Foreign Language Teacher Competencies

• A competent foreign language teacher is key to ensuring a stimulating environment, positive classroom experiences, and age-appropriate methodology in early foreign language learning.
• Competencies are a multifaceted combination of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that enable effective activity in a certain domain.
• Competencies include cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components, extending beyond just knowledge of the subject matter.
• Key components of competence include:
  • Knowledge: Theoretical understanding of a subject
  • Skills: Practical application of knowledge
  • Attitudes: Mindset and values
  • Cognitive components: Problem-solving abilities
  • Emotional components: Managing emotions and relationships
  • Behavioral components: Actions demonstrating competence
• The competencies of foreign language teachers significantly impact the quality of instruction and learners' proficiency, which is especially important in our globalized world.
• Defining these competencies is important because:
  • Provides stability in a changing world
  • Provides a foundation for quality study programs
• Foreign language teacher competencies should consider European recommendations and the socio-educational context.
• "Competences of Primary School Foreign Language Teachers in the Republic of Croatia" is a systematic definition of foreign language teacher competencies in the Croatian context.
• It defines the knowledge, characteristics, skills, and abilities that teachers should acquire, maintain, and develop.

Defining Foreign Language Teacher Competencies

• Description of competencies should be age-dependent and take into consideration the level of teaching/learning.
• Common (core) competencies are those all teachers should have, regardless of the level they teach, and include:
  • General knowledge
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Subject specific knowledge
  • Knowledge of theoretical and empirical research
  • Understanding of and respect for individual differences
  • Knowledge related to the curriculum and assessment methods
  • Expert knowledge in language and culture
• Competencies specific for teaching young learners include:
  • Foreign language teaching methods adjusted to the students’ cognitive level
  • Knowledge of the process of L1 acquisition and the relationship between L1 and L2 acquisition
  • Knowledge of the primary school curriculum and correlation between subjects
  • Assessment
• Perceptions of competencies vary in relation to the perspective of teachers and students.
  • Teachers emphasize knowledge of language, pedagogy, and foreign language teaching methodology.
  • Students emphasize the importance of teachers’ personal characteristics.

Students' Perceptions

• Investigating students’ perceptions is important because:
  • They possess their own opinions and attitudes.
  • They are capable to express their opinion and attitudes.
  • They are the participants of the learning/teaching process in whose creation they should participate
• Students' perceptions of their teacher's expertise often form 'objective' perceptions.
• Every student has a perception of their ‘ideal’ foreign language (FL) teacher, formed based on their actual teacher (FL) learning experience.
• An example of Croatian student feedback: "Kakvih ima, ona je još i dobra," meaning "When compared to others, she is good.”
• Comparing students’ perceptions of a good/ideal teacher with their real teacher is necessary because the differences impact students’ affective characteristics and success.
• Students’ perceptions of their teachers represent their attitudes; the greater the difference, the more negative the attitude.
• For young language learners, a teacher’s personal characteristics are of utmost importance, viewing it through the prism of a teacher’s personality.
• Longitudinal research suggests the main source of motivation in early language learning is the teacher, as well as the selection of activities that are based on play.

Explore the key competencies of foreign language teachers, including knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Understand how cognitive, emotional, and behavioral components contribute to effective instruction. Learn about the importance of teacher competencies in fostering learner proficiency in a globalized context.