Society needs committed and creative teachers with an interest in learners. Nord University offers teacher education for the primary school (grades 1-7) and lower secondary school (grades 5-10) in order to give future teachers an excellent starting point for one of the most important professions in the world. Teachers are essential and highly skilled people who will prepare students to face a society in constant change, development and sometimes upheaval. Fortunately, a teacher has varied work tasks where no two days are the same. Norway requires all new teachers to gain a master’s degree, in order to raise the overall prestige and level of teacher professionalism and to address the increasing complexity of the twenty-first century.
In the five-year master programme, general pedagogy and early childhood development are compulsory subjects. In addition, teacher students of grades 1-7 qualify in Norwegian, mathematics and two electives, and teacher students of grades 5-10 qualify in Norwegian, mathematics, and one elective. English is a popular elective, especially as English is an obligatory school subject in Norway beginning from first grade. The degree programme is firmly rooted in the Norwegian National Core Curriculum, which outlines values and principles for primary and secondary education, as well as emphasizing research-led teaching, in-depth learning and critical thinking. Teaching practice is central, and all student teachers will complete an extensive practice period supervised by experienced teachers.
Students who choose English as one of their teaching subjects can expect to encounter the many rewards of English language and literature teaching in today’s challenging classroom, led by an experienced team of educators and researchers. The specialization is guided by the aims of Norway’s English Subject Curriculum. Whether preparing for teaching in grades 1-7 or 5-10, student teachers learn how to create optimal conditions for interactive and enjoyable life-long learning. The English specialization encourages exposure to and engagement with the rich history and current trends of the English language, with a focus on how age-appropriate texts and teaching methodologies not only shape a learner’s skills and fluency but also enable them to consider the vital role English plays in democracy, media literacy, and global issues in the global community. To this end, English also offers student teachers the opportunity for exchange, and in some cases teaching practice, in the UK, the United States, Canada, and Japan, as well as other exchange opportunities.
MAGLU degrees are offered through either a campus-based programme (Levanger) or as a session- & online-based programme (Bodø/Nesna). For more information and for application details, visit the programme-specific pages on the main Nord University website
You will find below a list of the English course offerings in the MAGLU 1-7 and the MAGLU 5-10 study models (you can click to expand each course to read a full description). Beginning in Fall 2024, the organizational model for teacher education is more flexible than before, with classes organized into smaller and more specialized units. For an overview of the entire degree (including pedagogy, teaching practice, and other subject area requirements), please see the programme pages on the main Nord University website (listed above).
MAGLU 1-7
The English programme for Grades 1-7 consists of a coherent, integrated and interdisciplinary course across English 1A and English 1B. The aim of the 1-7 programme is to develop student-teachers’ pedagogical, linguistic and intercultural skills using a variety of texts, including children’s literature as well as multimodal and digital texts. This approach interweaves theory, practice and reflection, with a strong focus on subject pedagogy and equips student-teachers with the essential tools to teach English in Grades 1-7. It uses age-appropriate pedagogy, facilitated by a team with teaching, training and research experience in early language learning and teacher education and is grounded in the Core curriculum – values and principles for primary and secondary education (Overordnet Del) and the Curriculum for English (Læreplan I Engelsk). Furthermore, the course lays the foundations for more in-depth exploration of early language learning for studies at the master’s level.
The MAGLU 1-7 programme is based on the following overall themes:
The MAGLU 1-7 programme includes the following courses in English:
This course offers an introduction to English Subject Pedagogy – that is how to teach English as a second language. In this course we look at how language acquisition, language learning and language teaching can be understood, and how these elements work together. We focus on how to work with different parts of English as a school subject to create good learning situations and opportunities for language acquisition. We also work with literature, culture and creations of texts and will therefore also be working with a selection of text examples.
This course will concentrate on the different language learning theories that makes the foundation for how English is taught as a second language in Norway. The course will focus on historical perspectives as well as modern approaches to langauge teavhing, and use a collection of texts as a startingpoint for discussions of different learning activities.
