Upper Secondary School Teacher Training in German Language and Literature

The aim of the Master’s degree study programme in German Language and Literature Teaching at Secondary Schools is to prepare qualified and competent teachers of German language and literature who are comprehensively educated for teaching at secondary schools where German is taught as a foreign language. Another goal of the study is to develop and deepen the knowledge and skills the students obtained in the previous studies, especially with respect to the philological reflection of language and literature in broader context of history and culture. Student acquire a comprehensive knowledge as well as practical competence in pedagogical and didactical disciplines, enabling them to effectively apply their knowledge in education. These competencies are mediated both by pedagogical-psychological basis and by a number of didactic disciplines, which are closely and mechanically connected with the teaching practice. Subsidies for didactic subjects and practice are appropriately graded according to the forms of study; single-subject study requires a double subsidy of both didactic subjects and practice compared to the two-subject study (both main and secondary).

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

• work as teacher of German as a Foreign Language at secondary schools, language schools, or other educational institutions;
• define and reflect on their professional self-concept and teaching philosophy;
• independently plan, implement, and reflect on teaching in accordance with the current competency framework for teacher education;
• choose teaching methods based on the latest scientific findings;
• select appropriate teaching materials and aids with regard to teaching objectives, or create them independently;
• have an overview of current teaching technologies and use them effectively;
• work with scientific literature, evaluate it critically, and apply the findings in teaching;
• explain linguistic phenomena important for language acquisition;
• integrate social, cultural, and literary aspects of German-speaking countries into German language teaching, as well as their current social discourses that support effective language acquisition;
• work with literary texts receptively and productively based on reading and philological experience;
• understand the fundamental topics and trends in pedagogy and psychology, independently develop their knowledge in the areas and evaluate them critically;
• understand the principles of inclusive education and apply them in teaching;
• continuously develop professionally and cultivate their professional self-concept.

Graduates find positions at secondary schools of various types and orientation as well as in special language schools where German is taught as a foreign language.

They can work in positions involving individual creative tasks and requiring cultivated language.

• Secondary school teacher

Practical training in language teaching in a grammar school or a secondary school is an obligatory part of the curriculum for this field. Practice forms an important part of teaching in teaching. They are represented in all study programs, in addition to a double grant. Part of the practice is also the reciprocal form of further education, during which teachers of teaching and secondary school teachers are involved in block seminars of modern teaching technologies.

In particular, the practice is structured in such a way that in the combined study there is a continuous (propedeutic and follow-up) practice during the first semester of study. This practice takes place concurrently with the propedeutic subject of the field didactics (Didactics - observation). The student chooses a school from the network of schools with which the German Institute cooperates. The school contacts, compiles a detailed plan of practice. It develops a questionnaire that reflects the findings of the previous seminar on the field of didactics. He / she will pass the course in the required range, reflects the attendance along with the secondary school cantor. Performs a written evaluation of the hearing. Together with the subject didactics, the student completes a short simulation of the required length of instruction, which reflects the message from the practice of listening.

In the next semester, parallel to the content-related didactic subject Didactics - Methodology, the student continues with the second part of the practice (Continuous Practice). In the first instance, the student completes a short simulation of teaching at the required length, in cooperation with the field didactic, which reflects the message from the first hearing practice. This simulation is grouped. Following is the practice at the chosen school in the required range. The report is attended by a student with a professional didactics and a secondary school cantor. The student presents the final reflection of the lesson in written form. As part of the practice, in the same semester, a joint activity of student, field didactics and secondary school cantor in a block seminar is used to utilize modern technologies in teaching, whose evaluation is part of the presented final reflection.

Students of single-subject studies continue to practice even in the third and fourth semester under the subject of Complex Practice (single-subject). There are more hours of practice at the chosen school in the required range. The student presents the final reflection of the lesson in written form. Unlike the previous work, this thesis focuses only on the problematic places of teaching. Part of the practice in the same semester is the joint activity of student, field didactics and high school cantor in a block seminar to use modern technologies in teaching. In these semesters, besides the direct practice, the creation of teaching material, which can be used in modern distance learning, takes advantage of modern technologies. This material is part of teaching in an open moodle environment of secondary schools where the student participates in the role of teachers, mentors and tutors. Student applies the knowledge of modern technology already in his / her own practice, taught at the institutions involved in this stage of the internship.

The master's thesis is a systematic elaboration of a given topic based on an individual evaluation and assessment of relevant secondary literature and other sources. It is not required to have the character of original primary research, it may be based on published titles and utilise available methods in accordance with the assignment (specific requirements are to be formulated by the supervisor). Students demonstrate the ability to independently treat the given scholarly topic using appropriate resources and competently utilising established methods; furthermore, they demonstrates the language fluency and reliable handling of form and style standards of scholarly publications; more generally, they show the ability of critical evaluation of information, an independent argumentation and presentation of the gathered knowledge.

The minimum extent of the master's thesis is 120 000 characters (including footnotes and bibliography; the treatment of the annexes is decided individually by the supervisor).

Part of the study is the qualification work of graduated subjects of practice, in which students demonstrate the ability to reflect all stages of the teaching process.

Graduates of the Master’s degree study programme may continue with a doctoral degree study programme in philology.