Download Summary Spanish Immersion for Teachers: “Programa de Español

Summary
Spanish Immersion for Teachers: “Programa de Español para Maestros Bilingües”
The Programa de Español para Maestros Bilingües is an intensive one week immersion review of the
Spanish language targeted at pre-service and in-service teachers who must pass the State mandated
exam, Prueba de Español para la Certificación Bilingüe, as part of the requirements for the Bilingual and
the Modern and Classical Languages (Spanish) teaching endorsements. This Programa is offered
through New Mexico Highlands University’s School of Education in collaboration with the Public
Education Department of the State of New Mexico. Of the 89 school districts in New Mexico, 59 have
bilingual programs which require the bilingual endorsement and also assure a “highly qualified” status
required by No Child Left Behind.
All instruction reflects the Spanish linguistic (listening comprehension, oral reading, speaking, and
written communication) requirements of the official exam. The Spanish language is strictly maintained
throughout the days and evenings during breaks, mealtimes and through homework assignments. In
essence, students are provided with the truest from of academic language immersion short of an
authentic academic experience abroad.
All in all, this intensive Programa’s primary focus clearly complies with NMHU’s Mission Statement
through “recognition of the growing importance of the Spanish language to our nation’s interests, and
acknowledgement to our many responsibilities to residents of Northern New Mexico…” (NMHU website
2007). Clearly, this Programa serves Northern New Mexico and beyond!
Test preparation addresses the major components of the mandated exam, Prueba de Español para la
Certificación Bilingüe. Each participant earns 6 credit hours as follows:
Gen. Ed. 4/535:
Gen. Ed. 4/535:
Gen. Ed. 4/535:
Gen. Ed. 4/535:
(1 cr.) Lectura en el Contenido
(2 cr.) Acentuación y Ortografía
(2 cr.) Composición en el Contexto Escolar
(1 cr.) El Español Formal e Informal
Spanish is maintained during all classes, during breaks and during all mealtimes. Instructors are
committed to solely speaking Spanish with participants throughout the entire week, including outside of
the NMHU environment wherever a casual encounter might take place.
New Mexico school districts served from 1994 through 2009 include:
Albuquerque Public Schools, Artesia, Belen, Bernalillo, Bloomfield, Belen, Carlsbad, Chama, Corona,
Cuba, Española, Farmington, Grants, Hondo, Jemez Mountain, Las Vegas City Schools, Los Lunas, Mesa
Vista, Mora, Mosquero, Moriarty, Pojoaque, Santa Rosa, Raton, Taos, Pecos, Peñasco, Questa, Rio
Rancho, Santa Fe, Santa Rosa, Taos, Tucumcari, Vaughn, Wagon Mound, West Las Vegas Schools.
Students Served:
Participants include pre-service and in-service teachers preparing to take the Prueba de Español para la
Certificación Bilingüe as part of the Bilingual endorsement. Following is a summary of enrollment figures
2002-2009:
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
20 students
12 students
23 students
25 students
22 students
15 students
41 students
44 students
Six credits required of each participant)
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