The course will also focus on second language acquisition as a field of research, and how research may inform classroom practices. The relationship between learning and acquisition is pivotal, especially connected to learnig activities that carer for acquisition.
The students’ own language development will also be in focus, aiming to strengthen their language skills.
Linguistics is the study of what language is, how it is structured, how it is acquired, and how it is used in communication in social context. This subject provides an introduction to how the English language works, and how we can use this knowledge in teaching grades 1-10.
The course provides an overview of the basic concepts and theories for analysing English words and sentences, vocabulary, pronunciation and meaning, language acquisition, and deals with approaches to teaching English language structure and vocabulary.
This course focuses on English subject pedagogy (the methods and tools, strategies and techniques for effective language teaching in Grades 1-7) and include the core curriculum values and principles
This course develops teachers’ knowledge and skills of classroom processes for teaching the English subject to children in Grades 1-7. The course builds on 1A and 1B and teachers will learn to identify and implement appropriate early language learning theories and methodologies so as to motivate and engage children in their English learning.
This course is about working with language acquisition through children’s literature, rhymes, songs, games, movies and other cultural expressions. We will focus on how we can work with different parts of English as a school subject to create good language learning and acquisition. We will focus on literature, culture and the creation of texts, and will therefore apply a number of text examples.
This course aims to develop student knowledge of different kinds of children’s literature that may be used when teaching English as a second language. The focus will be on a variety of texts, from picture books to novels, and also song lyrics, movies and other cultural expressions. Students will also work on developing skills in using active learning activities for students in grades 1-7. Aesthetic learning processes are central to active learning when children are acquiring a new language, and students will be practicing leading suck learning processes.
MAGLU 5-10
English for grades 5-10 is an interdisciplinary programme involving the study of language, literature and English subject pedagogy. English learning means discovering new perpectives on the world and on ourselves, as stated in the Læreplan i engelsk 2020, and this is how the subject of English is understood in MAGLU 5-10. Experienced researchers in language, literature and teacher education support student teachers in acquiring a sense of mastery in English – students reflect on real-world pedagogical issues both orally and in writing, learn to use sources critically, and develop empathy and critical literacy through inspiring readings in non-fiction, narrative, poetic and multimodal textual formats. Motivating teaching approaches that are explored and tried out on campus include ecocriticism, drama methods, the interface of language and literature, creative writing and global issues – for the diversity of our global times, as reflected in the Norwegian core curriculum, demands in-depth learning.
The programme is based on the following recurring themes:
The MAGLU 5-10 programme includes the following courses in English:
This course offers an introduction to English Subject Pedagogy – that is how to teach English as a second language. In this course we look at how language acquisition, language learning and language teaching can be understood, and how these elements work together. We focus on how to work with different parts of English as a school subject to create good learning situations and opportunities for language acquisition. We also work with literature, culture and creations of texts and will therefore also be working with a selection of text examples.
This course will concentrate on the different language learning theories that makes the foundation for how English is taught as a second language in Norway. The course will focus on historical perspectives as well as modern approaches to langauge teavhing, and use a collection of texts as a startingpoint for discussions of different learning activities.
The course will also focus on second language acquisition as a field of research, and how research may inform classroom practices. The relationship between learning and acquisition is pivotal, especially connected to learnig activities that carer for acquisition.
The students’ own language development will also be in focus, aiming to strengthen their language skills.
Linguistics is the study of what language is, how it is structured, how it is acquired, and how it is used in communication in social context. This subject provides an introduction to how the English language works, and how we can use this knowledge in teaching grades 1-10.
The course provides an overview of the basic concepts and theories for analysing English words and sentences, vocabulary, pronunciation and meaning, language acquisition, and deals with approaches to teaching English language structure and vocabulary.
Building on the course Introduction to English Didactics, this course will explore how using age-appropriate texts of diverse origin and format can accommodate students’ interests and needs. In doing so, students will engage themselves with a variety of English-language literature, including multimodal texts, and consider how using this material in class can motivate learners to increase their skills and language output. The course provides a methodological basis and genre awareness for using literature to promote the aims of the curriculum, especially the interdisciplinary theme of life skills and health, and will feature activities and approaches that can be used in the 5-10 classroom.
