Program Director: Frank Tang
Address: East Building, 635G
239 Greene Street
New York, NY 10003-6647
Phone: 212-998-5494

Crossing Cultural Boundaries

As communications technologies shrink the world, teaching a foreign language becomes a skill increasingly in demand. In business, travel, technology, law, government, entertainment, and other endeavors, people now interact daily, even hourly, over all parts of the globe. In New York City alone, more than 200 languages are spoken in the public schools. Teaching another language often becomes the key to understanding another culture and finding ways for all people-children, adolescents, and adults-to live and work together.


Multiple Perspectives on Language Development

The Bachelor of Science Programs in Teaching a Foreign Language, Grades 7-12 interact with various foreign language programs in the College of Arts and Science and the graduate-level international education program at The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.

As a consequence of this interaction, students mix with a diverse group of students to gain multilingual and multicultural awareness and appreciation.


Distinguished Faculty

Among our gifted faculty in foreign language education is Professor Frank Tang. He is deeply committed to bringing all voices into the increasingly complex urban educational setting, studying ways in which second and foreign language instruction are most effectively pursued, as well as the intimate connection between language and the study of culture. Professor Miriam Eisenstein Ebsworth brings her expertise in intercultural communication and linguistics to enrich the students' experience. Professor Lorena Llosa's extensive background in second language assessment provides a crucial component for the foreign language teacher in today's competitive setting.


A Broad Education

Our goal is to provide learners with a broad education in language development and a deep understanding of speakers and their cultures. Participants in the baccalaureate program are exposed to current research and diverse approaches to language acquisition; they are prepared to make appropriate instructional choices in the classroom and develop the cross-cultural sensitivity so critical in this field.


Language Options

Students may specialize in one of several languages: Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Russian, or Spanish. Most language courses are taken in the College of Arts and Science. Course taken in The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development focus on teaching techniques and methods; creating curricula, materials, and audiovisual aids; and testing for language proficiency.


Teaching Internship

During two semesters of classroom observation and student teaching in the junior and senior years, students have the opportunity to test their own teaching techniques and instructional plans under the supervision of an experienced teacher and members of our faculty. Student teaching placements are arranged according to the target language of study in public and independent schools.


Special NYU Resources

Learning experiences can be enriched through several specialized University resources such as the Deutsches Haus, La Maison Francaise, Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo or the Hagop Kevorkian Center. These facilities have important reference materials and conduct cultural, academic, and social events. Our students also have access to the NYU foreign language and computer laboratories. These technologies will support improvement in language proficiency, acquisition of telecommunications skills, and participation in electronic conferences.


Helping You Start Your Career

The Foreign Language Conference, sponsored each year by NYU and the New York City Department of Education, provides you with an opportunity to meet foreign language professionals and possible employers from throughout the metropolitan area. The Department of Education also recruits prospective teachers on campus each year. The NYU Office of Career Services helps students develop resume writing and interviewing skills. Student teaching placements often lead to full-time employment upon graduation.


Career Opportunities

As a foreign language educator, you have a wide range of career possibilities. Rising high school enrollments and increased interest in bilingual and multicultural education offer many opportunities. We prepare you for teaching a foreign language to students in grades 7 through 12. In addition to the course work, to qualify for provisional or initial certification in New York, you are required to take the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations and, in most other states, you are required to take the National Teachers Examination after graduation.

You may choose to use your preparation in foreign language education to find a position in publishing, the travel industry, government, international business, interpretation, and translation as well as with public, private, and community organizations involved in bilingual and multicultural activities.

The following positions are samples of those obtained by recent graduates:

• Teachers of foreign language (Spanish, French, German, Russian, Italian, Japanese, etc.), New York City public schools
• Teachers of foreign language in New Jersey, Westchester County, Rockland County, Long Island public schools
• Teachers of Spanish and French, LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts
• Teachers of French and Japanese, United Nations High School