ALBA Teachers Program

The ALBA Intensive Teacher Programs in Barcelona

Professional Development Program for Teachers of Spanish (PDP)

BARCELONA, SPAIN: July 12 – August 2, 2008

This is an intensive program, involving approximately 75 hours - about five hours a day - of instruction over a three-week period in addition to individual work and related organized activities, designed for experienced teachers of Spanish in secondary and post-secondary institutions. Classes are normally conducted in Spanish.

Practical training is provided in three areas:

methodology component.

Role of the teacher in communicative language teaching; classroom management; lesson planning; techniques for achieving proficiency in reading, writing, listening and speaking; error correction and accuracy to achieve fluency

language component.

Seminars on the most difficult aspects of grammar and usage: e.g., ser and estar, por and para, etc.; narrative strategies; contemporary vocabulary

socio-cultural studies.

The geography, peoples and society of modern Spain: cultural diversity; contemporary customs and social life; Spanish youth and social behavior; art and architecture (e.g., Dali, Miro, Picasso, Gaudi)

Academic Credit for the intensive teacher training in Barcelona

Upon successful completion of the program, participants will receive 12 quarter-units (8 semester units) of graduate credit in Education (Curriculum & Instruction: CI 810) from Portland State University in Portland, Oregon.

Student Accommodation in Barcelona

ALBA provides centrally-located student housing in Barcelona with local families for greater cultural and language immersion. These homestays can be on either a “b&b” (breakfast-only) or a “half-board” (breakfast and evening meal) basis. Apartments may be available upon special request (meals not provided).

Program Support

The PDP is taught in association with International House (IH), a major language training institute in the heart of Barcelona. IH faculty hold advanced degrees in language, literature and culture and have themselves completed graduate teacher-training courses. They provide an unparalleled learning experience for participants.

In addition, ALBA has two Program Coordinators who share responsibility for looking after participants’ needs (such as morning coffee as well as more general issues). They normally organize and lead one or two day trips from Barcelona on program weekends to the Catalonian countryside such as hiking, wine-tasting and other activities. (See www.spanish-trails.com or contact info@spanish-trails.com for more information about Spanish Trails Adventure/SunCat Travel Center.)

Costs

For 2008, tuition, including all registration and other academic-related fees, is $3395.

Homestay costs are additional:
for b&b option: $ 925
for half-board : $1225
Apartment rents vary, typically in the $900 (small/shared or farther out) to $1800 range.

(Note: it is usually possible to arrange for longer stays in all housing types)

Application/admission

Requirements for admission to the PDP are straightforward:

1) Spanish language teaching experience - particularly at the post-elementary levels ; and,
2) at least a first, undergraduate degree in a relevant subject area (particularly Education or Spanish).

This information, along with any other that you may wish to provide, can be filled out on the enclosed card and returned to the ALBA address shown on the reverse.

The deadline for application is approximately six weeks in advance of the programs start: i.e. June 2, 2008, and all charges (tuition and housing) must be paid no later than June 16, 2008 unless otherwise arranged.

ALBA admissions will normally respond within two weeks of receiving your application. A deposit of $300 is due within one month of the date of the admission letter, and no later than June 2, 2006 (meaning that it should accompany applications sent after May 16, 2008). Places on the program, including accommodation, are allocated on the basis of when deposits are received.

For more information please contact: albaus@pdx.edu; or 503-725-8567

Application Card

Please download the PDF-document below for application (2007 brochure; 2008 will be available in late Fall 2007 but application form is the same. Thank you for your interest)

Application Card