Program Description
This program is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
The Master of Education in World Language Instruction is an innovative program building on the strengths of the Concordia College undergraduate teacher education program and the pre-collegiate language programs at Concordia Language Villages. The degree consists of 34 credit hours and is offered to cohort groups beginning each summer.
Most of the three summer courses take place online. The program gathers for 10 days of intensive in person instruction in Bemidji, Minn., to make use of the Concordia Language Villages that are located there. The rest of the summer work is completed asynchronously and synchronously online. The courses during the academic year are fully online.
Students complete courses during two summers and one academic year with the final fall semester spent writing their Master’s thesis or professional project and participating in an online seminar.
This program also offers an initial and additional path to licensure in the areas of Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Arabic, Hmong, Somali, and Karen. Students complete a prerequisite form with the director to determine how the content standards have been met through either being a speaker of the language or through undergraduate and/or graduate level language coursework. If there is missing content, the director will work with students to develop a plan for completing the content. All other standards for licensure are embedded in the M.Ed. coursework, allowing students to earn an M.Ed. + licensure in one of the languages listed above. These paths to licensure have been approved by PELSB in Minnesota.
Objectives
Upon completion of this program, graduates are expected to:
- Understand and demonstrate current methodologies in second language instruction
- Understand and demonstrate immersion teaching principles in the second language classroom
- Understand and demonstrate appropriate curricular design and instruction practices in content-based learning in the second language classroom
- Understand and demonstrate best practices in assessment in the second language classroom including Integrated Performance Assessments
- Understand principles of structuring research topics, gathering and using appropriate information, and employing valid statistical techniques in educational research designs
- Understand and demonstrate design procedures for qualitative and quantitative research in second language teaching and learning
- Critically interpret current research in second language teaching and learning
- Apply current technology methods and innovations to second language teaching and learning
- Evaluate modern electronic resources and considers strategies and issues involved in incorporating them in the classroom
- Demonstrate how technology can be used to deliver and enhance instruction in the second language classroom
Admission Requirements
Admission to the graduate program in world language instruction consists of applying for graduate study at Concordia College. The application process and the link to GradCAS, a centralized U.S. application system, are available on the Office of Graduate and Continuing Studies website (www.ConcordiaContinuingStudies.com/graduate). All required documents must be submitted through GradCAS.
Admission to a graduate program requires submission of the following materials:
- A completed application for admission
- An essay of at least 500 words, typed and double-spaced, that represents your highest level of academic writing. Provide a description of your professional experiences and background that have contributed to your readiness for graduate education. Specify those experiences that prepared you for your desired master’s degree. State your professional goals and indicate your potential to achieve this degree.
- Sealed or certified copies of official transcripts for all postsecondary academic work should be sent directly to GradCAS. Follow the instructions for this step.
- Three letters of recommendation from different individuals
- A resume or curriculum vitae
- A nonrefundable $35 application fee payable to Concordia College
Applicants accepted to the program must complete an intent to enroll form and submit a $300 deposit to hold a spot in the cohort. The $300 deposit can be applied toward the cost of tuition.
Transfer Credit
Transfer credits are allowed to no more than one-third of the total number of graduate hours required.
Thirty five credits are required, so no more than 11.66 credits can be transferred in to count towards the program.
Admission Deadline for Summer Term Start
Applications for admission to the graduate program in world language instruction will be accepted on a rolling basis. Review of applications to the program will begin on Oct. 1.
International students must apply by Feb. 1 for a summer term start, and the intent to enroll and deposit must be received by March 1. The application deadline for domestic students is June 1.
Degree Requirements
Students may progress either through the cohort or may take an individual course if space is available. Full-time cohort students may complete the program in 18 months, but many students take 20-22 months.
A research thesis or professional project and comprehensive oral examination are required of all candidates for the degree.
All course requirements must be completed with at least a grade of C. An overall GPA in the graduate program must be a 3.0.
Tuition and Fees
For information on tuition and fees, please visit www.ConcordiaContinuingStudies.com/graduate.
Contact Information
Cassandra L. Glynn, Ph.D.
Director, Master of Education Programs
Associate Professor of Education
Concordia College
901 8th St. S.
Moorhead, MN 56562
218.299.3857 / email: cglynn@cord.edu
Teri J. Langlie, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Education / Associate Professor of Education
Concordia College
901 8th St. S.
Moorhead, MN 56562
218.299.3622 / email: langlie@cord.edu
Meredith Wagner, PhD, RDN, LR, LD, FAND
Director, Graduate & Post Baccalaureate Education
Concordia College
901 8th St. S.
Moorhead, MN 56562
218.299.3755 / email: mailto:wagner@cord.edu
Program Requirements
The requirements for a Master of Education in world language instruction are listed below.
