TESL 401/601: English Language Teaching I (ELT I)
Fall 2015
Dates:
Day and Time:
Location:
Instructor:
Office Hours:
Contact information:
September 3, 2015 – December 10, 2015
Thursdays, 5:30-8:00 pm
WATK 106
Sarah Young
M, W, Th 3:00-5:00pm and by appointment (MGC 300)
syoung@american.edu
Course Description
This course is intended for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in
pursuing teaching English as a second or foreign language. You will learn the fundamental
principles and theories of language instruction and acquisition to prepare you to work with
language learners in different instructional contexts. Through a variety of exploratory activities
accompanied by a careful reading of research and practice, you will form a strong foundation in
a communicative approach to language instruction. This practical course provides opportunities
for peer teaching and requires observation of English language classes, along with tutoring or
teaching of English to non-native speakers. Language proficiency in a second language is
strongly recommended. The format of the class is mainly workshop and hands-on, with support
through video, group work, and lecture. Throughout the course, you will be researching a
relevant topic of interest to you in order to write a literature review that will inform your future
instructional practice and academic scholarship.
Expected Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
1. Describe essential theories and concepts of second language instruction and acquisition.
2. Use communicative language teaching techniques to tutor an English language learner
and reflect on your experience.
3. Apply readings from research and practice to observe and reflect on English as a second
language classes.
4. Write a review of recent and seminal literature on a topic of particular interest in
communicative language instruction.
Course Texts
Brown, H. D. (2007). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy
(3rd edition). White Plains, NY: Pearson Longman.
Additional required readings can be found on Blackboard (Bb).
TESL 401/601 (Fall 2015)
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Attendance and Participation Requirements
Attendance and active class participation are both key for course success. Active class
participation includes completing all readings before class; bringing insightful comments,
brilliant insights, and incisive questions about the readings and class topic to our discussions;
and engaging your classmates in our professional learning community in-person and online.
You will be responsible for supporting and responding to your classmates during class
activities and presentations. Please be considerate of your classmates by arriving on time and
silencing cell phones. It is also considered inappropriate to text or use social media during
class time. Please let me know in advance if you will be absent from class. You are
responsible for all material covered during any absence.
In an average week, you should expect to spend at least six hours on course readings and
assignments for this course. You are required to complete all assigned readings before class.
Assignments have varying due dates as described below. All work must be submitted on
Blackboard in the Assignments folder (unless otherwise stated) by the due dates established;
late work may receive a grade reduction. Electronic files should be saved using this format:
“Assignment (Lastname)”. In all of your assignments, make your best effort to incorporate
information from the readings, class discussions, and your TESOL classroom and tutoring
experiences.
Please let me know as soon as possible if you have a problem with an assignment
submission. You are strongly encouraged to meet with me during scheduled office hours to
discuss any questions or ideas you have.
Academic Integrity
You are subject to the Academic Integrity Code of American University. Please carefully read
the guidelines at http://www.american.edu/academics/integrity/. All work you submit must be
your own or must be properly documented. In addition, collaborative work and work submitted
for another class must be approved in advance by the instructor.
Writing Center and Academic Support and Access Center
The Writing Center offers free, one-on-one coaching for all AU students at any stage of their
writing process. Writing consultants focus on supporting the writer rather than producing a
product. They do not prepare papers for students; they prepare students for papers. Students are
encouraged to call for an appointment (ext. 2991)—sessions begin on the hour and usually last
about 45 minutes at Battelle-Tompkins 228. You must have a writing assignment sheet with you
at the time of your appointment. For more information, refer to the site:
http://www.american.edu/cas/writing/index.cfm. The Academic Support and Access Center
offers study skills workshops, individual instruction, tutor referrals, and services for students
with learning disabilities. For more information concerning these services, please see
http://www.american.edu/ocl/asac/index.cfm.
AU’s library offers a variety of on-line tutorials designed to help you with your course projects.
For more information on how to get research help, visit http://www.american.edu/library or
http://subjectguides.library.american.edu/TESOL.
TESL 401/601 (Fall 2015)
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Assignment Descriptions
Please see the ‘Assignments’ folder on Blackboard (Bb) for additional guidelines.
Homework
10%
 Short reflections/activities to be announced in class (e.g., Language learning reflection;
Blackboard postings; ESL teacher interview; Ideal ESL classroom description)
 Send an email to course TA Bourama Badji at bb7876a@american.edu with an insight and a
question (3-4 sentences total) about each week’s assigned reading(s) by 5pm on Wednesday
before each class.
TESOL in Current Events Presentation
5%
You will present a short summary of a recent news article dealing with English language
learners, teachers, or instruction and then lead our class in a brief discussion about the article.
Tutoring Reports (3)
30%
You will tutor an English language learner for at least one hour per week during the semester.
