Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Postgraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2007-2008 (archived)

Module LANG40130: LANGUAGE TEACHING METHODS AND PRACTICE

Department: Language Centre

LANG40130: LANGUAGE TEACHING METHODS AND PRACTICE

Type Open Level 4 Credits 30 Availability Available in 2007/08 Module Cap None.
Tied to Q3K207

Prerequisites

  • None

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • None

Aims

  • At the end of the module, students will
  • Demonstrate a facility with a variety of teaching methodologies
  • Evaluate their own teaching, developing self-awareness of their own teaching style
  • Know how to analyse and appraise the needs of students whilst having the capacity to formulate and be able to respond to such needs in the classroom
  • Be able to prepare lesson plans and deliver lessons appropriate to the needs of the students
  • Teach classes using familiar and unfamiliar methodologies
  • Be able to design and implement appropriate lesson sequences

Content

  • This module includes lectures on issues in the practice, methods and planning of language teaching, and the construction of related curricula as well as the syllabi through which they are realized. It will also serve as an interface between the more theoretical components of the course and the student's future practice, showing their relevance to the classroom. It will examine, the learner and learning styles, individualised responses, classroom management and lesson planning based on existing pedagogical literature, planning from lesson to lesson, and the syllabus design options currently available to those involved in curriculum planning. Students are expected to design and deliver four lessons over the course of the module. Emphasis is placed on retrospective evaluation of the lessons in terms of delivery, teaching method and students are encouraged to develop their own unique teaching style. Methods will be proposed to help them explore their own creativity.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:
  • Understanding of the scope of language teaching techniques and methodologies currently available
  • Understanding of issues of and techniques for classroom management
  • Knowledge of lesson plan design based on the range of current techniques in language pedagogy
Subject-specific Skills:
  • Ability to critically appraise the language teaching techniques and methodologies currently available
  • Ability to critically evaluate teaching techniques
  • Development of pedagogical creativity
  • Ability to apply appropriate techniques for classroom management
  • The teaching of language in an authentic setting
  • Ability to design and implement lesson plans that fully reflect a critical mastery of the techniques now available
Key Skills:
  • Ability to read and understand primary texts in language pedagogy
  • Ability to understand critically evaluate ones's own performance and that of others.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • The lectures will provide background in language teaching, the learner and learning styles, classroom management, lesson preparation, whilst showing the historical origins and development of the techniques to be employed. This input will provide the basis for writing the essays that form a component of the assessment. The teaching Practicals provide students the opportunity to deliver lessons that they have prepared. This will be done prior to assessment and as part of assessment. The tutorials provide an informal setting for creating lessons and discussion difficulties that arise in teaching.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours
Lectures 20 1 per week 1.5 hours 30
Tutorials 5 1 per 2 weeks 1 hour 10
Practicals 4 2 per week 2 hours 8
Preparation and Reading 252
Total 300

Summative Assessment

Component: Lesson Plans Component Weighting: 20%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Lesson Plan 1 25%
Lesson Plan 2 25%
Lesson Plan 3 25%
Lesson Plan 4 25%
Component: Teaching Practica Component Weighting: 20%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Teaching Session 1 25%
Teaching Session 2 25%
Teaching Session 3 25%
Teaching Session 4 25%
Component: Lesson Evaluations Component Weighting: 20%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Lesson Evaluation 1 25%
Lesson Evaluation 2 25%
Lesson Evaluation 3 25%
Lesson Evaluation 4 25%
Component: Essays Component Weighting: 40%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Review of relevant literature 25%
Critical discussion of lesson planning and classroom management 25%
Assignment exploring a topic area of choice (theoretical critique) 25%
Assignment providing a syllabus/syllabus component with theoretical discussion of background 25%

Formative Assessment:

Essay draft. Lesson plan drafts.


Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University