Alternative
Licensure-Only Program for
Foreign Languages
Proposed
for 2006--Look for updates in October, 2005!
Tentative
dates: June 19-July 14 and July 24-28, 2006
Funded
by the Virginia Department of Education
Divisions may nominate
teachers who are currently unlicensed in PreK-12 foreign languages.
Candidates selected will
participate in intensive course offerings in two consecutive summers with
mentoring throughout the intervening year.
Successful candidates will receive a recommendation for licensure upon
completion of the program.
Courses and experiences
offered to meet licensure expectations and to prepare candidates for success:
Year
I Summer Sessions:
EDUC 506 Contemporary Social Issues in American
Education
EDUC 595 Special Topics: Curriculum, Differentiated Instruction and Student
Needs
FREN/GERM/SPAN 500 Approaches to Teaching
French/German/Spanish (Language acquisition; standards; curriculum development.)
Praxis I
Intervening
Year:
On-site supervision and mentoring support, group meetings
Year
II Summer Sessions:
EDUC 521 Human Growth and
Development
EDUC 530
Teaching Reading in the Content Area (Foreign Languages)
FREN/GERM/SPAN
500 Approaches to Teaching French/German/Spanish
(Teaching
the skills of listening, speaking, and writing; role of grammar instruction; use
of technology)
Praxis II
Nomination
of Candidates
Details
of Program Requirements
Information:
e-mail:
howefj@longwood.edu
phone: (434) 395-2338
Website:
http://www.longwood.edu/modernlanguages/Altlicensure.htm
Rationale
for the program:
The
critical need for well trained and dedicated classroom teachers is widely known
and well documented. Of particular note is a shortage of qualified teachers of
foreign language. Over the past years there have been repeated requests on the
national, state, and local level for alternative licensure programs to address
this critical shortage. The need for highly qualified teachers of foreign
language is evident in Virginia and this need has especially been voiced through
the Region Eight Superintendents Network, a cooperative alliance between
Longwood University and PK-12 school systems in Southside Virginia. A mutual
concern and natural partnership exists between Longwood University and the PK-12
systems in Region 8 to focus on the challenges of insuring excellence in
teaching for our students. Longwood's
reputation for excellence in teacher preparation is well earned and places this
institution in an excellent position to develop and offer a program that can
deliver successful foreign language teachers into the classroom. The ongoing
alliance between Longwood University and the school divisions in Region 8 as
well as the collaboration with the Virginia Department of Education will
establish a strong partnership to ensure the development of a successful program
that will benefit foreign language instruction.
The
critical elements of this program include candidate selection, quality
instruction, ongoing supervision throughout the academic year, and thoughtful,
collaborative evaluation of each candidate to be recommended for licensure. Such
a pilot program will deliver foreign language teachers at a time of critical
need and insure quality in the classroom.
Program Components:
The
Alternative Licensure Program
will consist of four critical and interconnected components: candidate
selection, intensive course offerings in two consecutive summers, supervision
throughout the intervening year, and a team evaluation for recommendation for
licensure.
Candidate
Selection
- Candidates
must be nominated by the school division in which they are employed or
seeking employment. Nominations
must be submitted to the Admissions Coordinator of the Alternative Licensure
Program; review of applications will begin on November 15, 2005, with final
deadline March 1, 2006. Early
nomination is encouraged since space is limited.
- Sponsoring school divisions
of candidates who are selected for the program must provide a written
agreement signed by the candidate in which it is stipulated that the
candidate will continue to work in the sponsoring school division for at
least 3 years after completion of the program.
- Candidates must hold a
baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution. Candidates
who attended a college or university outside the United States must obtain
and present an evaluation of their credentials from a recognized credential
evaluation service (including a listing of the courses completed and the
semester hour equivalent for each course) and a statement as to the
equivalency of the program of study to the four-year baccalaureate or
masters degree. A list of
agencies recognized in Virginia is provided at the following Virginia
Department of Education Website: http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/newvdoe/faq.html#20
-
Candidates
must have a cumulative GPA for baccalaureate degree of at least 2.5 or the
equivalent, or the recommendation of their school divisions.
-
Candidates
must satisfy the endorsement area in French, German, or Spanish by one of the
following options:
or
Year I Course Work
Three (3) courses will be offered during
Summer Sessions II and IV to meet licensure expectations and to prepare
candidates for success in the upcoming year. These courses are:
Summer
Session II (June 19-July 14, 2006):
EDUC
506 Contemporary Social Issues in American Education.
This course
provides foundation to the scope and nature of education in American society as
reflected in the historical, philosophical, and sociological forces affecting
the development and organization of schooling.
Emphasis is given to contemporary cultural issues impacting teaching and
learning in a diverse society. 3
credits.
