YALS - FR of Yugoslavia

Quality Criteria and Areas for Inspection

(Summary)

Inspection Checklist (Excerpts)

1. INSPECTION OF PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

1.1. Employment Procedures and Quality Control of Teachers' Work

• existence of a Code of Practice or a document with specifications re employment procedures and quality control of teachers' work
• availability of this document to staff and its implementation
• systematization of teachers' posts (status: trainee teacher, teacher, mentor, academic manager )
  clearly defined job descriptions
• clearly defined specifications on courses (minimum / maximum hours taught per week, number of experimental classes, number of visited classes, number of observed classes, prospects of promotion)
• grievance procedure
  [see excerpts from the YALS inspection documents - Questionnaire 1.1 under 'External Quality Assurance']

  1.2 Academic Management of the School

• existence of a document with specifications re Academic Management
• its availability to staff and inspectors
• communication guidelines for Academic Management (Academic Manager and Mentor(s)) with teachers (regular meetings, professional meetings, seminars in the school, activity planning with staff, keeping staff informed, records of staff meetings, a.s.o.)
• procedure for teachers' professional training and development, keeping teachers informed on the latest achievements in FL-methodology, opportunities for participation in conferences
• guidelines on planning and implementation of the curriculum framework
• guidelines for assessment and self-assessment of teachers
• guidelines on mentoring in the school
• contacts with other schools (exchange programmes, participation in seminars and other professional events)
• procedures for students and/or their parents to make contact with the Academic Management of the school
• monitoring of teachers' work by the Academic Management of the school and procedures for class observation
• procedures for peer observation of teaching
• documentation and record keeping for work and student data for at least one year after the completion of courses
• management of teacher absence
• feedback system: from students, staff, management on programmes, the teaching process, services, administration, management, (appropriateness, reliability of data)
• system for adjusting school levels to CEF levels

[see excerpts from the YALS inspection documents - Questionnaires 1.2 under 'External Quality Assurance']

1.3. Organization of the Teaching Activity and Teaching

A. Information on levels/types of courses, plans and programs

• clearly defined types of courses and levels and their availability to students and school staff
• structured scheme of levels and programs in compliance with the YALS standards and the CEF levels
• CURRICULUM for each level and language, comprising:
  • objectives and tasks
  • communicative skills
  • detailed description of linguistic functions
  • topics and vocabulary
  • teaching material
• detailed SYLLABUS, distributed to the staff, and a general SYLLABUS for each level and language, made available to students at the beginning of the course
• procedures for NEEDS ANALYSIS and for making sure that course programs, teaching objectives and teaching methods meet those needs
• teachers' and students' awareness of teaching methods used

[see excerpts from the YALS inspection documents - Questionnaire 1.3 under 'External Quality Assurance']: