Program Presentation
In recent times the privileged position that the Spanish language has moved into among the languages of the world, and the consequent increase in demand for the teaching of Spanish, has uncovered the need to progress, research and be trained in this area.
Spanish is currently the second language of international communication and the fourth most widely spoken in the world (this is the mother tongue of more than 400 million people living in more than 20 countries). In the United States there are more than 30 million Spanish speakers, and in Canada Spanish is the language with a highest growth. Also, the explosive demand for Spanish as foreign language courses that originated in the early 90s, and which has gradually increased to the present day, is another positive factor that reflects the importance of forming good professionals in this area.
Europe has begun to experience a similar situation. According to data from the Institute of Cervantes, between four and five million people are studying Spanish as a foreign language in the European Union. There has also been an increased interest of the Spanish language by the newly acceded countries to the EU or in countries such as Norway or Switzerland, where the rise of the number of its students is very significant. One consequence of this trend is the sharp increase in demand for Spanish courses arising at the global level.
In this context, Funiber offers a training program for teachers of Spanish as a foreign language that has as its main objective to respond to this new reality. The contents of the Master in Applied Linguistics to Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language and the Master in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language are identical. The only thing that varies is the name and qualifications of the same in function of the university where the student has enrolled.
The contents of the Master in Applied Linguistics to Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language and the Master in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language are identical. The only thing that varies is the name and qualifications of the same in function of the university where the student has enrolled.
Who is the programme for?
The general profile of course recipients in the Master in Applied Linguistics: Teaching Spanish to Speakers of Other Languages is as follows:
- Professors of Spanish as a SL in primary and secondary education, both in public as well as private institutions.
- Professors of Spanish as a SL in adult education.
- Associate and bachelor degree graduates in related specialties who intend to work as professors of Spanish as a SL.
To access the courses, it is necessary to meet the following requirements:
- Academic requirements:
Applicants must hold a university degree or equivalent in order to access the Master. If they have a degree in another area, they must take an entrance test.
- Linguistic requirements:
To enter the program, non-Spanish speakers must prove sufficient command of Spanish as the language in the academic area. This domain recognizes those who have completed an accredited university degree in a related area in universities of Spanish speaking countries. However, this recognition is not automatic and is materialized after carefully studying the documentation that the applicant provides.
In the event that no such qualification is available, sufficient language proficiency must be established by submitting documents such as the Higher Diploma of Spanish as a Second Language from the Cervantes Institute or other equivalents.
If applicants do not have any certificate attesting their language level or their university degree does not have the correct one, they must take an entrance test in order to enter the program.
Diploma
Successful completion of the Program will enable you to be awarded the degree in Master in Applied Linguistics: Teaching Spanish to Speakers of Other Languages.
After successfully completing the Program, the student will receive the degree as awarded by the University where they have enrolled.
Program Structure
Duration
The Master in Applied Linguistics: Teaching Spanish to Speakers of Other Languages has 60 credits.
The duration of the Master in Applied Linguistics: Teaching Spanish to Speakers of Other Languages varies between 12 and 25 months, depending on the student's dedication. In this period of time, the student must have successfully passed all the evaluated activities and approved the Final Project.
Assessment
Assessments aim to optimize academic achievement and teacher performance of the teacher in training. This is done through examinations, papers and other parallel activities carried out during tutorials for each of the subjects.
In distance education, comments and corrections of work done by the student are of great importance, since they have directly tutor support and will serve as indication of progress made. Therefore, these aspects are considered essential and much time and effort are dedicated to them.
The aim is to offer students the possibility of future work in improving and enhancing professional development through the course. All assessment is aimed at training and insight on the program’s topics so that the work serves to improve professional developments.
In summary: these teachers training programs of S/SL allow a process of autonomous and reflexive learning, with collaboration and interaction with peers and tutors supported by an infrastructure.
