This course in second language instructional techniques and procedures is designed to meet practical needs of pre- and in-service ESL/EFL classroom teachers. The purpose of the course is to complement the relatively broader, and more theoretical, perspective taken in the seminar in "Approaches to Teaching Second Languages to Adults" course (TSLP 845) offered by the department. The "Classroom Practices" course focuses upon classroom techniques, instructional procedures, and teacher/learner behaviors that emerge when a variety of second language (L2) methodologies are used. One operating assumption is that pre- and in-service L2 teachers need access to useful ideas, suggestions, demonstrations, and examples of teaching techniques. They need opportunities to become familiar with classroom procedures that are consistent with established theoretical principles teachers in our field find to be expedient, practical, and relevant to L2 classroom settings. A second assumption is that, by developing their repertoire of teaching practices to be consistent with their knowledge of and beliefs about education, teachers will more clearly articulate their personal philosophy and approach to language education.
II. Objectives. Class participants will:
1. participate in a classroom learning community that will both provide for the creative exchange of ideas and will serve as a model for the present and future learning communities students will create in their own classrooms; 2. through reading, experience, exploring technological resources and microteaching, develop rich and varied repertoires of second language classroom activities, strategies, and procedures as well as means of effectively using them in the classroom; 3. adapt these L2 teaching activities, practices, and procedures to their evolving teaching philosophies, styles and preferences; 4. review and evaluate recent materials for potential effectiveness in their future teaching. 5. observe and analyze activities, practices, and procedures in L2 classrooms; 6. integrate their learning experiences by planning a unit of study for a current or potential class of their own students; and 7. document their growth as professionals by compiling professional portfolios including information, artifacts, and rationale that reflect their thoughts, experience, and knowledge as English language teachers. III. Methods of Instruction
Methods of instruction will include the following: Assigned readings; seminar discussions; lectures; dialogue journals; class listserv discussion; video demonstrations, software demonstrations; internet demonstrations, by participants and others, examination and evaluations of textbook and other materials, examination of prototypical activity descriptions, development of lesson and unit planning abilities, classroom observations, group/pair discussions, individual work/assignments, classroom management strategies, etc.
The course will include (1) in-class instruction and practice; (2) out-of-class study, reading, practice, classroom observation, e-mail, and written communication with L2 students; (3) in-class opportunities to develop analytical skills; (4) in-class experiential opportunities such as presenting materials reviews, microteaching and peer-teaching; (5) exploring university technological facilities, including the library, the Instructional Resource Center, and Computer Center CD-ROM and internet resources.
(4) Hedge, Tricia. (1988). Writing: Resource Books for Teachers. New York: Oxford University Press. (Focus on Writing/Composition) (61 prototypical L2 classroom "composition" activities) Klippel, Friederike. (1987). Keep Talking: Communicative Fluency Activities for Language Teaching. New York: Cambridge Handbook for Language Teaching. (Focus on the teaching of oral communication: speaking & listening). (123 prototypical L2 classroom "oral communication" activities) Ur, Penny. (1990). Grammar Practice Activities. New York: Cambridge University Press. (Focus on communicative "grammar" activities. (191 prototypical L2 classroom grammar activities)
These teacher-reference textbooks are available in the GSU bookstore. They are examples of the kinds of practical, hands-on, reference materials that many ESL classroom teachers like to have available on their bookshelves as resources and aids for planning L2 classroom lessons.
