ashana Hurd, assistant dean of urban outreach and professional development at the Lynch School. “We’re trying to find ways to make this information accessible and affordable for the teachers who need it.”
Amanda Campbell
Making an Impact
“When we first started the BC and Lynn partnership with BEC, it was very small,” says Amanda Campbell, interim executive director of the Multilingual Education Department in Lynn Public Schools. “Now, as the state has expanded access to bilingual education, there are a lot more teachers going through the program.” As of this fall, 108 teachers have been endorsed towards DESE’s Bilingual Education Endorsement. §
Campbell, who also went through the program as a student when it first launched, “appreciated that it was self-paced online, with checkpoints and opportunities for feedback along the way. That was really helpful for me.”
Echoes Hurd, “We've learned that educators like asynchronous content, and they really do like getting together for learning, networking, and developing community.”
The real impact happens when teachers bring this training back into their classrooms. Shares Campbell, “A lot of people talk about the economic and the neurological benefits of having dual language kids. But I think it's also important to recognize that everywhere else in the world, bilingualism and multilingualism is the norm.”
As the BEC program prepares to welcome its sixth cohort, Boston College hopes to further the mission of expanding access to bilingual education by recruiting additional district partners. District leaders and school principals who are interested in learning about how the Bilingual Education Certificate can strengthen their schools are welcome to reach out to the Office of Professional and Continuing Education to learn more.