Apply
Thank you for your interest in applying to become a Megan and Enrique Hernandez, Jr., Fellow. The program dates for the 16th cohort of ENL Hernandez Fellows are below:
- Applications for 2021-22 open: October 1, 2020
- Application deadline: March 31, 2021
- Acceptance notification: April 2021
- Commitment date: May 2021
Program Prerequisites
Are you qualified to become an English as a New Language Hernandez Fellow?
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- Applicants participate in two online classes during each semester - Summer 2021, Fall 2021, and Spring 2022.
- Applicants must participate in two online classes in both the fall and spring semesters after their two-week summer experience at the University of Notre Dame.
- Applicants must be teaching in or supporting a Catholic School.
- Applicants must have permission from their administration to participate in the ENL program, as their classroom will be affected by the practicum experience.
- Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree. In order to add an ENL/ESL endorsement to a teaching license, a teacher must hold a current teaching license from any state.
- To learn more about ENL, see the ENL Program Overview.
What do you need to apply to ENL?
Application Components:
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- Part 1: Background Information
- Part 2: Demographics
- Part 3: Academic History
- Part 4: Teaching Information
- Part 5: School Information
- Part 6: Short Answer Questions (500 words or less)
- Part 7: Commitment Acknowledgment
- Part 8: Principal Recommendation Information
Additional Components:
How do I apply?
The ENL application consists of four parts:
- The online ENL application - See ENL Application Guide for details.
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Transcripts from undergraduate and graduate institutions - Please order your official transcripts in advance, as university registrars often need time to process requests. Have transcripts sent to:
University of Notre Dame
Jennifer Dees / ENL Program
107 Carole Sandner Hall
Notre Dame, IN 46556
- The online Principal Recommendation Form.
- The online Tuition Assistance Form (for those requesting ENL scholarships) - See the Tuition Assistance Guide for details.
If you have any questions, please contact Jenny Dees ().
Overview
English learners or emergent bilingual students are the fastest growing population in U.S. schools and we are committed to preparing educators to meet this need. Join an elite group of educators doing this important work. Become a Hernandez Fellow!
The ENL Hernandez Fellows are Catholic school teachers and principals who seek to deepen their expertise in educating linguistically diverse students. Hernandez Fellows earn their ENL certification and take at total six graduate-level courses (18 credits) through the University of Notre Dame. All courses are taken online. Participants take two courses during the summer, two courses in the fall, and two courses in the spring. This program is ideal for a busy educator seeking flexibility.
Course Title
|
Session
|
Credits
|
| Foundations and Teaching Second Language Learners |
Summer |
3 credits |
| Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition |
Summer |
3 credits |
| Cultural Influences on Children's Lives |
Fall |
3 credits |
| Designing Assessments for English Language Learners |
Fall |
3 credits |
| Collaboration and Professional Development |
Spring |
3 credits |
| Application of Instructional Methods |
Spring |
3 credits |
View the ENL Course Description PDF
In ENL, we believe deeply that linguistic and cultural diversity enriches Catholic schools and that educators play a critical role in the academic, linguistic, cultural, spiritual, and social development of every student. The Hernandez Fellows program seeks to meet the needs of educators who serve English learners, and desire knowledge of best practices that put them on the road to success. Our team is prepared to support teachers across all grades and content areas in this important mission.
As Hernandez Fellows, teachers will learn to:
- Implement teaching strategies and lesson modifications to support English language learners
- Value the role of culture in the lives of students
- Practice culturally inclusive pedagogy
- Understand how to create and modify assessments to measure progress in language proficiency as well as content knowledge
- Recognize the way languages are acquired
- Identify effective ways to serve as resource persons in schools
Benefits
Benefits of becoming an ENL Hernandez Fellow
- Learn from exceptional faculty and in a community that is enriched by diversity in experience, ethnicity, and age.
- Engaging in a rich community of educators while completing coursework from the comfort of your own classroom and home.
- Examine cultural influences in the lives of children and create culturally sustaining classrooms and schools.
- Develop a deep understanding of the process of language acquisition in order to foster language growth.
- Employ research-based instructional strategies in order to optimize learning outcomes and ensure mastery of both language and content.
- Implement literacy practices rooted in culturally relevant materials and literacy development in the content areas.
- During their coursework, Hernandez Fellows will conduct a home visit, complete a case study, administer a language assessment, and give professional development to their school or (arch)diocese.
- Engage with course assignments that directly apply to daily classroom practice.
- ENL credits can lead to ENL/ESL/ESOL/ELL endorsements in most states or help towards initial teachers licenses or continuing education credits.
- Affordable graduate level courses available.
- Tailored curriculum to meet the specific needs of teachers in Catholic schools.
Benefits for schools with ENL Hernandez Fellows
- Transformed school communities, embracing Christ’s call to welcome the stranger.
- Application of a social justice and equity model for emergent bilinguals.
- Develop a school-wide approach to meeting the holistic needs of emergent bilinguals: language, culture, academic, emotional, spiritual, and social.
- Support for English language learners through research-based teaching strategies, ensuring that students master content and language.
