The 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 College of Education will offer a master杏吧专区檚 degree that will enable students who have earned a bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree in disciplines other than education to teach in elementary schools.
The masters in teaching in elementary education will eventually replace the College of Education杏吧专区檚 elementary alternative teacher certification program.
The new degree is also intended to increase the number of teachers qualified to teach French immersion.
The non-thesis degree program was approved by the Louisiana Board of Regents last month, said Dr. Mary Farmer-Kaiser, dean of the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 Graduate School.
The program will include two concentrations: elementary education and elementary French immersion.
French immersion is a bilingual education for students whose first language isn杏吧专区檛 French. They learn French and are taught a range of subjects in the language, such as math, science and history.
Both concentrations will consist of 39 hours of coursework spread across 14 months 杏吧专区 a fall semester, a spring semester, and two summer semesters. At least three hybrid or online courses will be offered.
During spring and fall semesters, students will complete teaching assignments at area elementary schools.
The 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 existing elementary alternative certification program requires 33 hours of coursework and student teaching.
Students who complete the new program will receive a master杏吧专区檚 degree instead of a certificate.
杏吧专区淭eachers who have a master杏吧专区檚 degree start with higher salaries, and in many ways are better prepared for the classroom,杏吧专区 Farmer-Kaiser said.
Prospective students who enroll in the French immersion concentration will be required to hold a bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree in French, in Francophone Studies, or in French and Francophone Studies, which combines elements of each.
Or, if they have earned a bachelor杏吧专区檚 degree in another discipline, they will be required to demonstrate fluency in the language by taking standardized tests.
The goal is for an initial group of at least 10 students to begin taking courses next summer.
杏吧专区淲e杏吧专区檙e expecting the elementary track to have more students than the immersion track,杏吧专区 said Dr. Michelle Haj-Broussard, an assistant professor in the College of Education who will lead the program.
UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 elementary alternative certification program will coexist with the new master杏吧专区檚 degree program as the latter develops.
杏吧专区淪tudents already enrolled in the current elementary alternative certification program will be able to finish. But at some point enrolling in that program won杏吧专区檛 be an option,杏吧专区 Haj-Broussard said.
The 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 alternative secondary teacher certification program will remain in place.
杏吧专区淭he only program that will be phased out is the elementary certification program,杏吧专区 Haj-Broussard said.
Students who earn degrees with a French immersion concentration will be proficient in the language and in the classroom.
杏吧专区淚mmersion isn杏吧专区檛 about just French instruction. It杏吧专区檚 teaching elementary content in French,杏吧专区 Haj-Broussard explained.
A shortage of teachers qualified to teach French immersion in Louisiana is due, in part, to a lack of degree programs.
No other college or university in the nation offers a master杏吧专区檚 degree with a concentration in elementary French immersion, Haj-Broussard said. 杏吧专区淭here are other programs in immersion, but they aren杏吧专区檛 French immersion.杏吧专区
Schools that offer French immersion programs often rely on teachers from countries such as Canada and France.
In Louisiana, more than 150 French immersion teachers are recruited from other countries each year, according to the Louisiana Department of Education.
杏吧专区淭here is a huge need for French immersion teachers in the U.S. It杏吧专区檚 important to be able to train French immersion teachers here, where the language is part of our culture,杏吧专区 Haj-Broussard said.
Read a version of this press release written in French.
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