DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH STUDIES
Academic Year 2015 - 2016
Tutor:
Dr. A. M. Auleear Owodally
auleearo@uom.ac.mu
403 7904
Module Code/Title:
ENG3008Y(5): English Language Teaching: Theory and Practice
Module Level:
3
Courses:
BA (Hons) English
BA (Joint) Humanities
Credit Rating:
6
Core or Elective:
Elective
Duration:
Semester 1
Course Outline
This yearly module is aimed at students who would like to become English language teachers. The
course attempts to build bridges between theory and practice by considering the interplay among
the specificities of the local context, and available language teaching approaches and methods.
We will start the first semester by introducing the main language teaching approaches and methods,
with a special focus on approaches that are commonly used in Mauritius and Communicative
Language Teaching (since it is considered as a desirable alternative), to argue that we might be in a
‘post-method era’ which requires us to make contextually relevant decisions and choices.
We will then move on to critically reflect on the background issues that potentially shape and impact
our English language teaching practices.
We will conclude this semester’s work by discussing classroom organisation and management. This
semester’s work will provide the foundation for us to consider alternative ways of teaching English
language skills and sub-skills in Semester 2.
Learning objectives
The aims of this first half of the module are to:



Familiarize students with some of the literature on second/foreign language teaching;
Encourage students to explore, analytically and critically, some curricula/reports/articles on
English and English language teaching in Mauritius;
Introduce students to the notion that as potential teachers, they can make informed choices
and carefully select from the panoply of existing approaches and methods in order to
respond to the needs of their students and to the challenges of their English language
teaching contexts;

Consider some of the key decisions that teachers make and key issues that they have to deal
with.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the semester, you will be expected to:




Be aware of the main documents written on the teaching situation in Mauritius;
Be familiar with the technical terms used in the field of language teaching;
Read, understand and critically respond to a selection of research articles;
Start planning English language classes and role playing them.
Course structure
The set-text for this course is: Harmer, J. (2008). The Practice of English Language Teaching.
Pearson/Longman. 4th Ed.
The individual classes will be organised as follows:

Lectures
o Short lectures that will delivered with the aim to cover the main concepts and
principles that students should be familiar with.

Class discussions
o Students will be expected to read the set materials or/and watch the recommended
videos for each week before coming to class, so that class discussions can be as
interactive as possible. I will send you guiding questions before hand and we will
use these to guide our class discussions and class tasks.
We will be using the
concept of ‘flipped classrooms’ in this module. If you want to read a bit more about
this, please visit: http://ctl.utexas.edu/teaching/flipping_a_class/what_is_flipped

Tasks and Activities
o We will apply the concepts – ideas we read about in classroom tasks and activities.
Group work and peer interaction will be important aspects of this module.
There will also be presentations in some of the weeks


Presentations
o For class presentations, students will do the suggested reading and use their
creativity to carry out the assigned tasks or to design class activities.
Exam Practice questions
o On the day of the presentations, students will be given a 30 minute mock exam
question to write (individually) in class, for them to practise their writing skills and
for me to provide feedback.
Assessment
The continuous assessment will weigh 50% and the end-of-year exam 50%.
Presentations: Group Work (50 marks per presentation)
See below: Course Organisation
Exam Practice questions: Individual Written Work (20 marks per session/question)
The aim of this task is to encourage students to re-read their notes from previous weeks when they
come to each class. The question provided will be a short exam-format question on any topic
covered since the beginning of the semester. Students will develop their writing skills and they will
also get some feedback on the questions taken.
Assignment 1, to be submitted in Week 9 and marked over 100:
Drawing partly from your own experience as an English language learner and partly from the
materials discussed in the first half of this semester (Weeks 1 to 8), write an essay, not longer than
1000 words, addressing the following question:
What TWO challenges did you meet as an adolescent learner of English in the local context?
Assignment 2, to be submitted in Week 14 and marked over 200:
Project (1500 – 1800 words):
The aim of this project is to familiarise you with the strategies that English language teachers use in
Mauritius to teach English to Form 3 pupils.
For this project, you are required to interview ONE English language teacher who teaches FORM 1
students. Ask him/her about his/her experience of teaching English to children who have just come
from the primary school system and have just sat for the CPE exams. Choose any TWO salient
characteristics he/she talks about and discuss them with relation to (1) the literature that is available
on the topic, and (2) the specificities of the local context (macro-context, educational context). You
will be expected to cross-refer to 3 readings of your choice when discussing the data obtained from
the teachers.
Your assignment should be organised as follows:

