Course Objectives

The subject of Norwegian in the General Teacher Education programme spans a broad spectrum with regard to content and teaching and learning methods. Students will study a broad spectrum of disciplines; they will also study theory, fiction and writing; they will plan teaching together, and try out these plans during their period of teaching practice.

The subject didactics approach and teaching practice takes knowledge of the subject as its starting point. With good knowledge of the subject, students will be able to plan their teaching by establishing appropriate aims, and by adapting the teaching to the requirements of individual students and, not least, by being confident in their own role as a teacher.

The course is concerned with identity, cultural heritage, education and our relationship to both the present and the past. The course will provide students with the opportunity to see them in a larger multicultural context. However, the subject Norwegian may also be considered as a craft - students will gain skills in mastering both language variants, and develop language about the language. Language manifests itself in texts, which both the theoretical and practical parts of the course will focus on.

The overall aims of the course are to encourage students to develop theoretical knowledge of various texts and genres; gain knowledge of how pupils acquire reading and writing skills; and create effective teaching situations in which these insights are utilised in practical teaching of both Norwegian and theme-based projects. These overall aims are described and specified in the six main course units (see ‘Content’). Before these aims may be reached certain conditions must be fulfilled. These following elements may be regarded as basic knowledge that the units build on:

• grammar, including textual linguistics
• elementary literary theory and theory of genres
• writing skills in Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk equivalent to the minimum formal requirement

Course Description

Six main course units

Oral use of the language

Teachers’ most important tool is the spoken language, and awareness of this fact is especially important in the subject, Norwegian. This awareness is linked to the differences between oral and written language, knowledge of different oral communicative contexts and knowledge of practice related to the most important oral genres such as narratives and lectures. The course also focuses on the assessment of oral activity in the classroom.

Another important aspect of this unit is the acquisition of an awareness and knowledge of language variations, both geographical and social.

In order to be able to plan, organise and implement the teaching of reading and writing at beginner level, students must acquire knowledge concerning the development of children’s (5-7 yrs) language skills.

Oral language competence does not only concern the learning of technical skills. The living word can be both persuasive and convincing in the manner of an aesthetic experience and as a tool for the acquisition of knowledge. Consequently, knowledge of basic rhetorical skills is important; for instance, the class discussion is an important oral genre for the learning and acquirement of new knowledge, which students will be given the opportunity of trying out during their period of teaching practice.

Aims

Students will:

• Develop knowledge and insight of the special characteristics of spoken language
• Develop an awareness of how the spoken language may be used in teaching in a purposeful manner
• Learn to master oral genres, such as narratives and lectures

Literary genres

Insight into and understanding of literary language is the most important starting point for effective teaching of literature. Students will read a selection of both older and contemporary texts; adult literature; children and youth’s literature and various genres, such as picture books, poetry, short stories and novels. It is especially in the work with literature that the aesthetic dimension in the subject, Norwegian, is expressed, but emphasis will also be placed on ethical, didactic and the historical aspects of reading literature, such as the. In addition to the focus on the historical context of texts, the timeless aspect of good literature will be emphasised.

The basis for the reading and interpretation of literature are the literary terms that students must learn to use, so they will be able to analyse the texts they read. Students also need to be open to various kinds of creative work with texts, as well as multi-subject and interdisciplinary work such as projects involving drama, music and various forms of picture texts. In this type of work, it is important to focus on both similarities and differences, and the various approaches involved.

The literary discussion is an important didactic genre in connection with the reading of literature, and students will be given the opportunity to participate in such discussions in the classroom. Students will also learn how literature may be used in individually adapted teaching situations.

The multicultural society has provided the reading of literature with a new dimension, and some of the texts will be selected from non-Nordic cultures – texts which may be read in a comparative perspective.

Mythical traditional material will also be included in this main course unit. The folk tale genre is important, in addition to other mythic and mythological material, drawn for instance from the Sami culture.

The choice of texts will be evenly selected with regard to language variants and gender.

