Abstract:

The 21st century in language education is characterized by a lot of new concepts presented by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (2001) and its companion volume, called the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment: Companion Volume (2020). In addition, some previously employed concepts have been elaborated due to good practice in teaching, which enriched their effectiveness in language learning. The main goals of the teaching process have shifted towards learners’ needs and preferences, resulting in a focus on learning. A more socially-oriented view on language learning considers learners as social agents who need to develop a range of competences in order to be able to accomplish real-life tasks in realistic contexts.

Although the focus on learners has become dominant in current trends in ELT, the learning process can be more difficult and longer without professionally trained teachers who are prepared to give advice, share their experience, be innovative and supportive, and encourage learner to tackle the problems and overcome obstacles. Therefore, the aim of this study is to find out whether Slovak teachers teaching English at primary and secondary schools are prepared for these new ways of managing their language classes and to what extent they are able to include new concepts into their teaching practice.

To get some relevant data, student teachers in their first year of the master-degree programme were asked to fill in the questionnaires which consisted of a wide range of questions related to current teaching practice they were expected to observe during their visits to schools. Beforehand they had been explained new concepts they were expected to focus on while observing English teachers’ classes either in primary or secondary schools and to take exact notes about observed teachers’ performances. The student teachers’ answers will be analysed and explained using the student teachers’ notes or their comments discussed in the ELT course. Apart from describing a real situation in Slovak language education, some conclusions will be drawn and recommendations will be presented.

Keywords:

The CEFR, new concepts, language education, learners as social agents, real-life tasks.