CCU’s Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Emphasis

Dr. Wendy Wendover is the dean of the Curriculum and Instruction Education Division in CCU's College of Adult and Graduate Studies. Read her bio below.

Are you interested in becoming a professional educator that helps children learn, even if English isn’t their first language? CCU’s Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction now offers an additional emphasis in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD). This master’s in education emphasis will prepare you to serve students that come from all over the world.

One important goal of every educator is to meet students where they’re at when it comes to learning. By earning a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse, you’ll be prepared to do just that.

Here are 5 things you should know about this new MACI emphasis:

This new graduate emphasis addresses cultural competency

The mission of the Curriculum instruction Education Division is to meet the needs of all students and equip our education candidates with the tools to support each learner they encounter. We facilitate culturally responsive teaching through the CLD program and foster the skills needed for graduates to work with students where English is not their first language. Culturally responsive teaching is a pedagogy that recognizes the importance of including students' cultural references in all aspects of learning (Ladson-Billings, 1994).

The Colorado Department of Education requires teachers to have some CLD or ESL training

All teachers need culturally and linguistically diverse tools and strategies. This CLD program is timely for current teachers and education students who desire to work in many districts across Colorado and across the United States. For example, the Denver Public Schools (DPS) system requires teachers to meet English Language Acquisition Teacher (ELA-T) qualification requirements. As of this year, the DPS system reports over 34,000 English-language learners representing over 170 languages in this district alone.

CLD strategies are great teaching strategies to meet the needs of all students

The number of students that are new to the United States continues to grow, and classrooms are increasingly diverse environments in which students seek to succeed. To this end, it's important for teachers to seek cooperation and support from every student's family. CCU’s education CLD program is taking a collaborative approach in equipping the teacher to address the individual needs of the students and work with the student’s families. Teachers that demonstrate an appreciation of culture and diversity to both students and families provide a way to facilitate community. A teacher who has a CLD background can build upon the strengths of both their learners and family units.

International schools located across the world need CLD-skilled teachers to help students

International students seek opportunities to learn a new culture and to perform in an academic classroom using English. The MACI Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Emphasis provides opportunities for CCU grads to partner with international organizations such as the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) and English Language Institute for China (ELIC) that need highly qualified educators to be able to teach in their international schools.

Every student is reached

English language learners experience achievement gaps. This CLD emphasis applies research-based instructional strategies to support all students in reaching their potential. God has called us to be excellent educators and to impact the mission field of the classroom for Christ. 

Biography

As Dean of the Curriculum and Instruction Education Division in CCU's College of Adult and Graduate Studies, Dr. Wendover directs graduate and undergraduate education programs including the Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction, Master of Education in Educational Leadership, Master of Education in Special Education, alternative licensing, and undergraduate programs in early childhood education, elementary education, and special education.

Dr. Wendover joined CCU with more than three decades of higher education administration and teaching experience. Most recently she served as a Lecturer and Assistant Director in the Higher Education Program within the Morgridge College of Education at the University of Denver. There she developed and facilitated graduate professional seminar courses, and administered field experiences for first- and second-year graduate students. Dr. Wendover also supported the enrollment processes for prospective students. Additionally, she has an extensive background in career counseling and has supported adult students in their professional transitions into their degree programs as well as through their careers after graduation.

Reference

Ladson-Billings, G. (1994). The dreamkeepers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishing Co.

Colorado Christian University does not guarantee any job placement as a result of earning this or any other degrees offered by the university.