LN7P08 - Teaching Languages Dissertation (2021/22)
Module specification | Module approved to run in 2021/22 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Module title | Teaching Languages Dissertation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Module level | Masters (07) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Credit rating for module | 60 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Guildhall School of Business and Law | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total study hours | 600 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Assessment components |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Running in 2021/22(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) |
|
Module summary
This module is a supervised but independent research study leading to a 12,000-15,000 word dissertation. You will have the chance to explore a disciplinary topic that is of your particular interest or relevance to your context. You will be able to conduct classroom research on aspects of English or Arabic language teaching and learning, or can choose other relevant themes such as sociolinguistics, linguistics, language testing, or intercultural communication, among others. You will be encouraged to draw on different data collection methodologies and use relevant paradigms in analysing your data.
The module will enable you to explore areas of personal and/or professional interest and relevance within a supported and supportive framework. It aims at stretching your expectations of what you can achieve, and develop your disciplinary knowledge and understanding, as well as your confidence in working with disciplinary theory.
The Teaching Languages Dissertation module specifically aims to:
• enable students to pursue an area of personal disciplinary interest in a way that demands rigorous analytical and critical thinking and which encourages them to push their own personal and professional boundaries
• challenge students to formulate relevant and original questions, undertake research that addresses them, and provide persuasive and academically sustainable arguments to support them
• consolidate and develop students’ ability to critically review and make use of an extensive and appropriate bibliography in their own work
• develop students’ own understanding of the relationship between research, theory, practice and ‘real world’ problems
• develop students’ independence as self-directed and self-motivated professionals in problem posing and problem solving through the design, undertaking and writing about their research.
Prior learning requirements
All other core modules for the MA English Language Teaching (Distance Learning)
Syllabus
There is no formal teaching for this module. Students are assigned a supervisor who will guide them throughout the dissertation process.
Students are entitled to a minimum of 6 hours of supervisory contact time and are expected to engage actively with their supervisors, agreeing times and attending meetings, remaining in contact, and responding to correspondence.
Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity
As this is an independent research module, there are no timetabled taught elements. Students will have access to a dedicated module site (Weblearn) where they will find learning activities, writing guidelines, supporting documents, and online forums where they can interact with peers and tutors in synchronous and asynchronous ways.
Our students will have access to the university library website and make use of electronic journals, e-books, databases and full text journals. Support for developing and improving IT skills as well as information on other web based study support, is available on the library website. Students will have a nominated tutor who will support and guide them through the module and who they can consult in person, by email, or designated video-conference software.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
1. suggest, design and undertake future research in the field
2. describe, analyse and evaluate theory in applied linguistics and education and use this in professional and personal decision making
3. write extensively and persuasively about debates and issues in the field of language learning, language teaching, and applied linguistics demonstrating the interface between practice, research and theory
4. make useful contributions to national developments, debates and practices in language and language education related issues in their own country and elsewhere
5. continue to advance their knowledge and understanding and develop their research skills to match the demands of their professional life
Assessment strategy
The module is assessed by the submission of a written dissertation (12,000 – 15,000 words) that explores a particular issue of language, language learning, language teaching or applied linguistics in general.