PlymouthStateUniversity: Institutional Improvement Plan

Department of Foreign Languages

May 2005

Recommendations for continued work / April 2003:

The reviewer indicated that “Inconsistencies among staff led to diminution of standards importance for the education option. There was little evidence except syllabi for me to analyze regarding possible student output. It does not appear that language learning styles are accommodated in the program.”

  • The changes in our Foreign Language Departmental programs require accountability, flexibility, and efficiency in our planning. Syllabi have been extensively changed as well as course titles, prerequisites and course descriptions. Department Faculty Members were provided with a generic syllabus template that was revised for each respective course (SEE Attachments 1& 2).
  • We have implemented a file system for archiving student samples from content courses.

Recommendations for continued work / February 2004:

The department should continue on its current path of development and hiring.

  • The Department has accepted the M.Ed. in Language and Linguistics, and the M.Ed. in ESL and TESOL as part of our department.
  • Per the Status Update Report requests, the following additional information regarding the French and Spanish Programs was provided: a revised matrix containing more specific descriptions of proposed student work samples. Included with the two revised matrices: updated information regarding the Department’s development of portfolios (SEE Attachment 3)
  • Although we have had three senior tenured-lined faculty members retire and one professor on long-term disability within the last few years, we are offering the same number of courses taught by two full-time contract faculty members, six adjuncts, and one tenured faculty member. We have postponed faculty searches until Fall 2005, when we hope to fill two full-time tenure-track positions in French and Spanish to commence in the Fall 2006. The decision to delay fulfilling the tenure-line positions was made in order to provide a stable and congenial work environment prior to hiring new faculty members.
  • The Department of Foreign Languages currently has 28 courses in the new General Education Program. Our programs are now consistent in regards to meeting world language standards. Students are able to fulfill: Global Awareness and Diversity Connections Components by taking French, German, or Spanish Language courses atthe Fundamentals and Intermediate Levels; Global Awareness by taking the Fundamentals and Intermediate Latin; Global Awareness and Technology in the Discipline by taking the Advanced French and Advanced Spanish; Writing in the Discipline by taking Advanced French and Advanced Spanish Composition; and Diversity and Integration Components by taking Hispanic Culture in the US.
  • We have restructured our program to mesh into the new General Education Program. We currently do not restrict nor label French nor Spanish elective courses as “literature” electives in the fourth year. Our department has complied with the university’s recommendation of a 15-credit free-elective program. (SEE Attachments 4 & 5).

Suggestions / April 2005

In order to establish criteria for the teacher certification option, a departmental rubric for presentations would be helpful. It would make the student’s task easier in that she/he would know what is to be assessed and how important each element is. It would also model how to create a rubric when internship time arrives.

  • The Department of Foreign Languageis in the process of developing rubrics (for example, see Attachment 6). We have met as a department to develop a common rubric for mini-dialogues. Further meetings will be held for other rubrics as well: for Foreign Language oral presentations; for FL interactive presentations; interactive speaking interviews of classmates – self-assessments; presentational speaking – self and peer assessments; portfolio evaluations; self-assessment of class preparation and class participation; composition and essay writing.

Faculty should integrate cross-discipline courses (quantitative reasoning, etc.) so that there are fewer stand alone entities. This would help students understand why it is necessary to master the skills included in the course as well as facilitate their own lesson planning in the future.

  • Our Spanish and French Majors with the Teaching Certification Option enrollments remain the same. Many French and Spanish Majors and Minors realize that languages are a critical need area and some choose an Alternative Plan for Teaching Certification after graduation. Nonetheless, we recently have had several students enter into a contract with our Department and the M.Ed. Program seeking Teaching Certification in Spanish or French at the Master’s Level. Two of our Adjunct Faculty Members (Hattie Friedman, M.Ed. French, and Carolina Dahlqvist, J.D., M.Ed. Spanish and TESOL) have completed the PlymouthStateUniversity’s M.Ed. Teaching Certification in French and Spanish Program, and one (Wilson García, M.Ed. in Spanish candidate) is currently in the graduate program. Wilson García has applied for a Graduate Teaching Fellowship, and Carolina Dahlqvist is in the M.Ed. French Certification Program.
  • Our BA Spanish and BA French Teaching Certification Option Programs have been revised to integrate cross-discipline courses (SEE Attachments7 & 8).
  • Our Department realizes that there is an increase of non-English speakers in the United States, and that TESOL and ESL Programs in universities will be in demand. We plan to include in our Undergraduate Foreign Language program the Applied Linguistics Minor, the TESOL option and minor currently housed in the English Department to commence Fall 2006.

