The Master of Arts in Teaching French
and
Maine State Summer Institute for Teachers of French and Spanish
Background and Purpose
There is a critical need statewide for more and more qualified teachers of Modern Languages. As a first response, the M.A.T. in French at the University of Maine has been redesigned in a collaborative effort involving the campuses of the University of Maine System and Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin Colleges to better meet the needs of Maine’s K-12 teachers of French. The revised program is summer-institute based with an intensive, immersion format. Courses will also be offered state-wide through technology during the academic year.
The program is intended for master’s candidates who are currently teaching at the K-12 level and who hold a Maine conditional, transitional, provisional, professional, or targeted needs certificate in French, or who are certified to teach in another state. This degree is designed to provide both the advanced level of mastery in language and culture and the pedagogical knowledge they need for full certification from the Maine State Department of Education. It is congruent with the new guidelines for Modern and Classical Language Teacher Endorsement.
Additional requirements include a course in advanced French grammar or one in French stylistics and a minimum of 12 hours of 500-level courses in French linguistics, film, literature, and contemporary society.The culminating project for the M.A.T. in French is the submission of a professional teaching portfolio illustrating the candidate’s familiarity with Maine’s teaching standards and his/her readiness to teach a second language in the K-12 classroom. Candidates seeking certification in the state of Maine must complete a course on teaching the exceptional student. In-service teachers who are already certified to teach French may opt to take additional courses in French language and culture or they may resume the study of a second foreign language at the intermediate level or higher in lieu of courses leading to certification.
Teachers who are already fully certified in language education and who want to pursue the MAT will take additional courses in French language and culture (or they may opt to study a second foreign language at the intermediate level or higher) in lieu of the courses leading to certification.
Degree Requirements
4 Courses in film, literature, linguistics, language and/or cultural history at the 500 level. (Taught in French, 12 cr.)
1 Course in contemporary society & culture. It is highly recommended that this course be taken in a country where French is a national or official language. It is intended to introduce the teacher to current political structures, social institutions and issues, business practices, educational systems, etc. An alternative in-residence immersion course will be offered in Maine for those who are unable to participate in such courses abroad. (Taught in French, 3 cr.)
1 Course in linguistics to familiarize the teacher with how language is structured, how it functions and carries meaning. A course in phonetics is also highly recommended to ensure the mastery of pronunciation and phonology. (Taught in French, 3 cr.)
1 Course in advanced French grammar to improve grammatical accuracy and develop authentic language use. (Taught in French, 3 cr.)
1 Course in designing the K-12 language curriculum. (3 cr.)
1 Course in teaching the exceptional student is required for certification. (3 cr.)
1 Course in foreign language teaching methods which reinforces principles and best practices in pedagogical strategies, (including the use of technology in the classroom), curriculum development, and assessment with an emphasis on the Maine Learning Results in Modern and Classical Languages and National Standards. (3 cr.)
Graduate portfolio. The culminating project for this degree is a professional teaching portfolio illustrating the candidate’s familiarity with Maine’s ten teaching standards and readiness to teach a second language in the K-12 classroom.
Course Delivery Mode
Courses in French and education are offered in the Maine State Summer Institute for Teachers of French and via distance education during the academic year. It will be possible to complete the 30 required credits in two summers (12 credits x 2) and one academic year (6 credits). Credits from other courses offered at participating institutions may, upon approval by the Graduate Coordinator at UM, be counted toward the M.A.T.
Summer 2009
Registration for all courses listed below must be completed at the University of Maine. All registrations for graduate-level courses (numbered 500) must be processed through the Graduate School, University of Maine. Teachers who have been admitted to a graduate program must register for courses (be they 400 or 500) at the Graduate School, University of Maine
All on-campus courses in summer 2009 (the Maine Sate Summer Institute for Teachers of French) will be delivered at the University of Maine, Orono.
MLC 466/598 - The Teaching of Modern Languages (Prof. Gisela Hoecherl-Alden, UM) June 22-26, 9am-4pm (UM, Orono, with submission of assignments via email)
SPA 490/598 Community Projects (Prof. Kathleen March, UM)
June 2 – 20 (Online)
SPA 503 Cervantes’ Don Quijote (Prof. Eugene Del Vecchio, UM)
June 29 -July 3 (UM Campus, Assignments submitted via e-mail)
FRE 598 (400) Advanced French Grammar (Prof. Nancy Erickson, USM) June 2 – August 2 (Online)
FRE 598 – Coming of Age in Francophone Literature (Prof. Kirk Read, Bates) July 6 -July 10 (UM, Orono)
FRE 598 - Francophone Cinema in the K-12 Language Curriculum (Prof. Katharine Harrington, UMFK) May 15 – August 2 (Online)
Fall 2009
FRE 400 – Advanced French Grammar (Prof. Kathryn Slott, UM) August 31 – December 11, MWF 3:00 at UM
FRE 530- Seminar in French Film Survey (Prof. Kathryn Slott, UM) August 31 – December 11, T 5:00-8:00 p.m.
FRE 542 – Seminar in North American French Language (Prof. Jane Smith, UM) August 31- December 11, W 4:30-7:30 p.m. at UM (and via videoconference)
Admission
Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree, have successfully completed 24 credit hours (or equivalent) in French and submit GRE scores. Application forms are available from the Graduate School at 207-581-3219 or online.
The Advisory Council
Nancy Erickson, Ph.D., University of Southern Maine
Charlotte Daniels, Ph.D., Bowdoin College
Teresa Brzustowicz, M.A.T., Foxcroft Academy
Katharine Harrington, Ph.D., Consortium Universities of Maine at Fort Kent, Presque Isle and Machias
Adrianna Paliyenko, Ph.D, Colby College
Raymond Pelletier, Ph.D, University of Maine, Program Coordinator
Anne Pooler, Ed.D., University of Maine
Kirk Read, Ph.D., Bates College
Jane Smith, Ph.D., University of Maine, Program Coordinator
