Phone: / jgleas@ufl.edu

Transcription

1 FOL 6943, Fall 2013 Language Teaching Methods T (8:30-9:20) R (8:30-10:25) MAR 0112 Dr. Jesse Gleason 241 Dauer Hall Office Hours: T: 10-11/R: & by appt Phone: / jgleas@ufl.edu Course description and objectives This course will address both theoretical and practical issues related to the teaching of foreign languages at the college level. Class time will be divided between the discussion of theoretical issues raised in the assigned readings and the application of theory to the implementation of foreign language teaching practices. One of the main goals is to help students develop the necessary skills to critically evaluate language acquisition theories, methods, teaching practices and materials, as well as to explore and develop techniques for teaching the four skills, grammar, vocabulary and culture. In addition to discussing theoretical issues, students will carry out a variety of assignments, including development and evaluation of teaching materials, observation of classes, and a reflective self-assessment. Course readings The readings for this course will include the methodology modules developed by the University of Texas-Austin, accessible on-line at as well as readings assigned in the course calendar (p. 4). All participants are expected to come to class having thoroughly prepared each module (readings and videos), and ready for discussion. Failure to attend, prepare in advance, and/or participate in class will result in a reduced final grade Classroom observations One of the best ways to understand what occurs in a language classroom is to observe ourselves or someone else teaching. During the semester, every student will observe three language classes in the first year program in the department: 1) a section taught by a peer, 2) a section taught be a more experienced colleague, 3) a video-taped self observation. Prior to each observation, when appropriate, you will complete a form with the cooperating teacher. After each observation, you will complete a class observation form and write a summary of your reflections, following information provided. Observers should be careful to follow appropriate class visit protocols (to be provided), and to obtain permission for the visit to the class in advance. Before you complete these observations I will distribute a set of guidelines for observations. Observations are due on Sept. 26, Oct. 10 and Nov. 7. Please do not schedule your observations until we have discussed them in class, however, as you will be looking for very specific items with each visit, and need to be informed before visiting the class. Online discussion forum Throughout the semester, you will participate in an online discussion forum to help you think reflectively about your own teaching habits, about your teaching philosophy, and about materials that you have created. You will have the chance to comment on all of these areas, in relation to class discussions and readings. Details concerning exact topics of the assigned entries will be provided. Author posts are due by Friday night and comments are due by Monday at noon. Specific due dates are noted on the calendar. You are encouraged to contribute to the forum on a regular basis. In order to earn full credit for this project, you must also leave at least two 1

2 comments on your peers posts per each entry. Please take the time to read what your peers are writing you ll find that you often have similar reactions to the teaching experience, and can help one another a great deal through this first semester! Student survey essay One activity in Richards Lockhart (1994) asks teachers to compare their perception of a lesson with their students perception of that same lesson. You will be asked to conduct this survey and report on what you have learned in a short essay, following the directions given in Richards and Lockhart (p. 89). This essay is due on Sept. 12. Task lesson plans As the semester progresses, we will constantly shift between theory about teaching a foreign language and the practice of teaching. On the practical side, students will develop two task lesson plans that they can use on a future date with their own classes. These activities will be created as follows: Task lesson plan 1 (due Oct. 3): Speaking or listening Task lesson plan 2 (due Oct 24): Reading or writing These task lesson plans will be turned in one at a time, focusing on each skill, as noted on your syllabus. Along with the task lesson plan itself, include the following documentation: 1) The actual materials (reading, audio material, video, visual aid, webpage, etc.). You are welcome to use visual and audio materials from other sources, but please cite them! Tasks created should be original, even if based on graphics, texts, etc. provided in another source. 2) The goal(s) of the task 3) Where it fits in your curriculum (i.e., where, in which chapter, it would be incorporated) 4) The total length of time your students will have to complete the task, broken into various stages, if applicable 5) The way in which your students will participate (individually, in pairs, groups, etc.) 6) A clear explanation of the procedure to be followed, so that any instructor could use this task 7) A short explanation (maximum one page) of the choices you made when designing this task (i.e., I decided to practice speaking in small groups rather than pairs because ) 8) Bibliographic information, explaining where you found graphics, authentic materials, etc. Microteaching Twice during the semester, once toward the beginning and once toward the end, you will have the opportunity to present a task to the class for comments and constructive criticism. Tasks should last approximately 5-7 minutes. The first will be about vocabulary and the last will be a theme-based approach to a task of your choice. Specific instructions will be provided in class. This task should be presented exactly the way that you would present it to your own students, using English or target language as you would in class and with whatever support materials you would use. Following the task, a discussion of ways that you can improve your technique will ensue. 2

