French Extension Course
The course has been introduced by the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) to increase the pool of eligible trainees joining secondary modern language Initial Teacher Training (ITT) courses in September.
It is an intensive summer programme aimed at enabling graduates with one modern or community language to develop a second modern language which they can then teach accurately and confidently to pupils during Key Stage 3.
External Assessors Quote:
'My opinion about London Metropolitan University French Extension course remains totally unchanged: it is a highly effective, high quality motivational course. The course team does not rest on its laurels. Directors, tutors and language assistante strive to offer students a better and better product. The team?s clarity of purpose, its organised approach to the implementation of the plans, its caring monitoring of students? progress, achievements and needs, its good relationships with the students (as a group and as individuals), its willingness to hear and to respond to needs, all contributes to a course of high quality'.
Michèle Deane - External Assessor
Please note this course is intended for participants with LIMITED or NO French (typically up to GSCE Level). If you have a level of French higher than this, please contact the TDA for further advice on what options there may be for you.
The European & Language Services (ELS) Department at London Metropolitan University is the London regional provider of the French Extension Course. For German Extension courses, please contact the TDA (www.tda.gov.uk).
Eligible Applicants
The following make up the main target audience for the French Extension Course:
- Graduate career changers, including those returning from working abroad
- Graduates in Spanish, German or Italian (including foreign language assistants) whose first language is English
- Graduates who are native speakers of languages other than English, e.g. students from Eastern Europe, where French is not the prevalent second language
- Speakers of community languages, e.g. Turkish, Bengali, Gujarati, Arabic and Mandarin
- Graduates on single language degrees, including specialists in Punjabi and Mandarin, for whom it has been difficult to find school placements and employment within schools
- Graduates with combined degrees, e.g. German and Business
Programme Format
The programme will take place at the University's North campus on Holloway Road, which is directly across the Holloway Road Tube Station (Piccadilly line).
For complete beginners in French, an intensive ab initio course prior to the start of the main extension course will be held in May 2010.
The main extension course will run from May to August 2010. Participants must attend lessons every day from Monday to Friday, from 10.00 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. Integrated self-study, including London Metropolitan University's own online French programmes, will be a vital component of the course.
During the course, compulsory attendance of an intensive language and cultural immersion programme in France is required of all participants.
No fees AND a bursary paid to each participant
The ab initio and extension course, including the study visit to France, is FREE. In addition, participants will receive a tax-free bursary for the duration of the course.
Applying for a place
The French Extension course is designed to qualify students to enter a secondary modern foreign languages ITT course in London in September 2010. To participate in the course at London Metropolitan University, applicants must have an offer to do a ITT course in modern foreign languages that is conditional on attending the French Extension Course. We are unable to accept applicants without this condition to their ITT offers.
Applications can be made via two routes:
- Apply to a London ITT course through the GTTR (or to the DRB if you are applying for a GTP programme). Applicants should indicate their willingness to attend the French Extension Course, if necessary, on their GTTR application form. Once an offer conditional on attending the extension course is made, the ITT provider will refer the applicant to London Metropolitan University.
- Prior to or while applying through GTTR, applicants may approach London Metropolitan University directly in order to be placed on a provisional list pending a conditional offer from an ITT provider. Once an offer is made, the applicant must inform the ELS (French Extension Course) Department of this in order to qualify for an invitation to an assessment day.
In both cases, applicants must attend an assessment session.
Please download the application form to join the French Extension Programme here:
French Extension Course Application 2010
Participant comments
'I liked the variety of lessons and teachers, they kept each day fresh'
'Teachers were incredibly encouraging throughout the course' 'We always felt like we were making satisfying progress and could approach them with any concerns we had'
'The afternoon cultural seminars were excellent. We were able to have discussions on subjects that interest us'
'The experience in France really made me improve my speaking. It was brilliant. Thanks again for the fantastic opportunity'
'I really loved and enjoyed the course so it is really difficult for me to find faults in it'
'The level of the course was a bit high for me but the teachers did understand individual needs and gave more attention to me'
'The weeks were well and clearly structured, giving us a clear idea of what would be the focus of the day'
For further information & application submission, please contact:
Dawn Fernandez
French Extension Course Administrator
ELS Department - Room LC1-04
London Metropolitan University
236-250 Holloway Road
London N7 6PP
Tel: 020 7133 4089
Fax: 0207 133 2461
E-mail: d.fernandez@londonmet.ac.uk
For further information on how to apply for a PGCE course or alternative ITT route, please visit:
The Graduate Teacher Training Agency website: www.gttr.ac.uk
or
The Training and Development Agency for Schools www.tda.gov.uk