The department should continue to experiment with language classes (e.g. Spanish for teachers and French 350) to make languages more accessible to a diverse population from which to recruit teachers in this critical shortage area. Also, language minors could be groomed to volunteer in community agencies irrespective of their major areas.

  • We have recently offered courses through Continuing Education (Winterim and Summer Sessions), and a Community Outreach Spanish Conversation Course (Spring 2005). Graduate students who seek a teaching certification in Spanish or French have been taking individual enrollments with our Foreign Language Faculty. Our “Methods for Language Teachers Course” currently includes 4 graduate students.
  • Our Department has not only considered graduate and continuing education for the future, but at the present time is actively involved with several projects. As our society becomes more international, more elementary schools are choosing to integrate languages as part of their curricula. Outreach opportunities are and will be provided for our faculty, our Majors, Minors and Teaching Certification Candidates. We have established a connection between our Department of Foreign Languages and New HampshireSchools. For example, in progress: a Spanish Major with the Teacher Certification Option is introducing Spanish to students from grade levels 1-6, SAU #58 (northern NH), through video-conferencing from our campus to three different elementary schools (Groveton, Stafford, and Stark). Lessons have been planned under the direction of Foreign Language Faculty (Barbara Mitchell and Barbara Lopez-Mayhew). French Adjunct Hattie Friedman has been an advocate to introduce language as an enrichment activity in the Holderness Elementary and Central School, which will begin Fall 2006. Spanish Adjunct Wilson García is teaching Beginning Conversational Spanish Spring Semester 2005 through the PSU Community Outreach Program, and is teaching the same to community and school members (62 participants are enrolled in two sections) for a nine-week period, beginning April 5th, 2005. These participants will have the opportunity to earn one undergraduate credit through the PSU Office of Continuing Education, if they so choose. PSU Spanish Faculty, Barbara Mitchell, Carolina Dahlqvist, Barbara Lopez-Mayhew, and Plymouth Elementary School Spanish Teacher, Ellen Hand, will be presenters this summer, July 11-15, at a PSU Intensive Spanish Summer Institute for K-8 Teachers. This summer Institute is in collaboration with the GraduateSchool and Community Outreach Program and will provide participants the opportunity to register for optional 3 graduate credits. Three undergraduate credits will be offered through the Office of Continuing Education.
  • Our Foreign Language Majors with the Teacher Certification Option (K-12) should acquire and advance language skills and content (Art, Culture, Geography, History, Music, Literature, and Socio-Politics) and build and develop a strong foundation in Language Pedagogy and Methodology. Students will achieve language teaching competency through course work, study abroad, classroom observations at both the elementary and secondary levels of both private and public schools, and a one-semester teaching practicum at an Elementary, Middle, or Secondary Grade. Teacher CertificationOption Majors are encouraged to participate (either as a volunteer or as an “extern”) in an outreach introduction to language program (i.e. the SAU #48 Afterchool A+ program at local elementary schools or the Lakeland School in Meredith), and as Apprentice Teachers for our first and second year language courses.
  • Our Language Minors are participating in internships and volunteer efforts in impoverished countries or sections of the United States (i.e. a Social Work Major, with a minor in Spanish has an internship in Guatemala; a Communications Major, Spanish Minor is currently in the Seville Study Abroad program and will be participating in a Fall Semester Communications Internship in Seville). Service-learning has become a major component in the Spanish for Business and Social Services Course. Students volunteer weekly in local community agencies for the semester, while they prepare a national or international comparative study and a final project. Language Majors and Minors are participating in alternative winterim and spring break projects in third world nations or in impoverished areas of our nation, for example, spring break in New Orleans Spring 2004, volunteer work in an orphanage in the Dominican Republic Winter 2005, 2 weeks in May in Managua, Nicaragua with the COMPAS Program. Many of our Language Majors and Minors tutor students, faculty, community students or professionals.

