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PGCE Modern Languages (Spanish with French or German)

Share your passion for language and culture to build international understanding

Year of entry: 2024 (September)

Length

1 year full-time

Start date

September 2024 (semester dates)

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This course qualifies you to teach modern languages at 11-16 (with post-16 enhancement).

For many children, school is the first opportunity to learn a foreign language. As a language teacher you will not only help them to communicate, but deepen their understanding of other cultures and promote international tolerance and understanding.

Tailoring your course

We want to make sure that you have all the options you need to become the teacher you want to be. That's why we give you a range of opportunities to make your course your own. 

Language specialisation

We offer French, German and Spanish as a first or second language. We strongly encourage you to study two languages as schools expect you to be able to teach your first language to GCSE/A-level and your second language to at least KS3, ideally to GCSE. You'll attend sessions to develop your own language skills, in particular your second language.

Choosing your path 

You can choose to study this course as a University of York PGCE trainee or through our partnership with Pathfinder Teaching School Hub. The following routes are open to you: 

  • University of York core 
  • PGCE Pathfinder Teaching School Hub 

Pathfinder trainees work with University of York PGCE trainees at the University for Curriculum Area sessions. Whole School Issues sessions are usually delivered in the partner school. 

Each route has a different course code and institution code. Please see our information on applying for details.

Accreditation

On successfully completing this course you will be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which is awarded by the Department for Education (DfE).

The training I receive at University is so different from my undergraduate degree in its challenges and its outcomes, and I leave every session feeling like I’ve acquired or improved my life skills. Being around other trainee teachers is also a brilliant feeling, as you form a community of people who can encourage and provide tips for one another to develop daily.
Beth, PGCE student

Read more about Beth's experience.

Rated good by Ofsted

In its most recent evaluation, the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) awarded our PGCE programme a Grade 2: Good.

Course content

Your study at the University and your practical experience in schools will work together to help you develop the theoretical knowledge and practical skills you need to be a successful teacher. 

Throughout the course, you’ll develop and consolidate your understanding of what constitutes effective teaching.

You’ll spend two thirds of your learning time in school settings, with the rest of your time spent at the University receiving training. While on placement, you'll receive ongoing, regular support from your tutors when they visit you in school to observe you teach and help you reflect on your developing practice.

This course will build on your experiences in schools and provide opportunities to explore a variety of approaches to teaching Modern Foreign Languages. You will learn specific strategies including how to teach grammar and phonics, plan lessons, reflect on your own and observed teaching, and use ICT to enhance your practice. These will help you to develop into an effective and innovative MFL teacher.

This course is worth 60 Masters-level credits, which you can put towards a Masters degree through Accreditation of Prior Credited Learning (APCL).

Placements

Over the course of your two secondary teaching placements you’ll have the opportunity to work with different age groups (including gaining some post-16 experience), with different abilities and with students of varying dispositions. You’ll experience a variety of schools and subject departments.

You’ll experience the pastoral side of each school through active involvement with a tutor group. You will be able to engage with the wider life of each school by participating in school trips, parents’ evenings, open evenings, events such as school concerts and lunchtime/after school clubs.

First placement

  • Observation
    You'll observe lessons within your subject specialism and more widely. You may also get the opportunity to teach a small number of lesson segments. 
  • Teaching Placement Block 1
    You’ll teach approximately 8-12 lessons over the course of about five weeks.
  • Teaching Placement Block 2
    You’ll teach 10-12 one hour lessons per week. This is about 50% of an average teacher’s timetable.

Second placement

You'll start your second placement teaching about 50% of an average teacher's timetable. You may be able to increase this to around 75% as your placement goes on.

Additional placements

  • Primary 
    In addition to the two teaching placements in contrasting secondary schools, you will also participate in a primary placement which will develop your understanding of primary and secondary transition issues.
  • Professional enrichment 
    Towards the end of your course, you'll participate in an additional two-week placement which will give you experience of areas you haven't already worked in. This could mean taking part in exciting and relevant curriculum-based projects in schools, or gaining experience of non-mainstream education settings such as Pupil Referral Units or schools for young people with additional needs. 

Before starting a placement that forms part of your course, you are likely to be asked by the placement provider to sign a confidentiality agreement. This is to ensure that you do not disclose any information that is confidential to the placement provider.

The York approach

Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.

Students who complete this course will be able to:

  • Independently and creatively plan, resource and deliver lessons by applying theory, discipline knowledge and appropriate level expectations
  • Create and inclusive, stimulating learning environment by managing classroom dynamics and adapting to need
  • Effectively assess learning and progression through critiquing a range of well-developed formative and summative strategies
  • Critically reflect on, and perceptively develop their own classroom practice by assessing and selecting appropriate evaluative frameworks and engaging actively with a supportive network for feedback
  • Communicate clearly, confidently and professionally with teaching colleagues, pupils, parents, support staff, external agencies and in academic contexts, using media appropriate to the situation
  • Contribute with justifications to debates and developments in secondary education by applying a research-informed approach to the analysis of their own practice and proactively researching broader education issues.
I did not anticipate how accepting my placement school would be. Trainees are treated no differently to qualified teachers, being given the same amount of respect and responsibility. It is unbelievably rewarding to be accepted into a school where everyone works together to make a positive impact on the progress of pupils.
Jessa, PGCE student

Read more about Jessa's experience.

