1. EFL TEACHER TRAINING IN LATVIA POLICIES AND PRACTICES ANITA MUIŽNIECE LIENE BENDR Ā TE UNIVERSITY OF LATVIA, FACULTY OF EDUCATION, PSYCHOLOGY AND ART 2ND AND 3RD YEAR STUDENTS, EFL TEACHER PROGRAMME EFL TEACHER TRAINING IN LATVIA POLICIES AND PRACTICES ANITA MUIŽNIECE LIENE BENDR Ā TE UNIVERSITY OF LATVIA, FACULTY OF EDUCATION, PSYCHOLOGY AND ART 2ND AND 3RD YEAR STUDENTS, EFL TEACHER PROGRAMME

2. Content Changes in the educational system in Latvia since 1990s The rights to work as a teacher The insitutions providing EFL teacher training in Latvia General information about studies in University of Latvia

3. Teacher education in Latvia – then and now Since 1990s there have been great changes in the education. From centralised, strictry regulated and determined to freer and decentralised educational system. Signing of the Bologna process in 1999

4. TEACHER EDUCATION COMPONENTS (Buchberger) studies in educational sciences academic/subject studies studies in subject matter methodologies/subject didactics teaching practice

5. The structure of teacher education in Latvia Integrated Consecutive Academic Pedagogical Psychological Professional practice Other components 1. Bachelor’ studies in the scientific field 2. The choice to become a teacher

6. Eligibilty to Work as an EFL teacher in Latvia Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in the respective field and teacher’s qualification Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in education sciences and teacher’s qualification should be obtained 2 years after starting to work Professional Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in the respective field and studies in study programme dealing with education science and didactics

7. Institutions offering EFL qualifications University of Latvia Daugavpils University Rezekne University Riga Teacher Training and Educational Management Academy Project - Mission Possible

8. University of Latvia Professional Bachelor Professional Master Qualification of English Language Teacher in Secondary School

9. Professional Bachelor’s Programme Teacher The aim - to educate qualified teachers being able to teach students in two school subjects in educational institutions of the Republic of Latvia.

10. The main objectives to reach the aim to develop knowledge and skills required by the teachers to provide opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge in teaching practice to involve students in applied research to develop didactic competences to provide possibilities for students to continue studies for Master’s degree in Latvia as well as abroad

11. Curricula of the programme Part A courses: General education courses Foreign language courses Model of professional entrepreneurship competence development courses Field-specific theoretical foundation courses Practice State examination

12. Curricula of the programme Part B courses: General education courses Field-specific theoretical foundation courses Field-specific professional specialization courses Part C courses: Introduction to studies and teacher's ethics Classroom Management Intercultural Education

13. Teacher practice The practice is covered in A course studies Teacher’s Practices form indispensable part of the study programme. The aim of the practices is to give students opportunity to develop and improve their professional competence.

14. Teacher practice For EFL teachers:  2nd year – observation practice  3rd year – observation, class teacher’s assistant and foreign language teaching practice  4 year – second specialty practice and English language teaching practice

15. Faculty of Education, Psychology and Art Professional Master’s Study Programme Teacher Aim of the programme – studies that are directed to personal wellbeing and coherent development of society Students gain understanding of a sustainable cultural environment, developing educational practice and improving the understanding of an educator’s professional identity Students deepen interdisciplinary understanding of the effective didactic approaches and improve skills of implementing them into educational practice

16. Conclusions Educational system in Latvia implements standards- based curricula. Significant role in EFL teacher training is given to: ◦ acquiring leadership skills, ◦ developing of the emotional intelligence, ◦ good knowledge of the language, ◦ self-assessment.

17. References ESF project „Profesion ā laj ā izgl ī t ī b ā iesaist ī to visp ā rizgl ī tojošo m ā c ī bu priekšmetu pedagogu kompetences paaugstin ā šana” Accesed at:  http://www.lu.lv/gribustudet/katalogs/katalogi-anglu-valoda/study-programme- catalog/?user_phpfileexecutor_pi1%5Bprogram_id%5D=20494  http://likumi.lv/ta/id/269965-noteikumi-par-pedagogiem-nepieciesamo-izglitibu- un-profesionalo-kvalifikaciju-un-pedagogu-profesionalas-kompetences- pilnveides