• Course content
• Entry requirements
• Additional information
  • Elaine Hurman Prize

Course content

The course is 36 weeks long of which 24 weeks are spent on placement in a partnership school. There are five phases: Preparation (university and some school-based activities); School Placement 1 (seven week placement in school); Development (university and one week in your second school); School Placement 2 (12 week block placement and some university days); Completion (two further weeks in second school and two weeks in university).

The course will not give you a recipe for teaching modern languages - there is none! - but will make you understand better how learning occurs so that you can take informed decisions about how to teach your pupils. You will be expected to participate in all our sessions through group work, discussions, but also games, songs and rap!

In guiding you to become the reflective teacher who learns from everyday practice and from the pupils, we show you how theory and practice are interdependent and move each other forward. We will look at the use of the target language, the importance of planning, the role of grammar, classroom management, assessment, differentiation, equal opportunities and educational needs, motivation and link these with the National Curriculum and the Key Stage 3 National Strategy. In the Spring and summer, you will organise sixth-form days and a Communicative day at Birmingham Airport.

Assessment

All students have to complete six modules, five of which require a written assignment. In addition all students complete two teaching placements and have to pass the TDA Standards for the Award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

Progression

As postgraduate programmes, PGCE courses at this university are assessed at Masters level. On successful completion of the PGCE course you will be awarded 120 credits. For those students who successfully complete their induction year there is an opportunity to transfer credits to the MEd course which is awarded on completion of a 60 credit dissertation. (Transfer is subject to a satisfactory reference from your PGCE tutor and induction tutor).

Many local schools have a high regard for Birmingham Modern Languages PGCE students and we have an excellent record of students gaining jobs at the end of the course. Many of our ex-PGCE MFL students are now Heads of Department or Mentors in our partnership schools.

Entry requirements

All applicants to the Secondary PGCE course must hold a degree or equivalent qualification in the area they wish to teach. In addition to this you will be required to have a grade C in GCSE mathematics and English, or equivalent. DfES require us to check original certificates; you therefore cannot start a PGCE course unless you already hold these qualifications.

We will expect at least 50% of your degree to be in MFL. We expect all candidates to have spent about a year in a country where the target language is spoken. Foreign applicants need to be familiar with the English school system. It is preferable to offer two languages.

Additional Information

When to apply

Applications, via the GTTR (see How to Apply link on the left side), can be made from 1st October for the following September start. There is one intake per year.

You can apply throughout the year although for certain languages the course can be full by Easter. We advise early application.

The Elaine Hurman Prize for the PGCE in Modern Foreign Languages

Established by John Hurman in memory of his wife, a former PGCE student and teacher of MFL a prize of £200 will be awarded annually to a PGCE student in Modern Foreign Languages for demonstrating particular expertise in eliciting oral responses in the target language in class, either between pupils working together (in pairs or groups) or between pupils and student teachers. Such responses could take several forms: one example would be effecting successful outcomes in information-gap tasks designed for oral practice or production; another example would be eliciting regular and varied instances of the spontaneous use of the spoken target language. In making the award, account will be taken of class histories as it is acknowledged that they can affect the level of student achievement. Eligible students will be nominated by mentors and the successful candidate will be recommended for the prize as a result of tutor judgement of their classroom proficiency in the above areas.

For further information please contact:
Carol Gray
Tel: 0121-414-4806
Email: c.gray@bham.ac.uk