Teaching Innovation and Introduction to Educational Research on Teaching English
Code: 45580 ECTS Credits: 10| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Formación de Profesorado de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria y Bachillerato, Formación Profesional y Enseñanza de Idiomas | OP | 1 |
Contact
- Name:
- Emilee Sarah Moore De Luca
- Email:
- emilee.moore@uab.cat
Teachers
- Berta Torras Vila
- Elena Markina Kalakina
- Celia Pratginestos Pou
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
Those set by the Departament d'Educació, Generalitat de Catalunya. Advanced communicative competence in English, equivalent to level C2 of the CEFR, is highly recommended.
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:
- Observe and reflect on classroom practices, applying ethics and constructive criticism, and adopting the theoretical and methodological principles of foreign language teaching.
- Identify research needs in specific classroom situations and apply methodological strategies to respond to them, from a teacher-researcher stance.
- Use advanced teaching, linguistic, and discursive knowledge to understand and produce oral and written scientific texts.
- Self-evaluate one's own teaching practice, identify strengths and weaknesses and propose concrete and realistic improvements.
- To collaborate with other student-teachers to achieve the training objectives by cooperating in the completion of the learning tasks.
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 isexpected 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.
Learning Outcomes
- CA36 (Competence) Use a variety of strategies and specific teaching methodologies to implement foreign language learning situations that promote inclusive competency-based learning.
- CA37 (Competence) Build educational and training assessment into programming as a tool to check and regulate foreign language learning.
- CA38 (Competence) Manage the teaching action in the foreign language classroom, taking into account the competences of the students and the characteristics of the interaction in the classroom (teacher-student and between students), the educational feedback, and the role of teachers in activating and regulating learning.
- CA39 (Competence) Adopt ethical behaviour that follows professional standards in the analysis and design of innovation and research projects in foreign language teaching.
- CA40 (Competence) Adopt a perspective that is sensitive to the multilingual reality of foreign language classrooms and assess the linguistic repertoires of students.
- KA26 (Knowledge) Define interaction and communication processes in the classroom and constructive interaction strategies that foster the learning of the foreign language.
- KA27 (Knowledge) Remember the curricular contents of the foreign language, as well as the body of teaching knowledge around the respective teaching and learning processes.
- SA34 (Skill) Base teaching on the evidence of foreign language teaching in order to improve teaching and learning processes.
- SA35 (Skill) Master oral and written expression in both academic discursive practices and foreign language teaching practice.
- SA36 (Skill) Use data from the classroom context to reflect on their own foreign language teaching practice.
Content
BLOCK 1. Introduction to Research in Teaching English as a Foreign Language
1.1. The teacher as a researcher in the classroom. Individual and shared reflection in and about teaching as a model for self-development and innovation. The dialectical interrelationship between educational theory and practice. Teacher training and evidence-based professional development. Ethics in research.
1.2. The teacher and the student as a focus of observation. Non-judgmental observation. Focused and non-focused observation techniques. Feedback on observation. Paired observation and self-observation. Methods available to teachers to ensure the reliability and validity of observations. Transcription and analysis of conversational sequences in the English classroom.
1.3. Action research. Phases of action research. Design of small-scale research projects, within the framework of the practicum, related to the classroom practice. Methods for collecting, processing, and using classroom data. Collaboration in action research.
1.4 The role of students in research in Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Student researchers.
BLOCK 2. Oral and written academic and teaching skills
2.1. Critical reading of research and dissemination texts in the field of Teaching English as a Foreign Language. Analysis and production of effective oral explanations and presentations in English in academic and professional settings. Use of inclusive language. Alternatives to common expressions that may be discriminatory based on gender, cultural group, etc.
2.2. Communicating research results in the classroom. The research report in the field of Teaching English as a Foreign Language as an inquiry into teaching practice. Producing academic research and dissemination texts: their structure and style. Cohesion and coherence. The APA standard. Plagiarism. The ethical use of artificial intelligence tools.
BLOCK 3. Initiation to the teaching profession
3.1. Access to the teaching profession. Experiences of new teachers.
3.2. Lifelong learning: continuing education opportunities offered by governments, universities, and professional organisations. Innovative programs in the field of English language teaching.
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| On-campus instructor-led activities (lectures, classroom practice, examples, case studies) | 62.5 | 2.5 | CA36, CA37, CA38, CA39, CA40, KA26, KA27, SA34, SA35, SA36, CA36 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Specialized or on-campus tutorials: attention to groups or individuals | 12.5 | 0.5 | CA36, CA37, CA38, CA39, CA40, KA26, KA27, SA34, SA35, SA36, CA36 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Distance and autonomous learning activities | 175 | 7 | CA36, CA37, CA38, CA39, CA40, KA26, KA27, SA34, SA35, SA36, CA36 |
The methodology of face-to-face sessions will combine lectures and teacher-led activities with student-led work, pair-work and group-work, presentations, debates and project-based learning. This requires active participation on behalf of students and the sustained use of English. English is the language in which teaching and assessment activities will be carried out.
