Spanish Teaching BA
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 B.A. in Spanish Teaching at Brigham Young University is designed to prepare students for professional licensure to teach Spanish in secondary schools. The program aims to develop a broad foundation in the Spanish language and Hispanic literatures and cultures, as well as the specific knowledge and skills necessary to teach Spanish to adolescents in public school settings.
The Spanish Teaching B.A. program is one of nearly 30 programs in BYU's Educator Preparation Program. As such, it encompasses the general goals for all teaching majors at BYU, as well as specific goals for Spanish teachers, which are outlined below.
Co-curricular Activities Designed to Support Program Goals
- Sigma Delta Pi National Honor Society
- Spanish Resource Center: Co-sponsored by the Ministry of Education and Culture of Spain, the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, and BYU's Center for the Improvement of Teacher Education and Schooling (CITES). The Spanish Resource Center sponsors workshops and seminars, organizes cultural activities, and promotes efforts to encourage the learning of the Spanish language.
- Foreign Language Student Residence
- Study abroad: The department offers a number of study abroad programs each year in Spain and Latin America.
- Spanish Writing Laboratory
- Spanish Conversation Laboratory
Learning Outcomes
Language Competence
Our graduates foster peace and serve in home, church, civic and professional settings by speaking, listening, reading, and writing Spanish at the ACTFL Advanced Low level or better. They model language proficiency for their students, consistently making Spanish the language of their classrooms and connecting students with the community.
Our graduates are effective leaders and ministers, fostering belonging in various contexts by respectfully approaching the cultural perspectives, practices, and products of Spanish-speaking communities with curiosity, sensitivity, and appreciation.
Our graduates discern and communicate truth with humility, integrity, and fair-mindedness in professional, personal, and gospel contexts.
Our graduates lead the field in 1) creating safe and restorative classrooms, 2) making Spanish language and cultures accessible to all students, 3) engaging students through nurturing pedagogies, 4) committing themselves to skill development and current research in teaching, and 5) interacting with community shareholders.
Our graduates meet the Utah Effective Teaching Standards (UETS) at the basic competence level and assess their students' learning in loving, Christlike ways.
Our graduates are disciples of Jesus Christ and engage in life-long learning and service, promoting empathy through their communication skills, cultural awareness, and social skills.
Evidence of Learning
Program-level assessments include an ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and Writing Proficiency Test (WPT), a Capstone Portfolio, the Senior Survey, and the Alumni Questionnaire, as well as mandatory assessments used by BYU's Educator Preparation Program. Please see the alignment table for additional information.
Additional Assessment Tools
In addition to the Spanish Oral Proficiency Interview and the Writing Proficiency Test taken by all graduating seniors, the department offers several other assessments for Spanish students:
-Spanish Computer-Adaptive Placement Exam (S-CAPE), an exam designed to help place students into the appropriate course level
-Spanish WebCLIPS diagnostic exams to assess mastery of specific grammar topics (WebCLIPS also offers lessons with grammar explanations, practice, and immediate feedback)
-Spanish 16-credit Exam, which provides up to 16 lower-division credits that students may purchase. Students may take this test while enrolled in their first Spanish course at BYU.
Learning and Teaching Assessment and Improvement
1. Proposed curriculum changes are submitted by the appropriate section head to the Curriculum and Assessment Committee for discussion, followed by subsequent approval by the Executive Committee and the department.
2. Assessment of program-level objectives is done on department Assessment Days in Fall and Winter semesters, as well as during the college's annual Assessment Retreat in the Spring. Areas for possible improvement are noted and subsequently considered by the Curriculum and Assessment Committee and the department.