Modules

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“Module 1: Dyslexia and reading/writing challenges in the FL classroom” aims at equipping teacher educators (engaged in university teacher education as well as offering in-service teacher training) with classroom-ready teaching/learning resources needed to define and critically discuss key concepts relevant to the topic area of dyslexia and associated reading/writing challenges in the foreign language classroom.

The module responds to the needs of foreign language teacher educators to provide pre- and in-service teachers with sufficient knowledge and skills that allow them to address the topic of dyslexia and reading/writing challenges in a sustainable, informed and responsible manner in their (future) profession as foreign language teachers. The module is innovative in that it offers a classroom-ready solution that integrates multiple and international perspectives necessary to get a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon in question:

(A) theoretical knowledge (e.g. an explanation of key terms such as grapheme phoneme correspondence and reading mechanisms)
(B) empirical research (e.g. studies that explore reading processes of dyslexic students)
(C) practical classroom solutions and experiences of personell directly involved in FL teaching practices (e.g. activities that practice phonological awareness)
(D) insights from national and EU education policy makers (e.g. policies and guidelines that regulate procedures adopted at schools for students with dyslexia and/or reading difficulties)
(E) solutions for diagnostic and evaluative tools (e.g. tests of working memory span to be used in foreign language classrooms)
(F) solutions that digital tools can offer to aid reading processes (e.g. the use of various fonts and background color)

The insights and skills gained upon the completion of the module are expected to impact future foreign language teaching practice and foster the reading/writing processes of ALL pupils, but especially of those with special needs in the area of reading and writing in a foreign language. As dyslexia and reading/writing challenges are statistically expected to occur in all school systems, this topic is relevant to all foreign language teachers and can be transferred to other teacher education institutions, and by extension to other school systems. In this sense, pre- and in-service foreign language teachers who receive the instruction through the VInDow modules act as multipliers with the capacity to implement the transfer of knowledge and competences to pupils at schools.

Structurally, the module consists of the following components:
– teaching units focused on topics A-F (see above) for pre- and in-service foreign language teacher education including hands-on, interactive and collaborative activities and materials;
– a teacher’s companion with a transparent description of desired learner outcomes (can-do descriptors), didactic commentary for the teaching unit and examples of possible teaching
scenarios;
– a reflection tool-kit for monitoring the learning process of the module target audience (i.e. pre- and in-service teachers).

“Module 2: Social, emotional and linguistic challenges in spoken FL communication” aims at equipping teacher educators (engaged in university teacher education as well as offering in-service teacher training) with classroom-ready teaching/learning resources needed to define and critically discuss key concepts relevant to the topic area of emotional, social and linguistic challenges that pupils face in spoken communication in a foreign language.

The module responds to the needs of foreign language teacher educators to provide pre- and in-service teachers with sufficient knowledge and skills that allow them to address the topic of challenges that spoken communication is associated with in a sustainable, informed and responsible manner in their (future) profession as foreign language teachers. The module is innovative in that it offers a classroom-ready solution that integrates multiple and international perspectives necessary to get a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon in question:

(A) theoretical knowledge (e.g. an overview of potential linguistic, emotional, social but also linked cognitive or behavioral challenges that can emerge in oral communication in various concepts derived from theoretical linguistic models and psychological/pedagogical theories)
(B) empirical results (e.g. studies that explore social and linguistic challenges associated with spoken communication from the perspective of interlanguage pragmatics)
(C) practical classroom solutions and experiences of personell directly involved in FL teaching practices (e.g. activities that practice development pragmalinguistic and sociopragmatic skills, activities that diminish language or social anxiety)
(D) insights from national and EU education policy makers (e.g. policies and guidelines that delineate what is considered a necessary set of oral communicative skills in what contexts)
(E) solutions for diagnostic and evaluative tools (e.g. tests of pragmatic awareness or language anxiety to be used in foreign language classrooms)
(F) solutions that digital tools can offer to aid reading processes (e.g. the use of digitalized role plays with the use of virtual reality)

The insights and skills gained upon the completion of the module are expected to impact future foreign language teaching practice and foster the reading processes of ALL pupils, but especially of those with special communicative/social/affective needs. As the development of functional communicative competence is seen as the main goal of foreign language education within Europe, challenges associated with it are expected to occur in all school systems. This makes the topic relevant to all foreign language teachers and can be transferred to other universities and by extension school systems. In this sense, pre- and in-service foreign language teachers who receive the instruction act as multipliers with the capacity to implement the transfer of knowledge and competences to pupils at schools.

