LN7085 - Understanding the Language Classroom (2023/24)
| Module specification | Module approved to run in 2023/24 | ||||||||||
| Module title | Understanding the Language Classroom | ||||||||||
| Module level | Masters (07) | ||||||||||
| Credit rating for module | 20 | ||||||||||
| School | Guildhall School of Business and Law | ||||||||||
| Total study hours | 200 | ||||||||||
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| Assessment components |
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| Running in 2023/24(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change) |
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Module summary
This module offers an investigation into the language classroom and into learner and teacher roles and interactions. It develops themes relating to how languages are learned, what motivates people to learn other languages, and how best to support and develop learning in the classroom. The module draws on students' own experiences of language learning and/or teaching and encourages them to reflect on theoretical and practical aspects of language learning while developing their own practice as language teachers.
Through language classroom observations, students will become familiar with common practices in language teaching and learning and have the opportunity to develop a teacher-researcher perspective. The module introduces a range of theoretical considerations and practical implications of recent developments regarding the language classroom, including theoretical debates that widen students’ understanding of language learning and teaching processes. The practical implications of these debates on classroom teaching and learning will be considered. In doing so, the students are provided with an opportunity to evaluate and analyse learners and learning through exploring classroom solutions and incorporating lived experiences with academic literature.
Importantly, students are required to find an institution where they can observe at least 4 hours of English language tuition at any level.
Module Aims:
- You will become familiar with common practices in language teaching and learning and investigate how different cultural, social, and psychological factors influence learning
- You will undertake research on teaching and learning
- You will critically analyse recent theoretical developments in language teaching
- You will consider the practical classroom implications of these theories
- You will analyse learners' needs and identify classroom solutions while observing students in a classroom setting
- You will identify a range of techniques for promoting learning in the classroom
Prior learning requirements
None
Syllabus
The module will cover areas such as motivation in language teaching, interaction and discourse in the language classroom, tasks and task-based language teaching, learning styles and strategies, as well as aptitude, attitudes and achievement (LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5)
Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity
Students enrolled in this module will be encouraged to engage with recommended readings in preparation for the unit. As the module adopts a blended-learning approach, students will have access to a dedicated module site (Weblearn) where they will find learning activities, class materials, session recordings, 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 be supported and guided throughout the module by their tutor who they can consult in person, by email, or via designated video-conference software.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:
- Deepen their knowledge of the varied needs of learners in the language classroom (LO1)
- Identify classroom factors that affect language learning and teaching (LO2)
- Account for and reflect critically upon concepts such as motivation, interaction and achievement in language classrooms (LO3)
- Engage with research evidence in the field and reflect on their own learning and teaching practices in relation to it (LO4)
- Critically evaluate the learning and teaching processes that they have observed (LO5)
Assessment strategy
The summative assessment has two parts: students write (1) a reflective journal based on their classroom observations (around 1,500 words) and (2) an analysis of a learner under a particular aspect introduced in the module (such as motivation, classroom interaction, learner style or learning strategies) (around 1,500 words). Both parts are submitted together as the students’ final coursework (3,000 words).