Teaching practice placement information

International students

All professional teaching qualifications have teaching practice as a compulsory component of the curriculum. If you live in one of the SADC countries, you will need to make your own arrangements to do your teaching practice in your own country. Students who live in other countries will have to make arrangements to do the required teaching practice in South Africa (during February and October) before the qualification can be completed. No registration for any professional teaching qualification will be accepted for students living in a foreign country unless the DSAR25 form is included with your registration form.

Duration

Depending on the qualification for which you want to enrol, the duration of teaching practice may differ from between 5 to 10 consecutive weeks. Teaching practice must be done within the phase (eg Foundation, Senior Phase) of the qualification for which you are registered.

If you are enrolled for a BEd in Early Childhood Education or the Foundation Phase, your teaching practice is to be divided between a Pre-Primary School and the Foundation Phase of a Primary School. The practical component in fulfilment of the pre-primary qualification requirement must be done in the first and second years of your professional studies, and in the second component in the Foundation Phase during the third and fourth year.

Assessment

The university may appoint supervisors to assess your teaching practice, or it may liaise with the relevant school to carry out your assessment during these compulsory teaching practice sessions. In order to do so, the university will need to know when you will be doing your teaching practice and at which school. You are therefore required to submit the DSAR25 form with your registration form.

A list of schools in each province and district is available on http://www.education.gov.za/ to assist you in selecting a school close to where you live so that you can fulfil your teaching practice requirements. It is, however, your responsibility to liaise with the school and to obtain confirmation that they can accommodate your teaching practice at that school. You must then complete the DSAR25 form when submitting your request for registration.

Should the university have any problem with your selection of a school, an alternative placement will be communicated to you by the teaching practice unit.