Sample Work Portfolio

During the accreditation process for our teaching degree (B.A.A.), we have written into our plan that students will submit, prior to being admitted to Student Teaching, "sample work". These samples will allow the student to demonstrate a variety of skills that the state wants proven in a manner beyond the mere passing of a course.

To that end, beginning in Fall, 2001, students in our licensure program will need to present--at the time of applying for student teaching--samples which show that they (the students) can do the following (taken from the state law):

1. understand language as a system

• This can be met with work from Language 4044 Teaching Language Methods, Linguistics 1811, or with similar work from other courses.

2. understand first and second language acquisition theory

• This also can be met with work from Language 4044 Teaching Language Methods, or from Linguistics 1811.

3. comprehend, interpret, and evaluate information received in the target language through reading and listening

• This can be met with sample papers and/or tests from your Literature and
  Culture courses in the department.

3b. in the case of native speakers of the world language being taught, the same skills must be shown, in English

• This can be met with sample papers, tests, and/or notes from some
  university-level course [preferably one related to education or
  languages].

4. use familiar topics to write narratives & descriptions (factual) or routine
correspondence (several paragraphs), understandable to a native speaker

• This can be met with sample work from Advanced French, German or
  Spanish.

4b. in the case of native speakers of the world language being taught, the same skills must be shown, in English

• This can be met with sample work from Advanced Composition.

 

THIS MEANS, WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE CURRENTLY PLANNING TO GO INTO TEACHING, YOU SHOULD BE SAVING SAMPLES OF YOUR WRITING, NOTES, AND TESTS.

Your portfolio with these samples must be cleared with the appropriate faculty member (Spanish: Zeitz; German: Zinn; French: Kovacovic) prior to your being placed into Student Teaching. Be sure you leave us enough time to review your work.