Key facts

Type	Weekly Classes
Location	Oxford
Address	Rewley House 1 Wellington Square Oxford
Dates	Mon 14 Jan to Mon 18 Mar 2013 Day: Monday Time of meeting: 7.30-9.30pm Number of meetings: 10
Subject area(s)	Language Studies
CATS points	10
Fees	From £180.00
Application status	Course ended
Course code	O12P784TEW
Course contact	If you have any questions about this course, please email ppweekly@conted.ox.ac.uk.

Overview

**PLEASE NOTE - Classes will take place between 7.30pm and 9.30pm, not 7pm-9pm as previously advertised**

Is there such a thing as a best method of learning a foreign language? What makes an effective language learner? Course participants will reflect on personal experience of learning or teaching a foreign language, learn about theories of second language acquisition, and draw practical conclusions about effective teaching and learning.

Description

Is there such a thing as a best method of learning a foreign language? What makes an effective language learner? Are children really better learners than adults? This course is for anyone who would like to reflect on their own experience of learning or teaching a foreign language and learn more about theories of second language acquisition. The aim is to draw practical conclusions about what constitutes effective teaching and / or learning in participants/ own situations.

Teaching will be a mix of interactive lecture, discussion, short presentations by participants, pair work and group work. There will be short reading assignments each week in preparation for the class. The course will be assessed by an essay combining aspects of language learning theories, reflections on past language teaching and learning experiences and how the participant sees themself as a learner and / or teacher.

Programme details

*PLEASE NOTE - The fees for this course are £180, not as advertised in the Weekly Classes Newspaper*

Week 1: Fundamental Issues in SLA (second Language acquisition). Personal beliefs and experiences
Week 2: Children, Adults, and first language acquisition
Week 3: Theories of SLA 1: traditional views and methods
Week 4: Theories of SLA 2: Current developments
Week 5: The good language learner. Individual learner differences and motivation
Week 6: Learning styles and strategies
Week 7: Learner language and errors
Week 8: Effective classroom practices
Week 9: Independent learning
Week 10: Review and discussion: theory and practice


Background Reading:
Hedge, T (2000) Teaching and Learning in the Language Classroom: A guide to current ideas about the theory and practice of English language teaching: Oxford Handbooks for Language Teachers, OUP
Principles of Language Learning and Teaching (5th Edition): Pearson EFL
Carter, R and Nunan, D (2001) The Cambridge Guide to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages: CUP
Cook, V (2008) Second Language Learning and Language Teaching (4th revised edition): Hodder Education
Language Learning Theories 2nd edition (2004) Second Language Learning Theories 2nd edition: Arnold Publication
Macaro, E (2013) Bloomsbury Companion to Second Language Acquisition (Bloomsbury Companions): Continuum
Griffiths, Carol, ed. (2008). Lessons from Good Language Learners. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press Zoltán Dörnyei (2006) The Psychology of the Language Learner: Individual Differences in Second Language Acquisition: New Edition (Second Language Acquisition Research Series: Routledge

Further Reading:
Carter, R and Nunan, D The Cambridge Guide to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
2001, CUP
Cook, V Second Language Learning and Language Teaching (4th revised edition)
2008, Hodder Education
Language Learning Theories 2nd edition 2004,
Arnold Ellis, R The Study of Second Language Acquisition (2nd ed) 2008, OUP
Macaro, E (ed) Bloomsbury Companion to Second Language Acquisition (Bloomsbury Companions)
2013, Continuum
Griffiths, Carol, ed. Lessons from Good Language Learners
2008, OUP
Dörnyei , Z The Psychology of the Language Learner: Individual Differences in SLA Second Language Acquisition: New Edition
2006, Routledge

Staff

Course aims

Course Aim:
This course is suitable for teachers or learners of a foreign language. It will introduce participants to language learning theories, and will encourage them to reflect on personal experience in the light of these theories so as to draw practical conclusions about what effective language teaching and learning means for them.

Course Objectives:
1. to provide an overview of current theories of, and issues in, second language acquisition.
2. to provide an overview of individual learner characteristics that affect language learning
3. to explore the relationship between theory and practice, with particular reference to participants’ own teaching situation.
4. to reflect on beliefs and formulate personal theories about effective teaching and / or learning practices in the light of the theories.

Assessment methods

1000-word essay combining aspects of language learning theories, reflections on past language teaching and learning experiences and how the participant sees themself as a learner and / or teacher.

Teaching methods

Teaching will be a mix of interactive lecture, discussion, short presentations by participants, pair work and group work. There will be short reading assignments each week in preparation for the class.

Teaching outcomes

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

1) have an initial understanding of current theories of, and issues in, second language acquisition, as well as individual characteristics that affect learning.
2) be able to reflect on and evaluate their own experience of teaching and / or learning a language in the light of theory.
3) have formulated personal theories of effective learning and / or teaching that they can apply to their own teaching or learning situation.

Fee options

Programme Fee

EU Fee: £180.00

Non-EU Fee: £180.00

Apply for this course