Aims

Students will:

• Be able to comprehend the special characteristics of language used in literature
• Develop knowledge and awareness of how a literary text is a product of the past and present, and how it is linked to other aesthetic forms of expression, such as visual images and music
• Be able to understand the connection between mythic and literary texts
• Develop an awareness and knowledge of the function and position of literature and mythical and traditional texts in a teaching context

Factual prose

While literature (fiction) forms one category, factual prose (non-fiction) forms the other category into which all written texts may be categorised. Students will encounter non-fiction texts in various ways. Students will read and learn about the lyrical essay which lies on the boundary between fiction and non-fiction; they will gain knowledge of digital texts and learn how new media create new genres, amongst them, the online discussion board and the text message.

Basic knowledge of hypertext as a form of text is important, in addition to subject didactics insight into the traditional non-fiction genres such as readers’ letters, articles and commercial texts.

Assessment of learning tools, digital and others, is also an important part of this main course unit, since new methods of teaching in primary and lower secondary schools create new needs for new learning tools.

Aims

Students will:

• Gain insight into non-fiction as a textual category, including digital texts
• Learn to give an account of as well as discuss genre variations
• Learn to assess various types of learning tools
• Learn to organise teaching which includes non-fiction texts

The teaching of reading and writing skills, development of reading and writing

An individual’s reading and writing skills are continually changing and developing; consequently, this main course unit is also concerned with the student’s reading and writing as well as that of the pupil’s.

The learning of basic reading and writing skills transforms us into thinking, writing and reading individuals. Students will gain knowledge of methods for stimulating the language skills of pre-school and primary school pupils, amongst other things by the use of literature. Students will become aware of the various theories regarding the development of reading and writing skills and learn to assess methods and learning tools on the basis of this knowledge. Students will acquire knowledge of the various forms for writing training such as genre writing, creative writing, secondary language forms and the use of ICT.

Students will learn how to discover and respond to reading and writing difficulties. Students will also gain insight into the reading and writing difficulties of students with minority who require also special attention and measures.

Knowledge of children’s reading habits and ability to read various texts is important. This concerns not only the teaching of basic reading skills, but also further development of reading competence of children and youth. “The second phase of learning to read” involves also knowledge and practice in ‘reading’ and interpreting images in various media.

As far as students’ writing skills are concerned, it is important that they during the course of their studies practice both academic and non-fictional writing, as well as other genres, such as the literary genres. Students should also try out the new digital forms of texts. An important goal of these activities is that students understand the connection between writing and learning and gain insight into the language as a personal, aesthetic expression. In addition this will enable students to be more capable of teaching others to write, and also to organise creative language activities, both in the primary and lower secondary schools and in musical and cultural schools.

Students will gain knowledge of process-oriented writing, in which special attention is paid to response. Students will be able to practice such activities with other students, and with pupils during their period of teaching practice.

Aims

Students will:

• learn to assess methods used to teach the youngest children reading and writing skills based on theoretical knowledge
• gain knowledge pf various language stimulating measures for all age groups
• gain knowledge of the various forms of writing training and be capable of assessing various teaching and learning methods
• gain insight of the theories in relation to reading and the development of reading for all age groups, and assess the various stages of reading skills of pupils they will encounter during their period of teaching practice
• learn to develop their own writing skills and awareness of various genres and be capable of seeing the connection between writing and learning

Pupils’ texts

Knowledge of pupils’ writing development is important. A theoretical foundation in applied grammar is important so that students will be able to assess the development of pupils’ writing, not least during the pupils’ first years at school, where the various levels of pupil texts is often not so obvious as it is in older pupils.

Students will encounter many kinds of pupil texts, for example the first attempts at creating texts by second grade pupils, an imaginative text written by a sixth grade pupil, a nature poem by a fourth grade pupil and a resonant non-fictional text by a ten grade pupil. In order to understand these texts and be able to assess them, students must acquire a linguistic and genre-theoretical foundation and practice analysing such texts throughout the whole of their studies. Texts written by pupils with a minority background require, in addition to the normal linguistic theory, also knowledge language typology and a comparative language perspective.