First Year | ||
---|---|---|
Summer | Hours | |
AMLA 600 | Second Language and Immersion Methodologies | 4 |
AMLA 602 | Educational Research | 4 |
AMLA 604 | Motivating Students via Technology | 2 |
Hours | 10 | |
Fall/Spring | ||
AMLA 610 | Advanced Practices of Effective Language Instruction | 4 |
AMLA 612 | Teaching for Intercultural Communicative Competence and Citizenship | 4 |
Hours | 8 | |
Second Year | ||
Summer | ||
AMLA 620 | Assessment in the World Language Classroom | 4 |
AMLA 622 | Content-Based Language Learning | 4 |
AMLA 624 | Immersive Language and Teaching Experience | 2 |
Hours | 10 | |
Fall/Spring | ||
AMLA 690 | Online Seminar | 2 |
AMLA 698 | Continuing Registration 1 | 1 |
AMLA 699 | Thesis | 4 |
Hours | 7 | |
Total Hours | 35 |
- 1
Required in all subsequent terms for those students who do not complete the thesis/project during the fall term.
Course Descriptions
Required Courses
Students will examine past and present methods of teaching a second language, drawing on their own experiences to enhance the discussions and understandings. Models and principles for immersion instruction will be contrasted with second language instructional principles. Observation and analysis of a variety of methodologies in action at the Language Villages will help students define their personal instructional philosophy and methodology.
Students will be introduced to the vocabulary, theory, primary principles, methods and techniques of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods of inquiry in the education field. They will also learn about action research in the classroom. Students will read and review a variety of research articles in the field of education, in general, and in their specific content area.
Students will discuss how technology can be used in the second language classroom to motivate language learners. Through observations and discussions of how technology is used at the Language Villages, students will design a unit of instruction incorporating technology.
Based on High Leverage Teaching Practices (HLTPs) and current research and methodological approaches, students will explore the ways they can leverage the HLTPs and current research in the field to advance their practices as language teachers. This course will be offered online.
Students will develop the ability to teach culture for intercultural communicative competence and the goal of helping their students to gain intercultural citizenship. They will learn how to leverage authentic resources, meaningful tasks, and Web-based instructional materials effectively to help students to become intercultural interlocutors and global citizens.
Students will discuss the theoretical and practical foundations in learner-centered and performance-based assessments. The role of national standards, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) K-12 Performance Guidelines and the LinguaFolio in assessing language learning will be presented. Students will examine a variety of assessment tools and their use in providing meaningful feedback to both teachers and students.
Students will examine the principles and characteristics of content-based instruction in the second language classroom. A continuum of program models ranging from content-driven to language-driven instruction will be discussed along with implications for curriculum and instruction. Students will design a content-based unit of instruction to demonstrate understanding of the methodology.
Students will have an intensive experience in the Concordia Language Villages where they will increase knowledge of the target language and culture(s) by using the language to participate and collaborate in Village activities, and by engaging in reflective practice (TESOL teachers will be placed in the English Language Villages). This course is repeatable up to three times.
Students will participate in an online seminar to work on their thesis with their faculty adviser and to share progress with others who are working on their thesis. Instruction will be provided in online units that will vary according to the students' needs and the topics of the theses.
All thesis proposals for the Master of Education in world language instruction, including those that fall under the exempt status category, must be sent to the Institutional Review Board for approval.
Continuing enrollment in graduate studies. This option is used for registration after completion of all course requirements or when not otherwise actively enrolled. This course may not be used to meet any program or graduation requirement.
The thesis will be a written work of publishable quality and will include documentation of literature review and evidence of extensive research to inform the work.
AMLA 698 Continuing Registration is graded with NG.
AMLA 699 Thesis is graded with S (pass), U (fail) or X (unfinished thesis or project).
Elective Courses
The elective courses are available on demand and can be offered in different languages. This is noted by [Target Language] in the course titles and descriptions.
WLC is a prefix used for language courses in the Department of World Languages and Cultures that are offered in multiple languages. The elective courses are cross-listed as AMLA/WLC to denote that although they are elective courses through the Master of Education in world language instruction, they are language courses taught in the target language.
Note: Multiple sections of this course may be taught in different languages. This course is designed to engage students in listening, reading, writing, and speaking around the topics of technology, media, and human relations in target cultures around the world. Particular attention will be paid to students in K-16 educational contexts, such as the influence of social media on students, students' abilities to engage in current events through technology and social media, and the way in which technology and media affects human relationships and communication in target language countries. Students will read, listen to, and view a variety of authentic texts, and they will also engage in text analysis and discussion on these topics.
Note: Multiple sections of this course may be taught in different languages. This course will ask students to examine the relationships between products, practices, and perspectives found in 21st century diaspora within particular countries. Depending on the language being studied and the countries most influenced by the diaspora, students may examine Hispanic diaspora, African diaspora, Arab diaspora, etc. Diaspora comes from the Greek word "to scatter about" and refers to a group of people with the same or similar heritage or ethnicity who have moved to new places throughout the world. Students will examine cultural topics through different lenses in order to understand that the relationship between products and perspecitives or practices and perspectives can vary within one particular culture. Human experiences such as emigration and immigration also greatly influence perspectives. Students will read, listen to, and view a variety of authentic texts, and they will also engage in an ongoing portfolio project and discussion on these topics.
