Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies

Teaching Multilingual Students: English as an Additional Language

Questions? Contact us at gcesinfo@ualbert.ca. 

The primary focus of the Graduate Certificate in Educational Studies - Teaching Multilingual Students: English as an Additional Language, is to challenge practicing educators to think more deeply about multilingualism and equitable practices. In doing so, it will prepare educators to be leaders in their schools advocating for rich programming for multilingual students in all subject areas. The aim is to have educators create inclusive programming where students’ multilingualism and prior experiences are centred in their educational experiences. We will explore content-based language learning across the curriculum for multilingual children.

This certificate will engage educators in current theories and research, with an emphasis on enhancing their own teacher practice with multilingual children. This certificate is informed by cutting-edge, empirical research that examines the experiences of all multilingual students, especially those who are traditionally labeled as English language learners.

This online program (a combination of synchronous and asynchronous) will provide opportunities to build relationships with other educators who share concerns about the education of multilingual students. It is designed to accommodate classroom teachers, EAL leaders, and administrators. We also welcome educators in bilingual and immersion programs who are open to including linguistically diverse students into their classrooms.

Things to note:


Program Goals

  • To learn how to adapt, differentiate, and assess for multilingual students in an equitable manner
  • To understand language learning across the curriculum
  • To analyze who multilingual students are imagined to be and how their languages can be central to their educational experiences
  • To explore the connections between language and power
  • To be able to articulate personal stance on teaching multilingual students to parents, colleagues and administrators