A common curriculum for the initial training of TEFL teachers

What is it about?

This article aims to illuminate the structure of initial language teacher education in 27 European countries and to identify similarities and differences between different countries on issues concerning the structure and the content of curricula for initial training of TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) teachers. The European Commission's European Profile for Language Teacher Education: A Frame of Reference (2004), which identifies 40 key elements as important items in foreign language teacher education, is a point of reference in conducting the survey. The article provides a comparative analysis of academic curricula for the initial training of TEFL teachers in member countries of the European Centre for Modern Languages, and its primary aim is the formulation of conclusions with respect to the competences, values and knowledge given emphasis. It identifies best practices and proposes a possible catalogue of courses that could encompass the 40 key elements recommended by the Profile for initial language teacher education academic curricula in Europe.

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Why is it important?

It is the first attempt ever made to examine academic curricula adressed to pre-service English teachers in 27 European countries based on a set of 40 key elements (structure, competences, knowledge and understanding, values). It is the first time that a curriculum is proposed with a possible catalogue of courses that could encompass all these 40 key elements recommended by the European Profile of Language Teacher Education- A Frame of Reference (Kelly and Grenfell, 2004) report.

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