Note: Multiple sections of this course may be taught in different languages. In this course, students will examine some of the problematic aspects of advanced target language grammar, focusing on such concepts as indicative times (past tenses), subjunctive tenses (values and uses in simple and complex structures), the values and uses of particular prepositions, and a variety of other concepts. The course will also pay special attention to concepts that are particularly confusing for non-native speakers of the language. However, the course also allows for individual exploration of advanced concepts in order to increase students' own knowledge of the language. In order to examine grammar within authentic, meaningful contexts, students will read and view a variety of texts such as short stories, news, and social media, paying close attention to the values and uses of the concepts being studied.
Note: Multiple sections of this course may be taught in different languages. In this course, students will read and discuss several young adult novels written in the target language. Although there are a number of competing definitions of this genre, this course will mostly focus on literature that is written and published in the target language expressly for young adults between the ages of 14-20 (or older). Students will focus on the way in which aspects of culture are represented and reflected in the various examples of young adult literature we will read in this course. Often young adult literature pushes boundaries, and students will also examine critical questions and topics that arise in the literature within the context of the target culture(s) in which the novel takes place.
Note: Multiple sections of this course may be taught in different languages. In this course, students will view, discuss, and write about various target language films that they could integrate into their own classrooms in order to teach historical, political, and cultural content through film. Students will read about and research the themes present in the films in order to gain a stronger understanding of the content, themselves, allowing them to develop course materials for their own classrooms. The films will lead to an exploration of different genres of film, various historical and political events, and diverse views of society, human relationships, and other aspects of the target culture.
Note: Multiple sections of this course may be taught in different languages. This course is designed to allow students to explore current critical and social justice topics in the target cultures. As these are dynamic topics that are ever changing, the topics of the course will change to reflect current issues in need of examination in various target language countries and within the diaspora. Some examples might be the exploitation of natural resources and environmental justice, gender and sexuality movements, or women's rights and access to reproductive healthcare. Students will read, view, discuss, and write about the topics this class will examine, considering action that they and/or their own students could take to address similar topics in their own communities and beyond.
Note: Multiple sections of this course may be taught in different languages. This course is designed to engage students in listening, reading, writing, and speaking around the topics of technology, media, and human relations in target cultures around the world. Particular attention will be paid to students in K-16 educational contexts, such as the influence of social media on students, students' abilities to engage in current events through technology and social media, and the way in which technology and media affects human relationships and communication in target language countries. Students will read, listen to, and view a variety of authentic texts, and they will also engage in text analysis and discussion on these topics.
Note: Multiple sections of this course may be taught in different languages. This course will ask students to examine the relationships between products, practices, and perspectives found in 21st century diaspora within particular countries. Depending on the language being studied and the countries most influenced by the diaspora, students may examine Hispanic diaspora, African diaspora, Arab diaspora, etc. Diaspora comes from the Greek word "to scatter about" and refers to a group of people with the same or similar heritage or ethnicity who have moved to new places throughout the world. Students will examine cultural topics through different lenses in order to understand that the relationship between products and perspectives or practices and perspectives can vary within one particular culture. Human experiences such as emigration and immigration also greatly influence perspectives. Students will read, listen to, and view a variety of authentic texts, and they will also engage in an ongoing portfolio project and discussion on these topics.
Note: Multiple sections of this course may be taught in different languages. In this course, students will examine some of the problematic aspects of advanced target language grammar, focusing on such concepts as indicative times (past tenses), subjunctive tenses (values and uses in simple and complex structures), the values and uses of particular prepositions, and a variety of other concepts. The course will also pay special attention to concepts that are particularly confusing for non-native speakers of the language. However, the course also allows for individual exploration of advanced concepts in order to increase students' own knowledge of the language. In order to examine grammar within authentic, meaningful contexts, students will read and view a variety of texts such as short stories, news, and social media, paying close attention to the values and uses of the concepts being studied.
Note: Multiple sections of this course may be taught in different languages. In this course, students will read and discuss several young adult novels written in the target language. Although there are a number of competing definitions of this genre, this course will mostly focus on literature that is written and published in the target language expressly for young adults between the ages of 14-20 (or older). Students will focus on the way in which aspects of culture are represented and reflected in the various examples of young adult literature we will read in this course. Often young adult literature pushes boundaries, and students will also examine critical questions and topics that arise in the literature within the context of the target culture(s) in which the novel takes place.
Note: Multiple sections of this course may be taught in different languages. In this course, students will view, discuss, and write about various target language films that they could integrate into their own classrooms in order to teach historical, political, and cultural content through film. Students will read about and research the themes present in the films in order to gain a stronger understanding of the content, themselves, allowing them to develop course materials for their own classrooms. The films will lead to an exploration of different genres of film, various historical and political events, and diverse views of society, human relationships, and other aspects of the target culture.