Adolescence Education: French or Spanish - B.A. Degree

Department of World Languages and Cultures
Office: 2113 Fenton Hall

(716) 673-3380

Brian Boisvert, Chairperson

Email: worldlang@fredonia.edu

Website: http://home.fredonia.edu/worldlanguages

Major Requirements

Students who desire to teach French or Spanish at the secondary (adolescence) level may obtain Initial Certification in New York State by completing the coursework required for a major in French or Spanish, plus the following courses:

Education Courses:

EDU 105Introduction to Contemporary Inclusive Education

3

and

EDU 106Practicum in Inclusive Education I

1

EDU 224Adolescent Development

3

EDU 250Introduction to the Exceptional Learner

3

and

EDU 251Practicum in Inclusive Education II

1

EDU 276Literacy and Technology in Inclusive Educational Settings

3

EDU 303Safe Schools/Healthy Students-DASA: Safety Education/Fire and Arson/School Violence

1

EDU 304Safe Schools & Healthy Students

1

EDU 305Cultural & Linguistic Diversity of Students and Families

3

and

EDU 313Practicum in Inclusive Education III

1

EDU 349Educational Psychology

3

EDU 419Secondary School (Adolescence) Methods

3

EDU 430Student Teaching Grades 7-12

15

Total Credit Hours:41

NOTE:

  • EDU 105, EDU 250, EDU 305, EDU 419: Field Experiences
  • EDU 419: Fall Semester Only
  • EDU 430: Spring Semester Only
  • A candidate who receives a Satisfactory standing in the Student Teaching placement must also receive a passing grade in their co-requisite Seminar/Methods course to advance

Total Credit Hours: 39

The procedure to be followed for admission to the professional sequence of courses is as follows:

In their first year in the program, students should begin working concurrently on their education and language course requirements. In education, students should complete EDU 105/106 with a B- or better. If desired, they may also enroll in EDU 224. In language, students who are not ready to enroll directly in 300-level language courses should complete FREN/SPAN 215 and/or 216 with a grade of B or better. By April 1 of the first year, students will formally apply to the program through a departmental application. Students must have an overall GPA of 3.0 or better at the time of application and must not have had any professional dispositions issues in the first year.

Candidates wishing to continue in the program must attend a departmental orientation and complete a departmental application, both in the Fall semester of the year before their participation in Secondary School (Adolescence) Methods (the year before they wish to student teach). To be eligible for the departmental screening process, candidates must meet the minimum criteria of at least a 3.0 GPA in their Education courses and a minimum 3.0 GPA in their major language courses at the 300 level and above. In addition, at the time of screening, usually in February of the year before student teaching, candidates must have completed at least 21 credit hours in the language with an overall GPA of 3.0 or better in the major. Courses in progress do not count. As a result of the screening process, the department will recommend those candidates who demonstrate superior competency in the language, responsibility, dependability, maturity, and a clear grasp of the realities of the teaching profession.

The Secondary School (Adolescence) Methods course will be taken in the Fall semester immediately preceding student teaching. Admission is limited to those candidates who have been accepted into the program after the screening process and who plan to follow the course with a semester of student teaching.

In order to continue in the program, candidates must earn a minimum grade of "B" in Secondary School (Adolescence) Methods and must continue to have an overall GPA of 3.0 in all language courses.

All Modern Languages Adolescence Education majors are required to take the Official ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and achieve a rating of Advanced Low or higher in order to student teach.  By May of their junior year, candidates should have taken the OPI and achieved Advanced Low or higher.  Students who score below that rating must enroll in FREN/SPAN 415 during the fall of their senior year and will have the opportunity to retake the OPI.  Students who do not achieve the minimum rating after this course will not be able to student teach but will be able to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in French/Spanish and should meet with their advisor before the fall semester is over to discuss their courses for the following spring.  Candidates are responsible for the cost of this proficiency exam.

The Modern Languages Program Coordinator will work with the Office of Field Experiences to determine a student teaching assignment for each candidate. During the first weeks of student teaching, candidates will enter into an individually designed agreement with the university supervisor and cooperating teacher concerning their work in the assignment.

As of December 31, 2013, candidates in all education programs are required to complete training under the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA). Beginning in the Fall 2013 semester, the training required under the Dignity for All Student Act (DASA) will be included in EDU 303 at Fredonia. Undergraduate candidates planning to graduate after Fall 2013 who have already completed EDU 303 on campus or taken a workshop as a substitution for EDU 303 must also complete the EDU DASA workshop prior to graduation.

For certification information, please see the Education section of the catalog.