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2021/2022

English

Code: 44327 ECTS Credits: 10
Degree Type Year Semester
4310486 Teaching in Secondary Schools, Vocational Training and Language Centres OT 0 A
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Mercè Mur Effing
Email:
Merce.Mur@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
english (eng)

Prerequisites

It would be desirable to have a minimum level of C1 to register for this module.

 

Objectives and Contextualisation

This subject is aimed at future teachers of English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) so that they may become familiar with basic teaching strategies for teaching English to teenagers and adults in institutional contexts and acquire basic knowledge and skills to help them continue to improve as teachers of English throughout their professional lives. These goals are based on the following learning objectives:

  • To become familiar with the basics of the sociolinguistic principles of learning foreign languages in institutional environments, supported by research in the field.
  • To become familiar with the recommendations of the CEFR
  • To develop strategies for teaching foreign languages that are coherent with current research about language learning, student needs and the learning context.
  • To become familiar with oral and written text genres taught in schools and their characteristics.
  • To use advanced linguistic and discursive knowledge to write, adapt and edit oral and written texts adapted to students' needs.

 Regardless of the language certificates handed in at the pre-enrolment stage, students taking this subject are reminded that on completing all course requirements they are eligible to be English teachers, meaning that they need to be strong language models for students. Students who enrol in this subject are expected to be able to express themselves fluently, accurately and appropriately in English - in terms of grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation - in everyday situations and in all situations related to the teaching profession (debates, reports, oral presentations, classroom management, etc.). They should also be able to read and comprehend informative, literary and professional texts without difficulty.

This Master’s Degree is aligned with European policies and guidelines promoting plurilingual competences. For this reason, it is expected that students display a receptive, appreciative an open attitude to the use of languages other than English in this course, whether known to the student or otherwise.

Competences

  • Acquire strategies to encourage student effort and enhance their capacity to learn by himself and others, and develop thinking skills and decision-making to facilitate autonomy, confidence and personal initiative.
  • Communicate effectively both verbally and non-verbally.
  • Design and develop learning spaces with special attention to equity, education and emotional values, equal rights and opportunities for men and women, civic education and respect for human rights that facilitate life in society, decision making and building a sustainable future.
  • Generate innovative and competitive professional activities and research.
  • Know the curricular content of the matters relating to the appropriate teaching specialization and the body of didactic knowledge around the respective teaching and learning.
  • Make effective use of integrated information and communications technology.
  • Own the learning skills necessary to carry out continuous training, both in content and teaching specialty, as in the general aspects of teaching.
  • Search, obtain, process and communicate information (oral, printed, audiovisual, digital or multimedia), transform it into knowledge and apply it in the teaching and learning in their own areas of specialization.
  • know the processes of interaction and communication in the classroom, mastering social skills and abilities necessary to encourage learning and coexistence in the classroom, and address problems of discipline and conflict resolution.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Communicate effectively, both verbally and non-verbally.
  2. Create a climate that facilitates interaction and values the contributions of students to promote the learning of English in the classroom.
  3. Demonstrate ability to efficiently manage classroom activities in English as a foreign language, and flexibility in the use of other languages ??if the situation so advised.
  4. Demonstrate ability to plan and execute activities learning English as a Foreign Language learners focused on raising awareness about the use of discriminatory language and developing communication strategies for productive discussion and mediation.
  5. Demonstrate knowledge of cultural and educational value of the English language and contents of the discipline taught in Secondary Education and Baccalaureate, and integrate this content in the framework of science and culture.
  6. Demonstrate knowledge of teaching strategies and the ability to organize and manage spaces and autonomous forms of learning such as classroom learning.
  7. Demonstrate knowledge of the history and recent developments of English, and his prospects, to convey a dynamic view of the same.
  8. Demonstrate sensitivity and respect for all languages learners and use appropriate resources in the management of multilingualism leading to the valuation of all languages present in the classroom and promote the use of English as the language of communication within the scope of the English classroom.
  9. Demonstrate that it is aware of the theoretical bases that sustain current approaches me teaching English as a foreign language and know how to apply it to practical situations of teaching and learning.
  10. Demonstrate the use of assertive strategies in conflict resolution in the classroom.
  11. Participate in improvement proposals in different areas from reflection based on practice.
  12. Possess learning skills necessary to carry out continuous training in both content and didactics of english, as well as general aspects of teaching.
  13. Select and read critical information relating to language teaching.
  14. Show that a configuration of contexts and situations that favor the use of English in Secondary Education, emphasizing its functional character as a tool for information and communication drives.
  15. Use information and communications technology and integrate them into the teaching and learning of English.

