PMTELAEN - MA Teaching Languages (English)

The MA Teaching Languages (English) is a Postgraduate Taught course that offers a global approach to the field of English language teaching (ELT) and applied linguistics. With our diverse and multilingual cohort, we adopt a strong intercultural approach that will provide students with a challenging and valuable learning experience. The course is designed for teachers and language professionals, as well as those with no teaching experience. The course ensures that our students will develop new ways of thinking and talking about language, language teaching, and language learning across different social and educational contexts.

The course places interculturality at its core and draws on recent development in the field to reflect upon current policy and practices in the teaching of English in a variety of contexts. The modules place particular emphasis on the examination of attitudinal and ideological patterns that influence the ways in which teachers and students understand ELT today. The focus on interculturality offered by the course encourages students to question traditional constructs that contribute to inequalities and discrimination in the field –such as idealised notions of English speakers, the culture of English, and standard varieties –and invites students to adopt a more inclusive approach that values the multiculturality of the English language.

Our students will explore a versatile selection of modules that address different areas of applied linguistics. Assessment topics and formats are constantly negotiated with the students so that they can explore areas that they are particularly interested in and/or that have direct relevance to their own teaching and learning context. Similarly, the strong research focus of the course encourages students to investigate language-related phenomena in and/or outside the English language classroom for their dissertation projects. A number of our students have managed to publish their work in renowned journals and/or continued to develop their projects in PhD programmes in and outside the UK.

Finally, technology plays a very important role in our students’ experience. The blended-learning approach adopted by this programmes will allow students to complete their students in a flexible and supported manner. All our face-to-face and online lectures and seminars are recorded and published online (Weblearn), allowing students to participate in on-site and virtual discussions with staff and peers. In addition, our students will also receive training on digital technologies for language teaching and learning, and the use of computer-assisted data analysis tools for their research (e.g., Nvivo and SPSS). The course also encourages students to participate actively in the creation of a community of practice using online platforms, where they also interact and share their learning experience with students enrolled in the MA English Language Teaching (Distance Learning) programme.

The MA Teaching Languages (English) aims to:

• provide an appropriate context for professional, academic and personal development in the field of applied linguistics which builds upon the concept of reflective teaching and a critical approach to theory and practice
• offer a programme of study that is academically challenging and professionally rigorous in that it stretches the participants’ critical thinking and encourages them to develop their knowledge and skills in evaluation, analysis and research at Master’s level
• provide an opportunity for the participants to develop an in-depth insight into a wider range of disciplinary perspectives on theory, practice and policy and to extend their knowledge and understanding of current relevant themes in English language teaching and learning
• help participants become independent professionals who can critically evaluate and analyse issues related to their professional practices and can solve practice-related problems
• develop their participants’ knowledge, skills and experiences that can help them accept leadership responsibilities in their future jobs
• enable participants to apply theoretical knowledge to practice-oriented tasks by becoming independent researchers

On completion of this course, students will be able to: demonstrate confidence, resilience, ambition and creativity and will act as inclusive, collaborative and socially responsible professionals in their discipline (ULO).

Thus, upon graduating with an MA Teaching Languages (English) students will be able to:

• identify and apply methods and techniques appropriate to their own teaching, research or advanced scholarship in English Language Teaching (LO1)

• apply knowledge with originality, based on a practical understanding of how established techniques of research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in English Language Teaching (LO2)

• evaluate critically current research and advanced scholarship in English Language Teaching (LO3)

• evaluate methodologies and develop critiques of them and, where appropriate, propose new hypotheses (LO4)

• demonstrate awareness of issues of intercultural communication that are central to the practice of English language teaching in a multicultural world (LO5)

• design effective English language tests that respond to the specific needs of their students and contexts (LO6)

• adopt a critical view of the issues surrounding the use and teaching of English worldwide and develop informed responses to these problems (LO7)

• identify and analyse learners’ needs in classroom contexts and make creative and well-informed pedagogical decisions for effective language learning (LO8)

• exercise self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level (LO9)

• advance their knowledge and understanding of the field of English Language Teaching, and to develop new skills to a high level (LO10)

• learn independently for the purposes of continuing professional development (LO11)

Subject Benchmark Statement for Linguistics, QAA, 2019.