IV. Additional required readings (Chapters and Journal Articles) Note: Several articles will be added to this list.
*Brown, H. D. (1994). How to plan a lesson. (pp. 395-410/Chapter 20) in H. D. Brown's Teaching by Principles. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall Regents. Celce-Murcia, M. & Hilles, S. (1988). Dramatic activities & role play. Techniques and Resources in Teaching Grammar. (pp. 61-72 only). Leki, I. (1992). Building expertise through sequenced writing assignments. TESOL Journal, Winter, 1991-1992. McCloskey, M. L., Cooperative Language Learning. Integrated Language Teaching Strategies. Atlanta: Educo, 1992. Mendelsohn, D. (1992). Making the speaking class a real learning experience: The keys to teaching spoken English: Saffires. TESL Canada Journal. 10(1), 72-89. Murphy, J. M. (1992). From caterpillar to butterfly: Using Modern Technology within the current paradigm of ESL instruction. TESL Canada Journal. 9(2), pp. 80-98. Murphy, J. M. (1993). Using modern technological resources for communicative purposes." TESOL Journal, 2(4), 11-14. Oxford, R. (1993.) Language learning strategies in a nutshell: Update and ESL suggestions. TESOL Journal, Winter 1993, pp. 18-22. Oxford, R. & Crookall, D. (1990). Vocabulary learning: A critical analysis of techniques." TESL Canada Journal. (20 pp.). Peyton, J. K. (1987). Dialogue journal writing with limited-English-proficient students. ERIC Report. Washington, DC: Center for Applied Linguistics. Purgason, K. B. (1991). Planning Lessons and Units. In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed.), Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. Boston: Heinle & Heinle, pp. 419-431. *Richards, J. C. & Lockhart, C. (1994). The nature of language learning activities," pp. 161- 173/Chapter 8 in J. C. Richards & C. Lockhart's Reflective Teaching in Second Language Classrooms. Cambridge. Schreck, R., & Schreck, J. Computer-assisted language learning. (pp. 472-486). In M. Celce- Murcia (Ed.), Teaching English as a second or foreign language. Boston: Heinle & Heinle. *Silberstein, S. (1994). Introduction to second language reading. [pp. 3-12 / Chapter one]. Techniques and Resources in Teaching Reading. New York: Oxford University Press. Ur, P. (1984). Listening comprehension exercises. Teaching Listening Comprehension, (pages 96-123 only).
The preceding set of additional book chapters and journal articles are required readings in the course. Please note that the three starred (*) articles are taken from materials you may already own: Brown (1994), Richards & Lockhart, (1994), and Silberstein (1994). They are part of course materials from other courses offered by the department. To avoid having to purchase them twice, I will place copies of these three "on reserve," along with other items of interest that I and other class members contribute, in a red notebook in the AL/ESL office. Ask one of the department secretaries to borrow the articles for 45 minutes (or less), make your own copies, and please return them in the same condition as when you borrowed them. Also check with your classmates. Some may own copies of one or more of the three, and may be able to lend the material for you to make your own photocopies. Please have your own copies and to bring them to class on the assigned days. The other readings will be included in the course photocopy packet which should be ready on Monday morning, week. This packet will be available from The Print Shop (open 8:30 AM- 9 PM on class days) located at 6 Decatur Street; Tel: 523-2679). Additional readings will be offered to meet the specific needs and interests of class participants. Other Materials. A selection of resource textbooks, classroom materials, and audio tape recordings are available in the Language Acquisition Resource Center (LARC) for individual analysis and review. CD-ROM materials are available for review in the Instructional Resource Center in the Education Building. Some resource texts and other materials will be available for your examination in my office.
Students may contract for the letter grade of their choice. Two copies of the Course Grade Contract will be distributed to each of you. Please make your choice, sign both contracts and bring them to class on Monday, April 14. I will sign both copies and we will each keep one. Anyone who does not meet the "C" criteria will be given a "D" for the course.
To contract for a "C" grade students must: 1. Attend 90% of classes. (Genuine emergencies excepted. Please contact me before class if at all possible.) 2. Prepare for class by completing readings and other assigned activities. 3. Contribute to seminar discussions by both speaking and by listening and responding to others. 4. Conduct a class review that meets stated criteria. 5. Read class e-mail before each class, participate in class e-mail discussions. 6. Present, in Walking Gallery Format, a materials review that meets stated criteria. 7. Maintain a learning log that meets stated criteria. Share log entries with class & professor via e-mail a minimum of three times during the quarter. 8. Complete an End of Term Course Project/Paper/ and a poster presentation on your paper that meets stated criteria.. 9. Score a minimum of 80% on Exam 1.* 10. Score a minimum of 80% on Exam 2.*
To contract for a "B" grade, students must, in addition to "C" requirements 11. Provide a (brief) written description of an ESL strategy or technique and demonstrate the strategy/technique via micro-teaching to the class. (Complete description and criteria to be discussed in class.) 12. Conduct a classroom observation and physical environment/materials survey and prepare a summary report. 13. Participate in weekly dialogue journal writing with an ESL class member for 8 weeks and reflect on the process in your learning log.
