The aim of this seminar is to enable students to hone their skills in teaching English language and literature at upper secondary level.
Students will acquire the ability to plan, implement, and reflect critically on individual lessons and broader teaching units. Although emphasis will be placed on hands-on activities and concrete teaching examples, students will also be introduced to a number of key theoretical concepts. In addition to learning how to teach and assess the four skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening), as well as grammar and vocabulary, students will also be asked to consider and discuss other topics, including working with course books, choosing fiction literature for different levels, National and Cantonal curricula, the ‘new maturity’ diploma, scientific publications on foreign language acquisition, and final examinations, among others.
The rapid development of ChatGPT and other AI tools will also be discussed in relation to the teaching of English as a foreign language. Students will be required to try out new teaching methods that include and exclude such AI devices, with the aim of producing stimulating and innovative English lessons. No doubt, these are exciting times in education, and I hope to offer an English language teaching methodology course that students will deem useful and thought-provoking.
- Enseignant·e: Karen Junod