EDUC 595 Special Topics: Curriculum, Differentiated
Instruction and Student Needs
This
course is an examination of the basic principles of curriculum development,
organization, and structure as well as differentiation of instruction and
assessment for at-risk and special needs learners. Embedded in the course are
strategies for the creation of a safe, supportive learning environment for all
students. Additional focus will include the topic of child abuse in terms of
recognition and responsibility of the teacher. Issues regarding student
recognition, motivation and behavior management as supportive of instruction and
curriculum goals are addressed. 3 credits.
Summer Session
IV (July 24-28, 2006):
FREN/GERM/SPAN 500 Approaches to
Teaching French/German/Spanish
This course provides a study of
current theory and methods of teaching, including application to the
proficiency-oriented classroom. It may be repeated for credit when topics
change.
Topics for Year I will include: Language
acquisition; standards; curriculum development. 3 credits.
Praxis
I:
Candidates will be required to take Praxis I no later than the end
of the Year I summer course work, and must pass it prior to beginning the Year
II course work. A Praxis tutorial will be available on an as needed basis during
the summer session for those who may have difficulties based on non-native
English language problems.
Supervision
and Mentoring
2006-2007
Throughout the intervening
year of teaching, candidates will
receive ongoing supervision, mentoring and support from the program faculty. For
candidates currently working on a provisional license in a school division, this
will include regular on-site supervision provided through the school system. All candidates will receive ongoing telephone and e-mail support
as needed. There will also be four on campus group meetings throughout the
year and on-site visits as requested by the candidate or the candidate’s
supervisor.
Year II Course Work
Three (3) courses will be offered during
Summer Sessions II and IV to meet licensure expectations and to prepare
candidates for success in the upcoming year. These courses are:
Summer Session II (2007):
EDUCATION
521. Human Growth and Development. This course provides the principles and processes of human development
covering the entire life span. Major aspects of development (social, physical,
mental, emotional, etc.) are traced through the various stages of development,
and their interaction in organized behavior examined.
3 credits.
EDUCATION
530. Teaching Reading in the Content Area. This course provides the graduate student with an
analysis of skills and strategies for facilitating content area reading in
intermediate grades, middle school, high school, and with developmental college
students. 3 credits.
(NOTE: Focus will be on the
content area of foreign languages.)
Summer Session IV (2007):
FREN/GERM/SPAN
500 Approaches to Teaching
French/German/Spanish.
This course
is a study of current theory and methods of teaching, including application to
the proficiency-oriented classroom. It
may be repeated for credit when topics change.
Topics for Year II will include: Teaching
the skills of listening, speaking, and writing; role of grammar instruction; use
of technology. 3 credits.
Praxis
II:
Candidates will be required to take Praxis II by the end of the Year II
summer course work, and must pass it before recommendation for licensure will be
made.
Candidates
will be required to pass the online technology competency assessment program
available through Longwood University prior to the end of the Year II summer
course work. Support will be provided by Longwood University for those who need it.
Recommendation for
Licensure
At
the end of the second summer session each candidate's performance will be
reviewed by the Longwood Alternative Licensure Program Coordinators and a
representative from the candidate’s school. Recommendation
for licensure will be based on the following considerations:
- Candidate's
successful completion of summer intensive course work with grades of C or
better
- Candidate's
demonstration of successful teaching during the intervening year as
evidenced by satisfactory results on the Longwood University Evaluation of
Student Teaching form
- Candidate's
demonstration of potential for continued successful teaching as evidenced by
satisfactory results on the Longwood University Evaluation of Student
Teaching form
- Successful
completion of Praxis I and II
- Successful
completion of the
online technology competency assessment program available through Longwood
University.
- Successful
completion of the Child Abuse Recognition Intervention
Program Management
and Support
Program
Director: Dr.
Lissa Power-deFur
Serves as fiscal agent for the
program and supervises the four program coordinators, listed below.
Longwood
Alternative Licensure Coordinators:
Admissions and Mentoring Coordinator: Dr. Frank Howe
Curriculum Coordinator: Dr. Lily Anne Goetz
School Liaison Coordinator: Dr. Stephen Keith
Facilities, Scheduling, and Assessment Coordinator: Dr.
Wade Edwards
Additional Support for Out-of-Country Candidates
Through the Offices of
Multicultural Affairs and International Affairs, Longwood University strives to
provide a welcoming environment for international students by offering timely
and pertinent information and counsel pertaining to immigration regulations and
procedures. The full-time Director of Multicultural Affairs initiates
services to make international students feel welcome and to enrich their
educational and academic stay at the University and in the United States.
International students have access to full advisory services and also to
information regarding immigration regulations. One of the goals of
Longwood University is to insure that student support services, academic support
services, and co-curricular programs meet the needs of a diverse and
international student body.
Committee Members Involved in Preparing this Proposal:
Longwood University
Foreign Language:
Wade
Edwards, Ph.D. - Lily Anne Goetz, Ph.D.