Curriculum, Subjects, Number of Hours
Skill Guides and Curricula
The skill guides (Rahmenpläne), drawn up by the Ministry of the German-speaking Community, are the main instruments for planning, realization and evaluation of lessons in all schools, at all levels and for different subjects. The skill guides contain the objectives to be reached by the pupils (competence expectations), the essential skills (core competencies) and the content, broken down on the different levels. They can help as well in the didactic-methodical realization. The skill guides are the basic for the creation of curricula (written by educational networks) and in-school plans (written by teacher teams). The teachers are required to carry out their pedagogic work on the basis of the skill guides.
On 29 April 2013, the skill guides for the second and third level of the technical transitional secondary education were adopted for the following subjects.
- German as language of instruction
- French as first foreign language
- Mathematics
- English
- Geography
- History
- Sports (also for the technical qualification education)
These guides came into effect on 1st September 2013 (phase of implementation until the school year 2015-2016).
The cult carriers must present the curricula for religion and non-denominational moral teaching to the Ministry for approval. For the subject German as language of instruction, the community education system (GUW) has written a curriculum. For all the other subjects, the schools organized by the German-speaking Community follow the curricula of the French speaking community. The schools of the free subsidized education system (FSUW) use the curricula of the free subsidized education system of the French speaking community.
NB : Acronyms and their meanings are listed in chapter 1 of our national descriptions.
Subjects
The technical transitional education offers the following options:
- trade technics
- social and family services
- citizenship and Educational Science
- sports – Tennis
- electromechanics
The technical qualification education offers the following options:
- modern languages and communication
- applied economics, secretary, accountancy
- secretary – languages
- applied art and graphics
- biotechnology
- chemistry – biochemistry
- manufacturer in mechanics
- electromechanics
- electrotechnology – electrotechonolgy
- industry – electrotechnology
- wood manufacturing
- technical drawing and public wok
- economics and word processing)
- modern languages – public relations
- modern languages – communication
- agriculture
- gardening
- electrotechnology
- industry electronics
- mechanics
- wood / carpenter
- forestry
- secretary
- social services
- education
With some exceptions (languages and religion/ethics) – that will be discussed in more depth later – the school maintaining body decides on the selection and number of hours of the individual subjects. The school is committed to offer options.
It is important to have a continuity between the learning process at school and in the company, and the work placement lasting several weeks must meet precise criteria. The teacher accompanying the internship ensures the preparation, supervision and evaluation. He works with a staff member of the company who is responsible for the student at the placement.
Language learning
The Decree of 19 April 2004 on the transfer and the use of languages in education specifies that German is the language of instruction. In the secondary education up to 50% of the lessons (all subjects with the exception of modern languages) can be granted in the first foreign language French. Except for the first stage of secondary education, where this percentage may increase to 65%. This is only possible if in the concerning schools the lesson is organized so that a student can choose between this form of education and an education with a percentage of maximum 50% of subjects in French.
French is the first foreign language in general secondary education. Depending on the form of school and the stage, other languages can be taught. The school maintaining body has to determine them as part of the study program.
The decree also determines that the temporal extent of German teaching in technical secondary education is at least 3 lessons (of 50 minutes) and the extent of French teaching is also at least 2 lessons (of 50 minutes).
Religion / non-denominational moral teaching
The weekly timetable includes in secondary education two lessons (each 50 minutes) either for religious instruction or for the non-denominational moral teaching.
Teaching methods and materials
Same as in previous sections.