World and Heritage Language Education, MAT

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World and Heritage Language Education, MAT

The Master of Arts (MAT) program in World and Heritage Language Education offers students a rigorous course of instruction in teaching World Languages in grades PK-12 with a specialization in one of the following languages: Spanish, French, German, Latin, Japanese, Chinese or Italian. Upon graduation, the MAT program satisfies the requirements for earning a Pennsylvania Instructional I Certificate and provides students with a Master of Arts in Teaching degree (MAT). 

Through coursework and a two-semester internship, the MAT program prepares teachers to enact dialogic, student-centered, research-based instruction to teach World and Heritage Languages to students in grades PK-12. The program also focuses on implementing three pillars: a) centering care and relationality in teaching; b) inviting and honoring diverse ways of knowing; and c) seeking to unsettle and remake unjust system, structures, practices, and norms in today’s schools. 

36 credits are required for this program 

Accreditations: PA Department of Education accredited

Admissions Requirements:

• 3.0 GPA in undergraduate coursework

ORAL PROFICIENCY ADMISSION REQUIREMENT:

• A score of an Advanced-low on the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) taken through Language Testing International (LTI)

EDUCATION COURSE PREREQUISITES

• 3 credits of Foundations of Special Education
• 3 credits of Adolescent Development

EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH CHILDREN PREREQUISITE

• 30 hours of experience working with K-12 children (preferably adolescents).  Typical experiences include work at summer camps, tutoring, community involvement, or other volunteer or paid work with children.
• To document experience with children, candidates submit the Hours Documentation Form (PDF) with application materials

WORLD AND HERITAGE LANGUAGE COURSE PREREQUISITES

The following prerequisites must be fulfilled by all applicants of Latin only. A total of 24 credits are necessary, with at least 12 credits in Latin Area 1 and 12 credits in Latin Area 2.

Latin Area 1

• Roman Civilization (3 credits)
• Latin Prose Composition (3 credits)

Latin Area 2

• At least 12 credits in Latin with a maximum of 144 credits

A total of 24 credits are necessary to be distributed across Area 1 and Area 2.  At least 12 credits must be completed in both Areas 1 and 2.

Area 1: Languages and Linguistics (At least 12 credits)

• Conversation and Advanced Conversation (3 credits)
• Composition/Writing (3 credits)
• Stylistics (3 credits)
• Phonetics (3 credits)
• Grammar (3 credits)
• Syntax (3 credits)
• Structure of the Language (3 credits)
• Dialects (3 credits)
• Morphology (3 credits)
• Listening Comprehension (3 credits)
• Advanced Reading (not a literature course) (3 credits)
• Professional Translation (3 credits)
• History of the Language (3 credits)
• Introduction to Linguistics (may be taught in English) (3 credits)

Area 2: Literature and Culture (At least 12 credits)

• Civilization I (3 credits)
• Civilization II (3 credits)
• Major Cultural Periods (3 credits)
• Cultural Heritage Courses (3 credits)
• Literature Surveys (3 credits)
• Author Courses (3 credits)
• Genre Courses (3 credits)
• Literary Period Courses (3 credits)
• Cultural Period Courses (3 credits)
• Thematically-based Literature Courses (3 credits)

GPA and Grade requirements: All students enrolled in the MAT in World and Heritage Language Education are required to maintain a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0. A student is automatically placed on academic warning if the cumulative GPA falls below 3.000. No student on academic warning is permitted to participate in student teaching, a teaching internship, or an advanced teaching practicum. 

Graduation Requirements: Students must complete the 36 credits required by the program plan of study, fulfill all PA Department of Education (PDE) requirements (including an Advanced-low rating on the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and Writing Proficiency Test (WPT), and obtain the required GPA of 3.00 to meet graduation requirements.

Required Courses (Sample Plan of Studies):

Internship Experience:

During the school year, students complete an internship in a local public school under the supervision of a mentor teacher. Interns observe, analyze, and practice teaching skills in the grade levels and subjects of their mentor teacher.

In the fall term, MAT students spend approximately 20 hours per week working with their mentor teacher. In the summer term, students in the MAT program are in their school sites 30 hours per week, culminating in a two-week take-over of their mentor teacher’s full responsibilities.

Certification Requirements:

Graduates satisfy the requirements to earn a Pennsylvania Instructional I Certificate and a Master of Arts in Teaching degree by achieving the following:

• Earning an Advanced-low on the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) AND the Writing Proficiency Test (WPT) both taken through Language Testing International (LTI)
• Earning a passing score on the PRAXIS II General Content Knowledge Exam
  • Teaching Interns must take and pass the PRAXIS II General Content Knowledge Exam and the OPI and WPT either the summer before the program or during the first semester of the program to obtain their Intern Certificate.
• Completing Stage 3 competencies in the Fall term
• Completing the PA Statewide Evaluation Form for Student Professional Knowledge and Practice (PDE 430); and
• Demonstrating satisfactory performance in courses and the student internship

How is the Comprehensive Requirement Completed? TLL 2290 research seminar capstone project