I'm thinking about teaching high school English in Illinois. Does anyone know what kind of certification is required and if there are specific exams I should prepare for?
To become a high school English teacher in Illinois, you'll need to go through different steps.
Firstly, you need to earn a bachelor's degree. This tends to be in education or specifically in English education for those interested in teaching English.
Secondly, you'll need to fulfill your teacher preparation requirements. For Illinois, this consists of a State-approved teacher education program which includes a student teaching internship. The program prepares you in classroom management, curriculum design, and specialized teaching methods in your chosen subject, among other things. You can look at schools offering these approved programs on the Illinois State Board of Education's website.
Afterward, you will need to pass the Illinois Licensure Testing System's (ILTS) Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP) and content-specific exams. If you're planning to teach English, you'll need to pass the ILTS English Language Arts test.
The final step is applying for certification. The process to become certified involves passing an ILTS edTPA—a performance-based, subject-specific assessment and support system used by teacher preparation programs to determine if a new teacher is ready to enter the profession.
Upon successful completion of your degree and testing, you would then apply for your Initial Professional Educator License (PEL) in Illinois. You will need to submit your transcripts, verification of your student teaching, and your ILTS scores. The PEL license is valid for 5 years and is renewable.
Continued professional development is also required to keep up-to-date with changes in curriculum, teaching standards, and other relevant areas.
Remember that the specific requirements may vary depending on the district or the school, so it's always good to check with the district or the school you're interested in.
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