OVERVIEW
Designed for Teachers Seeking ELL or ESL Endorsement to Change the Lives of Diverse Learners
Are you a licensed teacher who is interested in helping English language learners succeed in the classroom? If so, this online endorsement program for ELL and ESL certification is your direct path to becoming a critical asset at your school and throughout your community. You'll graduate with the certification, content knowledge, teaching skills, cultural background, and field experience you'll need to become an in-demand ELL/ESL teacher.
In this ELL or ESL endorsement program, you will:
- Gain a valuable education endorsement and become highly qualified in ELL or ESL
- Expand your career opportunities through certification
- Earn re-licensure points
- Possibly become eligible for lane changes leading to increased salary
This program is nationally recognized by the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) International Association.
Note: The specific grade levels you will be eligible to teach depend on your state’s licenses and certificate programs. This program is for licensed teachers who want to teach non-native English speaking students. This is NOT a program for individuals to learn English.
English Language Learning (ELL) vs English as a Second Language (ESL)
ELL and ESL are not interchangable terms, but this endorsement program prepares teachers for either ELL or ESL certification depending on their state requirements. English as a Second Language (ESL) refers to any student who is learning English as their dedicated second language. English Language Learning (ELL) can be referring to students growing in their English proficiency, even if it is their first language. Many states offer licensure options for both types of English learning, and this endorsement prepares current teachers for either license option in their state.
What is an Endorsement Program?
An endorsement program is a pathway for teachers to gain additional qualifications in a certain subject area or grade level, allowing them to "endorse" their teaching abilities in that particular field through coursework and demonstrating proficiency. Endorsement programs can be in a specialization such as certain science focus areas, ESL/ELL, or gifted education, and is typically added to an existing teaching license. Endorsements can also add grade level options to your license, such as secondary or middle grades. Endorsements at WGU are for individuals who already have a teaching bachelor's degree and are a licensed teacher, or for those who are currently going through a WGU bachelor's degree program in education.
Most students will complete this program in a minimum of
12 Months*
WGU lets you move more quickly through material you already know and advance as soon as you're ready. The result: You may finish faster.
*WGU Internal Data
Tuition per six-month term is
$4,125
Tuition charged per term—rather than per credit—helps you control the ultimate cost of your degree. Finish faster, pay less!
Educator renewal points
Yes
Pursuing an endorsement program will count towards re-licensure points to keep your teaching license up-to-date. Endorsements then become part of your license and will need to be renewed. The details will depend on your specific state.
Not Sure If You Need a Teaching License?
If you aren't sure which program is right for you, or if you'll require a teaching license, you can learn more about licensure and if it's needed for your career goals.
COURSES
English Language Learning Courses
Curriculum designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to support the unique needs of ELL students.
Program consists of 9 courses
At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff.
This online endorsement preparation program prepares licensed teachers to gain the additional certification and licensure required to teach in ELL or ESL settings and to develop significant skills in curriculum development, design, and evaluation.
This program is made up of the following courses, which you will typically complete one at a time as you make your way through your program, working with your Program Mentor each term to build your personalized Degree Plan.
You’ll work through each course as quickly as you can study and learn the material. As soon as you’re ready, you’ll pass the assessment, complete the course, and move on. This means that you can finish as many courses as you're able in a term at no additional cost.
9 Courses
Program consists of 9 courses
At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff.
Field Experience
Special requirements for this program
In addition to your online courses, you are required to complete a minimum of 15 hours of video observations at both the elementary and secondary levels. Additionally, a supervised face-to-face teaching experience with English language learners is required. (Minimum times vary by state.)
“WGU was fantastic for me. Mentors and teachers had one goal: to launch me forward through any challenge OR obstacle. I loved their 'can do' attitude, it was contagious.”
—Kassie Ann
Endorsement Program, English Language Learning
PreK Information
- Anyone who wants to teach PreK through 12th grade can join the ELL endorsement program
- Completing the program may qualify you for a K-12 endorsement (certification) in English Language Learners (ELL) or English as a Second Language (ESL)—but not specifically for PreK.
- If your state offers an ELL endorsement and you want it, you must do your required classroom experience (practicum) in K-12, not in a PreK classroom.
- Each state has different requirements for getting endorsed (certified) in ELL/ESL, so students should look up their state’s specific rules to make sure this program meets them.
Endorsement or Master's Degree
Should you pursue a master’s degree or an endorsement program? Educators who want to expand their ability to teach certain grades or subjects may consider either a master’s degree or an endorsement program. Individuals should research their state to understand how an endorsement vs. a master’s degree will impact. Here are some important points about choosing one or the other.
Endorsement Programs
- Shorter program overall, with fewer courses and often a lower cost than a master’s degree.
Adds a credential to your teaching license allowing you to teach another grade level or subject area.
Only for currently licensed teachers. An endorsement program does not give you initial eligibility to teach.
Counts toward renewal points for current teachers.
Is valuable to school districts and can look great on your résumé, helping you land a job.
Master's Programs
- More in-depth knowledge in a subject area with more courses, and a higher cost overall.
Can also add subject areas or grades to your teaching license but they can be unrelated to your current license.
