MA Spanish and Portuguese Pedagogy
Program Purpose
Full program information, including detailed descriptions of measures of student learning and current data generated by those measures is available on the College of Humanities assessment summary
The purpose of the Spanish Pedagogy and Portuguese Pedagogy M.A. programs is to prepare graduate students who desire to enter the field of Spanish or Portuguese language teaching with additional understanding, knowledge, and pedagogic skills beyond those acquired at the B.A. level in order to be an effective teacher in the language classroom and/or a successful student in a doctoral program in foreign language education.
The programs are designed to provide a broad understanding of principles of foreign language teaching and learning, as well as to further students' knowledge of Hispanic and Lusophone linguistics and literatures. They are also designed to establish habits of broad spiritual thought and appreciation that will provide a source of life-long personal betterment and service to the extended community.
Curricular Structure
Curricular structure for these programs can be found on the department website:
Emphasis in Spanish Pedagogy: http://spanport.byu.edu/spanish/pedagogy/info/
Emphasis in Portuguese Pedagogy: http://spanport.byu.edu/spanish/pedagogy/info/
Co-curricular Activities Designed to Support Program Goals
1. Support for graduate student instructors: The Department offers a one-week Fall Workshop, a methods class (SPAN/PORT 376), an inservice class (SPAN/PORT 673R), and observation visits by Pedagogy faculty to provide training and support for graduate student instructors.
2. Sigma Delta Pi and Phi Lambda Beta National Honor Societies
3. Entremundos, student literary magazine
4. Spanish Resource Center: Co-sponsored by the Ministry of Education and Culture of Spain, the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, and the Center for the Improvement of Teacher Education and Schooling (CITES) both from BYU. The Spanish Center sponsors workshops and seminars, organizes cultural activities, and promotes efforts to encourage the teaching and learning of the Spanish language.
5. Study abroad: The department offers a number of study abroad programs each year in Spain and Latin America. Graduate students may participate in these programs either as students or as graduate assistants. More specifically, our department offers the Summer Institute for Spanish Teachers designed for graduate students who are in our programs and potential graduate students currently teaching in the K-12 system.
6. Spanish and Portuguese Writing Laboratories
Learning Outcomes
Pedagogical Expertise
Demonstrate advanced knowledge and application of Spanish/Portuguese language teaching methodologies, including curriculum design, assessment, and instructional strategies, through coursework and practical teaching experience.
Conduct original research or develop a substantial pedagogical project in Spanish/Portuguese language education, demonstrating the ability to critically analyze linguistic and cultural topics and defend findings through a formal oral defense.
Demonstrate a broad understanding of professional academic issues and conventions, the ability to successfully teach courses in the target language, and skills needed to function as a leader in language education in professional careers, doctoral programs, and other settings.
Achieve comprehensive understanding and effective communication in Spanish/Portuguese, with the ability to integrate Hispanic/Lusophone literature, linguistics, and cultural perspectives into language instruction.
Evidence of Learning
Please see the alignment table for explanations of program-level assessments.
Learning and Teaching Assessment and Improvement
1. The department has a curriculum committee made up of members from the different specialty sections and supervisors of multi-section courses. Proposals for curriculum change are discussed at section meetings, executive committee meetings, and faculty meetings, and are decided by a faculty vote. More lengthy discussions take place at department and college faculty retreats.
2. Student ratings of courses and instructors are scrutinized at the end of each semester, and are discussed with faculty members in annual interviews.
3. Plans for improvement are typically formulated by the curriculum committee or appointed task committees and tracked to completion by the department executive committee.
4. Proposals for curriculum change are submitted to the college and the university curriculum committees.