ACT-Houston
Houston 832-200-0552
Dallas 214-267-2222Austin 1-877-286-0024
Alternative Certification for Teachers
Languages Other Than English- Spanish (Grades EC-12)
Obtaining an alternative certification for languages other than English as a specialist in Spanish for early childhood education through twelfth grade students will require general education courses and foundational skills in Spanish language including reading, writing and conversational skills. Spanish is one of the most used languages throughout the world and is widely taught and spoken in various parts of the world.
What is Needed for Earning an Alternative Teaching Certification in Spanish
To be eligible for an alternative certification as an educator in Spanish for early childhood education through high school level students, the teaching candidate should demonstrate the successful completion of coursework in general education topics such as English literature, science, history, social studies, mathematics and electives including educational psychology, speech communication and linguistics.
The majority of certification programs will require an internship or student teaching opportunity in order to provide hands on experience as well as valuable exposure to the classroom setting for future educators. The ability to work side by side with an experienced teacher will help to develop skills that simply cannot be obtained from traditional coursework. While it is not necessary for certification, it can prove to be valuable if a candidate has had the opportunity to be immersed in the native Spanish language and at least one of the cultures where it is the primary language used. The experience will assist with enhancing the student’s understanding and will assist with the authenticity of an educator’s understanding and use of the language.
Teaching as a Spanish Language Specialist
A teacher of Spanish will need to complete necessary coursework in educational teaching strategies and teaching methods as well as language skills. As a teacher of Spanish across a broad range of grades and ages, it is critical to adequately develop lesson plans to provide the right level of cognitive development for students. Teaching younger grades will have a focus more towards vocabulary and general education foundations. Teaching the upper grades is more likely to have lesson plans focused on actual reading and conversational language skills as well as cultural discussions.