During the transition to university status, it is suggested that the department use teaching assistants from upper division classes to teach 100 level language courses.

  • The Department of Foreign Languages has decided to eliminate the Dartmouth Intensive Language Learning (Rassias) Method as the predominant method in our beginning (1000) language courses. Although we have retained the supplementary language laboratory and oral practice sessions (total of 4 credits) with advanced language students (Apprentice Teachers), our curriculum is based on communicative and whole language learning acquisition. We do not have intensive drill sessions with our students, but rather we have review sessions with peer teachers. We promote language activities, in which students are encouraged to apply their acquired language skills in creative and diverse ways. Our Department is now engaged in a democratic dialogue about innovative ways of acknowledging and fulfilling students’ expectations and needs. Our upper-level students or native-speakers are actively engaged as Apprentice Teachers for our Fundamentals of French, German, Spanish, and Continuing Spanish Courses. Our faculty meets with Apprentice Students on a weekly basis for planning.

It is suggested that the department identify a philosophy against which prospective new faculty may be matched as the veteran staff retires.

  • Our Department is committed to making changes in our language curriculum as a whole. The new General Education Program has given us the opportunity to update and revise courses to meet changing expectations in pedagogy. We have embraced the opportunity to eliminate outdated material, teaching philosophies, and methodologies. All the present department members have collaborated on new curricula that meet current social and educational expectations. Our course descriptions are accurate and student-friendly, and our syllabi are now complete and consistent in regards to expectations, goals and objectives, and forms of assessment. Our Department of Foreign Languages acknowledges that globalization will affect the number of students taking foreign languages. Future job success will require cultural awareness and proficiency in several languages. In order to compete at a university status, our department faculty will need to be innovative, dynamic, and open-minded.
  • The Department is currently operating with only one tenured full-time faculty member (Barbara Lopez-Mayhew), who as Chair should have a reduced teaching load of two courses, rather than four courses per semester. The Chair has opted to over-load a third upper-level course each semester so that majors and minors have a greater selection of upper-level courses. Our adjunct as well as full-time contract faculty are dedicated and hard-working, and have been given the opportunity to participate in professional development activities by attending state, regional, and national conferences and workshops. Our Department is now inclusive and collaborates on Department and University projects. All Department members are recognized and encouraged to be active and productive professionals. The recent change in staffing has given the Department an opportunity to change and be more innovative. Department members are now making positive contributions to our Department and to the University and most importantly, are being recognized for their dedication and hard work. The Chair views her role as a facilitator and leader, who strives for improvement and efficiency of our language program.

Suggestions / February 2004

The department should continue to increase hands-on training and video reviews using rubrics. Faculty could refer to the BrownUniversity lab site and to NEASC for appropriate models.

  • As mentioned above, three of our adjunct faculty members have completed or are presently in the PlymouthStateUniversity M.Ed. French, Spanish or TESOL / ESL Certification Programs. Adjunct Hattie Friedman will be participating in a French Immersion Program in Nova Scotia, summer 2005. Our faculty members have recently attended or will be attending workshops and professional conferences: the American Association of Spanish Teachers (AATSP) in Chicago(July 2003) and in New York City(July 2005); the American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages Conference (ACTFL) in Chicago (November 2004) and in Baltimore (November 2005); the New Hampshire Association of World Language Teachers (NHAWLT) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire (Fall 2004); the Modern Language Association Conference in NYC (January 2003). Five of our Department’s Faculty Members have been or are currently NH Teacher Certified in Language Teaching. Marie-Therese Gardner, Full-Time Contract Faculty in French, has completed several courses in the PlymouthStateUniversity’s C.A.G.S. Program.
  • The Department Faculty is observed by the Chair on a yearly basis, and is assessed each semester through student evaluations. The “Foreign Language Methods” Course currently includes two video reviews of each student. In regards to rubrics, the Department would like to standardize several rubrics and include them in a Department Handbook, as well as in a Foreign Language Teacher Certification Candidate Handbook. We have consulted several sites, including the BrownUniversity lab site as well as NEASC for appropriate models.

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