Texas Administrative Code
Title 19 - EDUCATION
Part 7 - STATE BOARD FOR EDUCATOR CERTIFICATION
Chapter 235 - CLASSROOM TEACHER CERTIFICATION STANDARDS
Subchapter F - SUPPLEMENTAL CERTIFICATE STANDARDS
Section 235.117 - Bilingual Spanish Standards

Universal Citation: 19 TX Admin Code § 235.117

Current through Reg. 50, No. 13; March 28, 2025

(a) Spanish and English Bilingual Standards. The standards identified in this section are targeted for classroom teachers of bilingual education programs (Spanish and English). The standards address the discipline associated with the theory and practice of teaching students who are learning two languages simultaneously. The standards inform appropriate teaching techniques, methods, teacher actions, judgments, and decisions by taking into consideration theories and research of language acquisition, second language learning, understanding the needs and strengths of bilingual learners, and the backgrounds and interests of individual students.

(b) Definitions. The following words and terms, when used in this section, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

(1) Academic language--words used in the learning of academic matter in a formal education context that are associated with literacy and academic achievement, including specific academic terms, technical language, and speech registers related to each field of study.

(2) Cultural responsiveness--the ability to learn from and relate respectfully with people of one's own culture as those from other cultures.

(c) Language Abilities. The bilingual education teacher possesses the language ability to teach across the curriculum and demonstrate proficiency in Spanish.

(1) Listening. In the Spanish language, the bilingual teacher understands oral communication in a variety of listening situations relevant to bilingual education, including professional topics, academic language, and day-to-day communication with students, parents, guardians, colleagues, and community members.

(2) Listening. In the Spanish language, the bilingual teacher understands oral communication in extended academic discourse on topics related to the profession.

(3) Speaking. In the Spanish language, the bilingual teacher uses appropriate formal and informal registers to communicate with various audiences and within settings relevant to the bilingual school context.

(4) Speaking. In the Spanish language, the bilingual teacher uses discourse that reflects correct grammatical and syntactical structures to communicate information and discuss topics relevant to the bilingual school context.

(5) Speaking. In the Spanish language, the bilingual teacher demonstrates the ability to use culturally and linguistically responsive language in everyday communication.

(6) Speaking. In the Spanish language, the bilingual teacher understands and applies academic language related to the Texas Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) during instruction as well as discussion of topics relevant to the school context.

(7) Reading. In the Spanish language, the bilingual teacher applies literal, inferential, and interpretive reading skills to authentic materials relevant to the school context.

(8) Reading. In the Spanish language, the bilingual teacher understands written materials that include academic vocabulary used to teach the TEKS in a variety of content areas.

(9) Writing. In the Spanish language, the bilingual teacher writes effective and coherent interpersonal discourse using accurate standard Spanish conventions, sentence structure, orthography, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. (e.g., professional e-mail, parent communication, and other school documents).

(10) Writing. In the Spanish language, the bilingual teacher writes extended coherent professional discourse in an appropriate academic register using sentence structure, orthography, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and syntax (e.g., newsletter, memos, special events).

(11) Writing. In the Spanish language, the bilingual teacher writes coherent instructional material using accurate standard Spanish conventions, sentence structure, orthography, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and syntax (e.g., essays, exit tickets, exemplars).

(12) Writing. In the Spanish language, the bilingual teacher effectively models for students how to write to explain, narrate, and describe using accurate standard Spanish conventions, sentence structure, orthography, spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and syntax.