Introduction (200 words)




Briefly describe the teacher, your informant.
What questions did you ask him/her?
How did you analyse his/her responses?
Body of the project (1200 words)


Summarise the main findings – that is, write a short introductory paragraph which
summarises the teacher’s English language teaching experience with Form 1
students (200 words)
Describe EACH the two salient characteristics of his/her teaching experience and
discuss each with respect to relevant and recent readings you will have selected.
(500 words x 2)

Conclusion-Recommendations (200 words)
Reading materials have been uploaded on MOODLE.
Course Organisation: Semester 1
Week 1: Introduction: What is language? How are languages learnt?
Harmer, J. (2008). The Practice of English Language Teaching. Pearson/Longman. Chapters 1, 2 and
3
Theme A: An overview of ELT Approaches and Methods and beyond
In the first part of this module, we explore some popular ELT approaches and methods, linking
them to language theories, language learning theories and the contexts in which these emerged.
We will argue that there is no “best method” and that each teacher will use his/her knowledge of
existing approaches/methods to develop his/her own ELT strategies.
Week 2: Traditional Approaches to ELT
Harmer, J. (2008). The Practice of English Language Teaching. Pearson/Longman. Chapter 4
Celce-Murcia, M. (2001). Language teaching approaches: An overview. In M. Celce-Murcia, ed.
Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. Heinle & Heinle: Thomson Learning, pp. 3 - 12.
Week 3: Communicative Approaches to ELT
Harmer, J. (2008). The Practice of English Language Teaching. Pearson/Longman. Chapter 4
Celce-Murcia, M. (2001). Language teaching approaches: An overview. In M. Celce-Murcia, ed.
Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. Heinle & Heinle: Thomson Learning, pp. 3 - 12.
Week 4: The post-method era
Brown, H.D. (2002). English language teaching in the ‘post-method’ era: Toward better diagnosis,
treatment, and assessment. In Richards, J. C. and Renandya, W. A. (Eds.) (2002). Methodology in
Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Chapter 1
Week 5: Exam Practice questions + Presentations
Theme B: Important considerations for the post-method era
Acknowledging that there is no “best method” and that each teacher should be encouraged
develop his/her own teaching practices, we will explore the local context, its challenges,
constraints and assets. We will argue that it is by being sensitive to the particularities of the local
context that we, as English language teachers, could possibly develop appropriate and optimal
English language teaching practices.
Week 6: The learning context: Social, political and educational considerations
Mahadeo, S. K. (2006). English Language Teaching in Mauritius: A Need for clarity of vision regarding
English Language Policy. The International Journal of Language, Society and Culture.
http://www.educ.utas.edu.au/users/tle/journal/articles/2006/18-2.htm
Week 7: The wash back effect
Spratt, M. (2005). Washback and the classroom: the implications for teaching and learning of
washback from exams. Language Teaching Research, 9 (1): 5 – 29.
Week 8: Materials
Harmer, J. (2008). The Practice of English Language Teaching. Pearson/Longman. Chapter 11 (Part C,
D, E)
McCaughey, K. (2010). Ten great low- cost teaching tools. English Teaching Forum, 4: 24 -29.
Thomas, C. (2014). Meeting EFL learners halfway by using locally relevant authentic materials.
English Teaching Forum, 3: 14 – 23.
Ramirez, M. M. (2012). The neglected tools that can work for you. English Teaching Forum, 4: 36 –
38.
Week 9: Exam Practice questions + Presentations
SUBMIT ASSIGNMENT 1
Week 10: Reading Week
Week 11: Class Test
Theme C: Class organisation
In order for us, educators, to make optimal use of time class and to maximise opportunities for
