World Languages-Spanish: K-12 Teacher Preparation Concentration, Bachelor of Arts
The BA in Spanish with a Minor in Secondary Teaching Endorsement provides students with foundational knowledge in the Spanish language and Spanish speaking cultures around the world and in the United States. The skills and knowledge attained will empower students to teach and serve their community. Students work closely with the Teacher Education Program to gain the experience and necessary skills to thrive, lead, and innovate in the classroom.
Admission into the Education Minor:
The Education Minor is reserved for those undergraduate students pursuing a Colorado teaching license in conjunction with their major. It is a “protected” minor, which means students cannot just add it by themselves. When a student successfully completes our admission course (ED 301), the Education Minor is added to his/her program.
Admission into the Spanish Program:
There are no specific requirements for admission to the program, however, students who have prior exposure to Spanish through family interaction or previous studies need to be placed in the appropriate course for their level.
- Students who have taken no Spanish in high school or at another institution of higher learning should begin with SPN 101 Beginning Spanish I.
- Students, who have taken Spanish in high school, but not at another institution of higher learning, must take a placement exam to determine their proper placement.
- Heritage Spanish speakers (that is, students who speak Spanish at home to a greater or lesser extent), students with significant Spanish immersion experience, and students who have taken Spanish courses at other institutions of higher learning must meet with a Spanish advisor in order to determine correct placement. The advisor will place the student based on any of the following or a combination thereof: an oral interview, a placement exam, a written composition.
Student Learning Outcomes for Spanish Majors
Spanish Majors will achieve a level of proficiency in Spanish communication skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and in the understanding of Hispanic cultures sufficient to allow them to function effectively in careers in teaching, business, the media, government, the arts, etc.
These outcomes will be achieved by showing proficiency in the 5 C’s:
- Communication: The communication standard stresses the use of Spanish for communication in “real life” situations. It emphasizes “what students can do with language” rather than “what they know about language.” Students are asked to communicate in oral and written form, to interpret oral and written messages, to show cultural understanding when they communicate, and to present oral and written information to various audiences for a variety of purposes.
- Cultures: Cultural understanding is an important part of Spanish language education. Experiencing other cultures develops a better understanding and appreciation of the relationship between languages and other cultures, as well as the student’s native culture. Students become better able to understand other people’s points of view, ways of life, and contributions to the world.
- Connections: Spanish-language instruction must be connected with other subject areas. Content from other subject areas is integrated with Spanish-language instruction through lessons or courses that are developed around themes common to other subject areas.
- Comparisons: Students are encouraged to compare and contrast Spanish language and cultures with their own. They discover patterns, make predictions, and analyze similarities and differences across languages and cultures. Students often come to understand their native language and culture better through such comparisons.
- Communities: Extending learning experiences from the Spanish-language classroom to the home and multilingual and multicultural community emphasizes living in a global society. Activities may include: field trips; use of e-mail and the Internet; participation in clubs, exchange or study-abroad programs, and cultural activities; school-to-work opportunities; and opportunities to hear speakers of Spanish at the University and in the classroom.
Outcomes Assessment Activities
The faculty of the Spanish program uses several methods for evaluating student learning outcomes for Spanish majors. These include an oral proficiency interview, a written proficiency test, a student portfolio, and an exit survey.
Specific Program Requirements
In addition to the courses listed below, Spanish majors must also meet the following requirements:
- A senior portfolio.
- A minor in Education and completion of all requirements of the Teacher Education Program for K-12 Spanish licensure.
- Completion of the oral and written proficiency exams and of the graduating-senior survey.
- At least one upper-division SPN course must emphasize Latin America, one Spain.
Students completing a major in World Language-Spanish with an emphasis in K-12 are required to complete a minor in education and meet all other requirements outlined by the Teacher Education Program.
Study abroad is strongly encouraged.
