ED3561- Introduction to Second Language Education

Instructor- Paula L. Kristmanson

Tuesday and Thursday- 10- 11:30 AM

Office hours- 8-10 AM Tuesday & Thursday

and 1:30-4:30 PM Monday & Wednesday

Contact information- 458-7115 (w), 451-1810(h), or

pkristma@unb.ca (your best bet for quick response!)

Description of Course:

During this course, students will examine and explore basic principles of second language teaching and learning. Students will have the opportunity to discuss and reflect upon questions such as: how do people learn language?; how do we learn language in a classroom environment?; what is the role of grammar instruction?; what is the communicative/ experiential approach to language teaching?; what is the role of interaction and negotiation in language teaching?; how do we learn to read and write in a second language?; how do affective factors affect language learning?; how do we assess language learning?

Students will examine effective approaches to teaching second language and demonstrate these through in-class micro-teaching, designing a multidimensional unit, oral presentations, class and small-group discussions, and responding orally and in writing to various questions and issues.

Course Outline

Week 1- Sept. 12 - Sept. 14

Theme: Theoretical foundations of second language learning and teaching

Objectives:

To identify and describe various approaches to teaching second language and to give examples of these approaches

To discuss and reflect upon principles second language acquisition and how they apply to classroom learning

Week 2- Sept. 19- Sept. 21

Theme: the multidimensional curriculum- the communicative/ experiential approach

Objectives:

To follow the guidelines set out in the National Core French Study (NCFS) in order to create a multidimensional unit

To write objectives that reflect the communicative and experiential nature of the multidimensional approach

Week 3- Sept. 26- Sept. 28

Theme: Interactional Approach/ Cooperative Learning

Objectives:

To demonstrate various aspects of the interactional approach and of cooperative learning to peers

To view a video in order to identify aspects of the interactional approach and to identify certain cooperative learning strategies

Week 4-- Oct. 3-Oct. 5

Theme: Literacy Learning

Objectives:

To examine ways of learning to read and write in a second language

To discuss and to determine how reading and writing can be integrated into an interactional and communicative/experiential approach to language teaching

Week 5- Oct. 10- Oct. 12

Theme: The Affective Domain

Objectives:

To discuss determine the role of motivation and attitudes in the second language learning environment

To examine learning styles and strategies in order to determine how they influence our teaching and learning a second language

To address the question: What constitutes a successful second language learning environment?

Week 6- Oct. 17- Mid-term Exam

Week 6- Oct. 19

Theme: Language Assessment

Objectives:

To examine principles of second language assessment

To try out various evaluation techniques

To develop one evaluation technique for use in our multidimensional unit

Week 7- Oct. 24 - Oct. 26

Theme: Language Assessment (continued)

Week 8- Oct. 31- Nov. 2

Theme: Multidimensional units

Objectives:

To share our best ideas with our peers

Week 9- Nov. 7- Nov. 9

Themes: Methods and Activities

Objectives:

To examine two approaches to teaching languages (TPR and natural approach) in order to determine how they can be integrated into a communicative/ experiential methodology

To demonstrate aspects of these approaches in peer groups

Week 10- Nov. 14- Nov. 16

Themes: Music & Poetry And Storytelling & Drama

Objective:

To present a given topic to peers in the form of a group presentation which will include demonstration of the given approach.

Week 11- Nov. 21- Nov. 23

Themes: Games And Literacy Development

Objective:

To present a given topic to peers in the form of a group presentation which will include demonstration of the given approach.

Week 12- Nov. 28- Nov. 30

Themes: Affective Activities

Objective:

To present a given topic to peers in the form of a group presentation which will include demonstration of the given approach.

Week 13- Dec. 5- Dec. 7

Themes: Reflections and Conclusions

Objective:

To reflect upon the course and how it will effective and influence future teaching

Required textbook:

Richard-Amato, P.A. (1996). Making in Happen: Interaction and the Second Language Classroom- from theory to practice. White Plains, NY: Addison-Wesley Publishing Group.

Assessment:

  1. A mid-term exam - tentative date- Oct. 17 (Questions will address material covered from Sept. 5- Oct. 19)- 20%
  2. Multidimensional Unit- outline due- Nov. 2/final project due- Dec. 6(Detailed information on the unit will be given in the second week of the course. This unit will demonstrate students understanding of the communicative/ experiential approach to second language teaching in a practical classroom context.)- 30%
  3. A group presentation- Nov. 14- Nov. 30 (These oral presentations will demonstrate the group's ability to synthesize material on a given topic as well as their ability to apply the topic to the second language classroom context. Detailed criteria for evaluation will be provided in the first week of the course.)- 30%
  4. Class participation- Presence in class combined with meaningful participation in class activities (absences of more than 3 classes must be supported by medical documentation). - 20%

    Homepage
    Last Update: 2000/10/26
    This page maintained by SLEC
    Homepage