Building Future Leaders in Spanish Language Education

Posted November 20, 2023December 28, 2024 in Faculty, Stories, Teaching Spanish

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Picture a program where Spanish educators are empowered to lead and inspire, equipped with innovative teaching methods and a clear path to success. At Rutgers-Camden, Dr. Próspero N. García, as Graduate Program Director of the Master of Arts in Teaching Spanish, is transforming how language education is approached. Through mentorship, action-based research, and cutting-edge strategies, he prepares in-service and pre-service teachers for real-world impact. Discover how his work is shaping exceptional educators and redefining what’s possible in the classroom.

A Career Built on Passion for Teaching and Learning

After completing my B.A. at the University of Oviedo, in Spain, I moved to the United States in 2003 to continue my academic journey in Spanish Applied Linguistics and Language Program Direction at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, where I obtained my MA and PhD.

From my undergraduate days, my biggest passions were learning, teaching, and helping others. I was lucky to hone in on the first two at Smith College and Amherst College, where I had my first faculty appointments. But when I was offered the opportunity to come to Rutgers-Camden back in 2012, I didn’t hesitate. This was my dream job. I would be able to design the whole curriculum for a new Master of Arts in Teaching Spanish, helping the community and mentoring in-service and pre-service teachers of Spanish as they worked towards a graduate degree and a teacher certification. This was all I have ever wanted, that’s why I had invested so many years towards a PhD in Spanish Applied Linguistics and Pedagogy, to support the community and help others become the best possible educators. My happiest moment is when I walk into a class at Rutgers-Camden, and I see that what we do here is helping our present students and future colleagues to grow into fantastic educators and their possible selves.

My happiest moment is when I walk into a class at Rutgers-Camden, and I see that what we do here is helping our present students and future colleagues to grow into fantastic educators and their possible selves.
Próspero García

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Innovative Approaches to Spanish Education at Rutgers-Camden

As Graduate Program Director at the Spanish MAT at Rutgers-Camden, I devote most of my time to working with prospective students and mentoring current students and alumni in research, teaching, and advocacy. I really enjoy working on action research projects with the teachers in our program and bringing cutting-edge pedagogical innovations to their schools, as well as to our Spanish language program at Rutgers-Camden. Something that I am also very proud of is the creation of the Rutgers-Camden Spanish MAT series in applied linguistics, which has allowed us to bring to campus some of the foremost researchers in the fields of applied linguistics and language development and provide our students and alumni with invaluable professional development and networking opportunities.

Advancing Applied Linguistics: Research and Recognition

As an applied linguist, I am interested in second language (L2) development, L2 evaluation and assessment, technology-enhanced language learning, teacher training, and bilingual education from a Neo-Vygotskian sociocultural theory of mind perspective. My most recent work has explored the role of Sociocultural Theory in Spanish L2 education, the implementation of Dynamic Assessment to promote L2 teacher’s conceptual development, the role of Conscious Conceptual Manipulation in the development of grammatical categories, the implementation of concept-based instruction (CBI) in the heritage and second language classrooms, and the role of emotion and agency in the development and internalization of scientific concepts. Currently, I am exploring the role of conscious conceptual manipulation in the teaching and learning of conceptual categories in virtual environment, the implementation of a Dynamic Assessment approach as a tool to foster L2 learning and development in secondary education, and the role of CBI in the grammatical and pedagogical development of K-12 native and heritage educators.

Expanding Opportunities for Spanish and ESL Educators

Our MAT in Spanish at Rutgers-Camden is one of the few MAT programs in the country that offers content credits in Spanish as well as the possibility of obtaining a teacher license upon completion of the program thanks to our collaboration with the department of Education at Rutgers-Camden. This allows us to work with already certified teachers looking for content credits in Spanish as well as with prospective teachers looking for a certification. Looking into the future, we are planning on continuing this interdisciplinary work by offering a new ESL/Bilingual endorsement stand-alone program and becoming Alternative Route Providers. We look forward to continuing to develop our student’s involvement in research, solidifying our relationship with the districts and professional organizations in the area by providing professional development opportunities to teachers across New Jersey, and continue helping certified and prospective Spanish and ESL teachers become the best possible versions of themselves.