In our B.A. and Diploma programs in Applied Linguistics, each student must complete a one-term practicum in one of the private or public institutions in and around Victoria (and occasionally elsewhere) that support our program. We have been placing students for quite some time now, and we always endeavour to match novice teachers with teaching situations that are the most suitable for all concerned.

During the practicum, the students spend at least 20 hours with their sponsor teacher and his or her class. The practicum student and the Sponsor Teacher work out a mutually convenient schedule for the total number of hours the practicum student will be in the ESL class, how the hours will be distributed during the term, and when the practicum will begin. The typical situation is for the practicum student to spend some time observing, getting to know the students and the routines the teacher has established, and working with individual students and small groups under the sponsor teacher’s guidance. Eventually, in consultation with the Sponsor Teacher, the practicum student begins to plan and teach short lessons, gradually taking control of the teaching situation for longer periods of time. We would appreciate the practicum students being permitted to teach the whole class for as many hours/lessons as the Sponsor Teacher feels is appropriate. While we encourage Sponsor Teachers to give practicum students the opportunity to develop their own lessons and material, it is understood that the ultimate decisions about content, presentation, and length of lessons rest with the Sponsor Teacher. For a more detailed description of what is required of both the Sponsor Teacher and Supervising Instructor, please visit the following links:

Sponsor Teachers: This link includes a description of the Sponsor Teacher’s duties, a list of Practicum Guidelines for Linguistics 376 Practicum Sponsor Teachers, and testimonials from past Sponsors.

Supervising Instructors: This link includes a description of the Supervising Instrutor’s duties, a list of Practicum Guidelines for Linguistics 376 Practicum Supervising Instructors, and testimonials from past Supervisors.

Observations: Classroom observations are the main component of Linguistics 374. This link is for instructors of prospective classroom observations, and includes a description of the classroom observation process.

Should you have further questions about the practicum, please do not hesitate to contact:

Dr. Hossein Nassaji
Linguistics Department
University of Victoria
Telephone: (250) 721-7432
E-mail: nassaji@uvic.ca