Introduction to TESOL Syllabus

Required Textbook

Nunan, D. (2015). Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages: An Introduction. Routledge: New York, NY. ISBN: 978-1138824676

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Course Description

Introduction to the fundamental theories, principles, practices, and policies of bilingual education as they relate to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) in the United States and in countries all over the world.

Course Objectives

Students will become acquainted with many practical aspects of TESOL that will enable them to become effective teachers. These include principles and practices of bilingual teaching and learning, multiple factors affecting the learning/school experience of language minority students (e.g., cognitive, social, family, community, and linguistic development issues), and historical and current educational and political realities of policy and programs for language minority learners.

Prospective teachers will also learn to identify how their attitudes, assumptions, and beliefs impact their interaction with students. They will be challenged to think deeply and to begin to form values, opinions, ideas, and instructional mindsets concerning the education of English Language Learners (ELLs) in their future classrooms.

Completion of this course will also play a key role in preparing students for careers in teaching English as a second or foreign language.

Course Outcomes

Introduces the fundamental theories, principles, practices, and policies of Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language (TESL/TEFL).

Students will be acquainted with many practical aspects of TESL/TEFL that will enable them to become effective teachers. These include principles and practices of English language teaching and learning including language acquisition theory, pedagogical approaches/methods, error correction, skill instruction and integration, differentiated instruction, curriculum planning, materials adaptation, and target language use.

Prospective teachers will develop a personalized teaching philosophy while learning to identify how their attitudes, assumptions, and beliefs impact their interaction with students. They will be challenged to think deeply and to begin to form values, opinions, ideas, and instructional mind-sets concerning the education of English Language Learners (ELLs).

Students will gain a heightened awareness of the need for English as a second and foreign language in a globalized world and gain understanding of the many career options and opportunities available to them in this field.

Course Requirements

(Details of each assignment can be found throughout the course)

How to Understand Due Dates

There are four due dates each week. All times referenced are in Mountain Standard Time (MST).


Weekly Breakdown Weekly Topics
Week 01:
  1. Acronyms
  2. Status of the Field
Week 02:
  1. Getting to Know your ELLs
Week 03:
  1. ESL/EFL Program Types
Week 04:
  1. Language Acquisition Theory
Week 05:
  1. Teaching Approaches and Methods
Week 06:
  1. Proficiency Levels: Teaching and Correcting
  2. Teaching: Listening
Week 07 :
  1. Teaching: Speaking
  2. Teaching: Reading
Week 08:
  1. Teaching: Writing
  2. Teaching: Grammar
Week 09:
  1. Teaching: Vocabulary
  2. Integration of the Four Skills/Error Correction
Week 10 :
  1. Determining Teacher Expectations
  2. Differentiated Instruction
Week 11 :
  1. Backward Design/ Program Level Curriculum Design
  2. Course Level Curriculum/ Lesson Planning
Week 12 :
  1. Materials Evaluation and Adaptations
  2. Classroom Management/Target Language Use
Week 13:
  1. Multicultural Education
  2. Prejudice and Discrimination
Week 14:
  1. Personal Teaching Philosophy

Grades

Activity Points
Prepare (16.86%) 220
Application Activity (47.51%) 620
Reflection Essay (6.90%) 90
Quiz (16.86%) 220
Interviews and Observations (11.88%) 155
Total Possible Points 1305

Grade Breakdown

Percentage Range Letter Grade
100% – 93% A
92% – 90% A-
89% – 87% B+
86% – 83% B
82% – 80% B-
79% – 77% C+
76% – 73% C
72% – 70% C-
69% – 67% D+
66% – 63% D
62% – 60% D-
59% – 00% F

Late Work Policy

Late assignments will be accepted up to seven days after the due date, but will be marked down 50%. After seven days, assignments will receive zero credit.

BYU-I Academic Honesty Policy

"Brigham Young University-Idaho students should seek to be totally honest in all their dealings. They should complete their own work and be evaluated based upon that work. They should avoid academic dishonesty and misconduct in all its forms, including but not limited to plagiarism, fabrication or falsification, cheating, and other academic misconduct."

Caveat: The instructor maintains the right to make changes to any of the criteria for the fulfillment and evaluation of each course requirement, including completion and due dates. However, he or she will only do so when necessary (e.g., if the course calendar needs to be adjusted to accommodate the material) and any change will be clearly announced and explained to the class.