Instructor Qualifications for SPAN 1003 & 1004

The qualifications listed below reflect the minimum qualifications a high school instructor must meet before applying to teach the UMN courses SPAN 1003: Intermediate Spanish I and SPAN 1004: Intermediate Spanish 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 with experience teaching the intermediate-mid level of Spanish
• At least one year of experience teaching 11th and 12th grade students, or college-level Spanish.
• Familiarity with teaching in a proficiency-oriented program.
• Candidate must have Advanced or Superior level proficiency in Spanish. Preferred documentation of proficiency includes the ACTFL test of Spanish proficiency passed at Advanced-Low or higher, ILR scores of 2 or higher, or Common European Framework of Reference B2 level. Alternatively, the candidate can demonstrate Advanced/Superior level proficiency via an interview with a UMN Spanish faculty member who has completed OPI training.

Demonstration of advanced, relevant content knowledge – select one

1. Graduate degree in the fields of Spanish, Second Language Instruction, Hispanic Literature or Hispanic Linguistics and Culture, Curriculum and Instruction, Second Language Acquisition or Applied Linguistics
2. Graduate degree in a related field plus 18 graduate credit hours in fields of Spanish, Second Language Instruction, Hispanic Literature or Hispanic Linguistics and Culture, Curriculum and Instruction, Second Language Acquisition or Applied Linguistics
3. Graduate degree in any field plus six significant, relevant experiences from items A through M as documented in a Description of Professional Experience

Description of Equivalent Experience Options (only required if #3 is selected above)

A: Graduate credits in Spanish (or related fields)

Related fields may include, but are not limited to, Second Language Instruction, Hispanic Literature or Hispanic Linguistics and Culture, Curriculum and Instruction, Second Language Acquisition, or Applied Linguistics. 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

For example, trainings hosted by AATSP, CARLA, ACTFL, Central States, or MCTLC, trainings to teach Advanced Placement Spanish Language and Culture or Spanish Literature training to teach International Baccalaureate courses, other relevant language, culture or pedagogy-focused professional development workshops, trainings, conferences, or seminars.

CIS Spanish professional development workshops will be acknowledged for instructors who began teaching UMN Spanish courses through CIS before 2018.

• 45 hours of PD 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 Spanish, Spanish 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 Spanish language skills

Includes performance of professional responsibilities such as interpreting, translating, or working in a Spanish-speaking environment. May include paid employment or volunteer work, in the US or abroad, Fulbright teaching assistantships, service learning, etc. depending on length and relevance to linguistic or pedagogical development.

• Each role 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 language teaching community of practice

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

• Each example is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to two 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 for recognition of high school or undergraduate teaching in Spanish or second languages

This includes recognition 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 Spanish such as Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate test grading.

• Each year of participation is considered one experience
• Can be applied up to three 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 Spanish 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-AATSP (Minnesota American Association of Teachers of Spanish or Portuguese) or MCTLC (Minnesota Council on the Teaching of Languages and Cultures).

• Each year 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-AATSP meetings, Central States, ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages), or AATSP.

• 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, Spanish 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: Organize and teach in a foreign study exchange program.

• 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.

M: National Board Certification in World Languages

• Include a copy of your certification letter or certificate with your application
• Fulfills two options

If including this option in your Description of Professional Experience, describe your certification using tips from Faculty Guiding Questions, #11: National Board Certification.