TACE - Teaching Academic Content through English

 Oppio Language Lounge

  • Do you teach and guide your students in English?
  • Hoping to develop or refresh your skills for that?
  • Wishing that you understood your multilingual and multicultural group better?
  • Looking for new ideas and collegial support for your teaching?

TACE is a popular staff training programme with the overall goal of increasing participants’ pedagogical, cultural, and language awareness to help them embrace the challenges of teaching multicultural and multilingual students in an international environment.

TACE 2023

Internationalisation of higher education has brought about an increase in courses and programmes where the language of learning is English. This type of education is called English-medium instruction (EMI), and it offers opportunities not only to learn academic content but also to improve the language competence of both domestic and international students. EMI requires new approaches, interactive teaching practices and assignment designs to meet the challenges of teaching in a multicultural and multilingual setting.

TACE is a staff development programme supporting JYU teachers and lecturers who use English when teaching and guiding their students. It provides stimulating opportunities for the participants to share personal experiences and views, reflect on their own thinking and co-design pedagogical practices. The overall aim is to increase understanding of the specific combination of language, pedagogical, and intercultural competence that is most effective in the EMI context.

The programme consists of thematic contact sessions and assignments which help participants prepare for the class discussions, such as reading relevant academic literature or reflecting on a given topic. Participants also get an opportunity to have individual consultations based on teaching observation. Throughout the programme, both teacher and peer feedback are used. At the core of the programme is a pedagogical project that the participants work on in cross-disciplinary groups. This project focuses on a relevant pedagogical topic, which aims to enrich their own programme. 

TACE 2023 - meeting times

Meeting time

Lecture room
Mon 23.1. at 10–12 a.m. Ag C132.1
Mon 6.2. at 10–12 a.m. Ag D213.1
Mon 20.2. at 10–12 a.m. OPK141
Mon 13.3. at 10–12 a.m B347
Mon 27.3. at 10–12 a.m.  Ag C231.1
Mon 17.4. at 10–12 a.m.  Ag C132.1
Mon 8.5. at 10–12 a.m.  S 204

 



Vice rector Marja-Leena Laakso recommends TACE on the video.

The main themes of the programme

  • English-medium instruction: challenges, benefits, perspectives
  • Interculturality in the academic classroom
  • Interactive lecturing
  • Guiding academic and disciplinary literacies
  • Collaborative team-teaching
  • Pedagogical design
  • Reflecting on the role of language

 

Learning outcomes


On completion of the programme participants are expected to…

  1. have a deeper understanding of the dimensions of teaching and learning in the EMI context.
  2. have expanded their own competence and confidence.
  3. have a better awareness of their own language identity.
  4. have increased their intercultural sensitivity in EMI pedagogical design and classroom interaction.
  5. have broadened their own pedagogical repertoire to foster critical inquiry and teach academic literacies, while considering the specific needs of linguistically and culturally diverse student groups.
  6. have deepened their understanding of the importance of interaction, collaboration, and dialogue in teaching and learning.

Completing TACE supports the University Language Policy

For further information, see:

Internationalisation at JYU

The valuing of diversity, multifaceted skills and a sense of togetherness permeate our activities. A multicultural and international work community that values and inspires individuals is our richness. (Strategy of the University of Jyväskylä 2019–2030)

Read more about internationalisation on Movi website: https://movi.jyu.fi/en/internationalisation.

Further Information on TACE