Czech Language and Literature for Education

The objective of the study is to actively acquire special knowledge and skills from the fields of the Czech language and Czech literature, including the skill of working with texts, i.e. to analyse a text from the aspect of linguistic correctness, stylistic refinement, and also from the literary-theoretical and literary-critical aspects. The study programme is designed in such a way that graduates are able to apply the acquired theoretical knowledge, evaluate texts critically, analyse and correct texts, undertake literary-scientific evaluation and interpret texts. They also acquire the skill of developing creative activities with literary texts and literary activities. During their studies, the students’ linguistic and literary-theoretical prerequisites for creative literary and journalistic authorship and their prerequisites for giving consultations in the field of the Czech language and literature are developed.

The graduates are also equipped with basic didactic skills that are required for working as an assistant to a Czech language and literature teacher. Primarily, they are able to teach pupils to interpret literary texts and to help pupils to express themselves in a cultivated manner appropriate for a particular situation.

Through studying for the Bachelor’s degree graduates gain the necessary competences that allow them to critically apply the use of their pedagogical and psychological knowledge in practice as a teaching assistant or other educational worker (e.g. free-time instructor in youth centres or after-school clubs, in various civic associations engaged in pedagogical activities) in an appropriate manner.

The degree develops students’ analytical and comparative skills, which enable them to understand the diverse pedagogical reality and to use subject-specific, pedagogical, and psychological publications in their work for planning, implementing and reflecting on educational activities. They develop communication skills important for communication and collaboration with pupils/clients, colleagues in the workplace, with parents of pupils/clients and with practitioners. An important benefit of the degree is the development of self-reflective skills that provide space for the development of attitudes towards one another, to educated individuals and to the profession: perception of the responsibility of the teaching profession, the acceptance of the moral obligations of a helping profession and its ethics.

The studies emphasise the principle of interdisciplinarity (interconnection of some pedagogical and psychological subjects); the principle of sequence and gradation of themes and courses, from the more general to the more specific. The concept is also characterized by the interdependence of theory and practice. An important part of the concept is the reflective teaching practice. The principles of reflection on teaching practice and self-reflection are related both to practice and to other experience-oriented subjects. An important part of the concept is also the promotion of inclusion, which is perceived as a cross-curricular theme (also supported by a separate course).

The study also includes foreign language teaching. The requirement of students' level of one foreign language knowledge is at least the level A2 (according to Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). The teaching follows in this level.

Upon successful completion of the programme, the graduate is able to:

• express themselves fluently, respect and observe linguistic correctness and stylistic refinement;
• explain the contemporary form of the Czech language on the basis of knowledge of diachronic language development; be knowledgeable in the theory and system of contemporary Czech;
• characterize basic stages, work and personalities of Czech literature from the 19th and 20th centuries, of literature for children and young adults and selected world literature; characterize literary terms; be knowledgeable in methodology;
• carry out linguistic and stylistic analysis, linguistic proofreading and an arrangement of stylization of a text;
• analyse a literary text on the basis of knowledge of theory of literature and literary criticism, write their own professional text (comment on a professional issue, literary study, critical review, resume, annotation);
• practically apply knowledge of basics of textology and succeed in editorial work with a text;
• develop pupils’ abilities to interpret a text and to understand literary and non-literary texts; help pupils to express themselves in a cultivated manner and support development of their reading and interest in literature and literary affairs;
• cooperate with various teachers at school and under their leadership to plan, implement and reflect on the sequence of teaching and activities in relation to the appropriate school curriculum;
• describe and analyse an educational situation using special terminology and rules of effective pedagogical communication and to propose a change; use their knowledge and skills in communication with pupils, parents, teachers in the school context;
• use self-reflective skills to reflect on their actions: for example, to better justify and evaluate their arguments, to give voice to their emotions and their connection to some behaviour or to critically review their own attitudes towards education;
• use basic methods and tools of pedagogical diagnostics to support differentiation and individualization, obtaining data for individual pupil support; communicate the results appropriately to pupils, teachers, parents, or other professionals;
• formulate their own concept of education they would like to implement in their future profession, supporting it with arguments from theory and practice;
• explain the basic principles of inclusive and special education; to reflect on their attitude towards diversity and its influence on their own teaching;
• explain the basic concepts of developmental and social psychology and identify possible difficulties in pupils’ social competences or school adaptation, based on knowledge of developmental and socio-psychological aspects of classroom life.

- assistant in the studied field of education, i.e. the Czech language and literature in the primary school or lower secondary school;

- instructor at free-time centres;

- educator at youth centres and at after-school clubs;

- instructor or teacher at various citizens' associations connected with education;

- editor or proofreader;

- employee at cultural institutions requiring education in the Czech language and literature (linguistic consultant for radio and TV, theatres, etc.).

• Teacher´s assistant

The teaching practice consists of a coherent system of consecutive subjects, which are taken from the third to the fifth semester of the degree. These are the subjects teaching assistant practice - tutoring 1, teaching assistant practice - tutoring 2, consisting of individual tutoring (60 hours), teaching assistant practice - teaching assistant 1 (60 hours) and teaching assistant practice - teaching assistant 2 (60 hours) and teaching assistant practice – teaching assistant 3. Overall, there 180 hours of teaching practice.

In the third and fourth semesters, the teaching practice is followed by the subjects self-experiential preparation for the profession 1 and self- experiential preparation for the profession 2, in which the students of the teaching assistant practice reflect (24 hours). Their aim is to enable students to have real experience with selected themes (see seminar topics) regarding personal and professional development through experiential learning with an emphasis on reflection; to encourage students to gradually take responsibility for their own learning process (self-directed learning); to enable students to become aware of and, if necessary, to revise their attitudes towards their future profession.

The system of teaching practice is regularly evaluated both through closed and open questions, both by students and the mentor teachers. The reflective seminars are also evaluated.

- Lower Secondary School Teacher Training in Czech Language and Literature, which is taught at any faculty of education in the Czech Republic;

- Lower Secondary School Teacher Training in Czech Language and Literature or Secondary School Teacher Training in the Czech Language, which are implemented at a faculty of education or faculty of arts;

- professional studies of the Czech language and literature and related fields (journalism, Czech literature etc.).