Department: Department of World Languages and Literatures

English as a Second Language – Teaching

LEAD ENGLISH LEARNERS WITH A UW-STEVENS POINT DEGREE

As the number of English Language learners grows in our public schools nationally, so does the need for ESL teachers. Courses are designed to give students a framework in linguistics applied to second language education and provides students with the skills, methods, strategies and practice teaching for working with English language learners. With an introduction to linguistics, an introduction to theories of second language acquisition, as well as the knowledge you will need to teach and/or train effectively at all age levels, this program has many present-day applications. The English as a Second Language program, also known as ESL, is housed in the Department of World Languages and Literatures and is offered as a interdisciplinary minor at UW-Stevens Point. Courses from Communicative Disorders, Education, English, Political Science and Psychology departments make up the minor and are in accordance with state requirements and professional standards.

Requirements

This minor is for undergraduate general education students and certified teachers pursuing an add-on minor certification, K-12. The state of Wisconsin requires students to master content specific to the field of teaching ESL. These content requirements are covered through the university’s required courses. UWSP requires a minimum of 22 credit hours in ESL.

Minor Requirements

The ESL-Teaching minor consists of 22-29 credits. The ESL-Teaching minor is taken in conjunction with teaching majors in early childhood, elementary education, K-12 majors, or secondary teaching majors.

Prerequisites

Proficiency in English with minimum scores required by the Wisconsin Dept. of Public Instruction on verbal and reading sections of the PPST. World Language Courses (totaling 8 credits)

Student Teaching Requirement

This minor requires a student teaching assignment. If you are pursuing an ESL teaching license, please contact an adviser in the School of Education or the ESL Coordinator, Dr. Tobias Barske, to discuss the timeline of your program. Failure to do so may result in a delay of placement for the supervised practice teaching (FLED 398). Typically, students are placed in a school that has a free-standing ESL program where they complete either the first or the second half of their student teaching experience working with ESL supervising and cooperating teachers. Preparation for student teaching in ESL at UW-Stevens Point consists of a minimum of 30 hours during which students observe classes, develop and submit lesson plans, develop a unit, reflect upon and journal teaching experience, participate in testing and assessment, participate in relevant outside activities, including parent conferences, work with and get feedback from a practicum teacher, and videotape and critique their own teaching. For more information, visit the Course Catalog, search by the name of this program, and filter by semester.

Licensing

Students have to pass the Praxis II exam (test code: 20360) with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction before they are allowed to student teach in the area of ESL in Wisconsin. For more information contact the ESL Advisor and Program Coordinator Dr. Tobias Barske Assistant Dean, School of Humanities and Global Studies tbarske@uwsp.edu 715-346-4406

Bilingual-Bicultural Education Add-On

Program participants acquire abilities to teach content both in English and another language (either Spanish or Hmong).  If you are an undergraduate student seeking ESL teacher certification or a practicing K-12 teacher with ESL certification, the Bilingual-Bicultural Education Certificate is only a few additional credits beyond the ESL teaching certification.

The certificate can be awarded after completion of coursework including FLED 345/FLED 545 (3 credits), FLED 397/FLED 597, and FLED 399 and requires a minimum of 5 credits. It is administered by the Department of World Languages and Literatures.

Attain this certificate by first successfully completing the English as a Second Language Minor with K-12 Teacher Certification.

For more information, visit the Course Catalog, search by the name of this program, and filter by semester.   

English as a Second Language

The English as a Second Language program, also known as ESL, is housed in the Department of World Languages and Literatures and is an interdisciplinary minor at UW-Stevens Point.  Courses are designed to give students a framework in linguistics as it’s applied to second language education.  The program provides students with the skills, methods, strategies, and practicum experience for working with English language learners. 

Students get an introduction to linguistics, an introduction to theories of second language acquisition, and acquire the knowledge to work effectively with all age levels.  Present-day applications include working with, hiring, training, and servicing English language learners in a variety of vocations.

The minor is available to undergraduate students who are not pursuing teaching degrees or for those who are pursuing teaching degrees but not interested in pursuing the ESL teaching license.

Requirements 

Consists of a minimum of 16 credits (not including the World Languages prerequisite requirement). 

Prerequisites

  1. Demonstrated proficiency in English
  2. World languages requirement (totaling 8 credits)

For more information, visit the Course Catalog, search by the name of this program, and filter by semester.   