Content

ENGLISH (10 ECTS)

3.1 Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for languages: learning, teaching, evaluation

  • European language policy to promote plurilingualism.
  • Strategies for inter-comprehension among speakers of different languages.
  • Communicative competence. Language activities in the CEFR: production, reception and interaction.
  • Common reference levels: descriptors of competences.
  • Pragmatic and intercultural competence.
  • Evaluation scales and European certification systems based on the CEFR.

3.2. Academic oral and written skills

  • Analysis and production of effective oral explanations and presentations in English in academic settings.
  • Fluency, pronunciation and effective communication in a foreign language.
  • Discussion and debate in academic contexts. Communication strategies.
  • Text and context.
  • Linguistic and discursive characteristics of school textual genres and scientific dissemination: narrative, argumentative, descriptive, explanatory, descriptive texts.
  • Use of inclusive language. Alternatives to common expressions that may be discriminatory on the basis of gender, cultural group, etc.
  • Cohesion and coherence.
  • The production of academic research and dissemination texts: their structure and style. The APA standard. Plagiarism.

3.3. Classroom Discourse Analysis

  • Conversation in a foreign language: structure and opening, extension, derivation and closing rituals. The principle of collaboration.  
  • Interaction in the foreign language classroom. Turn taking. IRF sequences. Repair in the foreign language classroom.
  • Transcription and analysis of conversational sequences in the English classroom.

3.4. Literary and audiovisual production and popular culture for adolescent and adult learners

  • Analysis of literary texts, printed and audiovisual documents from the universal literary tradition.
  • The media, such as cinema, radio and television, press, Internet, lyrics, comics, etc. relevant to adolescent learners.
  • The choice of literary text: the canon vs. the needs of the reader.
  • The representation of women in literature and cinema. Visibility of writers, scientists, artists and film directors often forgotten by the canon and recorded history.
  • The literary texts and audiovisual works as catalysts of oral and written communication activities.

Methodology

The methodology of face-to-face sessions will combine lectures and teacher-led activities with student-led work, pair and groupwork, presentations, debates and project-based learning. This requires active participation on behalf of students and the sustained use of the target language. English is the language in which the great majority of teaching and learning and assessment activities will be carried out.

Our teaching approach and assessment procedures may be altered if public health authorities impose new restrictions on public gatherings for COVID-19

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
On-campus instructor-led activities (lectures, classroom practice, examples, case studies) 62.5 2.5 1, 3, 4, 6, 10, 5, 9, 14, 8, 11, 13, 15
Type: Supervised      
Specialized or on-campus conferences: attention to groups or individuals 50 2 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 5, 7, 9, 14, 8, 11, 12, 15
Type: Autonomous      
Distance and autonomous learing activities 137.5 5.5 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 14, 8, 12, 13, 15

Assessment

The following requirements need to be met to pass this module:

  1. A PASS in English, which requires demonstrating the efficient, fluent, adequate and accurate use (pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, spelling, text organization, etc.) of the language of specialisation in any situation related to academic and/or teaching tasks, demonstrating a C2 level of general communicative competence based on the CEFR as well as School interactional competence, which includes being a good language model and an effective and efficient manager of communication in English in order to teach this language.
  2. Minimum class attendance: 80%.
  3. A pass in all individual assessment tasks.
  4. A pass in each one of the different parts that make up the module.
  5. To show an ethical commitment to the deontological principles of the profession. The lack of this commitment automatically leads to failing the module.

Calculation of the Final Mark for this module:

Once officially communicated to the students, the scheduled dates can only be modified by reasons of a higher power. If this is the case, the change of date will be announced through the virtual portal of the subject.

 

ACTIVITY / ASSESSMENT TASK

 

      %

DATE

Initial Diagnostic test of English Language competence

 

     30

 29th Oct. 

Personal Interview

 

     20

 19th & 26th Nov.

