Course unit code

Subject

ECTS credits

Lessons

Teacher

Course descriptions

BERAS01

Early Childhood Pedagogy

6 credits

practical course mark

2 lessons/week

Dr. László Varga

The aim of the course is to introduce students that the first years of life are important, because what happens in early childhood can matter for a lifetime. Science shows us what children must have, and what they need to be protected from, in order to promote their healthy development. Stable, responsive, nurturing relationships and rich learning experiences in the earliest years provide lifelong benefits for learning, behaviour and both physical and mental health. Interpretation and understanding the first years of human life, early childhood and childhood have undergone paradigmatic changes in the last few years.

BERAS04

Theory and Practice of  Innovation in Pedagogy

6 credits

practical course mark

10 lessons/term

Dr. Réka Kissné Zsámboki

This course examines the theory and practice of innovation in various specialty of pedagogy. Participants will be learn about how, why, and at what rate new ideas and technology spread through cultures and get acquainted with the success criteria of the innovation. Students will be facilitated and inspired to create mind maps and work out project ideas.

BERAS05

History of Childhood

6 credits

practical course mark

2 lessons/week

Dr. László Varga

A look into the history of childhood shows that childhood is constructed differently in different times and places. The purpose of this course is to provide students with a base of knowledge regarding the changing historical experiences and meanings of childhood, in both the western and non-western world.  In this course we will explore the highly variable ways childhood has been constructed both across cultures and throughout history. We will research the culture children create and transmit for themselves, including their folklore, art, writing, activism, and responses to the world. We will also investigate cultural products created for children.

BERAS06

Kindergarten Pedagogy

6 credits

practical course mark

2 lessons/ week

Dr. Réka Kissné Zsámboki

Main topics of the course: Early childhood education in Hungary and across Europe. Personality, knowledge, skills and competencies of kindergarten teachers. Planning strategies and the method and practice of project based learning in the practice of early childhood education. Working with families: formal and non-formal ways of discussing parents. Responsibility, tolerance and care. Different ways of thinking and learning in early childhood. 

BERAS14

Institutional Practices I.

6 credits

practical course mark

3 lessons/ week

Dr. Réka Kissné Zsámboki

The course aims to prepare students for their profession by applying theory in practice, by humane pedagogical attitude and by developing skills necessary for conscious pedagogical work. Students should lead an observation diary throughout the terms and should take an active part in the life of the institution (primary or secondary grammar school/kindergarten/nursery etc.).

BERAS17

Pedagogical Aspects of Play

6 credits

practical course mark

2 lessons/ week

Dr. Éva Hartl

The main aim of the course is to develop creativity, skills and competencies that necessary for facilitating children’s play and creating toys. Required skills: creativity, good ideas, capabilities for play, special manual, visual and artistic skills (eg. origami, sewing, paper folding, creations by sticking etc.)

BERAS18

Sport

3 credits

practical course mark

2 lessons/week

Dr. István Ágoston Simon

The subjects focus on the theoretical and practical basis of sports. The aim of this course is to train students who are able to use and teach the theoretical and practical value of sports (eg. objectives, exercises, and fields of application of sports, basic and combined movements of sports etc.) Students will acquire the teaching methods of various elements and get ideas of required skills. Sport pedagogy is also taught during the course.

BERAS19

Art

3 credits

practical course mark

2 lessons/week

Dr. Tibor Gáspárdy

The aim of this course is to discuss the importance of art in young children's learning and development. Art engages children's senses in open-ended play and develops cognitive, social, emotional and sensori-motor skills. Art is a cooperative learning experience that provides pleasure, challenge, and a sense of mastery. Instruction in the arts is one of the best ways in which to involve the different modes of learning; through art, children learn complex thinking skills and master developmental tasks.

BERAS20

Introduction to Hungarian as a foreign language

6 credits

practical course mark

2 lessons/week

Ms. Márta Sándor

A beginning course in which the speaking, listening, writing and reading skills are introduced and practiced, with the goal of attaining “Survival Hungarian” . Students are familiarized with basic grammatical structure, vocabulary, and verbs in the present, past and future tenses. Discussion of major cultural differences between Hungary and the students’ home country, folkloric songs and varied activities and meetings will  provide cultural insight,  information and enrichment.

practical course mark

2 lessons/ week

Dr. Anna Tauber

József Révész

Methods in elementary Music is designed to prepare students for teaching music to children at the age of 3-7. Emphasis is placed on developing a philosophy of music education that considers the developmental needs of children as foundational in the process of teaching music concepts. The course consists of lectures, teaching demonstrations, peer teaching, music classroom observations, a review of music education literature. Students will develop skills in teaching music that incorporates singing, movement, playing instruments, listening, creating, and writing.

6 credits

practical course mark

2 lesson/ week

Ibolya Koloszár

This course is based  on books carefully selected from the world of authentic children's literature mainly from the lists of British publishers. We study stories that have gained an international reputation, contain rich and authentic examples of English and  may offer a concrete outcome in the form of dramatization. Happy Prince, Mary Poppins, Winnie-the-Pooh, Peter Pan, The Wizzard of Oz provide a starting point and rich context for developing a wide variety of related language.

6 credits

practical course mark

2 lesson/ week

Dr. Arianna Kitzinger

practical course mark

2 lesson/ week

Ibolya Koloszár

English Communication I.
The course aims to prepare students to widen their professional phraseology in communication so that they could use it in different areas and in different situations. They should be able to cope with communication on intermediate and advanced language level. The themes are made up of the topics of everyday communication and the technical terminology for pre-school teachers.

6 credits

practical course mark

2 lesson/ week

Ibolya Koloszár

English Communication III.
In this course incoming students of different nationalities  learn together with their Hungarian partner.  As a surplus the  participants will enjoy the opportunity of learning a new language (Hungarian and  vice versa the language of the tandem partner) and will get to know each other’s culture in a direct and personal way. Tandem is concerned with language learning, but equally with cultural understanding and knowledge. It is a real  language learning experience, an  innovative way of getting to know a new language, a new friend, while using English as a lingua franca throughout the course.

practical course mark

2 lesson/ week

Ibolya Koloszár

English Communication V.
It is a video-based language learning course. The topics are chosen by the students themselves, and they are of a great variety. After watching the presentations/talks the topics are discussed  and additional resources are supplied in order to  master the content and extend the knowledge acquired. The lessons do not only develop listening skills, much emphasis is put on speaking as well as writing. Teacher supported online learning offers  flexible, self-paced study outside the classroom, and encourages your independent study skills.

6 credits

practical course mark

2 lesson/ week

Dr. Arianna Kitzinger

6 credits

practical course mark

2 lessons/week

Dr. Réka Kissné Zsámboki

The aim of the course is to introduce students the importance of mathematical skills, knowledge and competencies in early childhood. Mathematics plays a major role in a child’s development and helps children makes sense of the world around them. Children at the early years beginning to explore patterns and shapes, compare sizes and count objects, later they use a variety of methods to problem-solve and talk about their findings. Educators play an important role in influencing and being a role model for children by providing opportunities for children to learn and develop new mathematical skills. Educators need to allow children to direct their own play and support them by enhancing or extending their play. This is the most determinative and useful method of teaching maths in kindergartens and preschools. Early mathematics is a core component of cognition which later predicts future mathematics and reading skills, furthermore it helps children in developing their thinking skills logically, strategically, creatively and critically.

Main topics of the course

• Problem-solving
• Development of concepts
• Measurement
• Pre-number experience, Number concept and operation, Numeracy
• Patterns and shapes
• Classification and combinatorics
• Geometry (e.g. transformation, topology)