Language Teaching
The overall aim of the course
why you should study it
This part of the course is aimed to equip students with comprehensive knowledge, practical skills, and a pedagogical mindset necessary to design, execute, and assess effective language classes, considering diverse learner characteristics and utilizing contemporary teaching methodologies.
    The main outcome is to design your own research study
    what you will be able to do in terms of your own research
    Here's what you will be able to do after successfully completing the course:
    • to develop well-structured lesson plans incorporating diverse learning events, considering language teaching principles discussed in the course;
    • apply effective classroom management strategies to create a positive and conducive learning environment for language classes;
    • to tailor language instruction based on learner differences, considering age, proficiency levels, willingness to communicate, and motivation. • Measurement: Design and execution of a language lesson that effectively addresses the diverse needs of a hypothetical class with varied learner characteristics;
    • to teach the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) through structured and engaging instructional practices;
    • to master the art of teaching grammar and vocabulary, applying various pedagogical approaches to ensure comprehension and application;
    • to develop their own materials that enhance the learning experience, integrating authentic resources and technology into language teaching.
    Semester Projects
    what will help you demonstrate your skills
    The tasks are designed to put course theory into practice:

    Project 1: Lesson Planning (Group Project) — March 2024, 5 points
    • Theme: Learning events and lesson planning
    • Objective: Demonstrate effective preparation for language classes through collaborative lesson planning.

    Project 2: Classroom strategies (Individual, optional) — March 2024, 5 points
    • Theme: Classroom management
    • Objective: Give examples (from your own practice or literature) of the most effective strategies to cope with issues associated with whole-class teaching and groupwork organization.

    Project 3: Lesson Planning for a Specific Age Group (Group Project) — April 2024, 5 points
    • Theme: Learner differences and adaptation
    • Objective: Address diverse age groups, proficiency levels, motivation levels, and communication willingness in group lesson planning.

    Project 4: Developing Teaching Materials (Group Project) — May 2024, 8 points
    • Theme: Teaching skills and systems
    • Objective: Collaboratively create materials for effective teaching of language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and systems (grammar and vocabulary).

    Project 5: Authentic Resources and Technology Integration (Final project, group) — June 2024, 10 points
    • Theme: Authentic resources and technology
    • Objective: Explore and utilize authentic resources and technology to develop materials and corresponding lesson plans.

    Project 6: Comprehensive Lesson Planning (Individual, optional, final) — Summer 2024, 10 points (during the exam)
    • Part 1: Self-developed unit for a chosen course
    • Objective: Integrate learnings from previous projects into a cohesive unit.
    • Part 2: Lesson plan to implement the unit successfully
    • Objective: Develop an individual lesson plan applying concepts learned throughout the course.
        Final project: Authentic resources in ELT (10 points)
        what will help you demonstrate your skills at the end of the course
        The main assignment is to explore and utilize authentic resources and technology to develop materials and corresponding lesson plans

        Project Components:

        I. Resource Selection:
        • Choose one type of authentic resource (e.g., podcasts, videos, music) for language teaching.

        II. Principles of Selection and Adaptation:
        • Investigate and articulate the main principles guiding the selection and adaptation of the chosen resource.
        • Provide a rationale for how these principles enhance language learning.

        III. Contextualization:
        • Define the context for which the instructional materials were developed.
        • Consider learner characteristics, learning outcomes, and the format of instruction.

        IV. Instructional Material Development:
        • Collaboratively create instructional materials based on the chosen resource for a 45/60/90-minute language lesson.
        • Ensure materials reflect principles of selection, address teaching systems and skills, and incorporate key learning events.
        • Explore and incorporate relevant technologies that aid in adapting and implementing the chosen resources.

        V. Presentation:
        • Present your materials during the last class of the course.
        • Include the following aspects in the presentation:
        1 Characteristics of the chosen resource (e.g., podcasts).
        2 Principles of its selection and adaptation.
        3 Context for developing materials: learner characteristics, learning outcomes, format of instruction.
        4 Showcase instructional materials and explain how they reflect:
        – Outlined principles of selection and adaptation.
        – Teaching systems and skills.
        – Main learning events.
        – Technology integration: discuss how existing tools might enhance the language learning experience.

        Submission Requirements:
        • Group submission of instructional materials.
        • Group presentation slides (to be shared in advance).
        Final assessment: Exam questions (10 points)
        what will help you demonstrate your knowledge at the end of the course
        The face-to-face exam is aimed at the revision of the main theoretical themes of the course combined with your own examples taken from presentations, literature, and your own projects.

