Professional training of foreign language teachers in Germany: conceptual framework

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Article

Professional training of foreign language teachers in Germany: conceptual framework

Ikonnikova M. V.

The article deals with the problem ofprofessional training of foreign language teachers in Germany through the prism of the main conceptual framework. It is highlighted that the requirements for professional training and retraining offoreign language teachers put forward the need to cultivate modern and competitive specialists who are able to update the content of the education process today. It is specified that professional training of foreign language teachers in Germany is based on the principles of continuity, integrativity, cultural development and professional growth. It is concluded that German training programmes for foreign language teachers are accorded with their needs for an integrated application of the knowledge obtained during professional pedagogical training.

Key words: language education, foreign language teacher, philologist, professional training, concept, Germany, Ukraine.

The constant increase in data interchange, activity of mass media and modernization of social sciences, humanities and scientific knowledge push the reformation and the reorganization of teacher education in higher education institutions, including language education not only in Ukrainian universities, but also in theory and practice of other countries all over the world. Consequently, the requirements for professional training and retraining of foreign language teachers, the humanization of education, the shift in educational goals and the provision of the right to pedagogical autonomy highlight the need to cultivate modern and competitive specialists who are able to update the content and teaching and learning technologies incorporated into the education process. Indeed, a highly qualified foreign language teacher must be theoretically, practically, psychologically, methodically and scientifically ready for intellectual and creative professional activity and lifelong learning. The foreign language teacher of the new generation operates within the wide system “the individual - the society - the individual” and, as a result, the criteria for professional activity, methods, forms and modes of teaching are changing and the need for constant practice in the context of theoretical training is increasing. The modern society puts forward new values in professional training of foreign language teachers, namely the graduate must be willing to cooperate with others in the process of promoting culture, exchanging information, the modes of activity and share the experience of self-realization.

It must be noted that the existing standards for language education in Ukraine provide some freedom outlining the compulsory content of education and those qualities and skills future foreign language teachers should possess. However, they still do not allow the necessary flexibility of the education process. The German system of teacher education is very dynamic and has undergone some significant changes in the recent years. In Germany up to 2004, they did not have standards and teacher training was provided in accordance with the decrees of the Ministers of federal lands and original concepts designed by every German university. The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Lander has adopted a single standard of psychopedagogical courses for training different subject teachers that is valid for all German universities. It contributes to achieving the singularity of the requirements for future foreign language teachers in the context of the education environment in general. In this document, the competences are divided into four competency-based fields, such as study, personality building, assessment and readiness for lifelong learning. Within each competence one can identify theoretical and practical knowledge, abilities and skills required for professional pedagogical activity. In addition to the theoretical component of teacher training, the practical one is rather intensified.

Thus, this study aims to analyze the conceptual framework of professional training of future foreign language teachers in Germany and, subsequently, outline some relevant recommendations for a qualitative update of that in Ukraine based on the positive aspects of such experience.

It must be noted that professional training of language teachers abroad and in particular in Germany has been disclosed by many Ukrainian scholars (N. Avsheniuk, V. Bazova, N. Bidyuk, Yu. Holovatska, O. Komochkova,

V. Komiienko, O. Martyniuk, O. Serhieieva et al.). Individual aspects in professional training of foreign language teachers have been analyzed by some foreign scholars (R. Beer, S. Blцmeke, M. Hutz, H. Piepho, E. Terhart et al.). However, profound researches on the problem of conceptual framework for professional training of foreign language teachers in Germany should be updated.

While researching, the following methods have been used: individualization and generalization, systematization, deduction and induction, synthesis and analysis.

Already in 2002, M. Grenfell, professor at University of Southampton, pointed out to a great diversity in contexts, needs and approaches of teacher education across Europe and highlighted the need to reach a consensus in the context of salient issues of organisation, content and structure of it. Within the framework of the current research, we believe it necessary to present his views on European language teachers of tomorrow:

a Common European Framework of Reference for Language Teacher Training should be developed, to provide a common understanding of the different processes and components involved, guidelines for good practice, a framework for assessing trainees, and a framework of recognised levels of professional expertise;

an accreditation system should be established to provide a basis for comparability, and to recognise flexible routes to the status of qualified teacher at European level;

a major European resources service should be established, including a portal web-site, to provide access to information and online materials for language teachers and teacher trainers;

the development of arrangements for dual qualifications should be further encouraged;

closer cooperation should be encouraged between training institutions and partner schools, and between education departments and language departments;

all in-service training courses should be accredited at local or national level;

an Advisory Group on European Teacher Training should be established to work with national agencies to co-ordinate key aspects of language teacher training;

European Qualified Teacher Status should be introduced, qualifying its holders to teach in any member state, and to use the title “European Teacher”;

teacher trainees should be required to achieve agreed levels of linguistic competence corresponding to their specialist, semi-specialist or non-specialist teacher status;

language teachers should be trained in the skills and approaches necessary to make students aware of their role as European citizens, and more training materials should be developed to support this training;

all teachers should be trained in using ICT approaches for interactive use with pupils in the classroom [5].

In Germany, modern integration processes in the development of theory and practice of foreign language teacher training are based on the principles of continuity, integrativity, cultural development and professional growth of foreign language teachers. These processes are also characterized by development, continuing and recurrent advanced training, which is aimed at modernizing teacher training programmes implying constant personal and professional growth of the European foreign language teacher [1]. Therefore, one can assume that professional training of foreign language teachers in Germany attempts to adhere to the requirements of today and seeks to meet the needs of both teachers-to-be and society.

As rightly pointed out by A. Dehmel, the arguably most important reform of teacher education in Germany was the introduction of the so-called “concept of learning areas” (Lernfeldkonzept) in 1996 [4]. Based on these learning areas, teachers develop complex, cross-curricular teaching and learning arrangements, which mirror the challenges of the world of work and confront the students with comprehensive tasks and activities. The construction of such arrangements requires, amongst other things, close cooperation between teachers, as well as between the teaching staff and the training companies. Consequently, the introduction of the concept of learning areas has led to job enrichment for teachers since their responsibilities have increased and their work tasks have become more complex [4, p. 37].

As a result of the decentralized system of education management, the specifics of professional training of future teachers in German federal lands depends on the subject of teaching and the type of education (primary or secondary). Thus, teacher-training programmes differ in both the content and volume. Under the conditions of the Bologna process, the first stage of theoretical training was reformed and the three-cycle degree system was introduced. However, several federal states did not support the innovations, so some German universities continue training teachers according to the traditional model, that is “long” (one-tier) programmes (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Sachsen). In Baden-Wьrttemberg, Bayern and Saarland, the three-cycle degree system of training is provided only to vocational education teachers. Sachsen-Anhalt and Thuringia offer both approaches [2; 9].

M. Hutz states that teacher training in Germany is divided into three stages: a higher education course, practical pedagogical training in a school setting and in-service training for fully employed teachers (see Table 1) [6, p. 3].

As one can see from Table 1, Stage 1 (higher education course) consists of the main subjects (at least two), educational studies at a university, practical training or student teaching semester. Stage 2 (preparatory service) involves practical training in a school setting as well as the attendance of courses at a teacher seminar (from 18 to 24 months). In addition, it includes guided and autonomous teaching and is supervised by mentors in schools and teacher seminars and concludes with Second State Examination. Stage 3 (in-service training) ensures teacher professional development.

Table 1 - The overview of teacher training in Germany

Source: [6]

In Germany, foreign language teachers used to be considered as philologists and teachers of German as a foreign language - Germanists, therefore practical training in school followed theoretical training. As a result, the connection between two kinds of training was not integrative, since teacher training was not focused on the principle of integrity [10, p. 12]. Professional training of a philologist aims to transfer certain theoretical knowledge and simultaneously develop methodological thinking of future specialists in order to develop their ability to conduct scientific researches in the field of philology and related scientific fields. The aim of professional training of a foreign language teacher is formulated rather differently: scientific training is not a priority and is merely supplemented by relevant training for future professional activities. Thus, the difference between the systems of professional training of philologists and foreign language teachers consists in the fact that professional training of foreign language teachers is not limited to scientific knowledge of a particular subject (group of subjects), but covers the aspect of professionalization.

M. Huzt indicates that the prototypical route for teaching foreign languages in Germany is a five-year bachelor/ master programme and illustrates it on the example of training a teacher of English as a Foreign Language. Thus, future teachers of English as a Foreign Language are likely to master the following fields: 1) English language skills; 2) area and cultural studies; 3) linguistics; 4) literature; 5) teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). It must be noted that future teachers must also gain practical experience in schools (primary or secondary school). Such placements are supervised by university lecturers and are accompanied by special courses related to teaching experience [6, p. 6].

So, professional training of foreign language teachers in Germany is based on the following principles:

The philological component in the content of professional training plays an important role. However, the content is mainly determined by didactic interest. Linguistic, literary and cross-cultural training is considered through the prism of theory and practice of teaching a foreign language.

Pedagogy, didactics, learning theory, psychology, sociology and other sciences are also essential.

The relevant scientific areas are also those that interpret the native language and the national social culture in their relation to a foreign language and the corresponding socio-cultural context (for example, regional studies).

A crucial role is played by practical skills, namely the knowledge of a foreign language and the ability to conduct learning activities acquired during school placement. Future teachers should as early as possible come into contact with the practice of conducting classes (attend, evaluate and analyze them) in order to comprehend the relativity of theoretical aspects. This way from practice to theory is an element of methodical training [1].

Many German scholars (R.S. Baur, G. Henrici, F. Klippel, H. J. Krumm, G. Neuner, H.J. Vollmer, G. Zimmermann,W. ZydatiB) state that training programmes for foreign language teachers should be accorded with the principle of integrativity in view of the needs of future teachers for an integrated application of the knowledge obtained during professional pedagogical training. Extensive integrative capabilities are characteristic of individual disciplines such as literature and regional geography (literary areas, literature and art, literary history, etc.); literature and linguistics (stylistics of poetic texts, linguistic aspects of literary genres, etc.); linguistics and regional geography (dialects, linguistic features of the study on word meanings, etc.); linguistics and learning theory (stages in learning a foreign language, memory and foreign languages learning, etc.); language practice and textual aspect (language of studies, special tests); preparation and implementation of school practice [3; 7; 8].

A. Dehmel also points out that there is considerable variation during the two main stages of education, although the requirements for most language teachers are relatively similar across Germany. In some federal lands, the academic education of primary school teachers might differ from that of secondary school teachers. In general, however, there is obviously a considerable discrepancy between the study of English as an academic subject and teaching English at school [6, p. 6-7].

Conclusions. Therefore, professional training of future foreign language teachers in Germany is consistent with the requirements of today and is aimed at training modern, competitive, intelligent and professionally motivated specialists who are able to qualitatively update the content of language education in accordance with the integration processes and the requirements for the profile of the European teacher. The conceptual framework of professional training of foreign language teachers in Germany is based on the principles of continuity, integrativity, cultural development and professional growth is accorded with the needs of future teachers for an integrated application of the knowledge obtained during professional pedagogical training.

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Ключові слова: мовна освіта, вчитель іноземної мови, філолог, професійна підготовка, концепція, Німеччина, Україна.

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Ключевые слова: языковое образование, учитель иностранного языка, филолог, профессиональная подготовка, концепция, Германия, Украина.

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