In-Service Teacher Development (KfK)

The English Department is highly committed to teacher education and offers in addition to pre-service teacher education (MAGLU) a number of in-service teacher development programmes (KFK) for practising teachers. We deliver two 30-credit regional programmes, taking place in Nordland, as well as two 30-credit online programmes, organized in Levanger.

Overview

Our teacher development programmes are strong in providing evidence-based approaches to teaching, for English learning that is relevant and exciting for todays’ school students. We share important research-informed ways to promote powerful pedagogical practices and motivating classroom methodologies – the how of teaching speaking, writing, listening, reading and intercultural learning. We discuss hands-on approaches that make the most of the new English curriculum for the primary school, grades 1-7, and lower secondary school, grades 5-10. We pay particular attention to the core curriculum (Overordnet del – verdier og prinsipper for grunnopplæringen), to the many opportunities for interdisciplinary content in the English classroom, and the potential for in-depth learning. English is a key subject for intercultural understanding, and enthusiastic teacher educators in the English Department are keen to show how English studies at school can open up new perspectives on the world, on ourselves as teachers and on the students who are learning English. With in-service development, practising teachers have the opportunity to raise their qualification level and self-esteem in order to address the increasing complexity of the twenty-first century with strengthened professionalism and confidence.

Campus-based In-Service Teacher Development Programmes

Nordland Regional KFK English 1 (grades 1-7)

This 15 + 15 ECTS programme is provided through a blend of face-to-face teaching and online support, and emphasises a variety of teaching methods and exemplary teaching to stimulate creativity and increased language competency. The profession-oriented perspective is central, where the participants’ own pupils and classroom is a central arena for learning and competency building, thus acquiring formal competency also at one’s own place of work. This programmeis of a practical nature, targeting the participants’ development of their own language proficiency as well as topics and methodology that meet the requirements of the national curriculum.

You can click to expand each course below to read a more detailed description:

SPR111L - English 1-7, Part 1 (15 ECTS)

This course offers an introduction to key concepts in English Language Teaching, including grammar and phonetics.

SPR111L - English 1-7, Part 2 (15 ECTS)

This course offers introductions to children’s fiction and the cultural contexts of the English-speaking world while also exploring multimodal texts and the use of digital tools in the English Language Teaching classroom.

Nordland Regional KFK English 2 (grades 5-10)

In this programme, experienced teacher educators and subject pedagogy (fagdidaktikk) researchers support English teachers for grades 5-10 in deepening their knowledge and expanding their pedagogical repertoires. As regional KFK, this 30-credit programme is conducted both face to face where it is most needed and online using Zoom. Motivating teaching approaches based on current research are shared and explored together. Programme participants then choose a topic to try out in a school project; their reflections on their experience are a central part of the course assessment. Popular topics include oral interaction by teaching through drama, creative writing, plurilingual practices, focusing on diversity and students’ sociocultural identities, ecopedagogy, intercultural understanding, multiple literacies through young adult literature, graphic novels or verse novels, and in-depth learning through a focus on global issues.

See what our students said about this programme!

You can click to expand each course below to read a more detailed description:

SP160L - English Subject Pedagogy (15 ECTS)

This course develops teachers’ knowledge of methods, tools and strategies for effective teaching of English in Grades 1-5. The course is practical in nature with a strong focus on English across the curriculum as well as exploring critical literacy skills through a range of multimodal texts.

SP161L - In-depth Learning through English Language and Literature (15 ECTS)

Special focus in this class will be the educational and language learning benefits of children’s and young adult literature. Text-related activities will include the interdisciplinary themes in the Norwegian curriculum as well as in-depth learning, intercultural understanding, cultural diversity and critical literacy. We will look at drama methodology, how to use graphic novels and verse novels in the classroom and creative writing for primary and lower secondary school.

Web-based In-Service Teacher Development Programmes

This comprehensive online study programme is tailored for practicing English teachers working with grades 1-10 in the case of English 1 and 5-10 in the case of English 2. The focus is on developing practical teaching tools that teachers can use in their own classrooms. In addition, teachers are also afforded the opportunity to enhance their own expertise in the English language and in the use of texts, while reflecting on subject and digital pedagogical techniques. English 1 is differentiated to take into account the differences between 1-7 and 5-10.

You can click to expand each course under the programmes listed below to read a more detailed description:

Levanger Online KfK English 1 (grades 1-7)

ENG1019 - Language and Language Learning for Grades 1-10 (15 ECTS)

The course is tailored to English teachers of primary school grades 1-10. It will give students flexible tools to use in their classroom. At the same time, students develop their own language and text competence, subject didactic reflection skills, and professional digital competence.

This course attends to what it is to teach English in Norway and in particular explores the theme of language and language learning. Language and language learning gives teachers basic insight into linguistic subjects for their own language development as well as up-to-date knowledge about pupils’ language development at various stages. For grades 1 – 7, the main emphasis will be on beginner education and early language development, for grades 5 – 10 the focus will be on further development of basic skills, adapted to pupils’ diverse needs, also with regard to academically strong pupils. The teaching alternates between separate sessions with a grade-specific focus and joint sessions with holistic, interdisciplinary approaches. The students must be employed in the primary school or must be able to show documentation that they can try out pedagogical schemes in practice.

ENG1020 - Text-based Learning for Grades 1-10 (15 ECTS)

This course attends to English didactics in Norway, and in particular the area of text-based learning. It emphasizes the development of text competence through a varied selection of cultural expressions. The course focuses on texts for use in the classroom, various multimodal texts, and digital resources adapted to the various stages. The teaching alternates between separate sessions with a grade-specific focus, and joint sessions with comprehensive, interdisciplinary approaches.

Students must be employed as teachers in primary school or must be able to show documentation that they can try out pedagogical schemes in practice.

Levanger Online KfK English 2 (grades 5-10)

ENG2008 - Literature and Culture for Grades 5-10 (15 ECTS)

This course is tailored as further education for English teachers in primary school grades 5-10, is based on English 1. It will further develop the students’ didactic competence to be able to offer varied and adapted teaching in their classroom. At the same time, students will have the opportunity to further develop their own language and textual competence, subject didactic reflection skills, and professional, digital competence. The course consists of the general didactic theme of English teaching in Norway and the theme of literature and culture.

Students must be employed in the primary school or must be able to show documentation that they can try out pedagogical schemes in practice.

ENG2009 - English Language Learning and Communication for Grades 5-10 (15 ECTS)

This course attends to subject pedagogy and has a particular focus on language learning and communication. The language theme will provide teachers with in-depth knowledge of various linguistic subjects as well as increased knowledge of genre-appropriate language and discourse.

Students must be employed in a primary school or must be able to show documentation that they can try out pedagogical schemes in practice.