Linking the Foreign Language Teacher Education of Latvia with the Quality Principles in the West

Author(s):

Inta Rimsane

Conference:

ECER 2010

Network:

11. Educational Effectiveness and Quality Assurance

Format:

Paper

Session Information

11 SES 10 A, Quality Assessment in Different Contexts

Paper Session

Time:

2010-08-27

10:30-12:00

Room:

U40 SALI 9, Metsätalo

Chair:

Blanca Valenzuela

Contribution

In Latvia, the shift to up-to-date foreign language teacher education was determined by the fragmentary and often contradictory trends in the USA, Western Europe, and former Soviet Union. Since the fall of the Soviet rule in the 1990’s, rapid changes have occurred in Latvia. Knowledge is not the main criterion for the good teacher of foreign languages. The teacher needs also competences: skills and values. The article begins with a brief review of theoretical foundations in foreign language teacher education. It then analyses the main principles which influence the education quality of foreign language student teachers in the West. The article determines the key elements of change in foreign languages student teachers education of Latvia.

Research questions:

What impact did the outer forces have to the quality of foreign languages teacher education in Latvia?

Which modern principles determine the foreign language student teachers education quality in the West and Latvia?

Which changes does the student teacher education in Latvia need?

Method

The article analyses the foreign language teacher education quality in the West and Latvia using the benchmarking method. There is an analysis of documents to determine the global, national, and local education development, local and global education research; reading the scientific and theoretical literature, published scientific works and investigations, accreditation documents of the Ministry of Science and Education of Latvia, and European and American investigations about education quality. The article examines and contrasts the foreign languages student teachers’ education documents, standards and guidelines in Europe, North America and Latvia with an attempt to determine key elements of change in foreign language teachers’ education of Latvia.

Expected Outcomes

The author has analyzed the influence of the outer forces (labour market, politics, globalization etc.) that has determined the foreign languages teacher education quality in Latvia, former Soviet Republic. There were determined the key elements of change in foreign languages student teachers education in Latvia: • shift to modern outcomes and competence based standards or guidelines for the teachers of foreign languages; • shift to modern way of designing the teacher education programs and study courses: outcome first; content second; • shift to modern way of assessment which evaluates the learning outcomes in terms of knowledge and competences in the study courses; • shift to modern way of accreditation which puts more emphasis on assessing outcomes and competence rather than inputs and resources. • shift to modern management of teacher education curriculum, paying a particular attention to a) development the leadership and strategic planning abilities in lecturers who are the most effective drivers of change in teacher education; b) equal and regular collaboration between Ministry of Education and Science, lecturers, students, local school boards and principals who also influence the quality in teacher education.

References

Theoretical foundations about evolution of foreign languages teacher education: Adams, A. & Tulasiewicz W. (1995), Andersson, C. (2002). Grenfell, M. (2002), Howatt, A., P., R. (1994), Nunan, D. (2001), Richards, J., & Rodgers, T. (2001), Canale, M. (1983). O’ Sullivan, D. (2000). Documents related to the quality management of foreign languages teacher education in Europe and North America: Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: learning, teaching, assessment (2001), Guide to Assessment: Pennsylvania State Modern Language Association (2003), The teaching profession in Europe: Profile, trends and concerns. (2003), Galton M. and Moon B. (1994), Tuning Educational Structures in Europe (2003), PSMLA Standards and Guide to assessment: U.S. Dept. of Education (1998) etc.

Author Information

Inta Rimsane

Rezekne University College

Foreign Languages

REZEKNE

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