The Educational Studies major is part of the program for students seeking to teach Elementary Education with English as a Second Language. Students in the Educational Studies program can earn certification for teaching pre-kindergarten through 3rd grade (PK-3) and/or 3rd grade through 6th grade (3-6). The Educational Studies major prepares teachers to address the needs of the whole child, use relevant, research-based criteria to establish a supportive, engaging environment that fosters learning, and use practices that meet individual children’s needs. Students complete several structured field experiences embedded throughout the program.

To earn Elementary Teacher Certification, GVSU students must complete the Educational Studies major through the College of Education and Community Innovation, and the PCKET (Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Elementary Teaching) major through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. This double major program offers courses that meet Michigan Department of Education Standards for the Preparation of Teachers of Lower and/or Upper Elementary Education.

In the PCKET major, students learn content and pedagogy to teach multiple subjects in the elementary curriculum: English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, fine arts, and health and physical education. PCKET faculty engage students in discipline-specific teaching and learning, research and scholarly activities, experiences in area classrooms and the community, and study abroad programs. 

The English as a Second Language (ESL) track of the Applied Linguistics minor is designed for students to teach as a K-12 specialist in an ESL setting. ESL teachers promote educational equity and the academic achievement of non-English speaking students by teaching them how to speak, read, write, listen, and communicate in English and by supporting them in learning content knowledge and academic language while they learn English. Grand Valley's ESL program provides thorough understanding of the structure of English, and theoretical understanding of language learning. ESL students gain extensive field experiences teaching in both general education and ESL classrooms.