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Preparing for international teaching certificate

Preparing for international teaching certificate

Developing intercultural competence

The ECIS Preparing for International Teaching Certificate (PITC) is a professional development qualification which will help your teachers develop their skills and deepen their knowledge around the intersection of intercultural awareness and global competence. There is an assessment at the end of each module. Each module takes approximately 6 hours to complete.

Unit 1: Education in a global context

COMPETENCE(S): INTERCULTURAL KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING, ATTITUDES

How do we integrate intercultural competence in a classroom setting? Working off intercultural development theory, and complemented by selected ‘critical incidents’ case studies, the globally-competent teacher learns to recognise, understand, communicate, and work effectively across cultures in the classroom.



Unit 2: Teaching competencies for the globally-competent educator

COMPETENCE(S): SKILLS

What does globally competent instruction look like? Globally competent teachers learn to differentiate instruction and assessment in order to accommodate the needs of diverse learners. Teachers help students to become academically successful, proactive, responsible, and caring global citizens


Unit 3: The language dimension

COMPETENCE(S): INTERCULTURAL KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING, SKILLS, ATTITUDES

How might we understand multilingualism as well as English as an Additional Language, and therefore the impact of language on pedagogy? Teachers learn to facilitate a learning environment that meets the linguistic and cultural needs of each student immersed in mainstream classes without diminishing the student’s respect for his or her own culture and language


Unit 4: Student transition and mobility

COMPETENCE(S): INTERCULTURAL KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING SKILLS

How does student transition relate to performance in school and in social groups associated with school? Teachers learn to empathise with and guide students and families on social and academic issues that affect transient members of a school community


Often our International School Community share with us the challenges that new and established teachers face when transitioning from a regional or local teaching environment into an International School environment. The ECIS Preparing for International Teaching Certificate helps to prepare and support teachers development in becoming or establishing themselves as a teacher in an International School environment.

The PITC is a professional development qualification which helps aspiring and new teachers develop skills and deepen their knowledge around the intersection of intercultural awareness and global competence.

The PITC empowers teachers to develop themselves, and the lives of students and is made up of four separate modules:

  • Education in a Global Context
  • Teaching Competencies
  • The Language Dimension
  • Student Transition and Mobility

The ECIS certificated programme follows the philosophical framework of intercultural competence as proposed by UNESCO and the Council of Europe.

ECIS is grateful for the support of Universidad Camilo José Cela (Madrid), who has worked in partnership with ECIS to develop the content of the new International Teachers Certificate. The 2020 school year will see the introduction of the PITC Diploma.

Please note: The PITC is a professional development qualification, not an accredited teaching qualification. We do offer an accredited teacher qualification: click here to learn about (or register for) the teacher qualification programme.

The Five Standards

  • The globally competent teacher is familiar with the characteristics of education in an intercultural context
  • The globally competent teacher is familiar with a wide variety of strategies and methods for teaching culturally diverse students. The globally competent teacher has an awareness of a variety of curricula in use in today’s international and internationally-minded schools
  • The globally competent teacher understands how to facilitate a learning environment that meets the needs of students using an additional language, and recognises the need to support the development of home language literacy
  • The globally competent teacher recognises the challenges and opportunities of teaching a transient or mobile student population
  • The globally competent teacher is a reflective practitioner

How the qualification works

The PITC comprises four units; you may read more about each one via the menu below. Participants can choose to sign up for one or more individual units, or the whole PITC package, leading to the award of the ECIS Preparing for International Teaching Certificate. Note that each unit targets specific global competences, as identified by the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development). Participants are recommended to have attained at least Level B2 in English language proficiency, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Course Costs

ECIS Members

£75 excluding VAT per person/per course; £250 excluding VAT if taking all four courses.*

Number of Licences/ECIS Membership level:

Level 1 = 5
Level 2 = 10
Level 3 = 20

Click here to learn more about ECIS Membership.

Non-Members 

£100 excluding VAT per person/per course; £350 excluding VAT if taking all four courses.