Instructor Qualifications for GER 1003 & 1004

The qualifications listed below reflect the minimum qualifications a high school instructor must meet before applying to teach the UMN courses GER 1003: Intermediate German I and GER 1004: Intermediate German II.

Licensure

CIS instructors must have a valid Minnesota teaching license or an approved alternative.

Experience and proficiencies (all required)

• Three years of teaching experience including experience teaching advanced levels of German and teaching juniors and seniors
• Familiarity with teaching predominantly in the target language
• Candidates must have native or near-native fluency. Typical assessments of this include an observation or an interview with the UMN faculty coordinator, ACTFL test of German proficiency passed at Advanced-Low or higher, ILR scores of 2 or higher or Common European Framework of Reference B2 level

Demonstration of advanced, relevant content knowledge (select one)

1. Graduate degree in the field(s) of German, Foreign Language Instruction, Curriculum and Instruction, or Second Language Acquisition
2. Graduate degree in any field plus 18 graduate credit hours in the field(s) of German, Foreign Language Instruction, Curriculum and Instruction, or Second Language Acquisition
3. Graduate degree in any field plus six equivalent experience options from A through M, below
4. Degree from an international university plus six equivalent experience options from A through M, below
5. Undergraduate degree in German or GSD with German emphasis, German studies, with significant coursework in German language, plus seven equivalent experience options from A through M, below

Description of Equivalent Experience Options (only required if #3, #4, or #5 is selected above)

A: Graduate credits in the discipline

Includes credits in German studies, Curriculum and Instruction and Second Language Acquisition. Credits need not have been taken as part of a graduate degree program.

• Three semester-length credits is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to six times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, include a list of relevant graduate coursework. For each course include the title, where taken and number of credits earned. Faculty will evaluate the courses you list for relevancy to the topics taught in the UMN course or to advanced topics in the same field. If the applicability isn’t obvious from the course title, please describe the relevance.

B: Professional development workshops

Workshops may include those from the Goethe Institute, AATG, MN-AATG, MCTLC, CARLA, Central States or similar language, culture or pedagogy-focused professional development, Advanced Placement German Language and Culture training, relevant International Baccalaureate training, or other relevant workshops, trainings, conferences, or seminars.

• 45 hours of professional development is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to six times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, include a list of each professional development workshop, the sponsoring group or organization and total hours. Refer to Faculty Guiding Questions #1: Discipline-specific professional development.

C: Published textbook, journal article or essay

May include similar scholarly or creative work in the field of German, German studies, Second Language Acquisition, Education, or Pedagogy.

• Each publication is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to three times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, describe the significance of the work, particularly as it applies to the topics covered in the UMN course or to advanced topics in the same field. Include a link to the publication or provide, with your application, an abstract or copy that lists your authorship.

D: Experience requiring regular use of German language

May include regular use of language skills and cultural knowledge in the performance of professional responsibilities such as interpreting, translating, or working in a German-speaking environment. May include paid employment or volunteer work such as Fulbright teaching assistantships.

• Each year is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to three times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, describe your experiences using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #9: Experience requiring regular use of skills or content knowledge related to the field.

E: Participation in a discipline-specific community of practice

Such an undertaking is intended to develop particular skills or understandings.

• Each year is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to three times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, describe your experiences using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #6: Discipline-specific community of practice.

F: Fellowships or awards teaching in German or second languages

This includes recognition of high school or undergraduate teaching from school, district, state, regional, national, or international organizations.

• Each award is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to two times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, describe your awards using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #8: Receiving an award or other recognition.

G: Participation in nationally normed assessment activity

This entails work related to German such as Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate test grading

• Each year of participation is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to two times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, describe your participation using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #10: Participation in a nationally normed assessment activity related to the field.

H: Years of successful and effective teaching experience in a course leading to undergraduate credit

These should be German courses, including dual credit, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or teaching undergraduates on a college or university campus.

• Two years of teaching is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to three times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, describe your teaching experience using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #3: Teaching of a course leading to undergraduate credit for students.

I: Discipline-specific leadership role in a secondary or postsecondary institution

Qualifying positions include department chair, or board member in a professional organization such as MN-AATG or MCTLC.

• Each term of service is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to three times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, describe your leadership experience using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #4: Discipline-specific leadership role.

J: Presentations at relevant conferences

These include local, state, regional, or national workshops or conferences such as MCTLC, MN-AATG meetings, Central States, ACTFL or AATG.

• Each presentation on a distinct topic is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to three times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, list and describe presentations using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #5: Presentations.

K: Serve as a content or pedagogy trainer or coach, or student teacher supervisor

To apply this option, German or related content must be embedded in pedagogy.

• Each year in role is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to three times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, list and describe roles using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #9: Experience requiring regular use of skills or content knowledge related to the field or to #7: Student teacher supervisor.

L: Field test or review curriculum

This includes working for a publisher or serving on a textbook review and selection committee for a postsecondary or secondary institution.

• Each distinct project is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to two times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, list and describe roles and responsibility using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #12: Field test, review or edit curriculum for publisher or #13: Serve on a textbook selection committee for secondary or postsecondary institution.

M: Organize study abroad experience

Programs such as GAPP, Friendship Connection or other education abroad study programs qualify.

• Each distinct trip is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to three times

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, list and describe your roles and responsibilities, and provide information about the scope, duration and significance of this experience.