        Examples of examination questions:

        • What is a learning event (an event of instruction)? How does the concept of "learning events" influence your approach to lesson planning? Provide specific examples from the lesson plan you created for this course.
        • What are common methods of needs analysis? How did you apply derived and contrived needs analysis while working on your own project?
        • What are the essential characteristics of learning outcomes? How do they affect instructional materials and lesson plans? Give examples of specific learning outcomes that you used in your projects.
        • What current methodologies did you rely on while working on your projects? What are their main principles? How are these principles reflected in your project?
        • What target audience/s your projects were aimed at? What learner characteristic did you need to take into account? How does your lesson plan reflect the age and proficiency level of students? Name other characteristics that may come into play.
        • What skills and systems are your projects supposed to teach? What rules and principles the teacher must follow? Provide specific examples from the lesson plan and/or materials you developed for this course.

        To give examples for the exam questions you can use
        – group projecs you developed throughout the course
        – an optional individual project developed for the course you are interested in
        Assessment system
        how the teacher will evaluate your work
        Your score = points gained for:
        • active participation in seminars (presenting homework, answering questions, group work, etc.)
        • dealing with group projects
        • final assessment
        The grading scheme ranges from 0 to 100 points
        — Compulsory part = 65 points max
        • Participation in seminars = 42 points max
        • Projects & assignments = 23 points max
        — Final assessment = 20 points max
        • Project 5 & Presentation = 10 points max
        • Project 6 & Exam = 10 points max
        — Additional part = 15 points max
        • Final test (in June) = 10 points max
        • Attendance (more than 60 %) = 5 points max

        4-point scale         and the grading scheme:
        less than 50 points = Fail
        50—64 points = Satisfactory
        65—84 points = Good
        85—100 points = Excellent
        COURSE CONTENT
        1. Lesson plannig
        how to get prepared for language classes
        2. Classroom management:
        how to conduct language classes effectively
        3. Learner differences
        how to teach learners of different age, proficiency levels, etc.
        4. Teaching skills
        how to teach listening, speaking, reading, and writing
        5. Teaching systems
        how to teach grammar, vocabulary, and other systems
        6. Resources and technologies
        how to integrate authentic resources and technology into language teaching
        COURSE FOLDER
        Semester 2
        1. LESSON PLANNING
        Project 1: Lesson Planning (Group Project) — March 2024, 5 points
        • Theme: Learning events and lesson planning
        • Objective: Demonstrate effective preparation for language classes through collaborative lesson planning.

        Develop your own lesson plan for the following learning outcome:
        to share and to react to personal news

        LESSON PLAN: Criteria

        1 Alignment with Chosen Purpose: Specific and measurable learning goals are clearly and precisely outlined. The degree to which the lesson plan aligns with the formulated language-related goals demonstrates clear relevance and suitability.
        2 Diverse activities: Using a variety of activities to manage student participation, striking a balance between active involvement and individual work throughout the lesson.
        3 The 3-part structure: the lesson contains opening, instruction, closure.
        4 The opening makes links to previous learning and/or previews the lesson, informing about its objectives (explicitly or implicitly). A lead-in to the main activity creates interest in the lesson.
        5 The instruction is logically organized. Input precedes student-generated output. Guided practice is followed by freer practice.
        6 The closure reviews the lesson and/or previews future learning. Independent work or homework is assigned.
        7 Pacing: A logical sequence of activities with smooth transitions clearly outlines the steps students need to follow from one activity to the next.
        8 Authenticity: Activities should prepare students for personalized language use, avoiding predictable and repetitive activities.
        9 Verbal Cues and instructions: Clearly articulated instructions for each activity provide concise and explicit directions, ensuring that students understand what is expected of them.
        10 Presentation and readability: The overall presentation of the lesson plan makes it well-organized, easy to follow, and uses different techniques (headings, icons, etc.) to enhance clarity for the reader.

        2. CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
        Project 2: Classroom strategies (Individual, optional) — March 2024, 5 points
        • Theme: Classroom management
        • Objective: Give examples (from your own practice or literature) of the most effective strategies to cope with issues associated with whole-class teaching and groupwork organization.

        Study the presentation on classroom management techniques and fill out the table.
        Choose 5–10 problems you have faced in your teaching practice (column B) and list all suggested solutions you find relevant (column D). Try to propose your own solutions for the selected issues (column E).
        To edit the template, use File >> Make a copy in Google Spread top menu.
        Share the link to your spreadsheet here.
        3. Learner Differences
        Project 3: Lesson Planning for a Specific Age Group (Group Project) — April 2024, 5 points
        • Theme: Learner differences and adaptation
        • Objective: Address diverse age groups, proficiency levels, motivation levels, and communication willingness in group lesson planning.

        Instructions:

        1. Choose an age group: Select an age group you would like to focus on for this project (e.g., primary school children, teenagers, young adults, adult learners).

        2. Characteristics of the chosen age group: Outline the main characteristics of the selected age group in terms of cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.

        3. Impact on lesson planning: Explain how the characteristics of the chosen age group will influence your choice of lesson topic, materials, teaching strategies, and classroom management techniques. Consider how to engage and motivate learners based on their developmental stage.

        4. Define the level of students: Specify the language proficiency level of the learners (e.g., beginner, intermediate, advanced) and discuss how this will impact the types of activities and tasks you plan to include in your lessons.

        5. Teacher and learner roles: Describe the roles of the teacher and learners in the classroom based on the age group and proficiency level. Explain how these roles may need to be adapted to meet the needs of the learners effectively.

        6. Individual differences: Identify potential individual differences among learners in the chosen age group (e.g., willingness to communicate, self-esteem, the level of motivation) and discuss how these differences may influence your lesson planning and implementation.

        Evaluation Criteria:
        1. Clarity of presentation: Are the main characteristics of the chosen age group clearly outlined and explained?
        2. Alignment with age group characteristics: Does the lesson plan reflect an understanding of how the age group's characteristics impact lesson planning?
        3. Level of students: Is the language proficiency level clearly defined, and are appropriate activities and tasks proposed for that level?
        4. Teacher and learner roles: Are the roles of the teacher and learners appropriately defined based on the age group and proficiency level?
        5. Consideration of individual differences: Have potential individual differences been identified, and are strategies proposed to address them in the lesson planning?

        The project aims to assess your ability to apply theoretical knowledge about teaching learners of different age groups and proficiency levels to practical lesson planning. Your analysis should demonstrate a deep understanding of how to tailor teaching approaches to meet the diverse needs of learners in educational settings.

        Due: April 19
        4. Teaching skills
        Gradually going through teaching different skills:
        Listening
        Speaking
        Reading
        Writing
        5. Teaching systems
        Project 4: Effective LT Materials ('a unit of instruction') for Specific Groups — June 2024, 8 points
        • Theme: Teaching skills and systems
        • Objective: Collaboratively create materials for effective teaching of language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and systems (grammar and vocabulary).

        Instructions:

        1. State learning outcomes for the unit of instruction: Collaboratively define clear and measurable learning outcomes that align with the language skills and systems to be taught.

        2. Choose the format of instruction. The format might range from fully online & fully asynchronous to fully synchronous & face-to-face. Name your materials accordingly: a unit, a lesson, a set, etc.

        3. Develop materials: Create a set of instructional materials including lesson plans, worksheets, visual aids, multimedia resources, and any other relevant materials needed for effective teaching. They depend on the chosen format, audience, and outcomes.

        4. Discuss how the materials accommodate learner characteristics outlined in Project 3 (age, level, individual differences, etc.). Feel free to copy parts of Project 3 for this purpose.

        5. Explain the principles of teaching different skills and systems you relied on while developing the materials.

        Evaluation Criteria:
        1. Clarity of outcomes (1 point): Are the learning outcomes specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound? Are the materials related to them?
        2. Appropriacy of format (1 point): Is the format of instruction clearly stated? Do the materials match it?
        3. Materials quality (3 points): Are the instructional materials impactful, structured, and authentic (based on real-life communication / resources)?
        4. Adaptation for learners (1 point): Do the materials address learner characteristics and differences identified in Project 3? Is their connection explicitly explained?
        5. Rationale behind the materials (2 points): Do the materials reflect the discussed principles of teaching skills and systems? Is this connection clearly communicated to the audience?

        Due: June 8
        6. Resources & technologies
        Project 5: Authentic Resources and Technology Integration (Final project, group) — June 2024, 10 points
        • Theme: Authentic resources and technology
        • Objective: Explore and utilize authentic resources and technology to develop materials and corresponding lesson plans.