The Daily Bulletin Archive

By Tony Astran

A new master’s program that allows foreign language teachers to earn professional licensure for teaching French or Spanish is now available through the Modern and Classical Languages Department. The master of science in education degree in foreign language education complements Buffalo State’s existing certificate programs for grades 7–12 and also grants an extension to teach grades 1–6.

The program provides coursework in four areas for a total of 30 credits: advanced study of foreign language, literature, and culture (12 credits); advanced study in foreign language teaching and learning (9 credits); computer-assisted instruction (3 credits); and educational research, culminating in a clinical thesis or project (6 credits) designed to help students address an area of inquiry relevant to their own classroom teaching experiences.

Mark Warford, associate professor of modern and classical languages, oversees the curriculum. He said the six-year period of developing the program and gaining state approval was worth the wait.

“A great deal of planning went into this program,” Warford said. “It took time to develop and refine the curriculum and courses. We gathered data to establish the need for students to earn this degree and also had a site visit by two outside reviewers. In the end, Buffalo State now offers a program that focuses like a laser on developing accomplished language teachers.”

Warford said that while there are other similar master’s programs in the region, Buffalo State’s new offering is unique because it is housed in a language department and also offers an extension to teach grades (1–6) earlier than the junior and senior high school levels, which, he said, is a growing trend in schools.

“It is a state requirement to earn a master’s degree a few years after beginning teaching,” Warford said. “There are currently dozens of foreign language teachers in the Buffalo area who need to pursue a master’s degree in order to retain their certification.”

To accommodate teachers’ busy schedules, Warford said, the department plans to offer hybrid and online options for most classes. “We aim to combine significant learning experiences with flexibility,” he said. “The online component is an exciting new frontier for us.” Warford said instructors will also encourage students to study abroad in order to enrich their learning.

Warford hopes the program will ultimately help retain good teachers already in schools while also enticing Buffalo State graduate students to remain at the college longer.

“We’re still trying to keep up with demand in New York State—especially locally,” he said. “First-year foreign language teachers are susceptible to backsliding because they feel isolated. Our program will help them learn techniques that will keep them engaged and innovative in their work. With the right encouragement, support, and confidence, they’ll succeed.”