Upper Secondary School Teacher Training in Czech Language and Literature

The programme Teaching Czech language and literature at secondary schools is aimed at graduates from the B.A. study programme Czech Language and Literature, its aim being to prepare future secondary school teachers for their profession in a versatile way. The study programme consists of two inseparable parts: from the part focused on the discipline that strengthens and develops skills in the sphere of Czech studies form the viewpoints of linguistics and literature and from the part focused on pedagogy, psychology and didactics with the focus on Czech studies, providing students with the necessary theoretical basis and developing their skills in pedagogy and didactics that give them the possibility to work effectively as secondary school teachers. Within the study programme, three study plans are offered: single-subject, major and minor.

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

• to teach Czech language and literature at secondary schools or in other institutions focused on education;
• to get orientated in elementary topics as well as in current trends in pedagogical and psychological disciplines and to process critically the knowledge relating to the pedagogical and psychological basis;
• to plan, realize and evaluate in an effective way their own teaching in accordance with standards set by current curricular documents;
• when planning and carrying out their teaching, to take into consideration individual needs of students, with regard to the style of teaching, maturity, personality, skills and talents (as well as to understand the principles of inclusive education);
• to get orientated in fundamentals of e-learning and modern teaching technologies and to use them in teaching practice;
• to work with materials in textbooks in a critical way;
• to apply basic principles of didactics of Czech language and literature in secondary school practice;
• to understand linguistic and literary theories, concepts and methodologies of work with texts, relevant for the practice of secondary school teachers;
• to have command of codification of Standard Czech;
• to have command of creating and interpreting texts;
• to have the knowledge of changes of Czech language and literature in historical, cultural and international connections;
• to develop reading literacy of students.

Graduates can find positions at secondary schools and at higher professional schools of various kinds and specializations. They are also ready to teach Czech to native as well as to non-native speakers in other institutions focused on education. Besides, they can hold numerous other positions in which abilities of creative work with texts and use of cultivated language are required.

• Secondary school teacher

The aim of the teaching practice is to gain and develop pedagogical and didactic competences necessary for the profession of a secondary school teacher. The teaching practice is divided into two following one-term courses. The number of credits differs in joint plans and in the single-subject plan, depending on the number of hours (joint study plans – 12 credits in total, the single-subject plan – 24 credits). The teaching practice primarily takes place at selected secondary schools. Partial components of preparatory and evaluative stages take place at the faculty, being organised in the form of groups of seminars and workshops.

Requirements relating to formal aspects of theses, their minimum extent and form of submission follow valid regulations of the Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University. A thesis pays attention to a selected issue relating to linguistics or literature viewed from the perspective of teaching practice. It is based on an empirical research based on an innovative approach of the student to the particular topic. The first part of a thesis deals with a theoretical profile of the topic, the second part on its application in teaching practice. Working on the thesis, students will use their knowledge gained in theoretically and practically orientated courses of the study programme for future teachers as well as during the teaching practice.

Graduates from this study programme are able to continue in philological Ph.D. study programmes.