Bilingual English-Spanish Certificate (BIES)
Frequently Asked Questions
Click questions to jump to answers and discussion below.
Answers and Discussion
When do I need my proficiency assessed?
Proficiency in Spanish must be established before you do any clinical work, including on-campus bilingual clinic or an off-campus placement such as student teaching.
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What does this entail?
Dr. Velleman, of the Spanish department, routinely conducts the proficiency assessments during a one-on-one interview. Both oral and written proficiency are assessed.
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How painful is it?
Relatively painless, though obviously intimidating. Dr. Velleman will share information with you about how best to prepare yourself for your proficiency assessment.
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What if I don’t pass?
Dr. Velleman will provide you with levels for both your oral and written proficiency as well as specific feedback about your performance and the areas in which you need to improve. Proficiency can be assessed multiple times, but you must attain a rating of Intermediate High to pass. See Ms. Sondag for proficiency level descriptions.
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How can I improve / maintain my proficiency between now and when I do Spanish clinic?
Plans are in the works to offer students service learning opportunities in the public schools doing shared book reading with Spanish speaking students in the fall of 2005. BIES students are encouraged to observe bilingual on-campus clinic. BIES students may organize get-togethers to practice Spanish with each other.
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Who teaches the BIES courses?
SPAN 142 (Spanish Phonetics) is currently taught by Dr. Barry Velleman during the fall semester.
SPPA 148 (Multicultural Issues for the Speech-Language Pathologist) is taught by Dr. Maura Moyle during the spring semester.
SPPA 281 (Speech and Language Assessment in Bilingual Populations) is taught by Ms. Stacy Ko Sondag during the spring semester.
SPPA 282 (Speech and Language Intervention in Bilingual Populations) is taught by Ms. Stacy Ko Sondag during the summer (Mod 2).
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Must I take the courses required for BIES in a particular sequence?
SPAN 142 may be taken at any time, but prior to the SPPA courses would be beneficial.
It is recommended that SPPA 148 precede SPPA 281, but they may be taken concurrently.
SPPA 281 must be taken before SPPA 282.
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Who supervises Spanish campus clinic?
Alejandro Aranda and Stacy Ko Sondag are bilingual supervisors for the on-campus clinic. Bilingual clinic is currently being offered fall, spring, and summer (Mod 2) semesters.
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Where will I get my off-campus Spanish hours?
Off-campus bilingual placements are in the public schools. We do not currently have bilingual supervisors in a medical setting.
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How many students are in BIES?
There are currently 13 students in the BIES program.
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How competitive is it to get accepted into BIES?
As the number of applications to the program continues to increase it becomes increasingly competitive to obtain one of the BIES spots. Acceptance is based on admission to the Masters program, your Spanish coursework, your Spanish language background and specific interest in the field of bilingual Speech-Language Pathology.
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What does it mean to be on the BIES waitlist?
Waitlisted students are encouraged to take BIES coursework. They are not guaranteed bilingual clinic placements and off-campus Spanish placements as our resources for such placements are limited. However, these students may seek out clinical opportunities on their own if the supervisors in such placements meet complete BIES requirements and have obtained program approval in advance.
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What are the advantages to pursuing BIES?
Numerous! You will be bilingual. You will be formally trained. You will be marketable. Completion of the BIES certification provides you with academic and clinical training that will prepare you to work with cultural and linguistic minorities, in particular, Spanish speakers. It may allow you to bargain for increased salary because of your increased qualifications. State, regional and national recruiters contact us each semester looking for bilingual graduates!
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