Delaware schools seek more certified educators to teach English Language Learners

DOVER, Del. – There are over 13,000 English Language Learners in Delaware, a number that continues to grow each day and that means more educators are in a hurry to become certified so they can help serve this growing community.

“The need has grown all over the state,” said the Delaware State University English Language Institute Director Dr. Brody Bluemel.

“The number of English Language Learners has increased in every county of the state,” said Bluemel.

The state recently granted thousands of dollars to Delaware State University to help them stay on top of these changes and help revamp its Teachers of English Learners programs.

But, Bluemal said there is still a need for more funding.

“With that need increase, there hasn’t been a matching increase to meet that demand in terms of preparing educators both preparing and helping current educators as well as preparing future educators,” said Bluemel.

Some education students at the university said future teachers are being pressured to become certified.

“There is a lot of pressure because you got to keep in mind as an educator you’re always going to have a student that does not know English,” said Heydi Quintanilla, an education student.

Some of these future educators from Delaware State University grew up as English Language Learners themselves, and now they’re looking to give back.

“I was an ESL learner growing up, so going through the whole school system I know the struggles that many students face, and I know what needs to be done,” said Omar Rodriguez, an education student.

“Heydi and I are both research assistants, so that’s been a big opportunity for us,” said Rodriguez.

“We get to see first hand how the classroom setting works, class management, how it looks going forward and how students learn in both languages,” said Rodriguez.

According to Bluemel, Delaware State University will now be expanding its English Learners programs to Sussex County with the hopes of getting more certified teachers out into the community.