Syllabus

Fundamentals for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages


Required Textbooks

Nunan, D. (2015). Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages: An Introduction. Routledge: New York, NY. ISBN: 978-1-138-82466-9

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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 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 mind-sets 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).

They will gain a heightened awareness of the need for English as a second and foreign language (TESL/TEFL) 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 on I-Learn):

Mini Lesson Plans and Teaching Demonstrations

ELL learner interview

ESL/EFL Teacher Interview

Classroom Observations

Evaluation of ESL/EFL materials

Teaching Philosophy

Discussion Board Posts

Reflection Essays

Weekly Quizzes

Weekly Breakdown Weekly Topics

Week 1 Intro:

a. Acronyms
b. Status of the field

Week 2:

Getting to Know your ELLs

Week 3:

ESL/EFL Program types

Week 4:

Language Acquisition Theory

Week 5:

Teaching Approaches and Methods

Week 6:

a. Proficiency Levels: Teaching and Correcting
b. Teaching: Listening

Week 7:

a. Teaching: Speaking
b. Teaching: Reading

Week 8:

a. Teaching: Writing
b. Teaching: Grammar

Week 9:

a. Teaching: Vocabulary
b. Integration of the four skills/Error Correction

Week 10:

a. Determining teacher expectations
b. Differentiated Instruction

Week 11:

a. Backward design/ Program Level Curriculum Design
b. Course level curriculum/ Lesson Planning

Week 12:

a. Materials Evaluation and adaptations
b. Classroom Management/Target Language Use

Week 13:

a. Multicultural Education
b. Prejudice and Discrimination

Week 14 Conclusion:

Personal Teaching Philosophy

Grades

There are 1305 possible points in this course. They are assigned as follows:

Prepare 220 points (16.86%)

Application Activity 620 points (47.51%)

Reflection Essay 90 points (6.90%)

Quiz 220 points (16.86%)

Interviews and Observations 155 points (11.88%)

Grade Breakdown

93 - 100% A

90 - 92% A-

87 - 89% B+

83 - 86% B

80 - 82% B-

77 - 79% C+

73 - 76% C

70 - 72% C-

67 - 69% D+

63 - 66% D

60 - 62% D-

0 - 59% F

Late Work Policy

Late assignments will be accepted for up to seven days, 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 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.