Written academic paper

 

     20

 At the end of content block 1

Transcriptions

 

     10

 At the end of content block 2

Literature paper

 

     20

 At the end of content block 3

Re-take exam

 

 

 18th Feb.

TOTAL

 

    100

 

Table 1. Assessment tasks, specific weight and scheduled date.

 

  • It is compulsory for all students to do the Diagnostic test and the Personal Interview. If they hand in the official C2 certificate, and if they have taken Literature, Pragmatics subjects and Jeffersonian Transcriptions in the English Studies degree at the UAB, they might not have to take any other test to pass this module. All cases will be dealt with individually.
  • Copying or plagiarism, both in the case of graded work and of examinations, constitutes a crime that may result in failing the course. An assignment, activity or exam is considered to be "copied" when it reproduces all or part of the work of a peer. An assignment or activity is considered to be "plagiarised" when part of an author's text is presented as one's own without citing the sources, regardless of whether the original sources are on paper or in digital format. (more information on plagiarism at http://wuster.uab.es/web_argumenta_obert/unit_20/sot_2_01.html).

Review:

As well as the communication of the evaluation of assignments to the students, the instructor is also responsible for providing the date, time and place of review.

Appeals:

Requests for clarification or appeals about the grades received will be made in writing through the Virtual Campus in the mailbox created for this purpose. The student must use the form provided in due course.

Re-take exam:

Students are expected to do continuous work to pass each one of the evaluation tasks and, consequently, of the different parts that make up the module. Students who have failed one part may take an overall second-chance test on the dates specified in Table 1.

In the event that tests or exams cannot be taken onsite, they will be adapted to an online format made available through the UAB’s virtual tools (original weighting will be maintained). Homework, activities and class participation will be carried out through forums, wikis and/or discussion on Teams or Zoom, etc. Lecturers will ensure that students are able to access these virtual tools, or will offer them feasible alternatives.

 

 

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
English - Diagnostic Test 30% 0 0 1, 8, 12, 15
Literature paper 20% 0 0 1, 3, 4, 10, 5, 7, 9, 8, 13, 15
Personal Interview 20% 0 0 1, 3, 10, 8, 15
Transcriptions 10% 0 0 1, 3, 4, 9, 11, 13, 15
Written Academic paper 20% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 5, 7, 9, 14, 8, 11, 12, 13, 15

Bibliography

Kennedy-Scanlon, M., Pladevall, E., Cebrián, J. (2012) - Guided Error Correction: Exercises for Spanish-speaking students of English. Level B2. Bellaterra: Servei de Publicacions UAB.

Kennedy-Scanlon, M., Cebrián, J., Bradbury, J. (2009) - Guided Error Correction: Exercises for Spanish-speaking students of English. Level C1-Book1. Bellaterra: Servei de Publicacions. UAB

 

Recommended bibliography

Bailey, K. M. (2007). Practical English language teaching: Speaking. Higher Education Press.

Celce-Muria M. (2001). Teaching English as a second or foreign language. Boston: Heinle & Heinle / Thomson Learning.

Council of Europe (2001).Marc europeu comú de referència per a les llengües: aprendre, ensenyar, avaluar. Strasbourg. Council of Europe. Disponible a:
http://llengua.gencat.cat/ca/serveis/informacio_i_difusio/publicacions_en_linia/classific_temes/temes_materials_didactics/marc_europeu_de_referencia_per_a_les_llengues

Council of Europe (2005). Política lingüística del Consell d’Europa En Plurilingual education in Europe. Strasbourg: Council of Europe, pp.6-8. Disponible en: www.coe.int.

Dalton-Puffer, C. (2007). Discourse in content and language integrated learning. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

Moore, E. (2016). Aprendizaje de lenguas e interacción social. In D. Masats & L. Nussbaum (Eds.) Enseñanza y aprendizaje de las lenguas extranjeras en educación secundaria obligatòria. Madrid: Síntesis, pp. 35-58.

Murphy, Raymond (2008) Essential Grammar in Use. Cambridge: CUP

Nussbaum, L. (2001). El discurso en el aula de lengua extranjera. In Nussbaum, L. & Bernaus M. (Eds.) Didáctica de las lenguas extranjeras en la educación secundaria obligatoria. Madrid: Síntesis, pp. 137-172.

Swan, Michael (2002), Practical English Usage. Oxford: OUP

 

 

 

Software

We don't use any.