STEP - the programme's order of events
(1) The preparatory course component, PS-FD1
Englisch (Long-term school placement abroad), which always takes place in the
winter semester at the Goethe University, concerns the theory and practice of
bilingual education and intercultural learning. Among other matters, the
students concentrate on the British and Irish school system and the issue of
'critical incidents'; they prepare themselves in classroom discourse, design
and plan units of lessons; they prepare contributions to the life of the
partner schools and begin to research and design their individual academic
study projects which they will undertake during the course of the placement.
(2) During the three-to-four-month
placement during the summer term at a British or Irish school, the students
conduct their study project; they work in co-operation not only with the staff
of their placement school: additionally, they are in contact with their
University of Frankfurt tutor, who will visit them towards the middle point of
their school placement. During their placements the students act as cultural
ambassadors for their own country and thus become more aware of their own
cultural backgrounds.
(3) Taking place between the summer and
winter semesters at Goethe University, the follow-up meeting gives the
returning students space and opportunity to reflect on their observations,
experiences and research projects. This process, mainly conducted through
exchanges with other participants and with the lecturer, allows the students to
consolidate the progress they have made in intercultural learning, comparing
their experience on placement with the expectations they had before the start
of their time abroad. A valuable stage of this evaluation process occurs when
those returning from placement pass on their experiences to members of the
following year.
May
Attending
the information session; individual advice on the timing of the placement
June
Assistance
in preparing the application; advice on study design and financing the
placement
September
Assigning
the placement; joint meetings and events with returnees; assistance in
contacting the school in England or Ireland
October
Start
of the preparatory part of the module including intercultural training and
development of teaching skills; advice on scholarships; arranging leave of
absence
November
Individual
advice on study projects; participation in the pre-survey
December
Individual
consultation on organizational and academic issues; consultation events with
International Office
January
Individual
consultation on organizational issues; travel arrangements and finding
accommodation
February
Preparing
for practicalities of life in British and Irish schools; completion of the
preparatory module
March/April
Beginning
of the phase abroad: placement in an English or Irish school; blended learning
tasks (task analysis, lesson planning)
June
Goethe
University tutor visits the students on placement and discusses their
experiences, prospects, development and their study projects
July
Blended
learning tasks with the home university (material design, assessment of pupils'
work, self-assessment)
August
Reflection
on the stay abroad, individual advice on academic performance and crediting;
participation in the post-surveys
September
Meetings
and presentations with students taking part in the next round of placements;
presentation of the results of students' study projects; completion of the
module
