Word processing teacher
The teacher for word processing replaced the teacher for typing in the 1990s. He teaches writing subjects in public and private schools. Here it falls under the umbrella term “ teacher for specialist practice ”. In addition to the academically trained teachers, specialists with particularly practice-related preliminary and training have always worked at vocational schools. As the diploma commercial teacher also has the teacher of the word processor of business schools has a long tradition.
Lesson content / area of responsibility of the teacher
Lessons in word processing are also intended to enable students to plan, execute and then critically assess work processes. The teaching concept of “action-oriented teaching” is implemented appropriately. In addition to pure knowledge, above all practical skills are to be imparted. The students are made familiar with practical work techniques that enable them to simplify all work processes. The keyboarding (10-finger touch typing) still forms the basis of a rational word processing and is therefore remained one of the learning targets.
The design rules according to DIN 5008 are taught; Understanding the purpose of standardization work and applying the current version of the rules are also important goals of the lesson. In the advanced classes or courses, options for text organization are shown. The correspondence can be considerably simplified and accelerated by means of serial letters, module management, form design and document templates.
The word processing teacher is indispensable in the area of secretary and assistant training. Here the learning group deals with further rationalization options such as phonotype or author's correction according to DIN 16511. The technical writing lessons thus go far beyond pure data processing and are only partially comparable with general IT lessons.
Paths to the teaching examination
There is not yet a regulated training course for word processing teachers in the whole of Germany. In Bavaria, for example, there is a distance learning course (recognized almost nationwide) and examination preparation at specialist institutes. In other federal states, interested parties usually have to prepare for the state examination on an autodidactic basis. Occasionally, independent educational institutions offer preparatory courses (mainly in the form of weekend seminars).
entry requirements
An apprenticeship in the field of business and administration, an intermediate level of education and several years of professional experience are required in most federal states. Furthermore, anyone who already has a teaching qualification can take the exam.
Examining body
In the larger federal states, the ministries of education generally commission the responsible district president to carry out the examination. The exam is taken before a state committee.
Contents of the exam
Interested parties should definitely obtain the examination regulations of their federal state, as the federal states often have different requirements. Uniformly (i.e. in all examination regulations) it is stipulated that the prospective teachers have to prove their professional as well as pedagogical aptitude. Questions and tasks from the areas of operating systems, user programs, hardware solutions, DIN rules and ergonomics will certainly be asked. In some federal states, knowledge of the history of writing technology must be proven.
Furthermore, the test subjects naturally have to perform tasks on the PC. Examination papers usually consist of form letters, serial letters, author's corrections and more complex cross-program tasks. In addition, aspiring word processing teachers are expected to be able to write at a reasonable writing speed. Most examination regulations require 240 keystrokes per minute. Writing performance is recorded in the form of a 10-minute transcript . Steno skills are no longer required. In many cases, new teaching content has been added (layout, presentation techniques, spreadsheets, databases).
Pedagogical aptitude must be demonstrated in three ways in the teacher training examination: in the written, oral and practical teaching examination. Pedagogical, didactic and methodological knowledge and ability is also essential for this teaching profession.
Public school career
In some parts of Germany, state-certified word processing teachers can be employed as employees. Other countries first require the successful completion of another subject teacher examination (e.g. office management teacher ) and a preparatory service based on this. Under certain conditions the transition to civil servant status is possible.
Few countries have completely closed the careers for this group of teachers. Here, the qualified business teachers who teach in the field of computer science and data processing have taken on the part of word processing. Alternatively, there are numerous employment opportunities at commercial private schools, with private educational institutions, adult education centers , chambers and in companies; are similar apprenticeships