Developing Approaches to Language Teaching

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Awareness of new trends (such as technology) in the design of teaching materials.
• The ability to make links between theory and practice, teaching and pedagogic principles.
• Knowledge of reflective practice and its role in professional development.
• A critical understanding of principles in language teaching methodologies, theories of language and theories of language learning.

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Support language learning through the design of appropriate pedagogic resources.
• How to write a detailed lesson plan and supporting justification for your pedagogical choices, using appropriate literature to explain your decisions.
• The ability to make links between theory and practice, teaching and pedagogic principles.

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Communicate language teaching, applied linguistic and educational work in a variety of written formats.
• Identify and use a wide range of reference resources, printed and electronic.
• How to express, support (using researched literature) and position your views through a written assignment.
• Use information technology appropriately when presenting your work and in your teaching.
• Develop and maintain a personal bibliography.

This module will focus on the development of understanding the links between theory and appropriate practice in the language classroom.

Topics dealt with in the sessions will include:

• Critical approaches to language teaching.
• Theories of language and theories of language learning.
• Teaching knowledge/skills and the design of appropriate materials.
• Teaching language to adults.
• Reflective practice and its role in professional development.
• Technology and language learning.

Teaching methods include:

• Seminars with content and opportunities for discussion in groups.

Learning activities include:

• Individual study.
• Preparing for discussions in groups.
• Reflecting on others' classroom practices.
• Developing and discussing practical classroom materials.

Innovative or special features of this module:

• Weekly practical tasks feed into sessions.
• Observation of lesson videos to evaluate language teaching practices and to develop reflection on practice techniques.
• Evaluation of materials for communicative language teaching.

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Analysis and report

• Assessment Type: Formative
• Feedback:
• Final Assessment: No
• Group Work: No

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.