You will write up three of your tutoring experiences, demonstrating connections to and
applications from the readings and class discussions.
Class Observation Reports (2)
20%
You will observe two different (if possible) ESL classes, and then write a report for each that
demonstrates connections to and applications from the readings and class discussions.
Literature Review/Annotated Bibliography Abstract and 5-7 References
5%
Prior to submitting your literature review or annotated bib, you will submit a short abstract and
preliminary reference list that you intend to use for completing the final paper.
Literature Review/Annotated Bibliography
30%
This is a written paper of about 10 pages (double-spaced) on an approved topic (research and/or
practical applications) from course content. The TESOL Program Style Sheet for documenting
and referencing sources must be followed (APA style). You may select one of the topics we
cover in this course from the course syllabus, or you can select a topic of your interest. The goal
is to conduct some in-depth research on a topic in ELT that you find intriguing, which will
represent more depth than we can cover in the course.
Grading Scale for All Assignments:
94-100
A
90-93
A87-89
B+
84-86
B
80-83
B77-79
C+
74-76
C
70-73
C65-69
D
TESL 401/601 (Fall 2015)
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ELT 1 Course Schedule
Wk
1
Date
Topics/
Activities
3
4
Brown, Ch. 7 & 8
Dalle & Young (2003,
pp. 43-59)
9/10
9/17
9/24
Language learning reflection
(post on Discussion Board on
Bb)
Due by midnight 9/9: Watch
video “Building literacy with
adult emergent readers” at
http://www.newamericanhori
zons.org/training-videos and
post your responses to the
discussion questions on
Blackboard
Second language
acquisition: Natural
vs. instructional
contexts
Lightbown & Spada
(2013), pp. 123-128
Wisniewska (2013)
Brown, Ch. 4 & 25 (esp.
pp. 486-498)
Due on 9/19: ESL/EFL
teacher interview
Part 2: INTEGRATING LANGUAGE AND CONTENT
Basics of
Brown, Ch. 10 & 17
Observation Report 1
instructional design
Dalle & Young (2003,
and content-based
pp. 83-108)
language instruction
Teaching and
assessing listening
5
Assignments due (for that
day’s class, unless
otherwise noted)
Part 1: BACKGROUND ON LANGUAGE ACQUISITION AND INSTRUCTION
English as a global
Brown, Ch. 1 & 2
language: ESL and
9/3
EFL
Getting to know your
students and
conducting needs
assessments
2
Readings (done before
that day’s class)
10/1
TESL 401/601 (Fall 2015)
Brown, Ch. 18
Djiwandono (2006)
Kemp (2009)
Email me with 2-3 ideas
about topics for the final
paper
Tutoring Report 1
4
Wk
6
7
Date
10/8
Topics/
Activities
Readings (done before
that day’s class)
Teaching and
assessing speaking
Brown, Ch. 19
Hunter (2012)
Zhang & Head (2014)
Teaching and
assessing reading
Brown, Ch. 20
Macalister (2014)
10/15
Brown, Ch. 21 & 22
Peyton (2000)
Final Paper Abstract and 5-7
references
Pick one (see guidance
on Bb):
 Huie & Yahya
(2003)
 Myskow & Gordon
(2014)
 Trajtemberg &
Yiakoumetti (2014)
 Wang (2004)
10/22
Teaching vocabulary
and grammar
9
Tutoring Report 2
Pick one (see guidance
on Bb):
 Brod (1998)
 Kahmi-Stein (2003)
 Richgels (2013)
 Strong (2011)
 Millar (2011)
 Cohen (2011)
Teaching and
assessing writing
8
Assignments due (for that
day’s class, unless
otherwise noted)
Observation Report 2
10/29
TESL 401/601 (Fall 2015)
Brown, Ch. 22
Larsen-Freeman (1997)
McCarten (2007)
Pick one:
 Martinez (2013)
 Deveci (2004)
 Cetin & Flamand
(2012)
5
Wk
10
Date
11/5
15
Assignments due (for that
day’s class, unless
otherwise noted)
Part 3: STRENGTHENING CLASSROOM PRACTICE
Interaction and
Brown, Ch. 13 &14
feedback
Lyster (2013)
Classroom
management
Brown, Ch.15
Kozar (2010)
Rance-Roney (2010)
11/19
Materials design and
selection
“A Teacher’s Tale” (Bb) Tutoring Report 3
Brown, Ch. 11
11/26
No class – Thanksgiving Holiday
12/3
TESL 620 Conference (attendance required)
12/10
Literature review
panel presentations
12
14
Readings (done before
that day’s class)
11/12
11
13
Topics/
Activities
TESL 401/601 (Fall 2015)
Ideal ESL classroom
description (post on Bb)
Literature Review/Annotated
Bib Paper
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