NIDV Národní institut pro další vzdělávání

 The national project Gate to Languages is aimed at improving professional profile of pedagogical staff and broadening its communication skills in the European framework. Gate to Languages project is within the scope of lifelong learning support intended for development of language and methodological competences of pedagogical and professional staff in education.

The objectives of the project are to respond to unsatisfactory situation in foreign language teaching, especially at the present time, after our entering the European Union. Common level of knowledge of foreign languages of other pedagogical and professional staff neither  does not correspond to the requirements for common communication in the EU, which give to schools a chance to communicate with foreign partners. Accordingly, subject teachers has very low   linguistic skills. Their knowledge of a foreign language (of English, French, German) is very low to draw upon a special information from a variety of different materials in a foreign language or from Internet. International projects are led by foreign language teachers who are also used to help other subject teachers with interpreting. It is important to ensure that they can express him/herself in foreign language and communicate abroad.  

To cover and aim at all category of pedagogical and non-pedagogical staff in basic schools, upper secondary schools and higher vocational schools or educational institutions, it hass been necessary to divide trainees into three target groups according to their qualification and interest in English, German and French.

1^st Target group

The project is designed for qualified teachers without special qualification for foreign language teaching , who teach or are going to teach the language. They improve their language and methodological knowledge passing intensive methodological and language courses consisting of 160 lessons in language studies and 40 lessons in language metodology.

2^nd Target group

Other target group consists of qualified teachers with relevant qualification for language teaching. The main objective of the project at this level is to deepen methodological competences of qualified teachers in the field of foreign language teaching in order to ensure their professional growth. It consists of intensive methodological and language courses consisting of 30 lessons in language studies and in language methodology.

3^rd Target group

The project is designed also for other pedagogical and professional workers in schooling.
The project at this level focuses mainly on improving their current language knowledge, i.e. increasing their current language knowledge by one grade so even teachers outside of language teaching can  interact with foreign partners. This steppingstone should be the intensive methodological and language courses  consisting of 150 lessons  in language studies

National project Gate to languages has begun in November 2005 and total number of trainees who has been admitted and has started their studies is more than 7 100 in 430 study groups in the whole Czech Republic.

Language and methodological courses are supported by experienced lecturers recommended and trained by the British Council and the Goethe Institute in Prague.

In June 2006 was achieved the objective of the project in 2nd target group - qualified teachers with relevant qualification for language teaching. Trainees from 21 study groups met successfully completion of course requirements and have received a certificate of completion of the course.