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Free University of Bozen-Bolzano

Teaching Philosophy

description

The Language Centre at the trilingual Free University of Bozen-Bolzano is the primary institutional entity responsible for fostering multilingualism and the ability to communicate through other languages. In accordance with the international and multilingual focus of our university, it is our aim to enable students and university staff to acquire communication skills in German, English and Italian, so that they can act independently and competently across academic, professional and social contexts. The Language Centre is thus committed to engaging in action-oriented teaching practices which are supported by current research and geared toward the current demands of a digitized and interconnected world.   

The Core Responsibilities of the Language Centre

We are committed to fulfilling the following core responsibilities: 

  1. Fostering trilingualism: Language teaching at unibz encompasses the development of communication skills, academic skills and intercultural skills of students and staff at the university and its partner organizations. To meet this objective, we embrace plurlingual approaches, authentic language use, project-based learning, and technology-supported language learning. It is our aim to develop and promote a modern and contemporary understanding of functional multilingualism in our academic context, whereby members of our community utilize all available linguistic resources to embrace trilingualism in teaching, research, and communication. 
  2. The teaching and testing of relevant language skills for degree programs and professions: the design and delivery of language courses and language exams are informed by current research on language teaching, language acquisition, and language assessment. The language curricula follow a clear and systematic progression according to the international standards of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The certification of language competencies is done by means of standardized tests which are developed following rigorous test development procedures. 
  3. Continuous Professional Development: The quality of language teaching at unibz is guaranteed by the employment of highly qualified language teachers and by offering them regular training in the newest practices and theories emerging from current language teaching research. Teachers are encouraged to engage in reflective practice and action research, including peer observation, which emphasizes a culture of constructive feedback among teaching staff. 
  4. Learner Autonomy and Learner-Centered Teaching: language teaching at unibz promotes learner autonomy and enables students to take responsibility for their own learning processes. Particular emphasis is placed on self-directed learning. 
  5. The integration of digital transformation: the Language Centre makes targeted use of digital tools and formats to enable students to learn autonomously and flexibly. We adopt an open and critical approach to the rapidly advancing digital transformation of society and education, aiming to adapt emergent technologies for modern language teaching in a way that exploits opportunities and mitigates risks.

Our practices are based on the following principles

  • Research and evidence-based decisions: our teaching methods are tailored to the academic needs of the students and are based on theories and evidence from language teaching research. The Language Center makes informed decisions based on current research and follows an evidence-based approach to ensure and optimize the effectiveness and feasibility of decision-making.  
  • Networking: teaching staff and employees regularly take part in academic and professional development programs within and outside our institution. We are part of a broad network maintained through inviting renowned experts, organizing scientific conferences and partnering with national and international associations (CERCLES, AKS, AICLU, TESOL, IATEFL). 
  • Diversity and Inclusion: the Language Centre values the diversity of its students and staff and takes this into account in its teaching. Different linguistic, cultural and social backgrounds add value to and enrich teaching and learning. 
  • Evaluation und Quality Assurance: teaching at the Language Centre is continuously monitored by standardized exams and teaching evaluations submitted by course participants. The quality of teaching and the content of exams is regularly reviewed and optimized in order to meet the high academic standards of our institution. 
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