 |
PLEASE NOTE:
All applicants must be able to show proof that they are authorized to work within the United States in order to be considered for a position.
ROCKFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS NOT SPONSORING TEACHERS AT THIS TIME.
ARE YOU ALREADY A TEACHER BUT WANT TO TEACH IN A BILINGUAL CLASSROOM?
Approval as a bilingual or ESL teacher may be obtained by making application through the office of Regional Superintendent of Schools ISBE Form 73-49, Request for Approval as a Bilingual or ESL Teacher. A Statement of approval will be issued to individuals meeting the following requirements:
- Possess a valid regular teacher certificate from Illinois (Type 03, 04, or 09)
- Completion of 18 semester hours of credit distributed among five areas. These five areas are addressed at the Illinois Resource Center in the form of 5 core courses and 1 elective
Core Courses
Foundations in Language Minority EducationAssessment of Language Minority StudentsMethods and Materials for Teaching Bilingual Students (only for bilingual approval)Methods and Materials for Teaching English as a Second LanguageCross-Cultural EducationIntroduction to Linguistics (only for ESL approval)
Elective Courses(offered only through the Illinois Resource Center)
Cooperative Learning: Strategies for Instructional Interaction between Language Minority and Language Majority StudentsBilingualism and Reading: Linguistic ConsiderationsTechnology Instruction for Linguistically and Culturally Diverse StudentsThe Multidimensional Learning WebUsing Multicultural Children's Literature for an Anti-bias CurriculumAssessment of Monolingual and Limited English Proficient Children with DisabilitiesInstructional Methods for Students with Learning DisabilitiesTheoretical Foundations of BilingualCurriculum and Behavioral Considerations for LEP Learners
If you hold a certificate other than the Type 29, you can also take the Language Proficiency Exam if you speak a foreign language; however, the district has a need for Bilingual Spanish teachers only. Upon passing the test you can apply for the Transitional Bilingual Certificate which will allow you to teach for eight years while you work on fulfilling the requirements for the bilingual endorsement (5 core courses and 1 elective - listed above). Please see next column for information on test. |
|
How To Become a Bilingual Teacher
|
If you are bilingual and hold a bachelor's degree, you may be able to work as a teacher for the Rockford Public Schools.
A special certificate is available in Illinois which allows bilingual persons with bachelor's degrees to teach transitional bilingual classrooms. The Transitional Bilingual Certificate, also known as a Type 29, exists because there is a shortage of bilingual teachers throughout the state.
In order to acquire the Transitional Bilingual Certificate, an individual must pass a Language Proficiency Exam. Once the test is passed, the state will issue the Type 29 certificate.
This certificate is temporary and only issued once to the certificate holder. It is valid for six years of teaching, with a possible two year extension, for a total of eight years.
It is the intention of the state that certificate holders continue their education so they may acquire a regular teaching certificate. Holders are expected to take course work that will lead to certification during the six years allowed by the certificate. Should the certificate holder not complete the requirements for certification within the six years, but can prove to the state that enough coursework has been taken, the state will grant the certificate holder an additional two years to complete certification requirements.
If a certificate holder cannot prove to the state that he or she has been taking courses leading to a regular teaching certificate, an extension will not be granted. The Type 29 certificate will be cancelled and revoked. The certificate holder will not be allowed to continue teaching until a new certificate has been received. As already stated, this certificate is only available once and cannot be reissued.
TAKING THE TEST
Registration for the Language Proficiency Exam is to be done through the Illinois Certification Testing System (ICTS).
Options for registration for the LPE:
1. INTERNET: Available 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. Internet registrations must be completed by 5:00 p.m. Central Time on registration deadlines to be eligible for that registration period. Regular, late, and emergency registration are all available online.
|
| Illinois Certification Testing System |
(click on the link for internet registration)
2. MAIL: Registration forms must be postmarked by the regular registration deadline. Forms postmarked after this date must include a $30 late fee. Contact the Regional Office of Education at (815) 636-3060 for more information. Only regular and late registration are available by mail.
3. TELEPHONE: Open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Emergency registration is available by phone.
TEST AVAILABILITY
There are three Language Proficiency Exams available. The languages spoken by the applicant and the country in which he or she completed his or her higher education will determine what exam to take.
1. ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: Available to those persons who have completed an undergraduate degree outside of the United States of America.
2. TARGET LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY-SPANISH: Available to those persons who speak Spanish as a second language and have completed their undergraduate degree within the United States of America.
3. TLP-TARGET LANGUAGES OTHER THAN SPANISH: Available to those persons who speak a second language other than Spanish and completed their undergraduate degree within the United States of America.
STUDY GUIDES FOR LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY EXAMS
Target Language Proficiency-Spanish (Field 056)
|
| general program information |
| field-specific information |
English Language Proficiency (Field 055)
|
| general program information |
| field-specific information |
TEST FEES
> Registration Processing Fee $26 (Non-refundable)
> Language Proficiency Tests $60
> Late Registration Fee $30
> Emergency Registration Fee $90
> Change of Registration Fee $15
REGISTRATION DEADLINES
Feb. 28, 2009
Regular Registration 1/16/09
Late Registration 2/6/09
Emergency Registration by Internet 2/6/09 - 2/24/09
Emergency Registration by Phone 2/9/09 - 2/24/09
April 25, 2009
Regular Registration 3/13/09
Late Registration 4/3/09
Emergency Registration by Internet 4/3/09 - 4/21/09
Emergency Registration by Phone 4/6/09 - 4/21/09
June 6, 2009
Regular Registration 4/24/09
Late Registration 5/15/09
Emergency Registration by Internet 5/15/09 - 6/2/09
Emergency Registration by Phone 5/18/09 - 6/2/09
See Illinois Certification Testing System website for specifics and updated information.
PLEASE NOTE:
PERSONS WHO HAVE COMPLETED A DEGREE IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A CREDENTIAL EVALUATION.
|
| Persons Holding Foreign Credentials |
If you completed your degree in a foreign country, please click on the link above for more information before continuing on this page.
_____________________________________________
ONCE THE TEST HAS BEEN PASSED
Upon passing the test:
1. Apply for the Transitional Bilingual Teaching Certificate at Boone/Winnebago Counties Regional Office of Education located at 300 Heart Boulevard, Loves Park, IL 61111, (815)636-3060. Contact by telephone to find out what other documents may be required.
2. Request a copy of the completed certificate application and save it for your records.
3. Contact the Recruiter at the Rockford Public Schools to indicate you have applied for your teaching certificate and are ready to discuss available positions.
Contact Information:
Rockford Public Schools
201 S. Madison St.
Rockford, IL 61104
Phone: 815-966-3046
Fax: 815-966-3057
|
| romeror@rps205.com |
|