English language teaching, we need to be organised. In this short concluding section, we will
consider some strategies that we can use in order to have well-structured classes.
Week 12: Actors in Context
Harmer, J. (2008). The Practice of English Language Teaching. Pearson/Longman. Chapters 5 and 6
Miller, P. (2012). Ten characteristics of a good teacher. English Teaching Forum, 1: 36 – 38.
Reilly, P. (2012). Understanding and Teaching Generation Y. English Teaching Forum, 1: 2 - 11.
Week 13: Classroom management
Harmer, J. (2008). The Practice of English Language Teaching. Pearson/Longman. Chapter 10
Renaud, S., Tannenbaum, E., and Stantial, P. (2007). Student-centered teaching in large classes with
limited resources. English Teaching Forum, 3: 12 - 17.
Sulich, M. (July, 2004). Keeping discipline in the classroom. English Teaching Forum, 32 - 35.
Week 14: Evaluation
Harmer, J. (2008). The Practice of English Language Teaching. Pearson/Longman. Chapter 22
Henning, G. (2012). Twenty common mistakes for EFL teachers to avoid. English Teaching Forum, 3:
33 - 36.
Norris, J. M. (2012). Purposeful language assessment: Selecting the right alternative test. English
Teaching Forum, 3: 41 – 45.
SUBMIT ASSIGNMENT 2
Week 15: Exam Practice questions + Presentations
Indicative reading list
Block, D. and Cameron, D. (eds.) (2002)
Routledge.
Globalisation and Language Teaching. London:
Candlin, C. N. and Mercer, N. (eds) (2001). English Language Teaching in its Social Context: A
Reader. London: Routledge.
Celce-Murcia, M. (2001). Ed. Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. Heinle & Heinle:
Thomson Learning.
Cook, V. (2001). Second Language Learning and Language Teaching . London: Arnold.
Cummins, J. and Davison, C. (eds.) (2007) International Handbook of English Language Teaching.
Springer.
Ellis, R. (1985). Understanding Second Language Acquisition. Oxford University Press.
Farrell, T. & Jacobs, G M. (2010). Essential for Successful English Language Teaching. London UK:
Continuum.
Hall, G. (2011). Exploring English Language Teaching. Language in Action. London: Routledge
Larsen-Freeman, D. (2001). Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford
University Press. Second Edition.
Larsen-Freeman, D., & Long, M.H. (1991). An Introduction to Second Language Acquisition Research.
Longman.
Long, M. H. and Doughty, C. J. (2009) The Handbook of Language Teaching. Sussex, UK: WileyBlackwell.
Mac Grath, I. (2002). Materials Evaluation and Design for Language Teaching.
Edinburgh University Press.
Edinburgh:
Mitchell, R. & Myles, F. (2004). Second Language Learning Theories. London and New York:
Hodder Arnold.
Nation, I. & Macalister, J. (2010). Language Curriculum Design. New York: Routledge.
Richards, J. C. (2001). Curriculum Development in Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Richards, J. C. and Renandya, W. A. (Eds.) (2002). Methodology in Language Teaching. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
Richards, J. C. & Rodgers, T.S. (1986). Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
Spolsky, B. & Hult, F. M. (2008). Eds. The Handbook of Educational Linguistics.
Blackwell Publishing.
Oxford, UK:
Whong, M. (2011). Language Teaching: Linguistic Theory in Practice. Edinburgh: Edinburgh
University Press.
Free on-line journals
International Journal of Language Culture and Society
TESOL Quarterly
ELT Forum
The Language Teacher
The Reading Matrix
Reading in a Foreign Language
The Asian EFL Journal
J-Stor and Ebsco- Host are available to all UOM students: Make full use of the data bases!!!
You are also advised to go to the Second Language Acquisition/Learning/Teaching section in the
library, where you have a rich collection of books. I would advise you to start with the introductory
books of a general nature before trying harder materials.