Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Methods for Teaching English As a Foreign Language 2: Linguistic-Academic Abilities
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, Spanish,
Teaching staff
Introduction
The growing importance of English as an international and global language, its introduction at school at increasingly younger ages and the competency-based approach to language teaching have radically changed the needs, objectives and realities in the area of the teaching and learning of English as a foreign language (EFL). Therefore, schools need professionals who are not only fluent in the English language but also have advanced teaching skills and competences necessary to be able to respond effectively to the current demands of the school context.
The general objective of the subject EFL Teaching Methods II is to provide EFL teachers the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge and appropriate skills to teach linguistic-academic skills (oral and written comprehension and production) in English at different educational levels, efficiently applying a range of current and innovative theoretical models and teaching approaches. The course will take a theoretical and practical look at a range of fundamental aspects relevant to the teaching of linguistic-academic skills in English: current methodologies, tools, procedures and resources, which will allow students to apply what was acquired in classes to their classroom reality and successfully develop the EFL teaching-learning process in the classroom.
Pre-course requirements
A B2 level of English (under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) is recommended in order to follow the course, as well as knowledge of oral and written academic English.
Objectives
- To learn about and analyse current methodological approaches used to develop linguistic-academic skills (comprehension and production) in the English classroom at different educational stages.
- To learn about and apply the strategies, techniques and resources for teaching linguistic-academic skills in the English classroom.
- To analyse and evaluate the development of students’ linguistic-academic skills in English at different educational stages.
- To analyse teaching materials and proposals for educational intervention aimed to develop linguistic-academic skills and which are adapted to the needs of the educational context.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CP03 - The student will be able to work as part of a team effectively in multilingual, multicultural, interdisciplinary, professional and/or academic environments.
- CP04 - The student will be able to use adequate resources and strategies to improve as a professional.
- CP05 - The student will be able to integrate information and communication technologies into teaching and learning activities, teaching management and professional development.
- CP06 - The student will be able to generate innovative and competitive suggestions as a professional and as a researcher
- CP07 - The student will be able to plan the process of teaching and learning English as a foreign language, in addition to English language literature and culture at different educational levels, taking into account the level and previous education of pupils.
- CP08 - The student will be able to design innovative teaching proposals that encourage pupils to develop their linguistic, multilingual and intercultural skills, according to the requirements of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
- CP09 - The student will be able to assess the development of pupils’ English language skills during different stages of education, according to the requirements of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
- CP11 - The student will respect the fundamental rights of equality between men and women, the promotion of human rights, and the values inherent to a culture of democracy and peace, using language that avoids androcentricity and stereotypes.
- HB01 - The student will be able to recognise the phonetic and phonological aspects of English in the classroom, to begin teaching the pronunciation of English as a foreign language.
- HB02 - The student will be able to make judgements based on limited or incomplete information, including reflections on social and ethical responsibilities
- HB03 - The student will know how to communicate conclusions and the reasoning behind them to specialised and non-specialised audiences in a clear and unambiguous way
- HB04 - The student will be able to apply skills that allow them to continue studying in a largely self-directed or autonomous way.
- HB05 - The student will be able to apply information (spoken, written, video, digital or multimedia) to the teaching of English as a foreign language.
- HB06 - The student will be able to apply information (spoken, written, video, digital or multimedia) to the teaching of English as a foreign language
- HB07 - The student will be able to organise their working time according to their learning priorities and objectives, encouraging self-learning.
- HB08 - The student will be able to offer informed decision-making in the field of teaching English as a foreign language.
- HB09 - The student will be able to apply educational innovation and research models to the acquisition, teaching and use of English as a foreign language in specific circumstances, in the school context, and/or in contexts related to education, in a way that links theoretical knowledge with educational practice.
- HB10 - The student will be able to provide a critical analysis of their own work.
- HB11 - The student will be able to provide explanations in public and make presentations using digital media adapted to different audiences in a school context (teachers, families, students, etc.).
- HB13 - The student will be able to differentiate between methodological approaches and current and innovative pedagogical practices at different educational stages and in bilingual and multilingual contexts.
- HB14 - The student will be able to make effective use of digital resources for teaching and learning the English language.
- HB17 - The student will be able to express themselves in English, both orally and in writing, and both inside and outside the classroom, undertaking all the communication functions that are typical of an English language teacher.
Syllabus
- Approaches to teaching receptive and productive skills in the English language.
- Genre-based pedagogy: Developing reading and writing skills in English.
- Educational digital technologies for language learning and 21st century competences.
- Analysis of teaching materials for the EFL classroom.
- Differentiation and language learning in the EFL classroom.
Teaching and learning activities
Online
Online teaching methodology
OL Online lectures
OP Online practical classes
CS Case studies
PBL Project-Based Learning
Online teaching and learning activities
CML Online Lectures
CPL Online Practical Classes
FDV Online Forums and Debates
TI Individual Autonomous Work
TG Group Autonomous Work
Evaluation systems and criteria
Online
PT Online Presentations (or via videos) 65%
GP Degree of Participation in Online Forums and Debates 35%
Anti-plagiarism and anti-AI (artificial intelligence) software will be used on all assessed assignments.
Bibliography and resources
This list is a recommended bibliography. Specific bibliography for some activities will be given during the course.
Gibbons, P. (2002). Writing in a Second Language Across the Curriculum: An Integrated Approach, pp. 51-76. In P. Gibbons, Scaffolding Language, Scaffolding Learning: Teaching Second Language Learners in the Mainstream Classroom. Portsmouth: Heinemann.
Hill, D. R. (1997). Setting Up An Extensive Reading Programme: Practical Tips. EPER (The Edinburgh Project on Extensive Reading), Edinburgh University.
Hyland, K. (2007). Genre pedagogy: Language, literacy and L2 writing instruction. Journal of Second Language Writing, 16, 148-164.
Mills, K. A. (2008). The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Readers. In Proceedings Stories, Places, Spaces: Literacy and Identity, National conference by the Australian Literacy Educators' Association (ALEA) and Australian Association for the Teaching of English, Adelaide, SA.
Rose, D. (2011). Beyond literacy: building an integrated pedagogic genre. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 34(1), 81-97.
Usó-Juan, E. & Martínez-Flor, A. (Eds.) (2006). Current Trends in the Development and Teaching of the Four Language Skills. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter.
Walsh, S. (2012). Conceptualising Classroom Interactional Competence. Novitas-ROYAL (Research on Youth and Language), 6(1), 1-14.