During the programme
You learn what it is to be a teacher and how to teach French language and culture to young people, with a work placement at a training school from year one. During years 1, 2 and 3 you will do mandatory Stay Abroad modules, spending time in a French speaking country.
Content of the Teacher Education in French programme
Teacher Education in French covers 3 components:
- The French Language – Grammar, Phonetics, Literature and such.
- Methodological Practice – How to teach a second language through the communicative approach.
- Pedagogical Practice – the essence of being a teacher: child development psychology and such.
As part of these components you will also do a 3,5-year internship and engage in practical research at your internship school.
During the time you'll spend in France you will put your language skills further into practice.
Many of your classes will be taught in French, so your fluency and understanding of the language will increase quickly. From early on you'll know what it's like to be a teacher, as you will be in front of a classroom from November onwards! During an excursion to France you will be able to use your newly-improved language skills and gain new cultural experiences.
- Language skills (Communication orale, Communication écrite)
- Linguistics, phonetics and grammar (Fonctionnement de la langue)
- Culture (Le monde francophone)
- History & Literature (Histoire & Littérature)
This is the first module in Pedagogical practice. As a teacher in your workplace, you will be dealing with adolescents on a daily basis. A good contact with your students is the basis for teaching. In order to be able to make contact, it is important that you understand how adolescents develop, what role education plays in that development, what occupies them and what their interests are, what motivates them and how they behave in groups.
Making contact often starts when the pupils enter the room where you are teaching. How do you make the first contact, how do you fulfil your role as host and educator, how do you have small, informal conversations with pupils and how do you put uncertain pupils at ease?
This is the first module in the Methodological Practice Programme for the Modern Foreign Languages (MFL): German, English, French, Spanish. Communication lies at the heart of Language Teaching and Learning, because as a Foreign Language teacher you help your learners communicate in the target language; reading, listening, writing, speaking. In this module you learn how to design and teach a communicative lesson. How do you ensure that the lesson fits with your learners’ world? How do you engage your learners? How do you ensure that your lesson activities are pitched at the right level? How do you stimulate your learners’ awareness of cultural customs of the English, French, German, Spanish speaking world? What motivating digital learning tools do you apply?
In this module, you will get familiar with different types of schools and forms of education. You will explore whether being a teacher suits you by means of an internship or (practical) assignments. You will be part of a learning team where you collaborate with fellow students under the supervision of a learning team coach.
By now, you've found out what kind of teacher you want to be and which school type suits you. You teach one day a week and study teaching methodology. By the end of year 2, you choose at which Dutch school type you want to teach.
From year 3, you spend two days a week in front of the classroom. You learn about language learning in practice and how you can help your students master the French language.
Your final year focuses on completing your degree. About half of your time is spent doing an internship at a Dutch secondary school, where you teach your own classes and undertake a research project for the school, supported by us and your school supervisor. The other semester is free for you to fill in, for instance by doing a minor.
Want to know more about this programme?
Are you ambitious? Do you want more from your degree? You can follow our Honours programme alongside your regular coursework. Once you have completed your coursework and a final graduation project, you will be awarded the Honours Certificate.
During HU's Teacher Education in French programme you will encounter the following teaching methods:
- Lecture
- Tutorials
- Project groups
- Internship
- Simulation
- Skills training
- Consultation and discussions
Courses conclude with exams, tests, assignments, essays or portfolios. Exams may also be broken down into partial exams (or partial tests). Exams are held at the end of each term and are posted on the examination timetable.
At the end of your first year, you will receive study advice. For example whether the programme is suitable for you or not, or that you may need to draw up a study plan with the study career counsellor. This advice is not binding. Of course, we assume that you will weigh the advice carefully and take it into account in your choice of study.
During the programme you work in learning teams: small groups of students who learn and study together: a fun way to get to know people and build language skills too! A team has more or less twelve students, guided by a coach and lecturers.
Talented and ambitious students can opt for a five-year course that leads to a double Bachelor’s degree: one in French and one in another language. You will have an additional workload of around eight to ten hours a week.
As our Teacher Education in French programme trains you to become a teacher, internships at Dutch schools and teaching practice are a key part of the programme from day one.
Why study Teacher in French at HU?
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You are taught in French
Having your classes in French means you are immersed in the language from the start, allowing you to become fluent and confident quickly.
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Double degree
It is possible to obtain a double degree, making you qualified to teach two languages and boosting your prospects of finding a teaching position.
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Teaching practice is at the heart of the programme
Since HU places a strong emphasis on practice, you will be able to use what you've learnt straight away.
"The programme allows for a lot of practical experience, you are assigned to an internship already in your first year and get to observe real-life lessons."
Aleksandra Kostrzewa (20) Student Teacher Education in English and French (double degree)
"The programme allows for a lot of practical experience, you are assigned to an internship already in your first year and get to observe real-life lessons."
Aleksandra Kostrzewa (20)Student Teacher Education in English and French (double degree)
I am currently enrolled in the Teacher Education in English and French double degree programme. I chose this programme because I have a passion for languages and teaching. The regular programme is fairly easy to follow, therefore I wanted to take on a bigger workload and decided to sign up for the double degree. I find that the programme suits me well, and the practical experience is valuable for developing my teaching skills.
What I found to be a pleasant surprise was the number of people assigned to help students out with technical issues and support them as they progress with their studies. There are 2 people who are specifically assigned to each class whose role is to support them and provide guidance, but apart from that, each teacher is very helpful with any arising issues. Additionally, the programme allows for a lot of practical experience, you are assigned to an internship already in your first year and get to observe real-life lessons.
After graduation, I plan on pursuing a career in teaching with the prospect of becoming a school director. On the back burner I am keeping the idea of being a journalist. I am thinking of doing my minor and master’s in that field to feel it out. I don’t want to limit myself to just one career choice, but it’s good to have a safety net – especially when you are rather passionate about that safety net.
"For people who don’t just like languages but love teaching as well, who are ready to dedicate their life to share knowledge, I would highly recommend the Teaching programmes at HU!"
Hajar Labhar (19) First year student
"For people who don’t just like languages but love teaching as well, who are ready to dedicate their life to share knowledge, I would highly recommend the Teaching programmes at HU!"
Hajar Labhar (19)First year student
The teaching programme at HU is well structured and organised and the timetable is perfectly planned to give the students plenty of time to work and do their internship. Another point that should be highlighted is the fact that all the lectures and course materials are accessible via the different websites of the university. This encourages the student to stay up-to-date and gives total freedom for those who love working in autonomy.
Thanks to the help of my teachers in the HU, I managed to have an internship in one of the most ancient colleges of The Netherlands in Hilversum (close to Utrecht). As a first year student, my mission in the class is mostly to observe the way it processes, how the introduction of the class is being done and contribute by presenting small parts and helping the students in the classroom.
For people who don’t just like languages but love teaching as well, who are ready to dedicate their life to share knowledge, who want to enjoy Dutch life and be part of it and who want to benefit from the innovative teaching methods, I would highly recommend the Teaching programmes at HU!
