3 Enid elementary schools picked for new ESL teacher course program

ENID, Okla. — Teachers from three Enid elementary schools have been selected to participate in a new online course to prepare them for the exam to receive English as a Second Language certification.

Enid Public Schools’ Eisenhower, Monroe and Coolidge were selected as pilot schools for the new Teachers of English Learners Pilot Project, along with 14 other elementary schools statewide, due to having high enrollment in ESL students, according to a press release.

Teachers who complete the 18-hour course before Dec. 31 can receive an $80 voucher fee for the ESL certification exam.

The state certification exam tests on 14 competencies, which the course addresses with readings, activities, interactive assignments and quizzes.

EPS school officials lauded the course, created as part of the public school nonprofit Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence’s project, a professional development program that includes a virtual learning platform, as well as six ESL-certified teachers serving as virtual facilitators.

Monroe has 93 of its 316 students enrolled in its ESL program, according to September’s EPS enrollment figures.

“The heartbeat of Monroe is to be a champion for every child regardless of home language,” Principal Scott Allen, said in an email. “Through this strategic training and collaborative effort, we will continue to grow as educators by becoming better equipped to meet the specific individual needs of every child.”

Eisenhower has 32 students in ESL, according to the district.

“This program has the potential to be great. Having resources in one place is always a good for my teachers,” Eisenhower Principal Lyntel Murphy also said in an email.

While Coolidge’s principal was unavailable for comment, its school reports more than half of its 425 students are in ESL.

"Nearly 60,000 students in Oklahoma's public schools do not speak English as their first language, presenting a challenge for classroom teachers who often do not have the training or resources to effectively integrate English learner students into their classroom activities," the foundation’s Executive Director Emily Stratton said in the release.

Following the pilot project, organizers are planning a statewide roll-out in partnership with Oklahoma State Department of Education.