Catherine Ritz
Program Director, Curriculum & Teaching and World Language Education
Clinical Associate Professor
Dr. Catherine Ritz is a clinical associate professor and the program director for the World Language Education and Curriculum & Teaching programs at BU Wheelock College of Education & 人类发展. She teaches courses on world language pedagogy, research, and learning design, as well as courses on curriculum and teaching across content areas. Dr. Ritz’s areas of interest include developing proficiency-based thematic curricula and assessments, effective world language pedagogical methods, and world language teacher development. Her research focuses on world language education, teacher practice, and programmatic leadership.
Before joining Boston University, Dr. Ritz taught French and Spanish at the secondary level for many years, received National Board certification as a teacher of French, and was director of world languages in a public school district in the Boston area. She is an active presenter at national and regional conferences on world language pedagogy and curriculum design, and consults with school districts in these areas.
Dr. Ritz is extremely active in service to her profession, volunteering on the boards of numerous professional associations for world language educators. She has been a member of the board of directors for the Massachusetts Foreign Language Association (MaFLA) since 2012, serving as president in 2015 and 2016. She is currently the MaFLA programming coordinator, overseeing professional development events. Dr. Ritz served on the board of the Northeast Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages (NECTFL), 2018–2022, and was vice president of the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF), 2020–2022. Dr. Ritz received the MaFLA Distinguished Service Award in 2022.
Recent News
Education
EdD, Curriculum & Instruction, Texas A&M University
ALM, Foreign Literature, Language & Culture, Harvard University
MA, TESOL/Foreign Language Education, New York University
Courses
WL 511: Methods of Teaching Modern Foreign Languages
WL 512: Curriculum & Assessment in Modern Foreign Language Education
WL 503: Pre-Practicum in Modern Foreign Language Education
WL 504: Student Teaching Seminar in Modern Foreign Language
WL 513: Input & Interaction in the World Language Classroom
WL 514: Inclusive Principles & Practices in World Language Education
CT 750: Basic Principles for Curriculum & Teaching
CT 721: Analysis and Design of Curriculum
LS 658: Second Language Acquisition
TL 635: Language Program Management
CT 534: A Practical Approach to Classroom Management
Selected Publications
Books
Ritz, C., & Travers, M. (2024). Proficiency-Based Instruction: Teaching Grammar for Proficiency. ACTFL. https://www.ipgbook.com/proficiency-based-instruction-products-9781961332119.php
Ritz, C., & Toro, C. (2022). Proficiency-Based Instruction: Input & Interaction in World Language Education. ACTFL. https://www.ipgbook.com/proficiency-based-instruction-products-9781942544739.php
Ritz, C. (2021). Leading your world language program: Strategies for supervision & design, even if you don’t speak the language! Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Leading-Your-World-Language-Program-Strategies-for-Design-and-Supervision/Ritz/p/book/9780367469764
Journal Articles
Ritz, C., & Sherf, N. (2023). Curriculum, instruction, and assessment: A snapshot of world language education in Massachusetts. Foreign Language Annals, 56(1), 29-52. https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12675
Ritz, C., & Sherf, N. (2022). Leadership matters: World language program leadership & teacher practices. The Foreign Language Annals. https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12651 [peer-reviewed]
Ritz, C., & Sherf, N. (2022). Strengthening equity, access, and language status in French programs: K–12 public school world language programming in Massachusetts. The French Review, 95(4), 99-122. https://doi.org/10.1353/tfr.2022.0074 [peer-reviewed]
Ritz, C., & Sherf, N. (2021). World language programming and leadership in K-12 Massachusetts public schools. Foreign Language Annals, 54(2), 476-504. https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12519 [peer-reviewed]
Ritz, C. (2021). What happens when the PD is over? A year inside teacher classrooms. The NECTFL Review, 87, 11-26. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1315036.pdf [peer-reviewed]
Ritz, C. (2020). Hybrid teaching across the three modes. The French Review, 94(2), 35-42. https://doi.org/10.1353/tfr.2020.0268 [peer-reviewed]
Ritz, C. & Rupley, W. (2018). The Proficiency Cohort: Shifting Teacher Beliefs through a Collaborative Curriculum Design Process. The NECTFL Review, 82, 31-55. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1245811.pdf [peer-reviewed]
Selected Presentations
Ritz, C. (July, 2020). Providing Leadership in World Language Education: Now More Than Ever! Webinar presented for the International Association of Language Learning Technology (IALLT).
Ritz, C. (July, 2020). Interactive Interpretation: Connecting Interpretive and Interpersonal Communication. Webinar presented for "Apart But Together, Expanding Our Community: A Virtual Summit" hosted by the National Foreign Language Center.
Ritz, C. & Blouwolff, R. (February, 2019). High-Leverage Teaching Practices: A How-To Bootcamp. Workshop presented at the annual conference of the Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.
Ritz, C. (November, 2018). To Correct or Not to Correct: That Is the Question! Session presented at the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Annual Convention and World Languages Expo.
Ritz, C. (November, 2017). 90-10: Planned and Purposeful Target Language and English Use. Session presented at the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Annual Convention and World Languages Expo.
Ritz, C. (October, 2017). Core Practices: Backward Design. Session presented at the Massachusetts Foreign Language Association Fall Conference.
Ritz, C. (November, 2016). Assessing Performance: Moving from Chapter Tests to Authentic Assessments. Session presented at the annual convention of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.
Ritz, C., & Lu-Hogan, N. (October, 2015). The Proficiency Cohort: Making Shift Happen. Session presented at the annual conference of the Massachusetts Foreign Language Association.
Ritz, C. (March, 2014). Teaching with Tablets: Using iPads to Deliver Instruction and Engage Students. Session presented at the annual conference of the Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.
Ritz, C. (July, 2012). Digitally Speaking: Free Resources to Improve Oral Proficiency. Session presented at the annual conference of the American Association of Teachers of French.