Information gathered by the Migration Policy Institute indicates that Delaware’s immigrant population grew a significant 249 percent from 1997 to 2008, raising the state’s student ESL population to nearly 7,000. ELLs comprise almost 6 percent of the state’s general student population. The primary home languages of these students are Spanish, Pennsylvania Dutch, French Creole, German, and Chinese.
Delaware’s Prospects for ESL Teachers
The Teacher Shortage Areas Nationwide Listing, assembled by the Office of Postsecondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education, lists subject areas experiencing critical shortages of qualified educators in Delaware. As of 2013-2014, this report included English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and Bilingual Education. In fact, these subject areas have appeared on the list every year since 2003. Recent school years have also featured related subject-area teacher shortages in Reading, English, and Foreign Language. In response to these needs, the DDOE has established the Christa McAuliffe Teacher Incentive Program, offering loan forgiveness programs to educators committed to working in the state’s ESOL or bilingual education subject areas. In summary, educators seeking work in the TESOL and bilingual fields should be able to locate work in Delaware.
Delaware TESOL Employment
- DDOE maintains the Teach Delaware website, featuring information for applicants and state recruiters.
- Applicants seeking work in Delaware public and charter schools can submit an application on the DDOE Applicant Login page. Candidates can also browse administrative, certified, classified, and substitute teaching openings.
- University of Delaware’s English Language Institute posts openings on its Employment Opportunities page.
Delaware’s ESL Teacher Resources
- Bilingual, ESL, and multicultural educators in Delaware can join Pennsylvania and New Jersey teachers in PennTESOL-East, the regional affiliate of the international Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages.
- The Confucius Institute at the University of Delaware has joined with other state Chinese language organizations to form the Delaware Chinese Teachers Association (DECTA).
- The Delaware World Language Immersion Program is an effort by DDOE to provide immersion language opportunities at several of its school districts. The offerings include Spanish and Chinese.