Earn Your MA in Literacy, Language, and Culture
Nationwide, English Language Learners (ELLs) represent 10 percent of total public school enrollment, and Illinois public schools serve students speaking more than 135 distinct languages. More and more school districts are requiring their teachers to obtain specialized training to respond to these trends. Prepare to be an effective educator in this changing dynamic with a master of arts in literacy, language, and culture (MALLC), during which you鈥檒l broaden your skill set and gain the knowledge you need to be successful teaching students and working with families from a wide range of cultural backgrounds.
ESL Endorsement
Designed for licensed elementary and secondary teachers who work with linguistically and culturally diverse learners, the MALLC gives you the opportunity to earn the English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement along with your master鈥檚 degree. You may also complete the bilingual endorsement with a few additional courses if you are fluent in a language approved by the Illinois State Board of Education. In the highly competitive field of education, these credentials will set you apart as ready to teach in specialized classrooms or to incorporate these skills into any school setting.
Clinical Experience
Not just an in-class education, the MALLC program will get you into an ESL school setting to observe and assist a teacher, gaining valuable hands-on knowledge that you can take into your own teaching practice. North Park鈥檚 wide network of partner schools provides opportunities for our students to work in public and private, urban and suburban settings.
Scholarships and Tuitions
A price tag doesn’t have to be a barrier to continuing your education and developing your skills as a teacher. North Park offers generous scholarship and grant options, including a discount for Chicago Public School teachers and employees. Anyone who earned their bachelor’s degree at North Park may qualify for an Alumni Grant, a 20% tuition reduction for starting a new graduate or teacher’s certification program.
Faculty Spotlight:
Dr. Angelyn Balodimas-Bartolomei
For Dr. Angelyn Balodimas-Bartolomei, North Park鈥檚 values are easily incorporated into her courses. 鈥淎ll of my classes focus on multiculturalism,鈥� she says. Her students have attained careers teaching English abroad or working with ESL programs throughout Chicago.
Interesting Classes
Your practical coursework for this degree includes:
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- Methods and Materials for Teaching
- Assessment of ESL and Bilingual聽Students
- Sociolinguistics and Cross Cultural Differences
- Culture and Literacy for ELL and Bilingual Students