Degree
Upon successful program completion, the student will receive the degree of MASTER/MASTER IN LINGUISTICS APPLIED TO TEACHING SPANISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE or a MASTER/MASTER IN PROFESSOR TRAINING FOR SPANISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE according to the University where the student enrolled.
Double Degree
Once the Master in Professor Training for Spanish as a Second Language or in Linguistics Applied to Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language is completed, the student is given the opportunity to also complete the Master in Teaching English as a Foreign Language or the Master in Linguistics Applied to Teaching English as a Foreign Language is only one year. This is possible thanks to the automatic validation that is performed in all subjects that both masters have in common. These are the following:
| INTRODUCTION | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | SUBJECTS | CREDITS |
| 1 | Modes of directing the classroom. Techniques and reflection on the practice | 3 |
| 2 | Observation and research in the classroom | 3 |
| TOTAL | 6 | |
| ACQUISITION AND LEARNING | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | SUBJECTS | CREDITS |
| 1 | Second language acquisition | 3 |
| 2 | Individual factors in learning | 3 |
| 3 | Learning strategies | 3 |
| TOTAL | 9 | |
| METHODOLOGY | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | SUBJECTS | CREDITS |
| 1 | Methodological foundations | 3 |
| 2 | Skill development in the classroom | 3 |
| 3 | Creation, adaptation and evaluation of materials and resources | 3 |
| 4 | Educational technology in language learning | 3 |
| 5 | Projects and assignments | 3 |
| 6 | Evaluation of the language learning process | 3 |
| 7 | Curriculum design and programming – Theory and practice | 3 |
| TOTAL | 21 | |
The student only has to take the specific subjects for the Master in Teaching English as a Foreign Language or the Master in Linguistics Applied to Teaching English as a Foreign Language:
| SPECIFIC TESL ASSIGNMENTS | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | SUBJECTS | CREDITS |
| 1 | Approaches to language in the classroom context | 3 |
| 2 | Teaching pronunciation | 3 |
| 3 | English in the community | 3 |
| 4 | Teaching english through translation | 3 |
| 5 | Content Language Integrated Learning | 3 |
| TOTAL | 15 | |
| PRACTICUM & FINAL PROJECT | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | SUBJECTS | |
| 1 | They will develop a new final practical and written master’s report in English. Students applying to study this double degree will get a special price in enrollment. | |
Students applying to study this double degree will get a special price in enrollment.
Enfoque pedagógico
The program is not limited to merely providing content, but carries out a series of pedagogical actions to promote collaborative learning (between students and teachers). This is based on the following educational model:
- Training model of the cooperative and collaborative type.
- Based on dynamic and socio-constructivism training and learning concept.
- Assessing learning process with regard to material.
- Relevance of learning process regarding product or result.
- Stimulation of critical insight from the professor regarding their teaching practice and educational thinking.
- Involvement and attention to the person as a whole in the learning process (affective dimension, motivational, etc.).
- Work method next to research-action.
- Interactive and multicultural groups.
This model rests on four pillars; the students, the professors, the materials and the activities.
Objectives
General objective
The overall program objective is to provide a comprehensive and updated training, and provide the basis for development of academic and professional skills necessary for teaching Spanish as a SL in any of the different teacher-learning contexts.
It aims to support the professional practice on current knowledge; provide insights regarding the nature of teaching and learning a second language, and develop perceptions, knowledge, resources and practical skills necessary to complete the theoretical basis.
Stimulation of critical reflection is one aspect that defines the nature of the Project and makes a good bridge between basic theoretical training and necessary practical application, key action area.
Specific objectives
- Provide comprehensive understanding of the work of a professor of Spanish as a SL and help develop strategies to improve the most important aspects of it, considering its context, now and in the future.
- Acquaint the professor with the most relevant methodological proposals in the field of teaching Spanish as a SL and help develop a greater understanding and sensitivity to the nature of language, its use and learning.
- Emphasize the importance of individual professional development and innovation in the area.