To contract for an "A" grade, students must, in addition to "B" and "C" requirements 14. Prepare a professional portfolio that includes a written record, artifacts, and reflection documenting your professional preparation and growth, expertise, experience, and abilities as an ESL professional. Anything you have done for this class, for previous classes, or outside class may be considered for selection for your portfolio. Note: Most of this information could be presented via your personal web page, if you prefer to use that format. Share your portfolio with the class, providing a 5-minute introduction. Criteria for assignments:
1. Attendance Policy. Students are expected to attend all class sessions. The general GSU policy is that students with unexcused absences equivalent to 10% or more of class (that's more than two class sessions) receive a grade of "U" ("failure"). Evaluation: Class sign-in sheet.
2. Class Preparation. Complete readings and other assigned activities before the beginning of class. Classes begin on Monday, March 31, so the first assigned readings are for Wednesday, April 2. (see assignment list). Evaluation: Professor observation of class discussion and activities.
3. Contribution to Classroom Learning Community. Participate in class discussions by offering ideas, comments, feedback about class readings and activities, by sharing information and resources you discover that may be helpful to class members, and by listening responsively to other class members when seminar discussions by both speaking and listening and responding to others. Evaluation: Professor observation of class discussion and activities.
4. Class Review. To provide continuity and to help class members remember what has gone on previously, as well as to give class members experience in making class presentations, each student will have an opportunity to prepare a brief review of the previous day's readings, activities and highlights. At the beginning of class each day, starting on the third class, a volunteer will take no more than 10 minutes at the beginning of class to review the previous class. Criteria: The lesson should demonstrate a good grasp of readings and class content be interesting and lively, using an activity and/or aid such as a graphic organizer, props, realia, cards, etc. aid the class in recalling, reviewing, and synthesizing ideas, information and events aid class members in evaluating their own understanding of content/contributions to class. Include suggested exam questions on the readings and class discussion of the previous class. Note: All written materials should be clear and free of errors. At the beginning of the second class, I will model a class review. Evaluation: Class member will submit the lesson plan and questions (no more than two pages) and will self-assess the plan and presentation of the review by sending an e-mail to instructor following the lesson, but before the next class. Instructor will observe the lesson and read the lesson plan, questions, and the assessment to determine whether criteria have been met. If either class member or instructor feels that the activity did not meet criteria, class member will be given one week to resubmit revised plan.
5. E-mail. Read course e-mail before each class. Participate in class e-mail discussions at least once a week (3 or more of these can be log entries you wish to share with the class). See discussion of "Dialogue Writing" for more information about using the e-mail to promote your learning. Evaluation: The e-mail messages will serve as documentation that this criterion was met.
6. Exam 1. One-hour exam including both short essay and short answer questions on course material covered. Will include important ideas from readings, important terms, strategies, authors, etc. Will probably include some of the "class review" questions.
Note: Students may be exempted from the exam by attending either day of the Georgia TESOL Conference, April 18-19 and turning in a report including a two-paragraph review of each of 4 sessions, meetings, or plenaries attended that day. The first paragraph should summarize the main ideas. The second should offer a commentary/response/critique related, if possible, to course readings and discussion. These may be handwritten, i.e., you may write the summaries as you attend the sessions. 10. Exam 2. Two-hour exam including both essay and short-answer questions on course material covered. Will include important ideas from readings, important terms, strategies, authors, etc. Will probably include some of the "class review" questions. Students may be exempted from the exam by attending a second day of the Georgia TESOL Conference at West Georgia University, Carrollton, GA, April 18-19. (See #9 re report.)
