The 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 College of Education will offer a master小蝌蚪APP檚 degree that will enable students who have earned a bachelor小蝌蚪APP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小蝌蚪APP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 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP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小蝌蚪APP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 小蝌蚪APP 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 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 existing elementary alternative certification program requires 33 hours of coursework and student teaching.
Students who complete the new program will receive a master小蝌蚪APP檚 degree instead of a certificate.
小蝌蚪APP淭eachers who have a master小蝌蚪APP檚 degree start with higher salaries, and in many ways are better prepared for the classroom,小蝌蚪APP Farmer-Kaiser said.
Prospective students who enroll in the French immersion concentration will be required to hold a bachelor小蝌蚪APP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小蝌蚪APP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.
小蝌蚪APP淲e小蝌蚪APP檙e expecting the elementary track to have more students than the immersion track,小蝌蚪APP said Dr. Michelle Haj-Broussard, an assistant professor in the College of Education who will lead the program.
UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 elementary alternative certification program will coexist with the new master小蝌蚪APP檚 degree program as the latter develops.
小蝌蚪APP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小蝌蚪APP檛 be an option,小蝌蚪APP Haj-Broussard said.
The 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 alternative secondary teacher certification program will remain in place.
小蝌蚪APP淭he only program that will be phased out is the elementary certification program,小蝌蚪APP Haj-Broussard said.
Students who earn degrees with a French immersion concentration will be proficient in the language and in the classroom.
小蝌蚪APP淚mmersion isn小蝌蚪APP檛 about just French instruction. It小蝌蚪APP檚 teaching elementary content in French,小蝌蚪APP 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小蝌蚪APP檚 degree with a concentration in elementary French immersion, Haj-Broussard said. 小蝌蚪APP淭here are other programs in immersion, but they aren小蝌蚪APP檛 French immersion.小蝌蚪APP
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.
小蝌蚪APP淭here is a huge need for French immersion teachers in the U.S. It小蝌蚪APP檚 important to be able to train French immersion teachers here, where the language is part of our culture,小蝌蚪APP Haj-Broussard said.
Read a version of this press release written in French.
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