Mar 28, 2024  
2014-2015 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2014-2015 Undergraduate Catalog [NOTE!!!! THIS IS AN ARCHIVED CATALOG. FOR THE CURRENT CATALOG, GO TO CATALOG.NIU.EDU]

Educator Licensure - Foreign Languages


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Students majoring in French, German, or Spanish who seek licensure to teach a language in grades K-12 should consult with the Foreign Language Educator Licensure office at the earliest possible opportunity. Educator licensure involves significant requirements in addition to the completion of a language degree and university general education requirements.

Procedures


Declare a major in French, German, or Spanish; usually with an emphasis in language and literature.

Consult with the Foreign Language Educator Licensure office at the time the major is declared and at the beginning of each semester thereafter.

Consult each semester with the adviser for courses in the specific language major. Apply for the first clinical course, ILAS 201.

Students are admitted to the educator licensure program when they have:

  • completed the written application for admission to the program, and a satisfactory interview,
  • passed the Illinois Test of Academic Performance (TAP, formerly, Basic Skills Test) or the ACT score substitution (22 composite or higher with writing component),
  • attained a cumulative GPA of 2.75 at the time of application, and a GPA of 3.00 in the language in which the applicant hopes to be licensed,
  • successfully completed ILAS 201, and
  • earned a grade of at least B in the FLFR 301 or FLGE 301 or FLSP 301 Advanced Grammar course.

Retention


Students admitted to the program must maintain the GPA requirements of 2.75 overall and 3.00 in the foreign language major, and display appropriate professional dispositions at all times.

Requirements in Department


Educator licensure students are required to take all the regular courses for a French, German, or Spanish major, in addition to choosing specific culture and linguistics courses as upper-level electives. Educator licensure students consult regularly with both the language adviser and the Foreign Language Educator Licensure office when choosing courses.

Requirements outside Department


Prerequisites


For students who do not have an ACT+ writing score of 22 or above for substitution and who have not passed the TAP/Basic Skills Test, a course in Test of Academic Proficiency preparation may be required. Consult the Foreign Language Educator Licensure office.

Other requirements outside of department


  • One course from another department with cultural content in the target culture (consult with the Foreign Language Educator Licensure office about which courses are available for each language).
  • Education course work in foundations of education, human development and learning, assessment, teaching exceptional students, and teaching English Language Learners. Consult with the Foreign Language Educator Licensure office about which courses are approved for satisfying this requirement.

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