Our modern foreign language (MFL) PGCE course offers you the opportunity to train to teach French, Spanish and German.
Why study Secondary Modern Foreign Languages (MFL)?
Most often, you will offer one main language for teaching, but many also offer a second language, perhaps at Key Stage 3 level.
Trainees are assessed on their ability to teach pupils in the 11-16 age range, but opportunities for A Level teaching are also included in the programme as appropriate.
Why St Mary's?
The course covers all aspects of modern language teaching and learning, with an emphasis on practical activities for use in school. There is a strong emphasis on using the target language in the classroom, as well as planning for the whole ability range to ensure that all pupils are able to make progress.
The experienced modern language tutors work in close partnership with trainees and the placement schools.
If you wish to study for the Catholic Certificate of Religious Studies you will be able to complete several of the modules during your PGCE year. This certificate is often a requirement for teaching in a Catholic school.
School Placements
You are prepared for teaching in partnership with schools that are formally linked to St Mary's, providing an excellent framework to develop teaching skills.
During your studies you'll be allocated two school placements during the 36-week course. In total, 24 weeks is spent in school to ensure close links between theory and practice throughout.
Our partnership schools offer a rich and diverse training programme for our trainees. We work with partner schools throughout the London area. During your placements, you will be guided from working with small groups of pupils alongside a subject teacher towards taking responsibility for whole classes.
Teaching methods
The course tutors use a variety of teaching and learning approaches, including lectures, workshop sessions, collaborative and small-group work, paired work, practical activities, with positive use of technology, individual and group student presentations and some self-supported study.
A number of external cross-curricular visits - such as field trips and visits to museums - also take place.
This range of strategies both caters for a range of preferred learning styles and provides good teaching role models for trainees.
Assessment methods
Trainees are recommended for Qualified Teacher Status by successfully meeting the Teachers’ Standards (DfE). Continuous assessment throughout the programme will determine success.
Master's level assignments complement the work in schools and assist in meeting the Teachers’ Standards. These assignments aim to encourage you to be thoughtful and reflective, but also reinforce the evidence-based nature of the course assessment.
Self-assessment is also recognised as a valuable perspective in the evaluation of both school and university-based work.
Other assessments are used to ensure students understand and can apply the knowledge. This is done through a range of methods:
- Self-assessment
- Presentations
- Micro-teaching
- Essays
- Practical sessions
- Lesson observations
Assessment is on-going and against the Teachers’ Standards. High standards of attendance, punctuality and participation are requirements of all course elements.
Key facts
- 100% of our 2015/16 Secondary PGCE graduates were in employment within six months (Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education, HESA)
- Opportunity to enhance subject knowledge through Language Courses on offer on campus and in MFL sessions
- Excellent partnerships with schools for specific training activities e.g. Masterclasses with Key Stage 3 pupils, focus on global dimension, development of effective use of IT for MFL teaching and learning, transition from primary to secondary MFL
- Experienced tutors who have written numerous publications for teaching and learning languages
- Engaged tutors who are actively involved in the Association for Language Learning nationally, including President for 2015-2018
- We offer termly MFL professional development meetings for trainees and teachers to share good practice, as well as regular one-day training courses such as making effective use of the iPad in the MFL classroom