Structurally, the module consists of the following components:
– teaching units focused on topics A-F (see above) for pre- and in-service foreign language teacher education including hands-on, interactive and collaborative activities and materials;
– a teacher’s companion with a transparent description of desired learner outcomes (can-do descriptors), didactic commentary for the teaching unit and examples of possible teaching scenarios;
– a reflection tool-kit for monitoring the learning process of the module target audience (i.e. pre- and in-service teachers).

“Module 3: Multilingual/multicultural challenges FL classrooms” aims at equipping teacher educators (engaged in university teacher education as well as offering in-service teacher training) with classroom-ready teaching/learning resources needed to define and critically discuss key concepts relevant to the role of multiple (heritage) languages and various cultural backgrounds that students bring into the foreign language classroom. The module focuses on the social, affective and linguistic challenges that multilingual and multicultural foreign language classrooms can experience.

The module responds to the needs of foreign language teacher educators to provide pre- and in-service teachers with sufficient knowledge and skills that allow them to address social, emotional and language related challenges associated with linguistic and cultural diversity of the students in a sustainable, informed and responsible manner in their (future) profession as foreign language teachers. The module is innovative in that it offers a classroom-ready solution that integrates multiple and international perspectives necessary to get a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon in question:

(A) theoretical knowledge (e.g. a discussion of key concept such as culture, multiculturalism, diversity, bilingual lexicon, language varieties, affective states associated with language use)
(B) empirical results (e.g. studies that explore language learning processes of multicultural, monolingual and bilingual students; studies that focus on the various degrees of prestige associated with language varieties and dialects)
(C) practical classroom solutions and experiences of personell directly involved in FL teaching practices (e.g. activities that raise cultural and linguistic awareness of students)
(D) insights from national and EU education policy makers (e.g. policies and guidelines that regulate the inclusion of various dialects and heritage languages into foreign language classroom practice)
(E) solutions for diagnostic and evaluative tools (e.g. tools that capture cultural diversity or cultural identities of groups of learners to be used in foreign language classrooms)
(F) solutions that digital tools can offer to aid reading processes (e.g. the use of digital translation tools to raise linguistic awareness of students)

The insights and skills gained upon the completion of the module are expected to impact future foreign language teaching practice and foster the awareness of cultural and linguistic diversity of ALL pupils, but especially of those students for whom linguistic or cultural diversity can act as a hindering factor in the educational process. As increased cultural and linguistic diversity are statistically expected to occur in most European school systems, this topic is relevant to all foreign language teachers and can be transferred to other universities and by extension school systems. In this sense, pre- and in-service foreign language teachers who receive the instruction act as multipliers with the capacity to implement the transfer of knowledge and competences to pupils at schools.

Structurally, the module consists of the following components:
– teaching units focused on topics A-F (see above) for pre- and in-service foreign language teacher education including hands-on, interactive and collaborative activities and materials;
– a teacher’s companion with a transparent description of desired learner outcomes (can-do descriptors), didactic commentary for the teaching unit and examples of possible teaching scenarios;
– a reflection tool-kit for monitoring the learning process of the module target audience (i.e. pre- and in-service teachers).

“Module 4: Autism spectrum in the FL classroom” aims at equipping teacher educators (engaged in university teacher education as well as offering in-service teacher training) with classroom-ready teaching/learning resources needed to define and critically discuss key concepts relevant to the topic area of Autism spectrum and its implications for foreign language education.

