Multilingual and Elementary Education, Bachelor of Arts in Education (BAE)
As multilingual learners now comprise more than 15 percent of the K–12 student population—representing over 250 languages—and dual language programs continue to expand rapidly (154 programs as of 2026), the state faces a significant shortage of qualified bilingual and ESL teachers, creating strong opportunities for employment and career advancement. In line with state goals to expand dual-language access for all students by 2040, this program prepares candidates with the knowledge, skills, and cultural competence to teach in bilingual, dual-language, and ESL settings. Graduates are prepared to support diverse learners through effective, inclusive, and linguistically responsive instruction.
The program emphasizes recruitment of diverse candidates, including multilingual individuals and transfer students, to strengthen the educator workforce and better reflect the communities served. Through integrated coursework and field experiences, candidates develop expertise to support multilingual learners in elementary classrooms across Washington State.
Scholarships and stipends are available to teacher candidates enrolled in the program.
Students need to meet with an adviser of their track, Bilingual Education or English Language Learner, to create a comprehensive Program Plan as soon as the major has been declared.
Admission: This Program requires admission into the School of Education. Admission to the Education Program
Grade Requirements: A grade ≥B- is required for each required course in the Multilingual Education major. Education Grade Requirements
| Elementary Education Core | ||
| EDUC 303 | FOUNDATIONS OF ASSESSMENT | 3 |
| EDUC 304 | INTRODUCTION TO ELEMENTARY READING | 3 |
| EDUC 308 | FOUNDATIONS OF ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT | 3 |
| EDUC 310 | LITERACY METHODS, MANAGEMENT AND ASSESSMENT IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | 4 |
| EDUC 338 | LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL STUDIES METHODS 1: INTEGRATED LANGUAGE ARTS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | 4 |
| EDUC 340 | LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL STUDIES METHODS 2: INTEGRATED SOCIAL STUDIES FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | 4 |
| EDUC 380 | INTEGRATED STEM METHODS 1 | 4 |
| EDUC 381 | INTEGRATED STEM METHODS 2 | 4 |
| Require Education Fieldwork Courses | ||
| EDUC 386A | FIELD EXPERIENCE 1 | 2 |
| EDUC 386B | FIELD EXPERIENCE 2 | 2 |
| EDUC 386C | FIELD EXPERIENCE 3 | 5 |
| EDUC 423 | FULL-TIME STUDENT TEACHING | 15 |
| Multilingual Education | ||
| Linguistics Foundation | ||
| ENGL 360 | LANGUAGE STRUCTURE AND USE | 5 |
| Required Core | ||
| ESLG 380 | INTRODUCTION TO TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE | 5 |
| ESLG 489 | CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY IN THE CLASSROOM | 4 |
| ESLG 492 | SECOND LANGUAGE LITERACY PLACEMENT AND ASSESSMENT | 3 |
| ESLG 488 | SECOND LANGUAGE PRINT LITERACY THEORIES | 3 |
| Choose ONE of the following endorsement options | 16 | |
| 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 Credits | 89 | |
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.
- 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).
- 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.