Aims:

Students will:

• develop a linguistic theoretical foundation in order to be able to assess all types of pupil’ texts
• learn to assess pupil’s texts in a professional and pedagogical context
• learn to follow the development of writing skills of pupils of various age groups
• learn to, by means of creating texts, inspire and guide children and youth to develop their creative abilities
• be able to assess the use of children’s writing in various interdisciplinary and theme-based topics

The teaching of Norwegian

As a teacher of Norwegian, students should have knowledge of the subject’s traditions, in order to build on the best of the past in the encounter with the contemporary period. The history of the subject will better equip students to reflect on the subject, Norwegian, as an ‘identity-creating subject’, educational subject, aesthetic subject, cultural subject and also as a tool. In an educational context it is important to consider the aesthetic dimension of the subject, inherent in the language itself and in the various texts, either in texts produced by others or texts which students have written themselves in various genres.

The use of ICT is in the process of changing the subject, Norwegian. The basic perception of what constitutes a text is for some no longer unambiguous. New forms of texts and new media require a new subject didactics’ awareness. The course will also especially focus on how the use of the Internet requires a thorough and comprehensive evaluation of sources by teachers and pupils.

Children and youth live in a culture in which sound, images and speech together make up texts. Knowledge of complex types of texts is becoming increasingly important if we are to understand children’s present-day reality. Consequently, awareness and insight of genres such as film, picture books, comics, video, PC games and Internet texts have become important for teachers of Norwegian.

In our globalised world, the subject, Norwegian, must be re-evaluated. It is important that students and teachers reflect on the position of Norwegian at a time when the mother tongue is only one of many languages within a culturally diverse society.

Students will:

• gain an introductory knowledge to the history of the subject
• be able to reflect over the didactic aspects of the subject
• be able to evaluate the benefits to the subject of participating in interdisciplinary methods
• acquire a critical approach to the use of sources when working on Norwegian topics
• be able to consider the role of the teacher of Norwegian in a multicultural perspective

Learning Methods

The course comprises varied teaching and learning methods: joint lectures, seminars, supervision in groups, individual supervision, writing groups, short courses and the use of Classfronter etc. The semester plan provides a detailed description of the course, especially regarding deadlines, organisation and the mandatory parts of the course. The semester plan will be handed out at the start of each semester, and is a binding document that provides details regarding the content and practical implementation of the semester. The course is weighted as 30 ECTS and the workload is distributed evenly in each semester.

In subject courses, it is important that students practice writing. The texts they write in various genres will be collected in a work portfolio. The work portfolio will include all of the students’ work they have completed during the course of the year, such as subject logs, sketches, reports, and both rough drafts and finished texts. The subject teacher will assess some of these texts, while other texts will be evaluated by the individual students and by the other students. The aim of building a portfolio is that students will be able to work with texts over a period of time, writing various drafts resulting in good final products. Consequently, there will be no need for the subject teacher to supervise all of the portfolio work leading up to the ‘finished’ texts, and the completion of final texts is the responsibility of the individual students. However, the course requires that the texts should be of such a standard that the portfolio receives approval by the subject teacher.

Interdisciplinary and multi-subject theme-based work provides new methods that offer new challenges and opportunities for the subject and the students. The course will provide students with experience in multi-subject and theme-based teaching, in which one aim will be to assess how the subject Norwegian benefits from this type of teaching. The students will also experience this type of teaching during their period of teaching practice. In Norwegian I, interdisciplinary study methods will be related to the joint-subject professional knowledge, as it is described in 3.1. in the relevant curriculum. In the interdisciplinary cooperation with the other subjects that are included in the part of the course focusing on knowledge of the profession, students will examine the similarities and differences between subjects; within the interdisciplinary part, the study of Norwegian will be included in each of the three main areas in relation to knowledge of the profession

Aesthetic theory and didactics for the aesthetic dimension

This section includes theory which relates to the subject Norwegian as well as to other areas, which will be taught partly as joint lectures in textual and linguistic theory, and partly as didactic reflection and projects/theme-work. In the study of aesthetic theory, students will, amongst other things, adopt an interdisciplinary didactic approach for the aesthetic dimension.