- Provide students with the necessary advice to enable them to independently carry out research on their own teaching assignment and thus advance professionally.
In this sense, the program encourages the professor in training to:
- Interpret relationship between theory and practice and keep it in mind.
- Adapt new ideas and strategies to actual classroom situations.
- Experiment and innovate the teaching practice.
- Apply analytical skills to specific issues and problems.
- Demonstrate ability to critically evaluate literature and current research work in the field of teaching Spanish as a second language.
- Evaluate advantages and disadvantages of specific current teaching strategies and program.
- Apply knowledge and skills acquired during the program in the continuous improvement of teaching.
- The program’s focus is that students engage in a process of professional development directly related to their current or future work.
Study Plan
- INTRODUCTION
| INTRODUCTION | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | SUBJECTS | CREDITS |
| 1 | Modes of directing the classroom. Techniques and reflection on the practice | 3 |
| 2 | Observation and research in the classroom | 3 |
| TOTAL | 6 | |
- ACQUISITION AND LEARNING
| ACQUISITION AND LEARNING | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | SUBJECTS | CREDITS |
| 1 | Second language acquisition | 3 |
| 2 | Individual factors in learning | 3 |
| 3 | Learning strategies | 3 |
| TOTAL | 9 | |
- SOCIAL ASPECTS OF LANGUAGE
| SOCIAL ASPECTS OF LANGUAGE | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | SUBJECTS | CREDITS |
| 1 | Communication and pragmalinguistic adequacy | 3 |
| 2 | Language, culture y bilingualism | 3 |
| TOTAL | 6 | |
- SPANISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
| SPANISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | SUBJECTS | CREDITS |
| 1 | Grammar for teachers of Spanish as a SL | 3 |
| 2 | Spanish and its varieties | 3 |
| 3 | Teaching vocabulary | 3 |
| TOTAL | 9 | |
- METHODOLOGY
| METHODOLOGY | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | SUBJECTS | CREDITS |
| 1 | Methodological foundations | 3 |
| 2 | Skill development in the classroom | 3 |
| 3 | Creation, adaptation and evaluation of materials and resources | 3 |
| 4 | Educational technology in language learning | 3 |
| 5 | Projects and tasks | 3 |
| 6 | Evaluation of the language learning process | 3 |
| 7 | Curriculum design and programming – Theory and practice | 3 |
| TOTAL | 21 | |
- PRACTICUM AND FINAL PROJECT (30 credits)
The standard length of the program is 25 months and credits vary according to the university that issues the degree.
Note: The contents of the academic program may be subject to slight modifications, depending on the updates or the improvements made.
Management
Academic Administration
- Dr. Jesús Arzamendi Saéz de Ibarra. Doctor in Philosophy and Literature. Director of the Department of Language Sciences, Education and Communications. Iberoamerican International University - UNINI
- Dr. Antonio Bueno González. Doctor in Hispanic Philology. Associate Professor at the European University of the Atlantic (UNEATLANTICO)
- Dr. Narciso Contreras Izquierdo. Doctor en Filología Hispánica. Professor at the European University of the Atlantic (UNEATLANTICO)
- Dr. Jesús López-Peláez Casellas. Doctor in Philosophy and Literature (Germanic Philology. Associate Professor at the European University of the Atlantic (UNEATLANTICO)
- Ms. Julio Valladares. Professor at the University of Piura
Coordination:
- Dr. Silvia Pueyo Villa. Coordinator of the Teacher Training Area at the Iberoamerican University Foundation
FUNIBER Training Scholarships
The Iberoamerican University Foundation (FUNIBER) allocates periodically an extraordinary economic item for FUNIBER Training Scholarships.
To apply, please fill out the information request form that appears in the web of FUNIBER or contact directly the Foundation’s headquarters in your country that will inform you if you need to provide some additional information.
Once the documentation is received, the Evaluation Committee will determine your application's eligibility for the FUNIBER Training Scholarship.