Master’s programs available for individuals who need an initial license to become eligible to teach in a classroom.
Counts toward renewal points for current teachers.
Is valuable to school districts and can look great on your résumé, helping you land a job.
Why WGU?
You Aren't On Your Own
WGU has Program Mentors who work with you from the day you start, all the way through graduation. They help you chart your courses, answer your questions, and ensure you can go through your program. You're not alone when you choose an online program at WGU.
Flexibility You Need
Students choose WGU for their online degree program because of its flexibility. Whether you already have a full-time job, have responsibilities as a parent, or just have a busy schedule, WGU can work for you.
Strong Alumni Network
When you enroll in the ESL endorsement program at WGU, you join an impressive network of education professionals. Over 19,000 students graduated from the School of Education in 2024 alone, taking their skills and impacting the educational system all around the United States.
Accredited, Respected,
Recognized™
One important measure of a degree’s value is the reputation of the university where it was earned. When employers, industry leaders, and academic experts hold your alma mater in high esteem, you reap the benefits of that respect. WGU is a pioneer in reinventing higher education for the 21st century, and our quality has been recognized.
COST & TIME
When We Say Affordable We Mean It
By charging per six-month term rather than per credit—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their endorsements. The faster you complete your program, the less you pay.
An Endorsement Is Within Reach
There is help available to make paying for school possible for you:
The average student loan debt of WGU graduates in 2023 (among those who borrowed) was about half* the national average.
Most WGU students qualify for financial aid, and WGU is approved for federal financial aid and U.S. veterans benefits.
Payment plans help students pay for their program on a monthly basis rather than all at once.
*WGU undergraduate students have approximately half the debt at graduation compared to the national average, according to the Institute for College Access and Success (2023).
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
A Different Way to Learn: Endorsement Programs Designed to Fit Your Life—and All the Demands on Your Time
No rigid class schedules. Just a solid, career-focused teaching program that meshes with your current lifestyle. You'll be challenged. You'll work hard. But if you commit yourself and put in the hours needed, WGU makes it possible for you to earn a highly respected degree as a busy working adult.
WGU's ELL endorsement program is designed for licensed teachers who want to add an endorsement to their license qualifying them to teach English-language learners in pre-K through 12th-grade settings.
This program is specifically designed for working adult students, so you can honor your current work and family responsibilities while completing your coursework.
CAREER OUTLOOK
In this ESL Program You'll be Prepared to Help English Learners Thrive in the Classroom
Instilling students with the confidence to learn and achieve is one of the greatest perks of teaching. Providing that kind of support and guidance for students with the added challenge of trying to learn in a foreign language can be even more satisfying. As an ELL teacher, you will change lives.
Some 5 million American students speak a language other than English in their homes. For these students, the language barriers they face can stand in the way of their ability to learn and succeed in the classroom—but they don’t have to. Choose to inspire, empower, and enable those students to achieve their goals. This program is for:
- Licensed teachers with bachelor’s degrees who are interested in ELL or ESL certification.
- District instructional personnel and curricula leaders.
- "Emergency credentialed" ELL or ESL teachers who need a certificate program to be considered highly qualified.
Where you can teach:
- Private schools
- Public schools
- Charter schools
- K-12 classrooms
25%
At least one in four schools with vacancies in ESL, foreign languages, or special education have found them very difficult or impossible to fill.
—National Center for Education Statistics
ADMISSIONS
Endorsement Program in ESL/ELL Admission Requirements
If you enroll in a program that also includes a special endorsement and you plan to eventually apply for the endorsement, the following is required of you:
- A copy of a valid teaching license.
- Official transcripts that demonstrate you have earned a bachelor’s degree from a recognized accredited university.
An Enrollment Counselor will instruct you as to when and how to submit your teaching license prior to starting your program.
Transfer Credits
Get Your Enrollment Checklist
Download your step-by-step guide to enrollment.
Get Your Questions Answered
Talk to a WGU Enrollment Counselor.
More About the English Language Learning Endorsement
- More About This Program
An endorsement in ELL can help increase your marketability and stability in a teaching career. In many states a teacher shortage is continuing to make education professionals valuable, and educators who have ELL training can take on additional courses and may see higher pay as a result.
Earning an ELL certificate can prepare you for many careers, including:
- Teaching in an ELL environment
- Consulting on ELL classrooms and strategies
- Curriculum design
Each state has unique requirements for becoming ESL certified, so you'll need to see what your state board of education requirements are. An ESL endorsement program is an important first step in most states. Other steps may include a background check, exam, and licensing application.
An ESL endorsement program typically takes from one to two years, depending on the program. The WGU ESL endorsement program is completed on average in just twelve months. This is because students can accelerate coursework and move at their pace.
The best ESL certification will depend on what your career goals are. Some of the most popular include:
- TEFL
- TESOL
- CELTA
- ESL
- EFL
- DELTA
In most states you will not be eligible to become a teacher without a teaching degree and license. Some teachers are able to teach in ESL classrooms without specific certification on their path to becoming licensed, but they will need a degree to be a licensed teacher.
Ready to Start?