7. Micro-teaching. (Complete description and criteria to be discussed in class.) .
Many educators are coming to the understanding that much of learning is social in nature. We will learn about dialogue writing as valid and valuable vehicles for negotiation of meaning in social learning, for writing development, and for assessing instructional needs of our students. We will use dialogue writing in two ways: we will dialogue with ESL students via interactive journals (either in bound notebooks or via e-mail); and we will dialogue with one another via a "listserv" discussion on-line.
8. Dialogue journals. In order to provide a learning experience for both groups, students in 848 will correspond weekly with members of an ESL class. I have distributed information to several ESL teachers requesting that they ask for volunteers who would like a correspondent for the quarter. I will set aside 15 minutes at the end of class once a week (starting when we have our volunteers, probably by our third class) for 848 students to write in ESL students' journals so that I can handle the exchange the hard-copy journals with GSU ESL teachers. Those of you who choose e-mail journals may leave class to use the computer center or whatever machines you wish. Details of the project will be discussed in class. If you are using paper correspondence and are unable to attend class for any reason on the journal day, please try to send a message to your correspondent(s). Your journals are meant to be informal, authentic communication between a learner of English and a proficient speaker/writer of the language. Students' writing will not be directly corrected so as not to stifle the development of writing fluency. Students may ask you for feedback, which you may or may not choose provide in a format that doesn't interfere with the "flow" of the dialogue. Your correspondents will have a chance to engage in writing addressed to a real audience Ñ persons who are proficient speakers/writers of English and particularly interested in language students. You will have the opportunity to see what second language writing looks like and to learn directly from their correspondents about the life of a student. Issues raised by written journal conversations will be considered in class discussions.
9. Class listserv. To promote thinking about class content, to offer opportunities to interact in another format, to enhance the development of the class learning community, to provide valuable information to the instructor about class needs and interests, and to provide a convenient means of exchanging information we will be carrying on a class discussion via a "listserv" e-mail address. You are encouraged to respond to others' messages often, and to submit an idea for discussion from your own individual class learning "log" several times during the course. (In order to get the most out of this class and to experience a teaching/learning activity effective across many learning settings, you are encouraged to keep your own weekly log of your reactions to the class discussions and activities.) Topics might (but not necessarily be limited to) the following: your reactions to the course readings; your reactions to class discussions and activities; issues raised by your dialogue journal experience; your observations, experiences, and reactions to observations in the field settings; and your applications of class materials and experiences to your own present and/or future teaching and work situation and your own teaching philosophy. Evaluation: Your messages will be evidence of your participation. Note: You are also welcome to send "log" entries or other communication to me individually.
In order to develop the ability to evaluate instructional materials for their effectiveness in present/potential teaching situations and to discover and share useful materials, students will select and review materials to review. Preview materials at the Language Acquisition Resource Center (LARC), in the library, in class, and/or in an ESL classroom you observe. Select an item or set of items you have never used and feel would be valuable for you and your colleagues. Review the materials carefully, read instructional manual, and observe and/or try out activities with students if at all possible. (Please contact me for suggestions for classrooms to observe and guidelines for observation.) Prepare copies of one-two page review of the materials for each class member. To save paper, you may choose to distribute via e-mail on our class listserv. Please give me one hard copy for comments.) Address questions such as these: 1. What students are these materials appropriate for? 2. What goals might these materials accomplish? What will sample learning outcomes be from the use of the materials? How would you assess them? 3. What would a sample activity using the materials consist of? 4. Are the materials/activities engaging? Will students play active roles in their use? Are they culturally relevant and appropriate to your intended audience? Are they age- appropriate? 5. What are the drawbacks or weaknesses of these materials? 6. How might you recommend that these materials be used by other teachers?
