The role of the cross-cultural teacher

Knowledge

The student has knowledge about:

• The mandate and functions of teaching as a profession
• The professional ethics platform for teachers
• The role of the cross-cultural teacher and questions regarding his/her own multicultural identity
• Class management
• Multilingualism
• The importance of the native language
• Norwegian in a contrastive perspective (comparison Norwegian and the native language)
• Basic reading- and writing training
• How picture books can be used in training

Skills

The student

• Is able to plan, implement and assess teaching and learning
• Is able to reflect and discuss the role of the teacher in relation to multicultural questions
• Has acquired knowledge about what it means to be multilingual and how the teacher can prepare for multilingual development
• Is able to reflect on the implications of having Norwegian as a second language and the relation between the native language and the Norwegian language
• Is able to support pupils in the initial reading- and writing training
• Is able to analyse and apply picture books
• Is able to justify his/her didactical choices

General competence

The student

• Has knowledge about the teacher’s functions and mandate in school and society with the existing frame factors and national curriculum as the starting point
• Is able to reflect on the implications of multilingualism and how multilingualism can be used as a resource in Norwegian schools
• Supports multilingual pupils in developing their reading and writing skills

The mandate and functions of teaching as a profession is focused. Didactical and ethical skills, as well as management, will be central. Emphasis will be placed on the professional knowledge and skills of the bilingual teacher in a multicultural school. This includes competence in inclusion and diversity, the understanding of various cultures, and how one can interact in society irrespectively of different linguistic and cultural background.

The course will include different approaches and possibilities for the students to reflect on individual life experiences related to subject literature and practice. The course focuses on personal development and strengthening of personal abilities and experiences in the development of a bilingual, cross-cultural teacher identity which includes understanding and interpreting individual competences and experiences in light of theory and practice. This perspective emphasises strengthening the self-confidence and understanding of oneself as a bilingual and multicultural teacher. The course’s approach will, therefore, emphasise dialogue and personal engagement in relation to the themes that are discussed. This includes bilingual competence and cross-cultural experiences related to social interaction crossing different linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

The course deals with the pupils’ development of basic skills. Focus is placed on the implications of having Norwegian as a second language, and theories on language formation. There will be an emphasis on the students’ development of professional digital skills

The teaching will be based on course sessions, four in the autumn semester and four in the spring semester. Between course sessions at UiA the students will work with subject matter individually and in groups. Central work methods are lectures, seminars, oral presentations, self-study, group discussions, teaching practice and documentation of completed practice activities. Students will use digital tools in teaching and when following up practice. A period of professional, supervised training of 20 days is included in the course.

Assignments and approval of three work tasks, one of which must be related to the practice period. Oral presentation after the practice has been completed. A practice report must be submitted.

The workload is estimated at about 800 hours.

• Three mandatory assignments and a practice report must be approved.
• Attendance requirement: 75% at mandatory meetings
• Completed and passed 20 days of professional, supervised and assessed training.

Further information will be published on Canvas when the semester starts.

• Individual home examination, 2 days, counts 40%
• Individual oral examination counts 60%

Graded assessment