(d) Socio-Cultural Competence. The bilingual teacher knows, understands, and uses major concepts, principles, and theories related to the nature and role of culture and cultural groups to construct a mutually adaptive learning environment for bilingual learners. The bilingual teacher:

(1) recognizes, affirms, fosters, and leverages learners' bilingualism, biliteracy, biculturalism, and experiences as assets in service of their learning and is an advocate for the bilingual program and the participating learners (e.g., serves as school and community liaison, participates in teacher retention and recruitment committees);

(2) promotes learners' bilingual and bicultural identity through culturally and linguistically responsive activities;

(3) understands the socio-historical backgrounds of bilingual learners (both past and present) and uses this information to create an effective bilingual and multicultural learning environment;

(4) uses knowledge of major theories and research related to the nature and role of culture to select instructional materials, methods, and delivery techniques that facilitate learning for a multicultural classroom;

(5) understands how to draw upon the deep personal, familial, and communal cultural knowledge that bilingual learners possess in order to construct new cultural knowledge;

(6) knows and understands how to create culturally and linguistically responsive lessons and classroom environment and advocates for a culturally and linguistically responsive school (e.g., takes an active role in advisory committees at the campus and district levels, campus improvement committee, admissions committee);

(7) has knowledge of diversity within the language and cultural groups (e.g., awareness of regional differences in languages and cultural groups);

(8) recognizes factors that contribute to cultural bias (e.g., stereotyping, prejudice, ethnocentrism), demonstrates sensitivity to students' diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, and applies this knowledge to create a culturally and linguistically responsive learning environment; and

(9) creates an effective learning environment that addresses the socio-emotional, linguistic, and cognitive needs as well as promotes the bicultural identity of bilingual learners and ways to bridge home and school cultures (e.g., lessons and activities embedded to the development of learners' cross-cultural and sociocultural competence, lessons and activities designed to foster mutual appreciation and respect for the target cultural groups, plans and designs activities that foster mutual appreciation and respect for targeted cultural groups among families and community members).

(e) Instructional Practice. The bilingual education teacher understands and applies research-based components and processes of language acquisition and biliteracy development. The bilingualteacher:

(1) has a comprehensive knowledge of content-area instruction in both languages;

(2) knows and understands state educator certification standards in all content areas relevant to the certificate level;

(3) knows and understands the statewide curriculum in all content areas as specified in the TEKS;

(4) understands the alignment of and difference between the Spanish Language Arts and Reading (SLAR) and English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) TEKS and uses this information to develop culturally and linguistically responsive lesson plans that build biliteracy and facilitate language transfer to develop bilingualism in both languages;

(5) knows and understands how to integrate language development and content-area instruction to meet the cognitive, linguistic, and affective needs of students in accordance with Chapter 89, Subchapter BB, of Part II of this title (relating to Commissioner's Rules Concerning State Plan for Educating English Learners);

(6) uses Latino multicultural children's literature and authentic materials to promote biliteracy, biculturalism, and content knowledge;

(7) understands and applies methodologies and strategies for teaching English as a second language (ESL) via an English language development block as well as through content areas (e.g., Total Physical Response (TPR), Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP), pre-teaching vocabulary, and scaffolding strategies to make new information comprehensible);

(8) understands and applies research-based differentiation strategies to make content-area instruction comprehensible in order to meet the academic and linguistic needs of bilingual learners;

(9) identifies, selects, or designs developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate materials, resources, realia, technology, and assessment for use in a bilingual classroom;

(10) understands and applies major language components in both languages (e.g., phonics, phonology, morphology, syntactic features, semantics, and pragmatics), methodologies and strategies for integrating language and content instruction (Spanish and English) using sheltered instruction techniques in Spanish and English; understands and applies theoretical concepts such as instruction for biliteracy, bi-directional transfer, use of cognates, contrastive analysis, and translanguaging;

(11) understands and applies differentiated methodologies and strategies for instructing a wide variety of linguistically diverse learners (e.g., heritage language learners, simultaneous bilinguals, recent arrivals, long-term English learners, and Spanish learners in a two-way program) within different school-based configurations and program models; and

(12) promotes critical-thinking, problem-solving, and collaborative learning strategies to enhance bilingualism, biliteracy, and content knowledge.

