If student teaching is in French, all students will also be required to take and pass the proficiency exam in French no earlier than one year before methods and student teaching. Participation in an intensive immersion experience is one of the most important and meaningful ways of developing competence in a foreign language. In preparation for the proficiency exam, students seeking certification in Italian must participate in an approved immersion experience which emphasizes prolonged and intensive interaction within the target language and culture. Students must have completed and documented the immersion experience before the first semester of the secondary sequence. This experience should be completed as close to the first student teaching semester as possible.
Most students choose to participate in a structured educational or exchange immersion program.
The Office of International Studies and Programs in 252 Bascom Hall offers information on many of these programs. Simply traveling or touring in a Italian speaking country will not satisfy the immersion requirement. Please see an adviser in Education Academic Services for additional information about this requirement. Prospective teachers should take every opportunity to increase oral mastery of the language. The Italian Club at the university offers lectures and films about Italy, and opportunities to converse in Italian.