World Language Teaching Endorsement in Secondary Education

Western Washington University offers teacher certification in Secondary Education with a world language endorsement in the following languages:

• Chinese Language and Culture with Teaching Endorsement Option, BA
  • Chinese Endorsement Evaluation Form
• French with Teaching Endorsement Option, BA
  • French Endorsement Evaluation Form
• German with Teaching Endorsement Option, BA
  • German Endorsement Evaluation Form
• Japanese with Teaching Endorsement Option, BA
  • Japanese Endorsement Evaluation Form
• Spanish with Teaching Endorsement Option, BA
  • Spanish Endorsement Evaluation Form
  • Spanish Advising Flowchart

Notes 

• A GPA of 3.00 is required in the language major and a GPA of 3.00 or above is required in endorsement courses. Students must earn a grade of C (2.0) or better in the Secondary Education Professional Program and in all courses required for the endorsement.
• If you have previously completed coursework in one of the five world languages above from other college or university, have your coursework evaluated by Woodring College of Education, Secondary Education Department. Contact the Teacher Education Admissions Counselor. 
  • To be considered for admissions to their programs, ACTFL speaking and writing tests must be submitted as part of application materials (see below for description and registration for these tests).

To teach a world language at the secondary level, you need to earn a World Language Teaching Endorsement for your language. The Endorsement requirements are the following: 

• LANG 410 World Language Instruction: Theory and Method I (offered only in Fall)
• LANG 420 World Language Instruction: Theory and Method II course (offered only in Winter)  
• A passing score on the World Languages WEST-E test, and language proficiency assessed by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages oral (OPI or OPIc) and written (WPT) tests at the Advanced-Low level are required by the state of Washington.
• Complete the professional preparation program in Secondary Education (Post-Baccalaureate Program or Master in Teaching Program in Woodring College of Education, Secondary Education Department)

• West-E Designated World Languages Test
  • Test and Summary Framework 
• ACTFL speaking and writing Tests

It is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the description, as well as view samples, of the Advanced-Low level of proficiency in speaking and writing of the language(s) you plan to teach.   

Chinese

• Chinese - Simplified Characters Writing or Chinese - Traditional Character Writing
• Chinese - Simplified Characters Speaking or Chinese - Traditional Characters Speaking

French

• French Writing
• French Speaking

German

• German Writing  
• German Speaking

Japanese

• Japanese Writing
• Japanese Speaking

Spanish

• Spanish Writing
• Spanish Speaking

The first-level Residency Teacher Certification is awarded to new teachers upon the completion of the general requirements: 

• Successful completion of a world language baccalaureate or higher-level degree from a regionally accredited college or university (see the five world languages curricula above in Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish)
• Successful completion of content knowledge assessment (WEST-E) and content area speaking and writing tests (ACTFL OPI or OPIc and WPT at the Advanced-Low level of proficiency) to earn the endorsement (see the ACTFL descriptors above in speaking and writing for each respective language)
• Successful completion of a state-approved, performance-based teacher preparation program, either the Post-Baccalaureate Program or the Master in Teaching Program, that includes  the endorsement of a world language  
• Evidence of good moral character and personal fitness
• Successful student teaching performance as required by Washington State

At Western, there are four different options for a secondary education program: the Undergraduate (UG)/Post-Baccalaureate (PB), and three Masters in Teaching (MIT, Bellingham, Everett, and Renton) programs.  These programs are housed in Woodring’s Secondary Education Department.