Teacher Education

Exchange courses in Teacher Education    

An English taught progamme in the autumn semester for international exchange students in the study field of pre-primary, primary and secondary education, on bachelor level.

For a teaching practice there is limited access based on your transcript of records.

AUTUMN 2024

Language courses 

* This course is obligatory for all students.

**Only for students with a specialisation in Physical Education

*** Only for students with a specialisation in English.

Course content 

For official course catalogue information check the course catalogue: 

Course Catalogue 2024-2025 (available from june 2024).

Below you can find a description of the course contents.

The internationalist

*Obligatory module for incoming and outgoing students.

Living in a globalized world, we get to interact more and more with people from different (sub)cultures, ethnic backgrounds, countries, … Often, part of our beliefs and worldviews remain unconscious, interpreting the other from our (limited) frame of reference and personal experiences. While intercultural experiences are often rewarding, they can, at times, become a cause of misunderstanding, communication/culture clashes and/or conflicts while in fact there is a treasure box at the other end of (intercultural) communication.

In this module, we will explore what intercultural awareness is, briefly discuss some intercultural models and become aware of underlying similarities and possible differences that each of us hold within. This in order to broaden our perspective of self, the other and the world while exploring insights and ways to communicate successfully with others.

Multilinguism

The course Multilinguism focuses on foreign language education for young children. How do you familiarize young children with foreign languages in a playful and secure school context? How can you work on language awareness and language initiation in the classroom? What is immersion/CLIL education?

You will observe language initiation and immersion classes. Moreover, you will critically examine the existing methods. You will learn how to animate a lesson of creative storytelling and will apply this in microteaching. You will do 5 days of traineeship in a Dutch speaking school or library.  In addition, you will participate in an artistic project on arts education and language diversity with French speaking students of the teacher education in Liège.

In addition, you will participate in an artistic project on arts education and language diversity with French speaking students of the teacher education in Liège.

Personal and Professional Development

The course of ‘Personal and Professional Development’ is an international course for both Flemish and international students, which will be taught in English. What characterises a good teacher? How well do we understand and cater for the development of the whole person, which means taking into account the intellectual, social and emotional aspects of personal and professional development when we design and implement our teacher training programmes?

In an attempt to shed light on these important issues, this course consists of a number of group sessions, individual coaching sessions and a variety of learning activities. During these sessions, students will explore and discuss different aspects of diversity, well-being, sustainability and ownership.  

Additionally, local and foreign students will be actively involved into a variety of integration activities, in which they will get to know each other and each other’s culture.

Eventually, the aim of this wide range of learning and integration activities is to broaden our future teachers’ perception and experience. The reflection of all these activities are included in an individual growth portfolio, in which the students reflect on personal growth as a person, student and future teacher. This portfolio will be build up during the different sessions, and this portfolio will be presented during the evaluation for this course.

Besides international students, we would like to encourage Flemish students to choose for this English spoken course, especially if they would like to go on Erasmus in their final year. In this course, you will practice you international communication skills when dealing with international students.

Physical Education 2a: innovative and didactical skills

**Only for students with a specialisation in Physiscal Education in their home institution.

This module is a combination of theoretical and practical courses focussing on the needed didactical skills of a PE teacher in the 21st Century.

During the theoretical sessions (2h/week – 20 hours) students will explore innovative tools that will create an added value in the administration, instruction, guiding the learning process and assessment of PE teachers. These tools will be deployed in several individual or group assignments focussing on training guidance and PE teaching.

The practical part (4h/week – 40 hours) consists of both interactive and individual sports, more specifically Invasion games, gymnastics (“parkour”) and track & field. Firstly, the focus during the practical sessions is mainly didactical (how to teach these topics in primary and secondary schools). Secondly, through this course the demo skills of the future PE teachers will be enhanced. Shaping the learning environment, using the Play Practice model in ball games, developing progressive learning lines, creating task adaptations, searching for common errors and helping to resolve them, etc. are the important tasks of a PE teacher that will be taught in this module.

The assessment of the practical sessions will always be a combination of a practical exam (demo skill) and the development of several lesson plans in a specific theme for the tree movement domains.

English 2a

*** Only for students with a specialisation in English

This module focuses on integrated and content-based learning with focus on: The Commonwealth (culture), grammar (intermediate level), RISPE, skills. Individual and group assignments, such as peer teachings, class discussions on relevant topics for EFL classes and EFL teachers. As such you are expected to actively participate in classes to further own knowledge of language, culture, skills, EFL teaching techniques, …You will create, among others, worksheets of your own for use in the EFL classroom, elementary and intermediate level. The student is expected to participate actively in classes to further his/her own knowledge of the language.

English 3    

*** Only for students with a specialisation in English        

This module focuses on integrated and content-based learning with focus on:  Australia (culture), Drama in the EFL classroom, knowledge of the world: iconic songs, landmarks, … Individual and group assignments, such as peer teachings, class discussions on relevant topics for EFL classes and EFL teachers. As such you are expected to actively participate in classes to further own knowledge of language, culture, skills, EFL teaching techniques, …You will create, among others, worksheets of your own for use in the EFL classroom, elementary and intermediate level.

Diversity and Classroom Management

The world is diverse, the world is beautiful! In this course you will learn more about the concept of intersectionality, and your personal, social and cultural identity. We will focus on the main diversities: (1) sex and gender, (2) social class / socio-economic status, (3) race / ethnicity / culture, and (4) learning disability. For each of these types of diversity, we will have a closer look at what it actually means, how they are different, what causes these differences, and most importantly, how should education respond to these differences by implementing society-, school- and classroom-level strategies.

From a more practical perspective, we have a closer look at how future teachers can deal appropriately with diversity in their classroom, and how a number of classroom management strategies such as ‘Universal Design for Learning’ and ‘Differentiated Instruction’ can be beneficial when teaching youngsters from diverse backgrounds. The main goal of this course is making our classroom a more effective learning environment that encourages equity and inclusion.

In order to pass this course, there is firstly a written theoretical exam, which accounts for half of the grade, about the different learning topics of this course throughout the semester. Secondly, students are required to translate these new insights of the learning topics into their own teaching practice in a number of assignments.

By following this course, you will understand more about diversity and difference in education, about how education systems and schools should respond to student diversity, how experiences of inclusion and exclusion impact on student learning, and how you as an educator can create more inclusive learning environments for all the learners that you're teaching. Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.

Active participative traineeship – level novice

Limited access based on transcript of records and available places.

This course is for students with previous (limited) experience in (independent) (co-)teaching as a “main teacher” for pupils in a class context. If you have no limited teaching experience in the classroom, this course is not the best choice.

Observation of and participation in didactic workshops and lessons in (pre-)primary/secondary schools. You participate in the activities as a co-teacher or assistant teacher. Some activities you will do on your own as the main teacher. 

Good to know: 

• the second/foreign taught language in Belgium is French 
• pupils in pre- and primary education do not get English lessons and are not fluent in English 
• pupils in secondary school have basic to intermediate English oral/written skills 

Active participative traineeship – level intermediate/advanced

Limited access based on transcript of records and available places.

 This course is for students with previous experience in independent teaching as a “main teacher” for pupils in a class context. If you have no or limited teaching experience in the classroom, this course is not the best choice.

(Co)Teaching/assistant teacher in (pre-)primary/secondary schools (depending on level of English), in workshops or other settings, combined with observations.

Teaching language in schools is mainly Dutch, but through coteaching, the design of lessons and teaching can be facilitated.

Good to know:

• the second/foreign taught language in Belgium is French 
• pupils in pre- and primary education do not get English lessons and are not fluent in English 
• pupils in secondary school have basic to intermediate English oral/written skills 

Summer School English

An intensive English language course (held before the start of the other courses) for incoming and outgoing PXL students (45 hours divided over 7 days, not on Saturday and Sunday).

In order to determine your level you'll have to complete a written intake and an oral intake interview before the start of the Summer School on 4/9 on campus in Hasselt. The written intake can also be done online in advance.

Using authentic material, this course gives you the best possible chance of making the most of your educational opportunities and it provides help in developing essential skills for your career. You'll also make a field trip to get to know Hasselt and your fellow students.

With the focus on general English you will be given the opportunity to practice on:

• Writing reports, essays …
• Giving presentations, seminar discussions …
• Taking notes on the main points of a lectures …
• Understanding main ideas in paragraphs and longer texts …
• Brief recapitulation of the main grammar items…

Survival Dutch

You will learn the basics of the Dutch language so you will be able to take the bus/train, find your way in Hasselt or order a pint in a pub.There is a strong focus on communication, listening to conversations by native speakers and understanding the (basic) contents. 

Subjects:

• Meeting and greeting, on the road
• In town: shopping - eating – drinking – washing clothes
• The alphabet, pronunciation
• Numbers, time, dates
• Going out, making an appointment
• Health, going to the doctor and pharmacy.

The lectures will take place during 9 weeks (sept-dec), this with a frequency of 3 hours (evening) a week. 

English for eXchange

In this course, students learn how to communicate in an international (professional) context. Students work on their general language skills as well as improve their language competences so that they can function in an international working environment.

This course is designed to practice the four communicative skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking by e.g.:

• reading newspaper articles and short stories and understanding the (basic) contents;
• deriving the meaning of selected vocabulary items from a text;
• writing formal/neutral (professional) and informal emails or letters;
• listening to conversations by native speakers and understanding the (basic) contents;
• watching short movie fragments and understanding the (basic) contents;
• expressing one's opinion about topics of general or professional interest;
• having everyday (professional) conversations/performing role plays.

The exact contents of the course is subject to change and is open to suggestions by students. Students extend their vocabulary by reading real life texts, listening to conversations by native speakers and by having conversations and playing role plays.

They study grammar items by doing exercises and will have to put these grammatical items into practice in conversations and in writing.

The lectures will take place during 9 weeks (sept-dec), this with a frequency of 3 hours (evening) a week.