How can we assess student learning and acquisition? How can teachers give feedback to students to aid their learning process and how can we teach students to evaluate themselves and others. That is the focus of this course, as it is aimed at teachers teaching 5th to 10th grade. The course will look at different types of testing and assessment and how this may be used to aid student learning. Its foundation is found in the principles of assessment for learning and the development of basic skills, as described in the Norwegian curriculum.
This course builds on the review of the structure, acquisition and use of the English language in How English Works 1 and looks at how we can use this knowledge in teaching grades 1-10.
The course provides more detailed knowledge of how to analyse English words (morphology) and sentences (syntax), vocabulary, pronunciation (phonology and phonetics) and meaning (semantics), how English varies in time and space (sociolinguistics), theories of first and second language acquisition, and approaches to English teaching.
Discover the rich social, cultural, historical, and artistic impulses of Britain, and how one can inspire and challenge pupils in the English classroom.
In this course we will explore a wide range of texts from Britain, providing students with the social, cultural, historical, and artistic knowledge necessary for a firm understanding of the field and for competent and confident teaching in the English classroom. Students will discover the deep and complex histories of modern ideas and discourses, such as humanitarian values, sustainability, and gender equality, and they will acquire tools, activities, and materials that they can use to inspire and challenge their pupils. The course will provide an occasion to sharpen spoken English skills, not only through lively classroom debate but also through a one-week trip to York, England. (The trip, hosted by the Norwegian Study Centre, is obligatory, but an alternative home assignment is available for those unable to attend).
What does it mean to be “American”? From Walt Whitman to Walter White, from Emerson to Euphoria, American culture has, for better or worse, exerted a strong influence on the English-speaking world. This course introduces the rich, complex, and sometimes controversial social, cultural, and literary history of the United States; we will discuss a selection of important and provocative texts from America and beyond, including a wide range of modern forms and cultural artifacts. Taking a contextualized and critical look at what it means to be “American,” this course will provide students with a firm understanding of key topics in American studies, offering the detail, insight, and vocabulary a teacher needs to frame and discuss contemporary issues, such as civil rights and cultural divides in the English classroom. Through regular class discussion and independent exploration, this course aims to foster the intellectual independence to support lifelong learning as an English teacher.
This course provides an introduction to academic writing in English, and what it means to read, think and write critically. The course guides students step by step from project idea to finished project description, and covers argumentation technique, structure and coherence in academic texts, elements of rhetoric, use of sources and academic integrity.
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English teachers are, by definition, interested in the larger world and in learning more about other peoples and their cultural identities, and thereby learning more about themselves (intercultural learning). In cooperation with the Norwegian Study Centre, MAGLU students have the chance for a week-long study trip to England, where they will learn about diverse themes in education from experienced UK lecturers, both inside and outside of the classroom, and frequently including school visits. We also encourage all qualified third-year MAGLU students to consider a semester or year-long exchange; many of these include options for teaching practice. Our international exchange partners include Augustana University (USA), the University of York (UK), Seinan Gakuin University (Japan), as well as various Erasmus+ and consortium agreements, including those partner institutions within the SEA-EU alliance. Additionally, MAGLU English students qualify for specially funded exchange opportunities with Canada; the CANOPY Project supports students on exchange to Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario and the ELLiL Project supports students on exchange to Bishop’s University in Sherbrooke, Quebec.
For a complete overview of opportunities, students can consult the Nord University Exchange website or can contact faculty International Coordinators Charlotta Langejan (Bodø) and Kristin Gulstad Aaknes (Levanger).
I took an exchange semester in The Netherlands, in the city of Zwolle. Here I attended a program called “Children and Media” at Windesheim University. Staying abroad for several months was a unique maturation process for me and I have never felt quite the same again. Your eyes are really opened to the world and you start seeing just how vast it is. For an English teacher it simply feels right and reinforcing to have this “global” mindset.
