Preschool teachers offered ESL training
BY SHARON LEFF Staff Writer

RED BANK — The school district will offer preschool teachers training to become ESL certified to meet the needs of students in its expanded preschool program.

At the preschool level, about 40 percent of students in the Red Bank Public School District are eligible for bilingual and ESL services, according to Laura Morana, superintendent of schools.

Funding for the certification comes from the New Jersey Department of Education's preschool program expansion grant. The costs will total about $52,000 for the two-year certification period, she said.

"[It will] further enhance the knowledge and skills of our teachers in response to a shift in demographics. Particularly at the preschool level, we do have a higher number of children who are coming in with English as a Second Language needs, but not all of them need to be in a bilingual ESL," Morana said.

She said the classes will take place at the Red Bank Primary School, 222 River St.

"[The courses] will equip our teachers with the necessary skills and knowledge and strategies to address and to deal and to work with the children who … may not be in a bilingual self-contained preschool program," Morana said.

"Their English is high enough for them to be in a general education class, but they may need that additional support. So if you have the knowledge as to how to introduce a particular concept or how to enhance the vocabulary or clarify a question when presenting a situation, the teachers will have the necessary tools to do so more effectively than they ever did."

Morana said the program will be taught by a Rutgers faculty member

It isn't required that all preschool teachers take the classes, but it is recommended.

"The only requirement I've included is anyone who participates in this program and completes the program will be with us teaching for two years following the completion," she said. "If there would be a change, then the person would be obligated to basically pay back the costs."

In addition to preschool teachers, the courses are being offered to coaches and support staff who work with the students. The certification includes 18 credits.

Classes will begin Sept. 9 and the grant covers the costs of both tuition and textbooks. She said the certification will better prepare the teachers "to work with any population, particularly the bilingual ESL who in a way may benefit from an inclusion setting as opposed to a self-contained setting."

She said the goal is to offer the course in the fall, spring and early summer so teachers can be fully certified in a twoyear period. Morana said six teachers are definitely involved, but the course could include up to 12 people.

"The teacher needs to be more knowledgeable about what does it take to learn a second language. What about a culture associated with a group of children that we're dealing with? What are the ramifications for teaching and learning? And that's' what we want our teachers to be able to have, the knowledge and skills, just the way we have done with special education," she said.

Morana said the program could expand to other teachers in the future.

"I thought that if we can begin with the preschool program, which is so, so key, then later on we can certainly look at expanding the opportunity to other teachers," she said.