English teaching practice: developing teacher competences for upper primary school

obligatory courses

The aim of the teaching practice is to accumulate trainee's teaching and caretaking related experience. Prospective teachers confront and apply theoretical knowledge gained during didactics classes, especially during Young Learner Methodology lectures, in a practical school environment.

1. Learning the specifics of a primary school teacher's job within the pedagogic and methodological scope, with particular interest paid to English language teaching.

2. Learning to plan, conduct and document classes.

3. Learning to analyse teachers' and learners' activity during student and tutor meetings, both in consultations with lecturers and in methodology classes.

4. Learning to analyse own didactic activity and its practical application, as well as analysis of students' work

Each student is required to complete 60 hours of primary school practice in grades 4-8: 40 hours of observation and 20 hours of lessons conducted by the student.

Detailed aims:

1. Getting acquainted with the specifics of a primary English language teacher's job within the scope of methodology and pedagogy of teaching a foreign language;

2. Learning to plan, conduct and document foreign language classes;

3. Learning to analyse both the teacher's and the students' work during post-teaching practice evaluation by methodology trainers and trainees in methodology and didactics classes;

4. Learning to analyse student's own abilities and skills in carrying out tasks leading to educating and upbringing learners and the effects of trainees' work on children's activity;

5. Learning about and studying child behaviour as well as emotional, intellectual and social functioning of children and teenagers;

6. Learning the principles of pedagogic diagnoses, planning of didactic and pedagogic work with special attention paid to students' individual differences;

7. Realizing problems emerging whilst educating and nursing children and youth within social, economic and biopsychic factors;

8. Finding out about primary school teacher's organizational, didactic and educational duties;

9. Observing and teaching English in primary school classes (grades 4-8);

10. Analysing lexical, grammatical and phonetics classes based on modern foreign language teaching methodology in pre-primary, lower-primary and upper-primary classes;

11. Analysing teaching styles, motivation boosting systems while carrying out classes of English language teaching;

12. Planning sequences of English language classes in early language education;

13. The use and implementation of activating teaching methods.

A student knows and understands:

S_W01 to an advanced degree, selected facts, theories, institutions, processes and phenomena related to the following disciplines: pedagogy and education studies, psychology relevant to the field of studies - teaching foreign languages, which have practical application in foreign language teaching at the second educational stage

S_W03: the methods, norms, procedures and standards of good practice in educational institutions, related to teaching foreign languages

S_W04: to a significant extent, human development in biological, psychological, social and cultural terms and its various determinants

S_W06: in an orderly manner, the factors governing educational environments

S_W07: to an advanced degree, the structure and functions of the education system: its purpose, legal basis, organisation and the professional responsibilities of various educational, caregiving, therapeutic and cultural institutions

S_W08: various participants involved in educational, caregiving, and cultural activities

S_W09: the methodology to perform common tasks; the standards and procedures used in various educational areas

S_W10: the learners (recipients of educational services) and the methods of diagnosing their needs and assessing the quality of educational services

S_W11: the legal and financial aspect of teaching institutions, particularly those involved in teaching foreign languages

S_W19: the core curriculum regarding the content of teaching English at the second educational stage (primary school) and associated typical learning difficulties

The graduate is able to:

S_U02: plan and implement projects typical for foreign language teaching environments

S_U03: diagnose the needs, abilities and aptitudes of every learner, as well as design and implement individually tailored teaching and educational programs

S_U05: observe and assess the suitability of a variety of methods, procedures and best practices, and select and apply the appropriate approach with the goal of accomplishing tasks and solving problems related to foreign language teaching

S_U06: use basic theories in psychology and education and other related disciplines to analyse, interpret and resolve educational, social and cultural issues, as well as understand the motives and patterns of human behaviour

S_U07: use basic theories to analyse the motives and patterns of human behaviour in order to diagnose a situation and deliver practical strategies for different teaching contexts

S_U08: apply ethical norms in all of the activities undertaken, identify and analyse ethical dilemmas in the academic, educational, care-giving and therapeutic aspects of their profession

S_U10: work with children from various cultural backgrounds and those with limited knowledge of the Polish language

