Unit name | Analysing Language for TESOL |
---|---|
Unit code | EDUCM5901 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | M/7 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
Unit director | Dr. Matt Kedzierski |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | School of Education |
Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
The unit sets out approaches to the description of language in the discourse analysis tradition, looking both at the technical ways of representing discourse, and also at the cultural and contextual aspects of language use: the ways in which discourse achieves coherence. The approach to language therefore, is essentially a discourse one. This approach has two key features: 1. Texts (instances of language in use, both spoken and written) are viewed as fulfilling certain functions in social and cultural contexts of language learning and teaching; and 2. Those communicative functions are realised in language forms which are part of grammatical, lexical and phonological systemns of the language. The unit engages with the different traditions in language description which underpin processes in TESOL and in language education more generally such as syllabus and task design, learning materials, and language assessment.
The unit aims to:
By the end of this unit, students will have developed an understanding of:
1. The nature of discourse and the different traditions of analysing it
2. The components of discourse, such as culture and pragmatics, grammar, lexis and phonology
3. The ways in which approaches to discourse inform the TESOL curriculum
4. The role of social context in determining discourse forms and choices in spoken and written English
5. The nature and challenges of intercultural communication as an implicit aspect of TESOL, and as an aspect of personal development as a language user in the context of the MSc TESOL
By the end of this unit, students will have developed skills in:
6. Using discourse analysis and language description frameworks as a tool for TESOL in the following ways: Identification of functional and formal features of texts (instances of language in use) used in TESOL and the relationships between these; Selecting and evaluating texts and tasks for learning and assessment; Determining the facility or difficulty of texts in learning contexts
7. Using discourse analysis and language description frameworks as a research tool in the TESOL field in the following ways: Researching classrooms and other interactional contexts; Analysing the content and form of documents and texts; Development of discourse skills appropriate for language use in an academic context
Lecture input
Online learning support (Blackboard)
Data Projects (online resources, using data from Tutors’ Research Projects)
Presentations,
Small group work,
Seminars or workshops,
Action research,
Simulations,
Individual tutorials and supported self study.
Individualised and supervised studies to include on-line discussion, supervision and directed reading.
Formative assessment
The formative assessment for this unit will consist of the instructors' oral and written feedback on students' work including through tutorials, guiding comments on assignments, and informally through classroom discussions or following presentations. Peer and self-reflection with respect to understanding and critiquing pedagogical assumptions and identifying the theoretical principles or theories that underlie them or policies that support/perpetuate them will be encouraged.
Summative assessment
A 10 minute individual presentation about the programmatic features of a chosen approach to discourse analysis and a critical appraisal of its epistemic gain. The presentation will draw on the relevant literature and the student’s experience as a language user, language learner, and TESOL practitioner. ILO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6(50%)
A 2000 word assignment on the application of a discourse-analytical framework to a sample of written, spoken or multimodal ‘text’. Drawing on the relevant literature, the assignment will reflect critically on the significance of the findings of the analysis for the field of TESOL/applied linguistics. ILO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 (50%)