Criteria: Addresses above questions. Length is appropriate. Writing is clear and free of errors. Thorough knowledge of the materials is evident. Applications are made to previous knowledge and experience in ESL and/or potential teaching situations. A "materials fair" will be scheduled for April 7 to help students find materials to use for their reviews. I will bring in materials that may be of interest. Class members are also encouraged to bring in recent materials they think others might like to review. I will present a demonstration materials review on that date. Reviews will be shared in class using the "Walking Gallery" strategy on April 28 & 30. A "Walking Gallery" is a classroom event modeled after an "opening" reception at a museum or art gallery. Each participant sets up a display of the materials reviewed and a poster summarizing the information.. The class walks around the room (or hallway) to examine the posters and materials. Each "review artist" says a few words about the materials reviewed. All participants will be asked to send an e-mail message to the listserv with complete bibliographical citation (APA format) for the selection they review. These will be compiled and made available on the class website. Participants may also volunteer to have their reviews included on the class web page so that all may have access to the information. Evaluation: If either class member or instructor feels that the review does not meet criteria, class member will be given one week to resubmit revised plan. Note: The review and criteria will be discussed further in class.
11. Professional Portfolio. (Complete description and criteria to be discussed in class.)
12. End of Term Course Project: A Unit of Study
| Progress Dates: | Topic: May 12 | Rationale: May 14 | Outline: May 19 | Draft: May 21, the latest | Final Project: June 2 |
The end of the term course project will involve your designing a unit of study for a real or hypothetical class of English learners. The purpose of this activity is to help you apply what you have learned in this course to your plans for current or potential students.
The unit should include:
a. Title, Theme Question or Statement An integrated theme is usually selected to reflect a question that will be of high interest to students and that will facilitate the integration of language and content-area goals. That is, language tools are taught throughout the unit as a process for, and in the context of learning about content. Statements might be worded for teachers using the unit or for the students who will participate in the unit. Some examples: Title: Heroes and Superheroes Theme statement: Who are the heroes of both fiction and fact? What is the nature of a hero? Who is someone who is a hero to me and why?
Title: Communicating with School Theme statement: As a new learner of English, how can I best communicate with my child's teachers and school? What language do I need to: (1) read, send and reply to notes from school. (2) understand the school's expectations of me described in the handbook, (3) attend a teacher-parent conference, and (4) address a problem with school personnel. Title: We are Researchers Theme statement: What is research? How can I become a researcher? How can I learn new things about a topic I choose through research? How can I use: a) reflection in writing; (b) selecting and summarizing readings; (c) conducting, analyzing and interpreting a survey, (d) interviewing an expert, and (e) synthesizing a, b, c, and d into a research paper. (Note: this title and theme statement describe Ilona Leki's unit on teaching students to write research.)
b. A rationale describing: your real or hypothetical students, their backgrounds, and their needs; why you chose the unit theme and contents; your outcome goals for students for the unit ; a description and discussion of a knowledge framework/theoretical perspective that helped you structure your unit.
c. Overall goals for the unit.
d. A selection of learning strategy, content-area and language outcomes for the unit.
e. A sample schedule/plan for teaching the unit.
f. Five to ten clearly outlined activities, including desired outcomes, groupings, materials, procedures, and assessment process. (Assessment can be formative and/or summative; can be informal (observation with checklist; anecdotal records) or formal (standardized instrument, exam). Use a consistent lesson plan format you have selected or created. Notes: -Assume that your audience for the unit other teachers with background and education in ES/FL. Your activities should be clear, but need not be deeply detailed.
--By all means, use the class resource texts and other resources to help you create these activities. However, you are strongly encouraged to build upon, adapt and modify strategies and activities for your own purposes. Feel free to elaborate on and, as appropriate, customize, tailor, and (if possible) improve, focus, or adapt the activity in order to fit the needs of the particular group of L2 learners you have decided to target in your project. As a result, some of your own descriptions for classroom instruction might be very different from what the original authors’ had in mind.
--When you use and/or adapt from other sources for the course project according to the nature of your own contribution, e.g., "adapted from Klippel, pg. XX" or "expansion of activity introduced in the text: .... on pg. XX" "Inspired by XX's class presentation and handout on XX." -Feel free to include activities you have prepared for microteaching or other class purposes if they are appropriate to your unit.