Module LANG42615: Second Language Teacher Education in Practice

Department: Durham Centre for Academic Development

LANG42615: Second Language Teacher Education in Practice

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• at the end of this module students will:
• have an understanding of key issues and practices in the field of second language teacher education with specific reference to ELT
• have an understanding of the ways in which teachers learn (teacher cognition) and what constitutes teacher knowledge and the models and approaches used in training and developing teachers
• have an understanding of the training and development techniques and practices which are both dominant and currently available for pre- and in-service teacher education and be able to evaluate these in relation to models and practices which relate to teacher learning and cognition
• have an understanding of how different socio-cultural, political and methodological contexts affect the design of training and development programmes
• have an understanding of the concept of reflection and critical reflection and its importance in teacher development in a variety of cultural contexts
• have had some practical experience of teacher observations and creating observation tools
• have an understanding and some practical experience of a variety of feedback techniques and supervisory approaches and their relationship to and applicability to specific teacher development and training
• understand how to evaluate and/or design pre-service training courses

Content

• this module is aimed at teacher practitioners on the course who would like to explore the processes involved in providing and supporting initial second language teacher training and continuing teacher development and education
• the module takes as its starting point key issues in teacher education in the field of Second Language Education (and more specifically English Language Teacher Education) moving from the broad theoretical issues and current models in language teacher education to the practical application of training and developing teachers
• we look closely at how one might go about developing and designing a training course and what this might involve in relation to the stage of development of the teachers involved in the context they are teaching in and their needs, looking at various input models and knowledge bases
• this module provides teachers with some of the tools for 'training' and 'developing' other teachers. It will equip them with practical ideas of how a teacher trainer might go about planning an initial teacher development course or a series of teacher development workshops, choosing appropriate input, assessing and giving feedback on a teacher's classroom practice
• the field of language teacher education is a large territory to map, so our entry point and ensuing exploration will be largely through the use of case studies and data drawn from practitioners in the ELT field, allowing us an entry point for investigating key issues that emerge from language teacher education in practice today
• it will focus on various methods of teacher development such as observation, peer teaching, implementing reflective practice and fostering teachers with the means for continuous professional development. There will be a focus on how to observe and give feedback, how to design appropriate observation and feedback tasks
• we look at key qualifications in ELT teacher education and explore data from both in-service and pre-service training in a variety of contexts looking closely at the issues surrounding assessment, evaluation, appraisal and accreditation
• students will examine case studies and examples of current practice in teacher training (both pre- and in-service training) in relation to specific contexts and methodological approaches and training and will critically reflect on the effectiveness of these practices for different teachers in different contexts

Learning Outcomes

• knowledge of key perspectives, issues and developments in second language teacher education with specific reference to ELT
• knowledge of a variety of teacher training and development practices and courses currently available
• knowledge of observation and feedback techniques and the approaches to supervision
• understanding of the difference between pre-service teacher training and in-service teacher development needs based on socio-cultural context and pedagogical needs
• understanding of reflective teaching and other models of second language teacher education
• knowledge of how to go about creating a teacher training course taking into account the specific (cultural) context within which it takes place (ie with reference to analysing needs, drawing on appropriate pedagogy, choosing appropriate assessment/evaluation practices etc)

• the ability to understand the underlying approach in the design of pre-service and in-service training courses in ELT
• the ability to critique and evaluate pre-service or in-service courses drawing on relevant pedagogy and theory in the field of second language teacher education
• the ability to apply knowledge of the field in order to design appropriate in-service or pre-service courses to meet the needs of a specific context
• the ability to evaluate the role of observation and feedback in relation to specific in-service and pre-service courses
• the ability to select appropriate assessment, evaluation or appraisal practices in relation to in-service or pre-service courses
• the ability to plan, evaluate and/or understand what makes effective teacher observations in a specific (cultural) context
• he ability to plan, evaluate and/or understand how to deliver clear, appropriate feedback to teachers in a specific cultural context

• ability to read and understand primary texts in the field of second language teacher education and relevant pedagogy

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

• the weekly sessions will provide a background in current approaches to issues, theories and practice in teacher development and education
• this input will take the form of lectures and seminar/workshops where students will be engaged in the practical application of these theories through case studies and drawing on their own and others' experiences
• the assessment will involve the design and/or evaluation of a specific context and pre or in-service training course. Students will need to show they can apply the knowledge they have gained on the course in relation to the needs of a specific cultural group
• there will be a choice of assignment which will involve either the design or evaluation of a specific training course

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Evaluation of essay/assignment plan

■ 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