Under Section 3116 (c) of Title III, Part A - Each eligible entity receiving a subgrant under section 3114 shall include in its plan a certification that all teachers in any language instruction educational program for limited English proficient children that is, or will be, funded under this part are fluent in English and any other language used for instruction, including having written and oral communications skills. A plan will be published to assess teacher fluency in all 4 domains (reading, writing, speaking and listening) for all teachers working with English Learners (ELs). English language classrooms encompass both sheltered English immersion classrooms and English language mainstream classrooms.
Literacy in English - Literacy is inclusive of the reading and writing domains requirement for assessing teachers.
Demonstration of Literacy in English: Procedures
- Teachers who possess a Tennessee teaching license fulfill the requirement for literacy in English.
- Any teacher who does not hold a Tennessee teaching license but who has received a Bachelor's degree from a college or university where the language of instruction was English fulfills this requirement for literacy in English.
Fluency in English - Fluency is defined as having oral proficiency in English that consists of comprehension and production. Production is defined as accurate and efficient oral communication using appropriate pronunciation, intonation, grammar, and vocabulary in an interactive professional context. Fluency is inclusive of the speaking and listening domains requirement for assessing teachers.
Demonstration of Fluency in English: Procedures
- Methods for Determining FluencyDetermining teaching staff's fluency in English should be made through one or more of the following methods:
- classroom observation and assessment by the teacher's principal, and/or Director of Instruction; and/or
- an interview and assessment by the teacher's principal, and/or Director of Instruction; and/or
- the teacher's demonstration of fluency in English through a test accepted by the Director of Schools.
- Test Options A test is needed only in cases where the teacher's English fluency is not apparent through classroom observation and assessment or interview and assessment.