The module responds to the needs of foreign language teacher educators to provide pre- and in-service teachers with sufficient knowledge and skills that allow them to address the topic of neurodiversity in a sustainable, informed and responsible manner in their (future) profession as foreign language teachers. The module is innovative in that it offers a classroom-ready solution that integrates multiple and international perspectives necessary to get a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon in question:

(A) theoretical knowledge (e.g. identification of potential challenging areas, such as social and communication issues, obsessive interests, idiosyncratic language use, echolalia)
(B) empirical research (e.g. studies that delineate the experience with language learning reported by pupils on the Autism spectrum)
(C) practical classroom solutions and experiences of personell directly involved in FL teaching practices (e.g. activities that differentiate between various levels of social engagement in communicative action which are potentially more appropriate for pupils on the Autism spectrum)
(D) insights from national and EU education policy makers (e.g. policies and guidelines that regulate procedures adopted at schools for students on the Autism spectrum)
(E) solutions for diagnostic and evaluative tools (e.g. diagnostic tools that help determine what patterns of communication in the FL are preferred by students on the Autistic spectrum)
(F) solutions that digital tools can offer to aid reading processes (e.g. the impact of online communication on students on the spectrum)

The insights and skills gained upon the completion of the module are expected to impact future foreign language teaching practice and foster the communicative competence in a foreign language of ALL pupils, but especially of students on the Autism spectrum. This topic is relevant to all foreign language teachers and can be transferred to other teacher education institutions, and by extension to other school systems. In this sense, pre- and in-service foreign language teachers who receive the instruction through the VInDow modules act as multipliers with the capacity to implement the transfer of knowledge and competences to pupils at schools.

Structurally, the module consists of the following components:
– teaching units focused on topics A-F (see above) for pre- and in-service foreign language teacher education including hands-on, interactive and collaborative activities and materials;
– a teacher’s companion with a transparent description of desired learner outcomes (can-do descriptors), didactic commentary for the teaching unit and examples of possible teaching scenarios;
– a reflection tool-kit for monitoring the learning process of the module target audience (i.e. pre- and in-service teachers).

“Module 5: Neurodiversity as a challenge in the FL classroom” aims at equipping teacher educators (engaged in university teacher education as well as offering in-service teacher training) with classroom-ready teaching/learning resources needed to define and critically discuss key concepts relevant to the topic area of pupils’ neurodiversity and its implications for foreign language education. Specifically, the module addresses various challenges that neurodiverse students may face in FL classrooms – that do not encompass dyslexia, social, emotional, cognitive or linguistic challenges associated with their multicultural and multilingual background, or challenges associated with the Autism spectrum.

The module responds to the needs of foreign language teacher educators to provide pre- and in-service teachers with sufficient knowledge and skills that allow them to address the topic of neurodiversity in a sustainable, informed and responsible manner in their (future) profession as foreign language teachers. The module is innovative in that it offers a classroom-ready solution that integrates multiple and international perspectives necessary to get a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon in question:

(A) theoretical knowledge (e.g. identification of potential challenging areas, such as concentration, distractibility, sensitivity to stimuli, hyperactivity, difficulties with planning, difficulties with linear thinking, communication disorders, specific learning difficulties)
(B) empirical research (e.g. studies that examine the performance of pupils with ADHD in FL classes)
(C) practical classroom solutions and experiences of personell directly involved in FL teaching practices (e.g. activities that discuss the risk of overstimulation of students, activities that foster the needs of students with communication disorders)
(D) insights from national and EU education policy makers (e.g. policies and guidelines that regulate procedures adopted at schools for students with ADHD)
(E) solutions for diagnostic and evaluative tools (e.g. diagnostic tools that help determine what stimuli should be used with caution foreign language classrooms, the application of diagnostic tools like the DSM-5 for the needs of foreign language education)
(F) solutions that digital tools can offer to aid reading processes (e.g. the impact of various fonts and background color on frustration levels of students)

The insights and skills gained upon the completion of the module are expected to impact future foreign language teaching practice and foster the reading/writing processes of ALL pupils, but especially of neurodiverse students, who may require varying classroom conditions in comparison to neurotypical students. This topic is relevant to all foreign language teachers and can be transferred to other teacher education institutions, and by extension to other school systems. In this sense, pre- and in-service foreign language teachers who receive the instruction through the VInDow modules act as multipliers with the capacity to implement the transfer of knowledge and competences to pupils at schools.

Structurally, the module consists of the following components:
– teaching units focused on topics A-F (see above) for pre- and in-service foreign language teacher education including hands-on, interactive and collaborative activities and materials;
– a teacher’s companion with a transparent description of desired learner outcomes (can-do descriptors), didactic commentary for the teaching unit and examples of possible teaching scenarios;
– a reflection tool-kit for monitoring the learning process of the module target audience (i.e. pre- and in-service teachers).