If you are interested in teaching at a bilingual (TTO) school and are already training to teach at Hogeschool Rotterdam, the Bilingual Teaching Track (BTT) is for you.
We offer a range of courses to help you to develop skills in teaching your subject in English, and to learn about bilingual education in the Netherlands. You look at ways to help pupils read, write, listen to, and speak about topics in your subject (eg Mathematics, Biology, Social Studies). You also examine aspects of bilingual education such as the TTO network, the role of Nuffic, intercultural awareness, and global citizenship.
All courses are delivered in English. You should be at a reasonable, high-intermediate level of English (B2 on the CEFR scale). You will be expected to strengthen your command of English while taking BTT subjects. To pass courses you will need to show that you have good, higher-level English (C1 on the CEFR scale).
Our courses are open to Hogeschool Rotterdam IVL students of all subjects after the propadeuse phase. They can form part of your profilering program, or can be taken as electives. Core modules are 5 credit points; electives are 2 points.
As of 2024-2025 students will be able to go on teaching practice in a bilingual school, where you can put ideas from the BTT into practice. BTT teaching practice is worth 10 credit points.
If you pass all four core modules and BTT teaching practice (30 credit points in total) you will be awarded a Certificate of Proficiency in Bilingual Teaching.
Click below to find out more about BTT core module, electives, and teaching practice.
Core Modules
Offered: Blok 1
Credit Points: 5
Course Code: LEROBC01K
Goals
This course offers an introduction to the development of receptive skills in a CLIL environment. This means helping pupils to read and listen to materials in English. You will be taught skills helping you to select suitable input material for your pupils. Additionally, you will receive different tools to adapt existing input material in order to provide pupils with enough support to complete receptive tasks.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course you should be able to
- indicate the (CEFR) language level of your pupils
- select suitable input materials (both spoken and written) for your pupils
- adapt (higher-level) input materials sufficiently according to your pupils’ (language) level
- explain your choices using various CLIL theories
Offered: Blok 3
Credits: 5
Course Code: LERSWB01K
Goals
At bilingual schools pupils and teachers use a foreign language, typically English, to follow courses and communicate in class. This course aims to help you help pupils at a bilingual school to write and speak English while they are studying your subject.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course you should be able to
- describe aspects of CLIL methodology and suggest ways to implement this methodology in your own lessons
- use Bloom's taxonomy to create meaningful lessons and learning goals
- motivate your pupils to speak and write English in a bilingual classroom
- develop a range of strategies to guide pupils to become more confident English users
- assess pupils’ English, both in writing and in speaking
- expand your own English communicative ability
- explain your choices using CLIL theories
Offered: Blok 2
Credits: 5
Course Code: LERICA101K
Goals
In bilingual schools it is important to be aware of one's own culture and that of others. This course helps you explore different aspects of culture and how your own cultural identity impacts your teaching. The focus is on awareness of culture. You explore how you can adapt materials to teach culture, mutual understanding, and global citizenship. This will result in you becoming an interculturally aware professional.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course you should be able to
- show awareness of the relationship between cultural variety and effective communication
- embrace diversity and communicate effectively across languages and cultures
- develop a (growing) awareness of how your own background may impact your teaching
- show sensitivity to and use appropriate cultural and social norms within a multicultural environment
- reflect on your own culture and those of others, and encourage learners to do the same
Offered: Blok 4
Credits: 5
Course Code: LERICA201K
Goals
Intercultural awareness is a big part of bilingual education. Pupils and others learn about their own cultures and cultures in the world. Bilingual schools make efforts to include this in everything they do. This course helps you explore culture and your own cultural identity, and apply ideas on this in your teaching. The focus is on implementing aspects of culture in lessons. You investigate how you can make materials to teach culture, mutual understanding and global citizenship, and teach lessons including these themes. This will result in your becoming an interculturally competent professional in practice.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course you should be able to
- show sensitivity to and use appropriate cultural and social norms in a multicultural environment when interacting with colleagues, learners and parents
- recognise and welcome learners’ diverse backgrounds as opportunities for learning
- select content and materials that reflect awareness of diversity and help position your subject in both local and global contexts
- create a learning environment in which learners from different cultural backgrounds feel valued and included
- create lessons that include opportunities for learners to broaden their knowledge of different cultural backgrounds and how to respectfully interact with those from different cultures
Offered: Bloks 1 and 2
Credit Points: 5
Course Code: LERBTP201K
Goals
This course looks at the world of bilingual education in The Netherlands (TTO). While on teaching practice, you explore aspects of TTO by reading and conducting field research. You also work with other students to explore and expand your knowledge of bilingual education. By the end of this course you should have a wide knowledge of what TTO consists of.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course you should be able to:
- describe the history of bilingual education in the Netherlands.