Specific Core Requirements
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SPN 101 | Beginning Spanish I | 3 |
| SPN 102 | Beginning Spanish II | 3 |
| SPN 201 | Intermediate Spanish I (GT-AH4) | 3 |
| SPN 202 | Intermediate Spanish II (GT-AH4) | 3 |
| SPN 203 | Intermediate Proficiency Building | 3 |
| SPN 301 | Spanish Grammar in Context | 3 |
| SPN 303 | Spanish Phonetics & Phonology | 3 |
| or SPN 309 | Intro to Hispanic Linguistics | |
| SPN 370 | Intro to Literature & Culture | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Conv & Comp: Mexico & Central Amer | 3 | |
| Conv & Comp: South America | 3 | |
| Conv & Comp: Caribbean | 3 | |
| Conv & Comp: Spain | 3 | |
| Conv & Comp: U.S. Latinx | 3 | |
| Electives | 12 | |
| Select four upper-division electives, of which at least two must be 400-level | ||
| Total Credits | 39 | |
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education | 35 | |
| Spanish Major | 39 | |
| Education Minor | 37 | |
| Electives | 9 | |
| Total | 120 | |
Specific Requirements for the Secondary and K-12 Teaching Endorsements/Minor
The student must complete an appropriate major and the following Education courses:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| PSYC 151 | Human Development (GT-SS3) | 3 |
| PSYC 251 | Childhood and Adolescence | 3 |
| PSYC 342 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| ED 202 | Foundations of Education | 3 |
| ED 280 | Educational Media and Technology 2 | 3 |
| ED 301 | Frameworks of Teaching (Admission to Education is completed in this course) | 4 |
| RDG 435 | Disciplinary Literacy 3, 5 | 4 |
| Special Methods in Endorsement Areas (Prerequisites - Admission to Education) 5 | 4 | |
| ED 412 | Teaching Diverse Learners 4, 5 | 3 |
| ED 485 | Capstone Seminar in Education | 1 |
| ED 488 | Student Teaching Secondary | 12 |
| or ED 489 | Student Teaching K-12 | |
| Total Credits 3 | 37-40 | |
- 1
Music students may take PSYC 151 Human Development (GT-SS3) (3 c.h.)or PSYC 251 Childhood and Adolescence (3 c.h.).
- 2
Music Education students may complete MUS 103 Music and Computer Technology I (1 c.h.) and MUS 306 Technology for Music Educators (2 c.h.) for ED 280 Educational Media and Technology (3 c.h.).
- 3
English/Language Arts student must also complete RDG 410 Teaching Reading (3 c.h.)
- 4
Physical Education students may complete EPER 465 Adapted Physical Education (3 c.h.) or ED 412 Teaching Diverse Learners (3 c.h.).
- 5
GPA of 2.6 required
Besides completing at least 120 credits including all coursework for the Spanish major and education minor, students need to:
- Attain a grade of C or better in all Spanish courses for the major
- A total GPA of 2.6
- Complete an exit Spanish Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI)
- Complete an exit Spanish Written Proficiency Test (WPT)
- Complete a student Spanish Portfolio
- Complete an exit survey
Planning Sheet
Disclaimer: The Planning Sheet is designed as a guide for student's planning their course selections. The information on this page provides only a suggested schedule. Actual course selections should be made with the advice and consent of an academic advisor. While accurately portraying the information contained in the college catalog, this form is not considered a legal substitute for that document. Students should become familiar with the catalog in effect at the time in which they entered the institution.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | ||
| Fall | ||
| SPN 101 | Beginning Spanish I | 3 |
| ENG 101 | Rhetoric & Writing I (GT-CO1) | 3 |
| ED 202 | Foundations of Education | 3 |
| General Education (Math) | 3 | |
| General Education (SS) | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| SPN 102 | Beginning Spanish II | 3 |
| General Education (HS) | 3 | |
| General Education (ST) | 4 | |
| ENG 102 | Rhetoric & Writing II (GT-CO2) | 3 |
| CID 103 | Speaking & Listening | 3 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| SPN 201 | Intermediate Spanish I (GT-AH4) | 3 |
| ED 280 | Educational Media and Technology | 3 |
| PSYCH 151 or 252 or 342 | 3 | |
| General Education (ST) | 4 | |
| General Education (SS) | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| SPN 202 | Intermediate Spanish II (GT-AH4) | 3 |
| SPN 203 | Intermediate Proficiency Building | 3 |
| ED 301 | Frameworks of Teaching | 4 |
| Elective Course | 3 | |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| SPN 301 | Spanish Grammar in Context | 3 |
| SPN 303 Phonetics or SPN 309 Linguistics | 3 | |
| RDG 355 | Linguistics for Educators | 3 |
| SPN 300 level elective | 3 | |
| Elective course | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| SPN 370 | Intro to Literature & Culture | 3 |
| SPN Conversation/ Composition SPN 312, 313, 314, 315, 316 (choose one) | 3 | |
| SPN 300 level elective | 3 | |
| RDG 435 | Disciplinary Literacy | 4 |
| Elective Course | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| SPN 400 level course | 3 | |
| SPN 400 level course | 3 | |
| ED 412 | Teaching Diverse Learners | 3 |
| ED 448 | Teaching Foreign Language (K-12) | 4 |
| Elective Course | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| ED 485 | Capstone Seminar in Education | 1 |
| ED 488 | Student Teaching Secondary | 12 |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |