MD-Language teaching practices

obligatory courses

The student practice in the second semester of the 3rd year takes place in various primary schools and kindergartens in Warsaw and its precincts. During the classes of Methodological Workshop students receive the lists of schools and teachers with whom they are to get in touch on the first days of March in order to discuss the terms of their practices in appointed schools during the time March - May.

Within the practice students use their knowledge and skills gained during their classes on the Methodology of Teaching English as a Foreign/Second Language and other related subjects. Initially students observe the lessons run by the teachers - tutors of their practice and then, gradually they plan and teach several classes on their own, under the supervision of the teacher-tutor. Their task is also to involve in an optimal mode into the school life by partcipating in parents meetings, by assisting the teachers in some extra classes and also by contributing into some other forms of teaching activities.

Student practices are arranged according to a new model that was developed within the project POKL "Good Practice as the Key to Professionalism in Education". The need to improve the quality of students' education and their good preparation for the profession of EFL teacher were emphasized in the project. The supervision over the organization and the course of the practices is in the hands of the Department coordinator who also coordinates all the actions connected with the process of recruitment for the practices. She/he is also responsible for the cooperation with the teachers-tutors and for the summative evaluation and assessment of the practice.

The following issues are going to be discussed in the context of ELT in the kindergarten and early education:

1. Observation of English teacher working in the kindergarten and primary school.

2. Observation of language skills in kindergarten and early education children.

3. Planning of the ELT syllabus in the short and long perspectives.

4. Planning the lessons, regarding how to match the individual needs of the students.

5. Constructing the basic observation tools.

1. Wallace J.M., Action Research for Language Teachers, CUP 1998.

2. Wajnryb R., Classroom Observation Tasks, CUP 1992.

3. Parrott M., Tasks for Language Teachers, CUP 1993.

On completing the course student:

Knowledge

- during a lesson recognizes the techniques of working with children that (s)he learned about within the methodology and related courses;

- knows the rules of behaviour during lesson observation;

- knows efective ways of working with children in early education and kindergarten.

Skills

- uses the learnt techniques of working with children in EFL/ESL lessons;

- plans and describes lessons in detail;

- describes the course of lesson in the form of a reflective note;

- adapts teaching materials used in the classroom where the practice takes place for the students' needs;

- develops his/her own teaching aids for planning and performing lessons;

- observes lessons and draws conclusions related to the teaching work with children, on the basis of the conducted observations;

- plans and conducts the interviews with the teacher-tutor.

Attitudes/social competences

- develops his/her own lesson plans;

- is open to give advice to a student-colleague who is doing practice in the same institution;

- demonstrates reflection on the lessons given by him/herself and on observing the others;

- appreciates the role of autoreflection and feedback in the professional development of teacher.

The basis of assessment of the practice by the teacher-tutor is the report describing how the student completed the tasks enlisted in the programme. The assessment is done on the background of observation of the student in the course of completing the tasks and the notes in the register book of the practices that documents the student's practice.

The assessment of the practices at the University is done by the coordinator of the practices on the basis of relevant documents (frame programme of the practice, certificate of the practice, register book of the practices, the teacher-tutor report).

Any changes to the established mode of assessment ought to be agreed with the University coordinator of the practices.