S_U12: communicate in Polish and in a foreign language, using a variety of channels and techniques, with all participants in the teaching-learning process as well as experts in those academic disciplines and subjects that are relevant to their field of studies, both in Polish and a foreign language

S_U19: using the basic organisational skills, plan and carry out tasks related to teaching foreign languages

S_U20: perform the various roles required for working as a team, is willing to accept and assign tasks, and possesses the elementary organisational skills necessary in designing and implementing professional educational activities

S_U23: animate the work of the learner and promote independence in knowledge acquisition, inspiring a positive approach to life-long learning and responsibility in making educational and professional decisions

S_U24: act in a mature, responsible and professional manner and control their emotions

The graduate is prepared to:

S_K04: conduct interpersonal and intercultural communication mediating with participants in the teaching-learning process in a local and global context

S_K05: interact and work in a group, performing various roles

S_K06: correctly identify the priorities for the implementation of specified tasks

S_K07: correctly identify and resolve dilemmas associated with the profession

S_K09: take action both in kindergarten, school and outside-of-school environment with the conviction about its appropriateness and effectiveness, in psychological, pedagogical and educational terms; is prepared to meet professional challenges

S_K10: see the importance of behaving in a professional manner and reflect on the ethical issues raised in the teaching profession

Teaching practice for 3rd-year students at UOKNJA last 60 hours (grades 4-8):

- 40 hours: observation of lessons

- 20 hours: practical approach; lessons conducted by a student

Each student is obliged to document the teaching practice.

In order to get a credit, the student submits the portfolio:

- the teaching practice register “Dziennik praktyk” with a short description of the observed and taught classes within the 60-hour-teaching practice

- a short opinion provided by the Mentor Teacher (Mentor Teacher Evaluation Sheet)

- a portfolio of 3 student’s own lesson plans with own teaching materials and reflexive comments.

Criteria for assessment:

5 (bdb)

- a carefully completed Teaching Register with a description of the observed lessons in accordance with the pattern provided

- very good opinion of the Mentor Teacher entered in the Teaching Register and on the Mentor Teacher Evaluation Sheet (mainly A grades)

- reliably prepared lesson plans submitted in the Portfolio along with visual materials / other teaching aids prepared and made by the student, confirming very good knowledge of the methodology of teaching English and the ability to apply it in practice

- submission of all documents confirming completion of the teaching practice (with the school's seals/stamps and signatures of the headmaster and the mentor teacher) within the deadlines specified by the coordinator (except for Erasmus + students or special random events, e.g. hospital stay)

4 (db)

- minor shortcomings in the Teaching Register, incomplete description of some of the lessons observed

- good opinion of the Mentor Teacher entered in the Teaching Register and on the Mentor Teacher Evaluation Sheet (the vast majority of B grades)

- minor formal shortcomings in the lesson plans in the Portfolio, visual materials / other teaching aids prepared by the student, confirming a good knowledge of the methodology of teaching English and the ability to apply it in practice

- submission of all documents confirming completion of the teaching practice (with the school's seals/stamps and signatures of the headmaster and the mentor teacher) until the deadline specified by the coordinator (except for Erasmus + students or special random events, e.g. hospital stay)

3 (dst)

- carelessly completed Teaching Register, no lesson descriptions, crossed-out sections, chaotic and incomprehensible records, no school seal/stamp and signature of the headmaster or mentor

- sufficient Mentor Teacher's opinion entered in the Teaching Register and on the Mentor Teacher Evaluation Sheet (most C grades)

- flaws in the lesson plans submitted in the Portfolio; careless, inadequate visual materials (e.g. too small, blurry photos, 'flashcards' / lack of teaching aids). The presented materials prove poor knowledge of the methodology of teaching English and the inability to apply it in practice

- submission of full documentation within the re-examination deadline or after the deadline specified in the teaching practice regulations without any formal reason.

If the criteria described above are not met, a student is ineligible to pass the course.

A detailed description and course of completing teaching practice, along with the deadlines for submitting the complete portfolio are specified in the Teaching Practice Regulations, available to students throughout the semester on the Kampus platform.

Adapted from the syllabus for years 2017-2020, prepared by mgr Anna Walewska and mgr Barbara Górska.