Sample Graduation Plan (Spanish Teaching Certification) with ESL Minor

For more information contact the ESL Advisor and Program Coordinator
Dr. Tobias Barske
Assistant Dean
School of Humanities and Global Studies
tbarske@uwsp.edu
715-346-2334

Collaborative Language Program

The Collaborative Language Program makes less commonly taught languages (LCTLs) available to students at all UW campuses through distributed learning technologies, where courses are taught here and transmitted to other schools or vice versa. Each course is facilitated by a qualified speaker of that language from a UW-System campus.

Currently, UW-Stevens Point receives the following courses from other campuses:

For information about the Universities of Wisconsin Collaborative Language Program click here. 

“Being willing to learn a second language is a window opening yourself to understanding.”
Justine Horvath ’07

World Languages Communicative Proficiency

The World Languages Communicative Proficiency Certificate helps you further develop your proficiency level in one of the target languages taught in the Department of World Languages and Literatures and deepen your understanding of the cultures of the people who speak this language. It can enhance the general education of any student and allow those who have already studied their target language in K-12 to continue their linguistic adventure. Higher proficiency in any second language prepares you from a variety of disciplines to work more effectively with others in your future workplaces – whether those workplaces are in business, higher education, government, or non-profit agencies.

Consists of 12 credits. View course catalog

Required Courses:

  • FLNG 250 – Introduction to World Languages  Credits: 3
  • 9 credits in one world language at 300-400 level taken at UWSP and/or one of our approved study-abroad programs.

Preferred Course Sequence

  • FREN 313/GERM 313/SPAN 313
  • FREN 314/GERM 314/SPAN 314
  • FREN 315/GERM 315/SPAN 315

Other Requirements

Global Seal of Biliteracy:  Apply, test, and receive the certification from the Global Seal of Biliteracy and provide a copy of the certification to the Department of World Languages and Literatures.

German Minor

CONNECT GLOBALLY WITH A GERMAN MINOR AT UW-STEVENS POINT

A minor in German offers students a background in the language at the undergraduate level, an introduction to the study of German literary classics, and knowledge of the history of German culture.  Students pursing music and the arts may be interested in a German minor for a better multi-cultural understanding of the arts.  Business and international studies majors interested in working with companies or in career fields with German affiliates may be interested in the minor as well.  

Consists of 18 credits.

In cooperation with the Office of International Programs, we offer a semester long language immersion program. Be sure to investigate study abroad opportunities in Marburg, Germany.

For more information, visit the Course Catalog, search by the name of this program, and filter by semester.   

UWSP Department of World Languages and Literatures

Spanish Minor

SEE THE WORLD THROUGH MORE THAN ONE LENS WITH A MINOR IN SPANISH AT UW-STEVENS POINT

A Spanish minor is an excellent option for a variety of majors.  Approximately 350 million people worldwide are native Spanish speakers and Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world. In fact, 21 countries have Spanish as their official language: Spain, Equatorial Guinea (Malabo) in West Africa, Mexico, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela. The Spanish-speaking population is one of the fasting growing segments in the world, especially in the United States.

English as a Second Language teachers are in high need.  Additionally, the Hispanic market is today the most rapidly expanding market in the United States. Hispanic consumers have become a driving force in the largest national markets, including southern and northern California, New York, Chicago, Florida, Texas, and others. Some marketing studies show that Hispanics prefer to make buying decisions in Spanish and not surprisingly, there are many career fields in the U.S. are transitioning to bilingual services. 

Learning Spanish helps you to gain access to a wealth of Spanish art, music, literature, and film. Becoming bilingual means seeing the world through more than one lens; a skill that can help you in many areas and if you plan to travel, knowing the language of the places you visit will give you insights into the people and culture that a non-Spanish speaker would never have access to.

Consists of 18 credits.

For more information, visit the Course Catalog, search by the name of this program, and filter by semester. 

UWSP Department of World Languages and Literatures

Bilingual-Bicultural Education

Program participants acquire abilities to teach content both in English and another language (either Spanish or Hmong).  If you are an undergraduate student seeking ESL teacher certification or a practicing K-12 teacher with ESL certification, the Bilingual-Bicultural Education Certificate is only a few additional credits beyond the ESL teaching certification.

The certificate can be awarded after completion of coursework including FLED 345/FLED 545 (3 credits), FLED 397/FLED 597, and FLED 399 and requires a minimum of 5 credits. It is administered by the Department of World Languages and Literatures.

Attain this certificate by first successfully completing the English as a Second Language Minor with K-12 Teacher Certification.

For more information, visit the Course Catalog, search by the name of this program, and filter by semester.   

Basic Second Language Proficiency

The Basic Second Language Proficiency Certificate allows students to acquire a second language to reach a basic proficiency level and to focus on understanding cultural knowledge related to the people where this second language is spoken. The certificate provides preparation for students from a variety of disciplines to work more effectively with others in their future workplaces – whether those workplaces are in business, higher education, government or non-profit agencies. The certificate can enhance the general education of any student.

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate an understanding of how languages other than English are similar to and different from the English language.
  • Discuss the importance of speaking a language other than English to become a more engaged global citizen.
  • Discuss how basic language proficiency in a second language represents an asset to professional success.

Required Courses:

Complete first four semesters of a world language offered at UWSP including Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Russian or Spanish. View course catalog

  • At least one of the courses in the following sequences must be taken at UWSP.
  • If you have enough retro-active credits to cover the sequence and your placement is above this level, take a 300-level language course at UWSP. To receive retro-active credits, you need to earn B- or above in this course.
  • For languages not offered at UWSP (e.g., Hmong), an official ACTFL oral proficiency test score of beginning high may be substituted.
  • FLNG 101 – Intercultural Communication and Global Citizenship Credits: 3

UWSP Course Sequences

Chinese: CHIN 101, 102, 200, 201

French: FREN 101, 102, 211, 212

German: GERM 101, 102, 211, 212

Japanese: JAPN 101, 102, 211, 212

Russian: RUSS 101, 102, 211, 215

Spanish:  SPAN 101, 102, 211, 212

German: Teacher Certification

PREPARE FOR A REWARDING TEACHING CAREER WITH A UW-STEVENS POINT DEGREE

As a student at UW-Stevens Point you have the opportunity to become a German speaker with a marketable set of skills in education and business, and well-versed in the culture and literature of German speaking peoples.

For students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in the Teaching of German, a study abroad trip is a requirement. In cooperation with the Office of International Programs, we offer semester long language immersion programs in Marburg, Germany. Internships are also available through the department. 

We offer a variety of options for those wishing to major in German. Teaching certification majors have close to a 100 percent job placement!

Department of World Languages and Literatures

Explore Department

Why study German at UW-Stevens Point?

When you pursue a German degree, you become an educated citizen with skills valuable in business, finance, communications, social services, education, science, technology and government.

 

Marburg, Germany Semester Abroad

In cooperation with the Office of International Programs, we offer semester long language immersion program in Marburg, Germany. Marburg is known as an exciting location full of history, well-known for being the site of the oldest protestant university. Our returning students have consistently related positive impressions of their experiences in Germany.

 

Scholarships and Awards

The Department of World Languages and Literatures recognizes outstanding students at the annual Humanities and Global Studies Spring Awards Ceremony. In 2026, a total of $42,200 was awarded thanks to our generous donors and endowed scholarships.

 

Post-graduate Opportunities

Knowledge of a foreign language and language pedagogy can be a vital factor in career success. We are committed to placing our students on a firm career path through study abroad programs, fellowships, internships and other career-enhancing possibilities. Students with high proficiencies in languages, experience studying abroad and expertise in a second field have promising employment opportunities. Some recent graduates have worked for European companies with North American branches, with airlines, and as bilingual customer service representatives and international account auditors.

 

WHAT TO EXPECT

If you plan to teach German or Spanish grades K-12, you must apply to the School of Education (SOE) at UW-Stevens Point and be accepted into the program. Prior to applying, you must meet requirements set by SOE which can be found on their website: SOE Professional Education Program Application Requirements. 

Once accepted into the program, there are no other applications requirements required by the Department of World Languages and Literatures.

APPLICATION DEADLINES: Applications for the Professional Education Program are processed two times a year – February 22 and September 22. Applications are due the Friday prior to the deadline if the deadline falls on a Saturday or Sunday. 

“It helps shape your world view. Living abroad you learn to appreciate others at a new level and develop more acceptance and understanding for others.”
Ellie Mancheski ’12German Teaching Major

GET INVOLVED ON CAMPUS

The UW-Stevens Point German Club is active and holds a weekly Stammtisch in which you can hone your language skills in an informal setting. More opportunities can be found on the Stevens Point Involvement Network (SPIN).

MEET YOUR FACULTY

Profile Photo: Thomas Leek

Thomas Leek

  • Associate Professor of German
  • Chair, Department of World Languages and Literatures
CCC 404
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Profile Photo: Tobias Barske

Tobias Barske

  • Assistant Dean, School of Humanities and Global Studies
  • Professor of German Applied Linguistics
​CCC 489A
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