Students who need to take additional academic coursework for credit or who are using financial aid are encouraged to consider UNLA for their practicum experience.

Read letters from students who attended Centro Cultural de Lenguas

Universidad Latina de America (UNLA):
UNLA provides college level Spanish combined in a wide variety of disciplines offered by faculty from participating colleges and universities as well as resident UNLA faculty. The University Spanish Program is designed for serious students who are willing to donate a daily minimum of three hours of class time and three hours of study. In addition to a Spanish Course at the appropriate level, most students take one or two other courses, one of which would be the TESOL practicum. UNLA provides foreign students with a cultural component. The cultural component includes daily activities such as Mexican cooking classes, folk and salsa dancing classes, musical instrument lessons, workshops with Mexican students, as well as excursions.

For more information, please see http://www.aha/intl.org/morelia.html

Morelia:
Morelia is the capital of the state of Michoacán. It is located four hours from both Mexico City and Guadalajara. Morelia is a colonial city sometimes described as "stately and majestic," with a relaxed pace. For more information about Morelia, visit your local travel agent or call, 1-800-44-MEXICO.

Accommodation:
Participants in the UNLA program are required to live with a Mexican family. Students are encouraged to take advantage of this Spanish speaking environment. There are a wide variety of families that host students, and many individual needs/preferences can be met.

Insurance and Visas:
Personal emergency insurance is required as part of participation in this program. In most cases, you can use your U.S. medical insurance while in Mexico. You should check with your insurance company to verify the policy they have in regards to out of county coverage. A good supplement or alternative is to purchase a Student ID Card from Council Travel. These cards give basic coverage, and additional coverage may be purchased. You will need to complete the IPE Study Abroad/ Exchange Application (which includes health and insurance verification). For the time you spend in Morelia at UNLA, you will only need to have a tourist visa. This is obtained as you enter the country. You will need to have either your passport or driver's license and birth certificate to get this visa.

The practicum experience (TESOL 430):
Practicum students work as teaching assistants, with teaching responsibilities slowly added until they teach a full week of classes on their own. The regular professional classroom teacher acts as a mentor, providing opportunities to teach and to discuss class progress and activities. An outside "supervisor" needs to visit the class, observe the practicing teacher, and provide supportive feedback. All students will participate in a web-based component to discuss experiences, observations, materials, and teaching strategies. UNLA offers opportunities to work with university students studying at UNLA, or practicum experience with elementary students in an excellent bilingual elementary school.

The practicum may be taken any quarter and there may be a few different options regarding the length of stay and the practicum. Please talk to the TESOL Director for more details.

If you would like to apply to the Morelia practicum option or you would like more information, contact Trish Skillman at 650-4949 or Trish.Skillman@wwu.edu.