Mission Statement: Spanish Education
The Department of Foreign Languages offers a teacher education program in Spanish designed to provide pre-service and in-service teachers with experiences which will prepare them to think critically and accept responsibilities for their own learning, and which will assist them in acquiring knowledge of the world in which we live; the functional linguistic and cultural proficiency necessary to communicate and teach in a multicultural society; the skills necessary to teach language, culture, and literature; and the philosophical knowledge to understand their multifaceted roles as educators. The program is committed to preparing elementary and secondary teachers who are able to communicate effectively in English and Spanish, to access and utilize educational research, to develop pedagogical practices based upon sound theory, to make decisions and solve problems strategically, and to serve as effective advocates for the profession.
Knowledge Base: Spanish Education K-12
The BS in Spanish Education is designed using the ACTFL/CAEP Standards for Teacher Preparation (2013) and has been nationally recognized three times for program excellence. Our Spanish Education program has been nationally recognized three times as a model program!
When you leave our program, you will be prepared to join our many alumni as a highly qualified excellent teacher of Spanish.
For detailed program requirements, competencies, deadlines and other essential information, please review your Spanish Education Handbook.
Your Advisor
You must meet with your designated academic advisor at least one time each semester, during the advising period prior to registration for the following semester. You will not be given your PIN number until after you have this meeting. At this meeting, you and your advisor will decide which courses you should select for the following semester. Never attempt to register without seeking the assistance of your advisor. Your advisor has a great deal of program information to share with you; therefore, it is extremely important to schedule regular meetings.
In addition to this meeting, you will find it necessary to meet with your advisor concerning:
- application for each step of the Three-Step Process for Teacher Education;
- completion of requirements for mid-program review;
- placement for student teaching;
- any change in your program needs;
- ongoing discussion about your electronic portfolio and professional involvement;
- change in your address/phone;
- your general academic progress;
- study abroad opportunities and/or job opportunities; and
- any other questions or problems you might encounter.
Successful students keep in close contact with their advisors.
References
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. (2013). ACTFL/CAEP program standards for the preparation of foreign language teachers. Alexandria, VA: ACTFL.
Curtain, H. A., & Dahlberg, C. A. (2016). Languages and childrenMaking the match (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Allyn & Bacon.
Danielson, C. (2007). Enhancing professional practice: A framework for teaching (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Glisan, E. W., & Donato, R. (2017). Enacting the work of language instruction: High-leverage teaching practices. Alexandria, VA: ACTFL.
Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC). (2011). InTASC model core teaching standards. Washington, DC: Council of Chief State School Officers.
Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium. (2002). Model standards for licensing beginning foreign language teachers: A resource for state dialogue. Washington, DC: Council of Chief State School Officers.
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. (1994). What teachers should know and be able to do. Washington, DC: NBPTS.
National Standards in Foreign Language Education Project. (2014). World-readiness standards for learning languages. Alexandria, VA: ACTFL.
Shrum, J., & Glisan, E. W. (2016). Teacher's handbook: Contextualized language instruction. (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Heinle, Cengage Learning.