Professional Training of Foreign Language Teachers in the USA: Based on the Experience of Lewis University

Abstract

Abstract The paper deals with professional training of future foreign language teachers in the USA based on the experience of Lewis University. As evidenced by research findings, the scope of foreign language education in the USA is rather broad, since they attempt to promote both traditional and critical languages in the context of developing translingual and transcultural competences. Based on the example of Lewis University, we have characterized professional training of future foreign language teachers, who major in the Spanish language. The obtained results prove that the programme content is extremely practice-oriented and designed to fulfill personal needs of every student; the programme curriculum is not overwhelmed with theoretical paradigms and foreign language students can participate in different activities and fully comprehend the realities of schools and the education process. It has been found that while mastering the programme, they are able to acquire the professional knowledge, skills and abilities they will definitely need in practice. The positive aspects of Lewis University’s foreign language education programme have been determined. They are the following: practice-oriented approach to professional training of future foreign language teachers; an optimal selection of professional education courses and electives, as well as effective clinical practice; the assessment and evaluation of foreign language students’ results during and after undergoing clinical practice from different perspectives, namely, organization, content, specifics; the implementation of the inclusive education component into the content of the programme curriculum; the fulfillment of different personal, learning and occupational needs of future foreign language students. It has been concluded that the outlined positive aspects of American experience in providing professional training of future foreign language teachers based on the experience of Lewis University can be implemented into the system of foreign language education in Ukraine in order to enhance quality and efficiency of these specialists’ training at Ukrainian higher education institutions.