Dear Ehsan Hatem El Kirdany,
The Council celebrates and respects the status of the demographics and the diversity in the early childhood population. We attempt to work with every Candidate involved in a program that requires him or her to use a different language in working with children and their families. To the present, we have assessed CDA Candidates in 19 different languages, including Arabic.
The Council has a specific process for requesting and approving assessments in languages other than English and Spanish. This process begins with a request for either a monolingual or bilingual assessment in a language other than English or Spanish.
Here are links to access those online forms:
Request form for Monolingual Assessments
Request form for Bilingual Assessments
In reading your post, it seems you may have been referring to the CDA exam, which is only a portion of the entire assessment. The CDA computer-based exam is administered on-site by Pearson VUE in English and Spanish only.
Candidates who are required to use another language in their daily practice follow a different process for examination that includes a separate exam given in the required language at their own site.
On behalf of the Council, I want to extend our sincerest apologies for any miscommunications that may have occurred while helping to answer your inquiry about a bilingual specialization in English and Arabic.
Please call me on my direct line at 202-772-5525, as I will be very happy to assist you.
Sincerely,
Vilma M. Williams
Senior Manager
Multilingual and Special Programs
Council for Professional Recognition
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Vilma Williams
Council for Professional Recognition
Washington DC
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Original Message:
Sent: 08-01-2018 10:23 AM
From: Ehsan El Kirdany
Subject: CDA Bilingual Language Specialization
Dear All,
After a few months of preparing my CDA folder, I called the Council of Professional Recognition, as per the instructions in the CDA Competency Standards book, to make any special arrangements for applying (what I had been hoping would be) for the Bilingual Language Specialization for English and Arabic. I was surprised when the C.S. person I was speaking to told me that I wouldn't be able to do that since the bilingual specialization is only offered for English and Spanish.
I speak both languages ( Arabic and English) fluently and have been incorporating Arabic into my toddler classroom whenever possible. I'm a little heartbroken that I won't be able to get such a certification.
Was I mistaken in thinking that the bilingual specialization was for any language alongside English? It states in the CDA Competency Standards Book, 'Candidates who wish to apply for a Bilingual Specialization in any language other than Spanish, please call the Council...'
Were they referring only referring to the application process and not the certification?
Also, does anyone know of an alternative route to becoming certified to teach Elementary Arabic in the US?
Thank you, hive mind! :)
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Ehsan El Kirdany
Toddler & Pre-K
San Antonio TX
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