Postgraduate Certificate in Education PGCE Secondary Modern Languages
ObjectivesThe Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) programmes now include 40 credits of assessment at Master's Level (Level M). For candidates who opt not to attempt the requisite credit at Level M, a Professional Graduate Certificate in Education will be available as an alternative award. The Secondary Postgraduate Certificate in Education is a one academic year (36 week) course that trains graduates to be secondary school teachers of Modern Languages. The PGCE programme has been designed to train teachers for the full secondary age phase (11-18). Trainees are assessed against the standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in two key stages, normally KS3 and KS4. In the first half of the autumn term, some trainees may seek to change this to Key Stage 4 and post-16, this will be subject to discussion with the programme leader. The course is active and practical allowing trainees to develop professional competence through work undertaken in schools and in the University. Trainees work with young people, develop their expertise in their specialist subject area, share and discuss educational issues and study relevant educational research. The course is just the beginning of what we hope will be a process of continual professional development throughout a challenging and rewarding career. The PGCE Secondary Programme has been awarded a Grade 1 (outstanding) for Management and Quality Assurance from OfSTED (Office for Standards in Education) and all of the nine subjects have received good or very good OfSTED grades.
Entry requirementsModern Languages trainees should be: -graduates in French with German or Spanish to A2 level, or -graduates in Spanish or German with fluent, accurate French to A2 level or above, or -graduate native speakers of French, German or Spanish with a second language (for German and Spanish native speakers the second language should be French, for French native speakers the second language should be German or Spanish) Please note: A very small number of places are available each year for graduates with French only or French and Italian. Applicants normally have: -English and Mathematics GCSE grade C or equivalent (equivalency tests in English Language and Mathematics may be available for some applicants) -to have spent between one to seven days in a classroom observing modern languages being taught in a comprehensive school Applicants who do not meet the minimum academic entry requirements, but have significant life and/or work experience will be considered on an individual basis.
Academic titlePostgraduate Certificate in Education PGCE Secondary Modern Languages
Course descriptionContent
The course is part of the School of Education's programme for Initial Teacher Training. Units studied are:
-Enabling Learning
-Meeting Curriculum Challenges
-Becoming a Teacher
These units are studied in both the school and the University-based parts of the course, the work on each site being complementary.
The Modern Languages programme at UWE will give you the skills you need to be a successful languages teacher of the future. Trainees become involved in an exciting mixture of teaching and learning styles, ranging from presentations and micro-teaching to pair and small group work. You will also be able to find out about the learning process and try things out in the group, such as presenting a new language to a class or experimenting with a game you have just made. There will be regular opportunities for French specialists, Germanists and Hispanists to work together.
The following are some of the things we look at in subject sessions:
-Communicative language teaching
-Planning in line with the National Curriculum and KS3 strategy
-In-depth work on Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing
-Evaluation of course materials
-Assessment at KS3, KS4 and post-16
-GCSE, 'A' level and post-16 alternatives
-Management of the Modern Languages classroom
-The teaching and learning of grammar
-Hands-on ICT training
-Creative writing in Modern Languages, including poems and songs
-During the 24 weeks spent in two different partner schools, you will be encouraged to develop your full potential and to play a full part in the life of the school in which you are placed. There will be a strong framework of support and within this you will have opportunities to try out your ideas and develop your teaching skills.
Placements
24 weeks are spent on placement: a total of eight weeks in one placement during the autumn term and 16 weeks in a second placement during the spring and summer.
As well as teaching, the programme includes contact time with a Senior Professional Tutor and a Subject Mentor, directed study time and personal study time.
There is an opportunity to spend time in a primary school and some students may also visit other institutions, such as special schools or colleges of further education.
Assessment
In order to pass the course, trainees are required to pass each unit. They are assessed on a number of written assignments and also on classroom practice against the standards specified by the Secretary of State for the award of QTS. Before the end of the course it is recommended that trainees take the computer-based QTS skills tests in Numeracy, Literacy and ICT which are set by the Training and Development Agency (TDA)