Multi-subject and interdisciplinary work

During the first year of the course Norwegian, students will participate in interdisciplinary work such as Theatre Production and Mythological Themes. During the second year of study, Norwegian will be the principal course in an interdisciplinary approach to the theme, basic reading and writing skills. Norwegian will also contribute to the interdisciplinary Interart project . Norwegian will come into focus concerning the theme, Youth Culture, which is an interdisciplinary study during the first three years.

Basic reading and writing skills

The course Norwegian has a special responsibility for the teaching of basic reading and writing skills. Reading and writing skills based on an aesthetic foundation will be emphasised.

Specific details concerning the implementation of each semester will be provided in the semester plan, such as deadlines, organisation and which parts of the course are mandatory. The semester plan will be handed out at the start of each semester, and is a binding document that gives details regarding the content and practical implementation of the semester. The course is taught over a two-year period; it is weighted as 30 ECTS, which is distributed evenly in each semester.

Assessment Methods

Students will encounter two types of assessment during the course: continual assessment and final assessment. A final grade given for a written examination at the end of the first year of study constitutes final assessment, as well as a presentation portfolio after the end of the second year. Continual assessment concerns ongoing assessment students receive in the form of supervision and comments on both oral and written work.

Mandatory stages:

The subject, Norwegian, has a number of mandatory stages which must be passed if students are to register for the examination and final assessment. These stages consist of various tests and/or oral and written work, which will be graded pass/fail.

The first year of study:

Multi-subject/interdisciplinary work: A interdisciplinary mythological topic will, in cooperation with the course in drama, be carried out in the second semester. This interdisciplinary assignment, may conclude with a scenic production, or a presentation/arrangement, and be assessed as pass/fail.

Approval of work portfolio at the conclusion of the first year: The texts which students wrote during their first year will be collected in a work portfolio which must be approved, before students may be allowed to sit the written examination at the end of the second semester.

A written final examination/school examination at the end of the second semester: The aim of this examination is to assess students’ knowledge and skills in the subject Norwegian, which they will have acquired during their first year of study. The examination has a duration of six hours and counts for 40% of the final grade.

The second year of study:

Multi-subject/ interdisciplinary work: During the second year of study teaching will be given in basic reading and writing skills for pupils. During the second year of study, students will also participate in the Interart project together with students taking Art and Handicrafts. Students’ work on both of these topics will be assessed as pass/fail.

Aesthetic theory and didactics for the aesthetic dimension: This joint-subject topic consists of a interdisciplinary course during the first three years of the programme, and Norwegian students participate during the first two years. The assessment forms are described in the semester plan. Work will be assessed as pass/fail.

Final assessment: Presentation portfolio

The approved work portfolio will form the basis for the final portfolio, the presentation portfolio, which is put together on the basis of certain criteria and submitted before a given deadline. The presentation portfolio is consequently a selection of texts taken from the work portfolio. A reflection note will also be included in the presentation portfolio, in which students should describe the work they have done on the texts, and provide an assessment of their own writing development. Students will be given more specific guidelines for portfolio work, for instance what work is mandatory, the deadlines, and which genres the work should be written in etc. Roughly two-thirds of the texts in the presentation portfolio should be written in the language variant which is not used in the final examination.

In the final assessment, the presentation portfolio counts for 60% of the final grade, and the final examination for 40% (30 ECTS).

A graded mark will be included on the diploma, graded from A to F, where A is the highest grade, and E is the lowest passing grade. Each part of the assessment must receive passing marks in order to achieve a final passing mark

Please refer to Telemark University College’s Examination Regulations for further information.

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean