Modules in the Pedagogické asistentství Study Programme

Linguistics Module

Key Linguistics Courses

  • Introduction to Linguistics, Grammar A, Grammar B, Phonetics, Syntax A, Syntax B, Functional and Communicative Syntax

Compulsory literature:

  • Hladký, Josef, and Jan Chovanec. Úvod do Studia Anglického Jazyka. 2nd ed. Brno: Masaryk University, 1999. Unpublished.
  • Quirk, Randolph and Sidney Greenbaum. A Student’s Grammar of the English Language. 1st Ed. London: Longman, 1990. Print.
  • Chalker, Sylvia. A Student’s English Grammar: Workbook. Harlow: Longman, 1992. Print.
  • Gethin, Hugh. Grammar in Context: Proficiency Level English. Harlow: Longman, 1996. Print.
  • Roach, Peter. English Phonetics and Phonology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Print.
  • Dontcheva-Navratilova, Olga. Grammatical Structures in English: Meaning in Context. 2005. Print.
  • Svartvik, Jan, and Geoffrey Leech. A Communicative Grammar of English. 2nd ed. London: Longman, 1994. Print.

This literature will be reviewed at the state exams.

Literature Module

The basic module for literature and culture of English-speaking countries is based on the five core subjects of Introduction to the Study of Literature, History and Culture of Great Britain, British Literature, History and Culture of the USA, and American Literature. These basic compulsory subjects are completed with a wider choice of compulsory-optional seminars in culture and literature. They are extended in optional seminars. This allows an individual approach to the field.

In lectures and seminars, the bachelor studies courses aim to provide the student with a relevant insight to the literature, history and culture of selected English-speaking countries from the beginning to the early and middle of the 20th century. They introduce the basic tools for better understanding in and greater enjoyment of reading, as well as understanding history and culture, and thus provide a foundation for further (master’s) studies in English-speaking culture and literature.

Given the character and scope of older literatures of English, the contemporary use of digital technologies, and the application of copyright law, the basic texts are available online. Nevertheless, the basic volumes of older literature in English are available to the student in the reference library of the Department of English Language and Literature. Important texts are introduced and worked with in lectures and seminars, followed by class discussion, textual analysis, and intensive reading. Students of literature are encouraged to read widely outside of classes too.

The bachelor thesis allows the student to focus on a relevant field of literature, culture and history respectively in depth.

Basic Support for the Core Subjects Includes:

Literary Theory

Culler, Jonathan D. Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. Print.

British History and Literature

Morgan, Kenneth O., ed. The Oxford Illustrated History of Britain. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. Print.

Damrosch, David , Kevin Dettmar, and Jennifer Wicke, eds. The Longman Anthology of British literature. 2nd ed. New York: Longman, 2002. Print.

Doležel, Pavel and Tamara Váňová. An Outline of English Fiction from the Beginning to 1754. Brno: MU, 2005. Print. (Including a CD with texts.)

Sanders, Andrew. The Short Oxford History of English Literature. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. Print.

Podroužková, Lucie, ed. A Reader in British Literature. Part I. Literature from the Beginnings till the End of the 18th Century. Brno: MU, 2005. Print.

Podroužková, Lucie, ed. A Reader in British Literature. Part II. The 19th Century. Brno: MU, 2006. Print.

Austen, Jane: Pride and Prejudice. 1813

Dickens, Charles: Great Expectations. 1861

American History and Literature

Davidson, James West. Nation of Nations: A Concise Narrative of the American Republic. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996. Print.

Bradbury, Malcolm, and Richard Ruland. From Puritanism to Postmodernism: A History of American Literature. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1991. Print.

Van Spanckeren, Kathryn. Outline of American Literature.USIA, 2nd edition. 2006. Web.

Hawthorn, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. 1850

Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. 1885

Methodology Module

Methodology is covered mostly by the core subjects in this study program. This means that the methodology module basically doesn’t exist for this study program. Below, you can see what little you can expect in methodology at our department.

You can find all necessary documents for your teaching practice at the Teaching Practice page.

Semester Methodology Course School Experience Course
1. – –
2. – –
3. – –
4. – –
5. – AJ2BP_OPx1 (credit)Structured report from the observations – see requirements below.
6. – _

School experience – task AJ2BP_OPx1

Find a school (preferably ZŠ; if there are difficulties, language schools with children’s courses are allowed)

  1. Collect the letters for schools from the secretary (Ms Popelková)
  2. Do your observations (15 English classes), help teachers to prepare materials, you can teach a short part under the teacher´s supervision. Ask teachers and pupils about their English classes. Ask the head or a deputy head about the language teaching policy of the schoolQuestions you can ask:
    • Teachers –What do you like about teaching English?
    • What would you like to change?
    • What are your beliefs about learning languages at school?
    • What motivates you to develop your skills as a teacher? What do you do?
    • Learners – Do you like English? Why yes/no?
    • What would you like to change about your English classes?
    • Head – What is a school´s language policy?
    • How many teachers are fully-qualified English teachers?
    • Are there any teachers who have a language qualification only, which one?
    • Are there any teachers who aren’t qualified but they teach English?
    • Does the school have enough materials and resources for English teaching?

    You should keep a record of everything you see and find out and summarise your findings in the essay-report.

  3. Write your essay-report (more than 1,000 words)Format:
    1. School introduction – name, size, language policy of the school, teachers (without names)
    2. Classes you observed
      1. mention whether the aims of lessons were clear to you
      2. describe positive features of the lessons
      3. say what you would like to change
      4. say how teaching English has changed since you were at school
    3. Write about the pupils
      1. What were they like?
      2. Was there anything surprising about them?
      3. Was there anything that you couldn’t deal with if you taught them?
    4. How would you evaluate the school experience? Was it useful? Why yes/no? What would you change about it? What have you learnt?
  4. Submit your report to your PL teacher.

Practical Language Module

Each of the years of Practical Language is based around a different content area. Year One is based around Study Skills, Year Two around Culture, and Year Three around methodology.

This means that there are expectations of you both in terms of language and in terms of the content that you are studying. You can find the objectives for both areas – what you will be expected to be able to do – on the page: Practical Language Objectives.