EL7052 - TESOL in the World

The module will be delivered through weekly interactive lectures and seminars. Key themes and concepts will be introduced in lectures, supported by seminars that allow further group working, discussion and debate. All topics and debates within the module will be supported by reference to relevant literature, which you will read outside of class to further develop your knowledge and understanding of the field.

In addition to learning during taught hours with the module tutor, you will be expected to undertake both directed and independent learning. Directed learning generally will take the form of preparation for seminars where you will be expected to contribute to group work and full class discussion.

Independent learning generally will take the form of further reading and investigation, the consolidation of seminar notes, and revision/preparation for the assessment of the module.

All learning materials, tasks and readings will be posted on the eLP (e-learning portal) to facilitate full participation in the module. Additionally, you will receive formative feedback on your ideas and understandings throughout the module. The module’s final, summative assessments will also provide an opportunity for learning, the feedback from assessment 1 providing you with comment and ideas which you will be able to develop as you prepare and submit assignment 2.

Interactive lectures and seminars will develop both your academic knowledge of key questions and dilemmas around TESOL in the world, and your ability to reflect on and position yourself in debates and issues within the field. Your academic development is also facilitated through engagement with the weekly readings, and also discussing theoretical and practical concerns with your tutor and peers.

The module handbook provides details of weekly topics, reading lists and assessment criteria; lecture/seminar materials are available on the eLP (see above). The module tutor will be available in lectures and workshops, in ‘Feedback and consultation hours’ (i.e. ‘office hours’) and by appointment, and on email, to discuss any queries or concerns you have regarding any aspect of the module. Formative feedback will be given in an on-going basis throughout in-class activities. You will be delivering a presentation on a topic of your choice and you will receive feedback to help you prepare for assignment 2.

In addition, you have a designated Guidance Tutor throughout the entire duration of your studies. The academic side of the Guidance Tutor’s role includes monitoring your ongoing academic progress, helping you to develop self-reflection skills necessary for continuous academic development, and directing you to further available services which can help them with their academic skills (e.g. the Library’s Skills Plus). You are advised to see your Guidance Tutor at least twice each semester to review your academic progress. Additional language support is also available from the ESAP programme offered by the language centre.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:
1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of key debates within ELT and the possibilities open to language teachers and other language teaching professionals (e.g., policy-makers, curriculum designers, educational managers) within these debates.

2. Articulate an understanding of key issues and debates in the TESOL field and how they operate within an educational, technological, economic, linguistic, sociocultural, and historical/political context

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
3. Reflect critically the ways in which your decision-making and practice may be informed by theory and research, and thus on the relevance of the theoretical literature to their own professional contexts and working practices.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
4. PVA Demonstrate the ability to critically apply, interpret and present module knowledge, and critical reflections upon this knowledge, both orally and in writing.

Formative assessment
1. You will present your ideas during interactive lectures and will receive formative feedback from the module tutor and peers on any perspectives you share. Such formative feedback will enable you to test and form your own understanding of key issues in the field.

Summative (graded) Assessments
1. Individual presentation (40%)

The assessment draws upon ideas covered in the first few weeks of the module. You will need to choose a topic and evaluate it presenting the for/against perspective as reflected in contemporary literature on the issue.

The assignment will be supported by formative tasks in class.

This formative assessment will aim to ensure you organise your ideas and material for the assessed essay, by selecting relevant resources to help you answer the question you have chosen. You will receive feedback from classmates and the module tutor, supported by a one-to-one meeting with the module tutor as necessary. The rationale for this is to enable you to road-test ideas before committing yourself to an argument or position.
Formative assessments address MLOs in ‘Knowledge and Understanding’, ‘Intellectual/Professional skills & abilities’, and ‘Personal Values Attributes’.

2. 2,500-word essay (60%)

You will write an essay in response to a set of questions provided by the module tutor. You will be expected to demonstrate a clear engagement with the larger themes and debates of ELT, focusing specifically on those identified in the essay title. The aim here is to ensure you get to grips with theoretical positions and concepts, and identify your own position towards ideas and debates within the field.

Feedback will be provided using a template reflecting assessment criteria and comments on the scripts.

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Drawing upon an Applied Linguistics perspective, this 20-credit module explores key issues and debates in the TESOL field. It investigates key questions and dilemmas around TESOL within educational, technological, economic, linguistic, sociocultural, and historical/political contextual frameworks, focusing on the implications of these debates for ELT stakeholders.

On this module, therefore, you will engage critically with current key debates which would include topics such as (1) World Englishes (2) Innovation and creativity in the TESOL classroom (technology and other options like the flipped classroom, using drama, art, etc.); (3) Culture, Intercultural communication and TESOL; (4) Literacy and TESOL (EAL and ESOL) ; (5) TESOL for Young learners; (6) Bilingualism, multilingualism including the role of L1; and (7) Instructed SLA.

You will thus reflect critically upon social and historical trends within applied linguistics and English language teaching, recognising the complexity and diversity of ELT classrooms around the world, establishing your own ‘sense of plausibility’ about pedagogic practice and theory in relation to your own (current or future) professional context.

Your studies during this wide-ranging module may also help you identify aspects of the language learning classroom which you find particularly interesting. This may form a basis for studying them further during your MA dissertation.