English 5-Adult (B.A.)
If Teacher Education degree candidates elect to specialize in English, they follow a course of study which the English faculty has determined will best help them to meet their responsibilities as English teachers. Each of the specific programs (5-Adult, 5-9) is designed to help students meet the following goals as teachers: (1) to understand the structure of language and the dynamics of communication; (2) to acquire a knowledge of language and composition that enables them to speak and write correctly and effectively; and (3) to recognize that literature provides vicarious pleasures and intellectual stimulation because it brings them into contact with the dreams, hopes, achievements, and failures of many cultures.
Admission Process
- Pre-Admission
The first part of the teacher education admission and retention process takes place when the prospective student applies for admission to WLU and indicates that he or she is interested in pursuing a teaching major or when the student changes his or her major to a major in teacher education from another major. The formal declaration of a teaching major on the admission form or with the Registrar's office gives the Teacher Education Program the ability to communicate with the student regarding items of importance to education majors.
- Formal Admission into the WLU Teacher Education Program
Students who have completed the requirements for admission into Teacher Education apply for admission using an online form available through the Teacher Education website.
The criteria for admission into Teacher Education are:
See Teacher Education Student Policy Manual.
- Admission to Clinical Practice (Student Teaching)
See the Teacher Education Student Policy Manual.
- Graduation and Certification
During the period of the clinical practice, the student is required to follow the schedule of his or her cooperating teacher and of the school in which he or she is placed. The Student Teaching Syllabus lists all of the requirements and expectations that the student must meet in order to receive credit for the experience.
Students who are pursuing the BA degree must submit an Application for Graduation to the Registrar's Office by the deadline established by that office. The Registrar's Office staff determines if the candidate has met the graduation requirements.
Teaching Certification
To qualify for West Virginia teaching certification, each graduate must also pass all of the required Praxis II tests for the subject area that he or she intends to teach. A list of the required Praxis II tests, along with the required passing scores, is available at the ETS website (http://www.ets.org/praxis) or the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) web site.
Graduates may obtain certification packets at the dean’s office or by requesting a packet from WVDE. Fingerprinting must be completed at a WVDE approved location.
Required Courses and Professional Components
Pre-Professional Skills Component
All education students must pass state-required pre-professional skills tests (Praxis I). Also, they must demonstrate speaking skills competency by achieving a letter grade of “C” or better in COM 101.
Professional Education Component
Methods and Materials Block Semester
These courses must be scheduled together during the semester prior to the professional semester. Students must be admitted to Teacher Education before enrolling in the Secondary Education Methods and Materials Block semester. Students must be eligible for the M&M Block to register for the courses listed below.
Professional Semester Courses
Content Courses
Choose 3 hours from the following:
Choose 3 hours from the following:
Choose 6 hours from the following: