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English Language Learning

     

Spanish Teacher Exchange Program

Overview

For over 10 years, the Illinois State Board of Education has maintained a "Memorandum of Understanding" with the Spanish Ministry of Education.

Purpose

The purpose of this relationship is to enhance understanding between the people pf the United States and the people of other countries through educational and cultural exchanges. It also increases and improves the skill level of teachers of Spanish within the State of Illinois. A number of creative programs have been established to achieve these program goals.

Illinois/Spanish Visiting Teacher's Program

In this program, highly qualified teachers from Spain come to Illinois to teach Bilingual Education classes. Because of the high quality of their preparation these teachers also add a strong bicultural dimension to their service here.

As of June 2007, local school districts have contracted with 212 teachers from Spain. For the 2007-2008 school year, 59 new teachers from Spain will begin serving in Illinois schools.

The districts involved in this year’s program are: Aurora East SD 31, Carpentersville SD 300, Chicago SD 299, Cicero SD 99, Elgin SD U46, Kankakee SD 111, Mannheim SD 83, North Shore SD 112, Peoria SD 150, Rockford SD 205, Schaumburg SD 54, Waukegan CUSD 60, Wheeling CCSD 21, and Woodstock CUSD 200.

The Spanish Ministry of Education and local school districts cooperatively select the teachers for the program. The State Board of Education facilitates the dissemination of information and visa requirements. Staff from the State Board also provide governmental and programmatic oversight for this program.

Summer Institutes

The Spanish Ministry of Education and several Spanish universities partially sponsor scholarships to U.S. teachers of Spanish to attend language and culture or children's literature courses for three weeks in Spain. The courses take place in July and provide 3 university credits to the attendants.

International Spanish Academies

A truly international effort among American, Spanish and Canadian educational leaders, International Spanish Academies provide professional development settings for college level students and above. Students can access highly recognized institutions of higher learning in the U.S., Canada, Europe, or Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America.

AP SPANISH LANGUAGE
RUTA QUETZAL

The Quetzal Route is both a study program and an adventure trip. During the course of the trip, participants complete a program of academic activities designed by the Universidad Complutense in Madrid.

Language Assistants

The Ministry of Education and Science of Spain (MEC), through an agreement with the Education Authorities in the Autonomous Regions offer 1000 grants in 2007. Assistants will have the opportunity to learn about the Spanish language and culture and use their experience upon their return to the United States or Canada, thus helping to develop cultural understanding between the citizens of Spain and the United States of America and Canada. At the same time, the program provides Spanish students and teachers of English an opportunity to broaden and increase their knowledge of the English language and North American culture through interaction with native speakers.

Contact Information

Spanish Ministry of Education
Roberto Garcia
Education Advisor-Embassy of Spain
100 W. Randolph Street, Suite 14-300
Chicago, IL 60601 USA
Phone: 312 814 9192
Fax: 312 814 8636
e-mail: Roberto.garciag@mec.es
http://www.sgci.mec.es/usa/

Robin M. Lisboa, Division Administrator, English Language Learning
Illinois State Board of Education
100 W. Randolph, Suite 14-300
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 814-3850
e-mail: rlisboa@isbe.net

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Agency General Information
100 N. 1st Street • Springfield, IL 62777 • 866/262-6663 • 217/782-4321 • Directions PDF File
100 W. Randolph, Suite 14-300 • Chicago, IL 60601 • 312/814-2220 • Directions PDF File