(f) Development and Assessment of Biliteracy. The bilingual education teacher demonstrates a comprehensive knowledge of the development and assessment of literacy in the bilingual learners' primary/partner language and English and can design and deliver meaningful biliteracy experiences for diverse bilingual learners. The bilingual teacher:

(1) understands the components of biliteracy and strategically plans for language transfer and implements the ELAR TEKS, SLAR TEKS, and the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) to develop literacy in both languages;

(2) utilizes assessments (formative and summative) in strategic ways and analyzes the data to guide instruction;

(3) uses informal and formal assessments to measure learners' bilingualism and proficiency level to guide instruction;

(4) uses knowledge of the connection between the ELPS in §74.4 of Part II of this title (relating to English Language Proficiency Standards) and the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) to evaluate and monitor the progress of bilingual learners identified as English learners in their English language proficiency when planning and delivering data-driven instruction;

(5) assesses and monitors learners' Spanish proficiency level in listening, speaking, reading, and writing when planning and delivering data-driven instruction;

(6) understands that assessment is recursive and the need to use multiple data points to assess and monitor biliteracy development across language domains when planning and delivering responsive instruction and when providing opportunities to develop biliteracy skills;

(7) understands and applies authentic methods for biliteracy instruction that reflect the unique characteristics of English and Spanish;

(8) recognizes implicit cultural and linguistic biases in assessment and high-stakes testing;

(9) creates authentic and purposeful, measurable learning activities and experiences in all content areas that promote bilingual learners' development of concepts and skills in both languages and recognizes the students' biliteracy trajectory; and

(10) identifies and/or develops assessments that are linguistically and culturally authentic.

(g) Foundations of Bilingual Education. The bilingual education teacher demonstrates an understanding of the historical context of bilingual education in the United States and around the world; bilingual education program models approved in Texas in accordance with Chapter 89, Subchapter BB, of this title; the unique needs of bilingual learners; laws pertaining to English learners in bilingual education programs; the Office of Civil Rights and U.S. Department of Justice guidelines; and the importance of advocacy and equity for the bilingual learner. The bilingual teacher:

(1) knows and understands public issues and educational policy that impact effective programming and equitable learning environments;

(2) is an advocate for equity for bilingual learners and their equal access to all programs, resources, and materials;

(3) shares their knowledge of second language acquisition with general-education, ESL-education, and content-area colleagues and the school community to advocate for appropriate instruction and assessment;

(4) demonstrates sensitivity to learners' diverse cultural backgrounds and shows respect for regional language differences considering the learner's entire linguistic repertoire;

(5) knows and understands the historical background, effects of demographic changes, pertinent federal and state legislation and significant court cases, (e.g., the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Bilingual Education Act (BEA), Chapter 89, Subchapter BB, of this title, Lau vs. Nichols, Demetrio Rodriguez vs. San Antonio ISD, Plyer vs. Doe, Santamaria vs. Dallas ISD);

(6) demonstrates awareness of the concept of bilingualism throughout the world (e.g., Lycee de Francais, the language of the global economy, language policy in Canada, South Africa, Switzerland, and India);

(7) understands the models of bilingual education approved in Texas in accordance with Chapter 89, Subchapter BB, of this title, including the program model characteristics and goals; curriculum, assessment, and accountability; research findings on the effectiveness of the program models; and the critical components that contribute to effective program model implementation (e.g., systems approach, program model design, instructional methods, and family and community engagement);

(8) makes appropriate instructional decisions based on program model design, best practices according to research on language acquisition and bilingual learners, knowledge of classroom and campus diversity, and an understanding of linguistically and culturally appropriate materials and methodologies;

(9) understands federal- and state-mandated policies and statutes related to English learners, including the roles, responsibilities, and processes for the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) in the identification, serving, and reclassification as an English learner in Texas;

(10) understands federal- and state-mandated policies and statutes related to programs for English learners, including LPAC guidelines for program placement, reclassification, and monitoring in Texas;

(11) applies the appropriate state-mandated criteria and LPAC procedures for identification, recommendation of program services, reclassification, monitoring, and exit; and

(12) understands the role of the LPAC in coordinating with other special programs (e.g., special education, Section 504, dyslexia, gifted and talented) as applicable.

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