This subject includes activities to develop students' digital teaching competence.
This subject includes excursions to different schools.
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.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active and collaborative participation in learning and assessment tasks (individual grade, throughout the course) | 10% | 0 | 0 | CA36, CA37, CA38, CA39, CA40, KA26, KA27, SA34, SA35, SA36 |
| Micro-teaching (individual, 11/18 February 2026) | 30% | 0 | 0 | CA36, CA37, CA38, KA26, KA27, SA35 |
| Oral academic Presentation (pairs or groups, 06 February 2026) | 20% | 0 | 0 | CA39, KA27, SA34, SA35 |
| Written academic paper (individual, 20 February 2026) | 25% | 0 | 0 | CA39, KA27, SA34, SA35 |
| Written reflections on school observations (individual, 09 November 2025) | 15% | 0 | 0 | CA39, CA40, SA34, SA35, SA36 |
In order to pass the subject it is necessary to:
- Have a PASS in English, which requires demonstrating the efficient, fluent, adequate and accurate use (pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, spelling, text organisation, etc.) of the language in academic and teaching tasks, demonstrating a C1 level of general communicative competence based on the CEFR as well as classroom 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.
- Have a PASS in all individual assessment tasks.
- Show an attitude compatible with the teaching profession, such as: ethical commitment to the deontological principles of the profession, commitment and responsibility with work, respect, participation, active listening, cooperation, empathy, kindness, punctuality, not judging, arguing, etc.
- Make appropriate use of electronic devices (mobile, computer, tablet, etc.) in the classroom. These devices can ONLY be used for activities related to the subject.
For this subject, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted exclusively in support tasks, such as bibliographic or information searches and the correction of written texts. Students must clearly identify which parts have been generated with this technology, specify the tools used and include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and the final result of the activity. The final result of the tasks must reflect a significant contribution by the students in the analysis and personal reflection. The lack of transparency in the use of AI in assessable activities or the lack of originality of the results will be considered a lack of academic honesty and may lead to a total penalty (grade of 0) in the grade of the activity.
Assessment activities and dates:
A full program will be provided the first day of class and through the subject'sVirtual Campus. Each instructor will explain the tasks and evaluation criteria for the block for which they are responsible during class.
Assignments will be delivered using the subject's virtual classroom. Assignments delivered in incorrect formats, which do not include the names of the authors, or which are delivered after the deadline will not be accepted. The student is responsible for ensuring that the format of the files is compatible with the vitual classroom.
Once officially communicated to students through the course program, assessment dates can only be modified by reasons of force majeure. If this is the case, the change of date will be announced through the subject's Virtual Campus.
The teaching staff will mark assessment activities in a maximum of 20 work days.
Calculation of the overall grade of the module:
As a general rule, the final grade for the subject is the weighted average obtained from all the assessment tasks in the subject.
A grade of not assessed will be obtained if 1) 66% of the assessment activities are not submitted and therefore the student has no right to re-sit, 2) 80% of the classes are have not been attended and a pass grade is not obtained in the re-sit period. In all other cases a numerical grade will be assigned.
Exceptions:
Grades earned on group assessment tasks will average with those earned on individual tasks only if the individual tasks have been passed.
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 onpaper or in digital format.
Continuous assessment:
It is necessary to attend a minimum of 80% of the hours assigned to the subject. In case of attendance below this % students can opt for the re-sit (see below).
Single assessment:
Although due to the characteristics of the subject this option is not advisable, this subject includes the single assessment modality. To qualify, it is necessary to request it within the deadline and following the procedures established by Gestió Acadèmica.
It is necessary to attend a minimum of 80% of the hours assigned to the subject. In case of attendance below this % students can opt for the re-sit (see below).
The assessment activities are the same and have the same weight as in continuous assessment, with the exception of group work, which will be presented individually if it is not possible to form a group. In addition, an individual interview may be held to confirm that the work submitted is the student's own.
The date for single assessment is May 15, 2026. This day all the work and tests will be submitted.
Global assessment:
This subject does not include the global assessment option.
Revision:
When teachers communicate grades to students of the different formal assessment tasks, they will inform of the date, time and place of revision.
Claims:
Demands for clarification or claims about the grades received will be formulated in writing within a week after the revision.
Re-sit:
Students are expected to keep up with the pace of the subject, which includes passing each of the assessment tasks. Students who have handed in 2/3 of the tasks with a minimum average grade of 3.5, will be able to re-take the eligible activities failed on May 29, 2026. The grade for each of these activities will not exceed 5 points outof 10.
In case of attendance below 80%, an additional individualassignment will be required that must be submitted in writing and orally in the re-sit period (in addition to the other re-sit assignments). The maximum overall grade for the subject in this case will be a 5 out of 10.
Bibliography
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Software
No specific programs are required.
Groups and Languages
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.