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).

After successfully completing his/her studies the graduate is able to:

• work as teacher of German at secondary schools and other language-teaching settings
• explain problematic language features and phenomena of German with respect to language teaching
• present relevant information about the literature, culture, and history of the land and people of German-speaking countries
• perform receptive and productive tasks based on texts in German and Czech
• evaluate formal and functional differences and similarities between German and Czech and to utilize this knowledge in language teaching
• focus on modern teaching technologies and use them in practice
• didactically convey the advantages of modern technologies in teaching practice
• apply knowledge from adequate methodological approaches in teaching practice
• to understand the professional terminology of pedagogical and psychological disciplines to such an extent as to be able to interpret these terms, identify and reflect in teaching practice
• to orientate in the basic topics and current trends in pedagogical and psychological disciplines and also to acquire and critically process knowledge of pedagogical and psychological research
• efficiently plan, implement and evaluate his / her own instruction at a standard level, as determined by current curricular documents
• understand the principles of inclusive education that they can apply to their teaching practice. Furthermore, the graduate is able to use basic diagnostic tools
• in the preparation and implementation of the lesson to take into account the individual needs of the pupil in relation to his / her learning style, maturity, personality, abilities, skills, talents

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.