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11 Pursue ACTFL Certification

Eleven colleagues in NC State’s Spanish program have completed training to pursue certification as official testers for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

When they become certified, they will join a select group of foreign language professionals in the U.S.  A four-day workshop last month also provided them with insight into how to adapt daily instruction to fit the needs of students as their oral proficiency skills are developing. NC State is one of the few universities in the nation to require an exit oral proficiency level for all Spanish majors, not just teacher education students.

NC State participants:

  • Dr. Mark Darhower, coordinator, Spanish upper division
  • Karen Tharrington, director, Spanish and French Teacher Education programs
  • Dr. Cheryl Block, teaching assistant professor, Spanish
  • James Mc Connell, lecturer, Spanish
  • Ana Gray, lecturer, Spanish
  • Dr. Chuck Johnson, teaching assistant professor, Spanish
  • Celia Crowther, lecturer, Spanish
  • Dr. Scott Despain, associate professor, Spanish
  • Soraya Place, lecturer, Spanish
  • Dr. Kay Villa García, teaching assistant professor, Spanish
  • Debbera Carson, lecturer, Spanish

Dr. Vilma Concha from Meredith College and Leroy Salazar, department head of foreign languages at Heritage High School in Wake Forest, also took part in the training.

Ten colleagues in NC State’s Spanish program have completed training to pursue certification as official testers for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).

When they become certified, they will join a select group of foreign language professionals in the U.S. The workshop last month also provided them with insight into how to adapt daily instruction to fit the needs of students as their oral proficiency skills are developing. NC State is one of the few universities in the nation to require an exit oral proficiency level for all Spanish majors, not just teacher education students.

NC State participants:

Dr. Mark Darhower, coordinator, Spanish upper division

Karen Tharrington, director, Spanish and French Teacher Education programs

James Mc Connell, lecturer, Spanish

Ana Gray, lecturer, Spanish

Dr. Chuck Johnson, teaching assistant professor, Spanish

Celia Crowther, lecturer, Spanish

Dr. Scott Despain, associate professor, Spanish;

Soraya Place, lecturer, Spanish;

Kay Villa García, teaching assistant professor, Spanish;

Debbera Carson, lecturer, Spanish

Dr. Vilma Concha from Meredith College and Leroy Salazar, department head of foreign languages at Heritage High School in Wake Forest, also took part in the training