- Regular home visits and strengthening home and school connections.
- Administration of language assessments.
- Connections to local agencies that can provide services to families.
- Embedded leadership to assist in creating policies, programs, and supports for culturally and linguistically diverse students.
- Personalized professional development for the school and/or (arch)diocese.
Courses
ENL Hernandez Fellows take 6 courses from the University of Notre Dame over three semesters. For the 2021-22 cohort, fellows will take all of their courses online. They will take two courses online in June and July, two courses online during the fall semester, and two courses online during the spring semester. The ENL curriculum is tailored specifically to the reality of teachers in Catholic schools.
View the ENL Course Description PDF
Summer Courses
- EDU 70110: Foundations and Teaching Second Language Learners
- EDU 70100: Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition
Fall Courses
- EDU 70120: Cultural Influences on Children's Lives
- EDU 70130: Designing Assessments for English Language Learners
Spring Courses
- EDU 75110: Collaboration and Professional Development
- EDU 75120: Application of Instructional Methods
Cost
How much does the ENL program cost?
The full value of ENL for the 2021-2022 year (16th Cohort) is $10,200. Hernandez Fellowships in the amount of $4,000 are offered to participants to defray costs and additional need-based scholarships are available. Tuition covers the cost of all academic coursework. This cost does not include books.
Where can I find tuition assistance to help fund my participation?
Thanks to the generous support of Megan and Enrique Hernandez, Jr. ENL is able to offer a $4,000 fellowship to each participant upon admission, reducing the cost of the program to $6,200. View the Tuition Assistance Application.
The ENL team also works hard to help participants secure additional funding from the following sources:
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- Title II (Professional Development) and Title III (English Language Learners) funds
- Diocesan scholarships
- Funding from religious orders
- Funding from local benefactors
- AmeriCorps awards
More information can be found by consulting the Tuition Assistance Guide:
Tuition Assistance Guide
FAQs
1. What are the dates for the 2021 summer session?
The 2021 summer session has been moved online. Participants will engage in orientation and online courses via Zoom for 3.5 hours a day from June 24th through July 22nd. There will be no classes on Monday, July 5th. See question #9 below for additional details.
2. What if I do not hold a teaching license?
Catholic school teachers without licenses are welcome to participate. However, in order to add an ENL/ESL/ESOL license to a professional certificate, a current teaching license must already be held by the participant.
3. What if I am not currently teaching full-time in a Catholic School?
Prospective candidates who are not teaching full-time in a Catholic school should contact Jenny Dees. Phone: 574-631-7657, Email: .
4. What if there are no English language learners (ELLs) in my classroom?
You must be able to work with ELLs in order to complete your practicum courses. If there are not ELLs in your classroom, you need to ensure a consistent setting in which you can work with at least several of these children on a regular basis. Sometimes participants work with after-school tutoring programs, make arrangements with a colleague to regularly teach a lesson to his/her class, or work in ESL programs in a parish setting.
5. Will I be able to add an ENL/ESL/ESOL certificate to my state’s license?
The ENL program’s coursework leads to an ENL endorsement in Indiana, which is reciprocal with most states’ ESL/ESOL licenses. The Office of Licensure at Notre Dame will work with you to see if there is a comparable license in your state.
6. What do you mean by scholarship options?
Notre Dame is committed to reducing the barriers that make graduate studies a challenge financially, especially for Catholic school leaders serving in under-resourced schools and low-income communities. Thanks to the generous support of Megan and Enrique Hernandez, Jr., ENL is able to offer a $4,000 fellowship to each participant upon admission. For more information, please see our Tuition Assistance Guide.
7. I have never taken an online course before. What do I need to know?
The benefit of online coursework is that it allows you to continue your graduate studies in the setting of your own home or classroom. During the two-week summer session, you will be taught how to use Sakai, Notre Dame’s online course tool. Being computer savvy is not a prerequisite of the ENL program. Technical support is offered throughout your participation in the program. Writing workshops and supports are also provided.
8. What are the dates for the 2021-22 cohort?
- Thursday, June 24 – Orientation Day #1
- Friday, June 25 - Orientation Day #2
- Monday, June 28 - Friday, July 9 – Class (No class July 5th)
- Monday, July 12 -Thursday, July 22 – Class
- Thursday, July 22 – ACE Missioning Mass
9. What is a typical virtual class day like during the ENL summer session?
Orientation days will consist of two, two-hour Zoom calls on June 24th and June 25th. Summer virtual instruction consists of a three-and-a-half hour Zoom call daily.
A typical day begins with an anchor Zoom call that delivers instruction, allows for small group collaboration, core instruction, and guided discussion incorporates small group interaction, and provides time. A Hernandez Fellow should plan on three-and-a-half hours of synchronous class time per day in the afternoons.
In contrast to the summer, fall and spring courses are asynchronous. Hernandez Fellows typically have one week intervals to complete instruction, guided practice, assignments
Don’t worry, we build in lots of breaks, the time goes quickly and is highly engaging!
More information can be found by consulting the Tuition Assistance Guide:
Tuition Assistance Guide