3 Grading Course participants will receive a point grade for all required work, and a letter grade at the end of the semester, based on the standard percentage scale (i.e., = A, = A-, = B+, = B, = B-, etc.). Failure to turn work in on time will result in reduced points for that assignment, and thus a reduced grade for the course as a whole. Points for this course will be distributed as follows: Class participation and discussion of readings: Classroom Observations 10 points each) Blog Project Student Survey Essay (p. 89 Richards and Lockhart # 3) Teaching Activities 10 points each) Microteaching 5 points each) 15 points 30 points 20 points 5 points 20 points 10 points 100% According to university guidelines, letter grades will convert to GPA as follows: A = 4.0; A- = 3.67; B+ = 3.33; B= 3; B- = 2.67; C+ = 2.33; C = 2.0; C- = 1.67; D+ = 1.33; D = 1.0; D- =.67; E = 0; WF = 0; I = 0 NG = 0; S-U = 0 Course Bibliography Anderson, N. (2003). Reading. In D. Nunan (Ed.) Practical English Language Teaching (pp ). New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Bailey, K. M. (2005). Practical English language teaching: Speaking. New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Brinton, D. (2003). Content-based instruction. In D. Nunan (Ed.) Practical English Language Teaching (pp ). New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Hegelson, M. & Brown, S. (2007). Practical English language teaching: Listening. New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Lightbown, P. M. & Spada, N. (2006). How languages are learned (3rd Ed). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Nunan, D. (2003). Grammar. In D. Nunan (Ed.) Practical English Language Teaching (pp ). New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Nunan, D. (2004). Task-based language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Richards, J. C. & Lockhart, C. (1994). Reflective language teaching in second language classrooms. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Sokolic, M. (2003). Writing. In D. Nunan (Ed.) Practical English Language Teaching (pp ). New York, NY: McGraw Hill. 3

4 Tentative Course Calendar Date Topics Readings Due dates Aug 22 Introduction 27 L2 learning and teaching Lightbown & Spada (2006) 29 L2 learning and teaching UT Module: Introduction Forum 1 Sept 3 Microteaching 1: Vocab UT Module: Vocabulary 5 Microteaching 1: Vocab Richards & Lockhart (1994) ch 4 10 Communicative teaching TBLT: Nunan (2004) ch Communicative teaching: CBI: Brinton (2003), ch. 10 Student survey essay 17 Communicative teaching UT Module: Speaking 19 Speaking Forum 2 24 Speaking Bailey (2005) ch Speaking Observation 1 Oct 1 Listening UT Module: Listening 3 Listening Hegelson & Brown (2007) ch. 1 Task lesson plan 1 8 Listening 10 Reading UT Module: Reading Observation 2 15 Reading Anderson (2003), ch Reading Forum 3 22 Writing UT Module: Writing (Intro, L.2-4) 24 Writing Sokolik (2003), ch. 5 Task lesson plan 2 29 Writing 31 Grammar UT Module: Grammar Forum 4 Nov 5 Grammar Nunan (2003), ch. 8 7 Culture UT Module: Culture Observation 3 12 Culture 14 Assessment UT Module: Assessment 19 Assessment 21 Microteaching 2: CBI Forum 5 26 Microteaching 2: CBI 28 Thanksgiving Holiday Dec. 3 Last class: Conclusions 4

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