Advanced/Innovative Teaching Approaches in the English classroom

The course introduces students to the current novel approaches to teaching English as an additional language, focusing specifically on approaches appropriate for linguistically and culturally diverse pedagogical settings. The course gives an overview of the existing instructional models that promote multilingualism as a core resource. It gives a rationale for implementation of the following practices to promote multilingualism: 1) Classrooms as multilingual spaces; 2) Interaction and grouping configurations; 3) Teacher and learner language use; 4) Language and culture attitudes; 5) Metacognition and metalinguistic awareness; 6) Teaching materials; 7) Multiliteracy. It also places special emphasis on the collection of empirical data in multilingual classrooms.

Knowledge

The student has

• advanced knowledge of current research findings and pedagogical approaches to teaching English as an additional language in linguistically and culturally diverse classrooms
• an in-depth understanding of the effect of multilingualism on additional language acquisition
• broadened knowledge of how teaching can be differentiated to meet the needs of diverse learner populations
• extensive knowledge of pedagogical implications of research on multilingualism for teaching English in grades 1-7 and 5-10

Skills

The student can

• use relevant information from research and professional development to conduct teaching and research in a multilingual classroom
• analyze and relate critically to sources of knowledge, including professional and research literature, and apply this knowledge to formulate critical reasoning
• develop lesson plans and teaching materials for teaching of English in multilingual settings based on up-to-date research
• assess student learning and collect empirical data in diverse learner classrooms

General competence

The student can

• apply linguistic and pedagogical knowledge and skills to new challenges to complete advanced tasks and projects
• communicate at an advanced level about academic and ethical issues, analyses and conclusions related to the subject area both with subject specialists and with teachers and others (e.g., parents)
• systematically plan, evaluate and revise lesson plans and learning goals within the English subject
• contribute to promotion of professional and pedagogical innovation in schools

The course will include lectures, individual and group assignment work, discussions, and oral presentations. All students are expected to contribute actively.