Gwyneth Dean-Fastnacht is an ELS Instructional Specialist with over 20 years of experience working with culturally and linguistically diverse students in the K-12 educational system in the United States and abroad, including South Dakota, Bolivia, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, and China. As an endorsed English as a New Language teacher (ENL), Gwyneth has had a varied career in education with language learners. She has held positions as a high school Newcomer Program ESL teacher, a multi-age/multi-grade ELL classroom teacher, and a Professional Development Facilitator. Gwyneth coordinates the SD State-Wide Title III & Migrant Consortia, working with districts across South Dakota including Native American schools, Hutterite Colony schools, and small rural schools with low incidence of ELs. Her work at the Consortia includes providing district and regional professional development, teaching the English as a New Language Endorsement cohort program courses, serving on a Department of Education committees that impact English Learner programs.
She has a B.A. in Child Development from South Dakota State University, a Master’s in leadership & Administration in Education from Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD, and a Specialist in ESL Degree from the University of Alabama in Birmingham. She holds an ENL Endorsement through South Dakota State University.