- describe the various extra topics that are involved in bilingual education.
- show a clear understanding of CLIL and its development throughout the years.
- describe what global citizenship is and describe how this influences teaching within bilingual schools.
- describe how being a bilingual teacher is different to being a regular secondary teacher.
- describe your vision of the future of bilingual education.
Entry Requirements
You need to take an intake interview to be able to take this course. This course is open to students who are taking N3 or N4 Stage. You need to have taken, or be taking, at least one of the other taught modules in the Bilingual Teaching Track (BTT) profileringslijn.
Offered: Bloks 3 and 4
Credit Points: 5
Course Code: LERBTP101K
Goals
During this course you develop your teaching skills as a bilingual teacher. You deliver your subject lessons in English in a bilingual school (TTO) environment. You put into practice ways to help your pupils learn your subject in English. You develop and reflect on techniques that help your pupils learn best in a lesson taught through English. You develop yourself as a member of a TTO team and as a member of staff in a TTO school (dealing with the school organisation and stakeholders such as parents).
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course you should be able to:
- independently teach lessons in your subject in a TTO school.
- explain concepts in your subject using English.
- help pupils understand reading and listening texts in English.
- help pupils understand and apply subject matter in English.
- conduct lessons in English (eg. give instructions, interact, and respond in English).
- select and adapt English-language materials in your subject.
- demonstrate a range of teaching techniques in English.
- ensure that pupils use English appropriately in your subject.
- show how you apply concepts of intercultural awareness and, if applicable, world citizenship.
- participate in work-related activities such as team meetings and outings.
- show awareness of how you can discuss pupils’ progress with parents (if applicable).
- reflect on your (future) development as a TTO teacher.
Entry Requirements
This course is open to students who are taking N3 or N4 Stage. You need to have taken, or be taking, TTO Teaching Research.
Offered: Blok 1
Credits: 2
Course Code: LERTTE01K
Goals
In this course you are introduced to bilingual education in the Netherlands. You learn about the background and organisation of Dutch bilingual education. You visit a bilingual school and write a report on this. Hopefully you will be motivated to consider a career in bilingual education.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course you should be able to
- name principles of bilingual education in the Netherlands
- gather information on a school visit (Wolfert Tweetalig, Rotterdam) to experience bilingual education first hand
- identify features of a written report in English
- write a short report in English
- interview people in English
Offered: Blok 2
Credits: 2
Course Code: LERTTS01K
Goal
Many subjects in bilingual schools are taught in English. Teachers need to have command of, and confidence in, English. This course helps you develop your spoken English in the classroom when you teach your own subject.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course you should be able to
- use English in a bilingual setting
- prepare and teach (part of) your own lessons in English, developing a growing awareness of the language aspects of your subject
- discuss principles of bilingual education in the Netherlands
Offered: Blok 3
Credits: 2
Course Code: LERCEN01K
Goal
If you want to teach your own subject at a bilingual school you may need a Cambridge certificate. Bilingual schools may ask for a Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) or Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE). This course helps you discover more about Cambridge tests and develop skills to take them.
NB: this course assumes that you already have a good level of English. The focus is on exam-taking strategies and skills (although some English language will be developed).
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course you should be able to
- be aware of which Cambridge certificate you might be able to take
- be familiar with the four papers of the relevant Cambridge exam
- mention strategies and skills for the exam
- practise relevant strategies and skills
- work on and give feedback on test-taking strategies and skills
Questions?
Ask us!- Francis O’Brien: f.p.o.brien@hr.nl
- Cynthia Gordijn: c.gordijn@hr.nl