Background.
The Department of World Languages and Cultures (WLC) used to have a World Languages Endorsement before it was suspended in 2015. There was a change in linguistic proficiency requirements for World Language teachers implemented by the state of Washington based on the revision of national standards in 2013. The new proficiency standard for teachers of World Languages was set at Advanced Low on the ACTFL scale (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages). The majority of L2 (World Language as a Second Language) learners who go through a traditional language BA program at a four-year higher education institution can only achieve this high level of proficiency if they study abroad for an extensive period of time; or have extensive community service learning opportunities that allow them to be immersed in a language environment. The program at that time was serving primarily L2 learners who found it increasingly difficult to pass the ACTFL proficiency exam.
At the same time the new state requirement created a shortage of qualified World Languages teachers in WA. Our department has received many inquiries from current teachers in WA and school districts about the shortage and pathways to endorsement. The latest inquiry came this Fall 2022 from Kittitas Secondary School in need of a Spanish teacher and a Spanish College in the High School Liaison.
Reasons for reinstating the Teaching Endorsement for Spanish.
I. Student Demand. Over the course of several years WLC received many inquiries from Spanish program students, particularly Spanish Heritage bilingual students, who are seeking a career path that allows them to become Spanish language teachers in their communities.
Below are changes WLC made to ensure our students meet proficiency requirements and can achieve WA ACTFL standards for teachers.
- In 2019 we hired a dedicated Heritage Spanish coordinator, Dr. Andrea Herrera-Dulcet, who will also lead the Spanish Teaching specialization. Due to Dr. Herrera-Dulcet's recruitment and retention efforts and the changing composition of student demographics in our Spanish program, Heritage Spanish bilingual students now comprise 1/3 of all Spanish program students and this number is projected to grow in line with the anticipated increase in CWU's Latinx student populations. Majority of Heritage Spanish students are functionally bilingual and meet the ACTFL Advanced Low level of proficiency at the end of their program.
- WLC developed class and program assessments that align with ACTFL proficiency standards and provide testing opportunities for our students to ensure proficiency goals are met.
- Under the leadership of Dr. Nathalie Kasselis, the Spanish program developed a Translation/Interpretation Specialization that prepares students to be certified translators in WA. This program emphasizes linguistic proficiency through community service learning, and will provide a blueprint for building and tracking proficiency in the Teaching Specialization.
II. Teaching Endorsement integration into the Spanish curriculum. The new specialization includes three new courses, worth eleven credits total. Ten of those credits will be integrated as approved Spanish electives for all Spanish Majors and Minors, allowing for better enrollment management as the Teaching Specialization grows.
Furthermore, all three courses can be integrated into the Teaching Specializations for other World Languages Majors that can demonstrate ACTFL proficiency standards and robust student demand for teaching endorsement. Currently, the Japanese and French Studies programs are looking into meeting the linguistic proficiency requirements in order to create Teaching Specializations. For example, all Japanese Large Plan Majors are required to study abroad, making these students excellent candidates for a Teaching Endorsement in Japanese.
III. Faculty Workload. The Spanish Teaching Specialization is developed by Dr. Herrera-Dulcet and, in the near future, the coursework is expected to be taught by her. Her teaching workload for required annual courses is 23 WLUs, leaving room for an additional 13 WLUs of teaching to be dedicated to the Spanish Teaching Specialization and the Applied Linguistics Specialization that she also teaches in. The Spanish program has four tenured faculty members and one affiliate tenure-track faculty. One or two faculty members in Spanish can contribute to either Applied Linguistics or the Spanish Teaching specialization by teaching up to two courses annually. World Languages and Cultures anticipates stretching completion of either specialization over the course of two years to ensure that no new faculty hire is needed for implementation of the Spanish Teaching Specialization.
IV. CWU vision and mission alignment.
- A teaching endorsement in World Languages will put CWU back on the map for language teacher education in WA on par with our sister institutions who have benefited from us not having the teaching endorsement in languages. This will highlight and strengthen CWU's long-standing reputation as an institution that educates teachers.
- The Spanish Teaching Specialization is developed in accordance with CWU's mission and vision of diversity, equity, and inclusion, especially for our Latinx students. The Spanish Teaching Specialization emphasizes critical pedagogies and social justice in language education. We hope to educate the new generation of teachers who understand and embrace diversity in the K-12 classroom and who want to give back to their communities.