Fees and funding

Annual tuition fees for 2024/25

Study modeUK (home)International and EU
Full-time (1 year) £9,250£23,900

Students on a Student Visa are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.

Fees information

UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.

Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.

Additional costs

You will be expected to arrange your own transport to and from placements. The cost of this will vary depending on the location of your placements and your personal situation. We'll make every effort to place you in a school that you are able to travel to easily.

Successful applicants must undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) enhanced check. The fee for this is £44.

Teaching bursaries

Living costs

You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.

Teaching and assessment

You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace.

Teaching format

Participation in the PGCE course is an active process. Although there are lectures and presentations, much of your learning will come from workshops, seminars and school and classroom activities.

Trainees come to the course with a range of qualifications, employment backgrounds and interests. Throughout the course you will be encouraged to work collaboratively, sharing your experience, knowledge and technical expertise. Activities emphasise teamwork and require you to share the responsibility for your learning.

Throughout the course, you will be guided by mentors in your placement schools and supported by your university tutors.

Term dates

The PGCE course follows the format of a school academic year, starting in September and finishing in June. The exact dates will depend on the term dates of placement schools, which we will confirm when making offers.

Facilities

Our Modern Foreign Languages Resources Room contains subject specific materials, language learning magazines and journals, textbooks and examples of teaching and assessment files.

Teaching location

The Department of Education is located in Derwent College, on the west part of our campus. Most of your teaching will take place nearby on Campus West.

School placements take place across the region. We take many factors into consideration when allocating placements and will work with you to ensure you can get to your placement safely and easily. 

About our campus

Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.

Assessment and feedback

You'll complete three academic assignments:

  • Lesson observation
    You'll critically evaluate the observations you make during the visits to your first placement school.
  • Evaluation of Teaching and Learning
    You'll evaluate your early teaching by analysing some of the work pupils produce in the lessons you plan and deliver.
  • In-depth Focus Study
    This small-scale study based on a piece of research is an opportunity for you investigate a particular aspect of what it means to teach your subject effectively. It's an opportunity for you to pursue your own professional interests.

The primary aim of the course is to enable you to meet, and ideally exceed, the Teachers' Standards and be recommended for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). You will also be awarded a PGCE from the University of York at Masters level.

Careers and skills

Most of our graduates become teachers, but the skills you learn will open other career paths too.

Career opportunities

  • Secondary school language teacher
  • Private language tutor
  • Educational administrator
  • Education consultant
  • Training and development executive
  • Youth worker

Transferable skills

  • Ability to articulate complex ideas
  • Learning/teaching methods and strategies
  • Managing time and setting priorities
  • Assimilate, analyse, and evaluate complex information
  • Computer literacy for teaching and learning
  • High standards of personal and professional conduct
  • Presentation and communication skills

Entry requirements

Typical offer
Undergraduate degree

2:2 or equivalent in Spanish. We also accept combined honours degrees where Spanish makes up at least 50% of the award.

If you would like to specialise in two languages but have only previously studied Spanish, you may still be considered on the condition that you complete a Subject Knowledge Enhancement course.

If your undergraduate degree is not in Spanish or a related subject, we may still may be able to offer you a place if you also have a postgraduate degree in Spanish or Grade B in A level Spanish.

If your undergraduate degree is not at least 50% Spanish, we may require you to undertake a Subject Knowledge Enhancement course prior to starting your PGCE.

If you are a native speaker of Spanish, you may be considered for the course even if your degree is not in a related subject.

Other international qualifications Equivalent qualifications from your country

Additional requirements

Further information about government requirements for teacher training.

English language

If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:

Minimum requirement
IELTS (Academic and Indicator) 6.5, minimum 6.0 in each component
Cambridge CEFR B2 First: 176, with 169 in each component
Oxford ELLT 7, minimum of 6 in each component
Duolingo 120, minimum 105 in all other components
LanguageCert Academic 70 with a minimum of 65 in each component
KITE 459-494, with 426-458 in all other components
Skills for English B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component
PTE Academic 61, minimum 55 in each component
TOEFL 87, minimum 21 in each component
Trinity ISE III Merit in all requirements

For more information see our postgraduate English language requirements.

If you haven't met our English language requirements

You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.

The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.

After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.

Applying

To apply to York, you will need to complete an online application via Apply for Teacher Training.

Each route has a different course code and institution code. 

Apply for this course

Next steps

Contact us

Get in touch if you have any questions

Mirjam Buehler

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Department of Education

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