Teaching practicum of philology students: experience and outcomes

Within the framework of the academic curriculum, undergraduate students of the educational programs “Secondary Education (English Language and Foreign Literature)” and “Philology (Germanic Languages and Literatures (Translation Inclusive), First – English, Second – German)” have completed their teaching practicum. The practicum supervisors – Associate Professor Oksana Dubrova and Instructor Olha Korobova (Department of Foreign Languages and Teaching Methodology), as well as Associate Professors Hanna Tabakova and Tetiana Svitsa (Department of Ukrainian and Foreign Literature and Comparative Literary Studies) – guided the students’ work and highlighted their best achievements at the final conference.

The practicum was conducted remotely at leading educational institutions in Berdiansk, specifically at two prestigious educational establishments in Zaporizhzhia Region: Gymnasium No. 7 “Meotida” and Berdiansk Gymnasium No. 16 of the Berdiansk City Council. Gymnasium “Meotida” is a modern educational institution distinguished by its high-quality foreign language instruction and innovative approaches to the educational process. Berdiansk Gymnasium No. 16, in turn, is an institution with a longstanding tradition of quality education and an experienced teaching staff that creates favorable conditions for the professional growth of future educators.

Considering current realities and the capabilities of digital technologies, the teaching practicum was conducted remotely. This enabled students to gain valuable experience working with online learning platforms, master modern methods of foreign language teaching in digital environments, and adapt traditional pedagogical techniques to remote learning conditions. Throughout the practicum, student teachers conducted a series of English language and foreign literature classes, developing lessons of various types using the communicative approach, interactive methods, and multimedia resources.

During English language lessons, particular attention was paid to developing all students’ language skills, including speaking, listening, reading, and writing. In foreign literature classes, students introduced pupils to works of world literary classics, developing skills in literary analysis, critical thinking, and cultural competence. The teaching practicum concluded successfully. The undergraduate students demonstrated a high level of theoretical preparation and the ability to apply knowledge in practice, including skills in planning and conducting lessons in a remote format, proficiency with modern educational technologies, pedagogical tact, and the ability to establish rapport with students, as well as a creative approach to organizing the learning process.

Methodologists from the host schools noted the student teachers’ responsible attitude toward fulfilling professional duties, their initiative, and commitment to professional development. Completing the teaching practicum at Berdiansk schools represented a significant stage in developing the professional competencies of future English language and foreign literature teachers. Students gained invaluable practical experience that will serve as a solid foundation for their future pedagogical careers. The remote format of the practicum demonstrated its effectiveness and opened new opportunities for the professional development of future specialists in the educational field.

Based on materials from the Department of Foreign Languages and Teaching Methods