A wide range of different assessment strategies are used on the course. Examples include oral presentations, poster presentations, test design, case studies, coursework, as well as academic essays. A final dissertation (12000-1500 words) is the single assessment on the guided independent research study. A combination of summative and formative strategies are also in place in order to ensure the achievement of the learning outcomes of each module. It should be noted that the School is committed to ensuring that each student should not have more no more than 2 assessment points per 20 credit module.

The course modules offer our students flexibility to choose the topics and forms of assessment which may vary from student to student based on their personal interests and expertise. This approach makes the assessment experience more accessible, fair and relevant to all our students. Examples of coursework offer a multi-modal approach to assessment that includes essay writing, video essays, reflective essays, projects and other formats that can be negotiated by the students.

The MA Teaching Languages (English) puts great emphasis on the concept of “feed-forward” which offers students the opportunity to submit early drafts for their lecturers to offer relevant feedback before they work on their final submission. This allows students to reflect on the strengths and areas for improvement of their work. All submissions made by students are marked, second marked and moderated by members of the academic staff and confirmed by external examiners in a timely manner. The written and oral feedback given to students emphasises the development of the students’ strengths and offers opportunities for development.

The course offers in-sessional support on academic skills and guidance on how to approach assignments and tasks. Class materials are available on Weblearn before the lessons take place so that students can have access to them if needed. In addition, students are encouraged to attend on-site or online meetings as drop-ins (during office hours) and/or at agreed times.

Further information:

The LN7P08 Teaching Languages Dissertation module is a 60- credit module assessed via a 12,000-15,000 word dissertation. Although the tariff differs slightly from School recommendations, there is a clear rationale for this decision.

The proposed word count allows students to explore their topics of investigation in depth and produce academic work of a high standard. A number of our graduates continue developing their dissertation projects at doctoral level and use their dissertation work as evidence of their academic and research skills. The tariff is also in line with common practice in the fields of applied linguistics and English language teaching in UKHE.

There is no organised work experience/placement on the course. However, on one of the modules (LN7063DL: Understanding the Language Classroom), school observations are arranged for the students. Through these observations, the students will have a valuable opportunity to develop critical knowledge about English language teaching and learning processes and practices, and gain a deeper understanding of English language teaching and learning in educational contexts in London. The placements are arranged through our community links.

It is recommend that part-time students complete 60 credits per academic year. As each module carries 20 credits (except for the dissertation which accounts for 60 credits), each year they can take 3 modules spread across two terms (Autumn and Spring). It is usually advised that part-time students enrol for LN7077 Research Methods in their final year as this module is closely linked to the dissertation.

Part-time students are free to choose any combination of modules. However, if option modules are not selected by a student within the time limit, the following structure will apply:

Year 1:
• LN7075
• LN7006
• LN7063

Year 2:
• LN7062
• LN7077
• LN7055
• LN7P08

1. For PG Certificate: Any 60 credits (except for the Dissertation) from Course Structure

2. For PG Diploma: Any 120 (except for the Dissertation) credits from Course Structure

The course offers opportunities for reflective learning throughout its modules. Such instances are encouraged primarily in three modes: during the lessons; during the students’ independent study time; and as a form of assessment. The teaching strategy for all the modules of this programme places reflective learning and practice at its core. Students are encouraged to engage in discussions which allow them to question, evaluate, and criticise past and current theories, policy and practice and explore the impact that these may have on their personal and professional lives. Similarly, the blended learning approach to learning adopted by this programme encourages students to share their reflections using the university’s virtual learning environment (Weblearn) and continue their discussions with their peers and tutors outside scheduled teaching hours.

Although the assessments for all the modules of this core invite students to reflect on the impact of the subject of exploration on their own practices, two of the modules are assessed mainly by the analysis of the students’ own reflections. For example, LN7075 requires students to conduct an autoethnography in which they explore their intercultural encounters and the way they construct and negotiate their identity in these exchanges; in a similar way, the assignment for LN7063 involves the creation reflection journals based on the analysis of language learners in a classroom setting.

The MA Teaching Languages (English) offers opportunities for career advancement both in the UK and abroad. Most graduates find employment after completion of the MA, some returning to more senior positions in their previous employment, while others move into new areas such as school management or language advisory work. Some of our students continue to study at doctoral level at London Metropolitan University or other prestigious universities in the UK and abroad.

The MA offers opportunities for career advancement both in the UK and abroad. Most graduates find employment after completion of the MA, some returning to more senior positions in their previous employment, while others move into new areas such as school management or language advisory work. Some of our students continue with us to study at doctoral level.

You will be required to have:

• a second class honours degree or above (in any subject)