Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

CV

 

Junior Professor Dr. Tomas Kos

Date and country of birth: 17.04.1976, Czech Republic

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Fachdidaktik Englisch
Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Unter den Linden 6, D-10099 Berlin

Tel.: +49(0)15231925024

E-Mail: tomas.kos@hu-berlin.de

 

A researcher in foreign language education with a solid research background and 25 years of teaching experience at university, secondary, and primary school levels in various countries.

 

EDUCATION

 

University of Lancaster, UK (2013-2017)

Ph.D in Applied Linguistics by Thesis and Coursework program
Thesis: ‘Peer interactions in mixed-age English as a foreign language (EFL) secondary school classrooms in Germany.’ Supervisor: Dr. Jenefer Philp.
Modules completed: Task-Based Language Teaching, Qualitative Methods for Applied Linguistics, Second Language Acquisition, Critical Approaches to Social Data for Applied Linguistics, Classroom Research Quantitative Data Analysis for Applied Linguistics, New Directions in Language Analysis

 

University of Sheffield, UK (2006-2009)

MA in Advanced Japanese Studies
Thesis and annotated translation: ‘Abilities and skills demanded in contemporary Japanese society’
Modules included English to Japanese translation, Japanese to English translation, Writing in Japanese

 

University of Liberec, CR (1994-1999)

MA in Education (German language/History)
Thesis title: ‘Grammar teaching at the early stages of learning German as a foreign language’
Modules included Syntax, Morphology, Semantics, Phonetics, Didactics, Child Psychology, Pedagogy

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

 

Junior-Professor, Humboldt University to Berlin, Department of English and American Studies, English Language Education (September, 2021 - now)

  • Teaching seminars related to English education didactics
  • MA thesis supervision
  • Research in the field of EFL teaching in primary, secondary, and high schools
  • Research in Task-based language teaching and CLIL
  • Participation in research networks focusing on multilingual education
  • Development of pre-service teacher education programs
  • Development of new course modules for language teaching
  • Active participation in in-service teacher education programs in Berlin
  • Administrative responsibilities

 

Researcher/Lecturer, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Department of
Primary Education (April 2021-August 2021)

  • Teaching seminars related to English education didactics with a particular focus on CLIL
  • Research in the field of EFL teaching in primary schools
  • Administrative responsibilities as directed by the Head of the Department

 

Researcher/Lecturer with special responsibilities, University of Leipzig, Germany, Department of
Primary and Pre-Primary Education (August 2019-March 2021)

  • Teaching seminars related to English and general education didactics
  • Tutoring students during a school internship
  • Development of new course modules for primary school language teaching
  • Research in the field of EFL teaching in primary and secondary schools
  • Administrative responsibilities as directed by the Head of the Department

Classroom teacher, Freie Alternativschule Dresden, Germany (August 2015 – July 2019)

  • Classroom teaching of a 4-6 mixed-age class
  • Teaching English as a foreign language
  • Teaching German as a first language, Project learning, History, Geography, and PE
  • Designing English course materials and syllabi
  • Organizing school events and projects

 

Instructor of German as a foreign language, TU Dresden, Germany (April-July 2018)

  • Teaching German as a foreign language (4 hours a week)
  • Student assessment

 

Classroom teacher, Schkola, Ebersbach, Germany (January 2009 – July 2014)

  • Classroom teaching of a 7-9 mixed-age class
  • Teaching English as a foreign language to classes 4-10
  • Conducting English and Czech language teachers’ training
  • Designing English course syllabi and materials
  • Organizing school events and projects

 

English language teacher, Sasaguri, Japan (April 2002- August 2009)

  • Teaching English as a foreign language to at primary and secondary public schools
  • Planning and facilitating educational meetings related to language teaching
  • Conducting routine teachers’ training
  • Translating and interpreting between Japanese and English
  • Coaching a secondary school table tennis team

 

Lecturer of English and German, National Taiwan University, Taiwan (July 2000-March 2001)

  • Teaching German and English language
  • Assisting with program development and student assessment
  • Instructor training, coordinating, and planning of university cultural events

 

TAUGHT UNIVERSITY COURSES

  • Grundkurs – Einführung in die Fachdidaktik Englisch
  • Classroom Research
  • Second Language Acquisition
  • Masterkolloquium
  • Teaching through peer interaction
  • Introduction to CLIL
  • A world of resources (Storytelling in CLIL)
  • CLIL seminar (gardening project)
  • Topic-based language teaching
  • Planning for the Primary EFL Classroom
  • Methods and Techniques for the Communicative Language Classroom
  • Literature, Culture and Media in the Primary English Classroom
  • Teaching Practicum
  • Exploring Connections between Interaction and Learning
  • Academic Writing in English
  • German Grammar
  • German Conversation for Beginners
  • Academic Writing in German

EVENTS, WORKSHOPS

  • Langscape & Enrope Winter School 2023 (Exploring plurilingual and multilingual teaching practices, February 27– March 3, 2022, Humboldt University
  • Fremdsprachentag, Berlin Senatsverwaltung (Mit guten Lernaufgaben die Schüler motivieren), February 15, Berlin (workshop for grade 11-12 Grammar school teachers)

REVIEWER

  • Language Teaching Research
  • Journal of Writing Research (JoWR)

 

RESEARCH SKILLS

  • Mixed-method research methodology and uses
  • Planning, piloting, classroom observation, note-taking, video, and audio-recording, interviewing
  • Skills in transcription and computer-assisted quantitative and qualitative data analysis software SPSS, R, NVivo
  • Designing and analyzing questionnaires

AWARDS

  • TOEFL award for student research at the Task-based Language Teaching conference in Loewen, Belgium, 2016

 

RESEARCH INTERESTS 

  • Connecting language learning and peer relationships in primary and secondary school FL classrooms.
  • The effects of peer mediation with young children and young adolescents on FL learning
  • Tasks – to what extent and how they work for FL primary and secondary school learners
  • Development of learner autonomy in mixed-ability settings

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS

  • Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level 1 (2006)

  • Table tennis coach