TESL 402/602: English Language Teaching II (ELT II)
Spring 2016
Dates:
Day and Time:
Location:
Instructor:
Office Hours:
Contact information:
January 13 – April 27, 2016
Wednesdays, 5:30-8:00 pm
TBD
Sarah Young
M, W, Th 3:00-5:00pm and by appointment (MGC 300)
syoung@american.edu
Course Overview
This course expands upon the fundamental principles and theories learned in English Language
Teaching I in order to extend students’ understanding of and ability to implement current
practices in English language instruction. Instructional concerns, including lesson and unit
planning, are examined more closely in order to prepare students to successfully work with a
diverse student population within a variety of language teaching contexts. Through readings and
assignments, students will develop a practical understanding of communicative approaches to
instructional design and delivery, including scaffolding techniques, feedback, classroom
management, lesson planning, and materials adaptation. Students will select a target learner
population and design a content-based, thematic unit that culminates in a performance-based
assessment. Class observation, lesson studies, peer teaching, and the analysis and development of
lesson and unit plans are some of the assignments that will help students achieve the course
goals.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
 Identify, reflect on, and evaluate instructional planning and practice through classroom
observation, tutoring, and lesson analysis.
 Implement a variety of instructional techniques for effective teaching of English as a second
or foreign language.
 Apply academic readings, personal experiences, and in-class discussions to make informed
instructional choices.
 Systematically plan for instruction by designing thematic unit and lesson plans which
demonstrate essential theories and concepts of second language acquisition, teaching, and
learning.
TESL 402/602 (Spring 2016)
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Course Texts
Required:
Ur, P. (2012). (2nd ed.) A course in English language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2011). The understanding by design guide to creating high-quality
units. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. (UBD)
Other required materials will be made available on Blackboard. You will also make use of the
various teacher guides, textbooks, and instructional materials that are available in the TESOL
office (MGC 300).
Course Organization
This course has two main parts. In the first part, Overview of Instructional Design, you will read
a considerable amount of background information and theory about instructional design. You
will apply this information to some analyses of instructional materials. The reading load is fairly
heavy in this first part of the course, and it is important that you are familiar with the main points
of all of the readings prior to coming to class. In the second part, Creating and Implementing
Thematic Learning, your readings will be more focused on the “how-to” aspect of teaching
listening, speaking, reading, writing, and pragmatics/culture. Over the course of five weeks, you
will focus on applying this information to your own draft lesson plans. Your design work will be
intensive, and you will need to bring your draft plan to class each week for peer review and
analysis. Peer review and feedback is a key part of this course; I believe that by reviewing and
analyzing other people’s work, our own work becomes stronger.
The course will gradually scaffold your instructional design knowledge and skills so that by the
end of the semester, you will have a well-designed thematic unit plan that includes five lesson
plans that each focus on a specific L2 skill. In my opinion, I cannot “teach” you to become good
teachers – I can only provide you with the best possible information and practice opportunities
for you to develop your own skills as ESL/EFL teachers.
Attendance and Participation Requirements
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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 helping your classmates through several rounds of drafting and
revising of lesson plans and other instructional materials. 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 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. Such behaviors
will negatively affect your participation grade.
To continue gaining practical experience that will help you make sense of our course content,
please arrange to tutor, teach, or assist with a class of English language learners throughout
TESL 402/602 (Spring 2016)
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the course of the semester for at least one hour per week. This experience is a valuable and
required component of ELT 2.
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 if arrangements are not made with me beforehand.
Electronic files should be saved using this format: “Assignment (Lastname)”. Failure to
include both the assignment and your last name in your files will result in a 5% grade
reduction.
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.
You will need regular and reliable access to a computer with high-speed Internet and
video/sound capabilities. In addition to attending class, you will log in to Blackboard
(referred to as Bb on syllabus) on a regular basis to check for updates and announcements,
download readings, post reflections and assignments, review recommended resources, and
respond to discussion questions.
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.
TESL 402/602 (Spring 2016)
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Assignment Descriptions
A Note about Assignments: I consider each of your assignments to be an opportunity for you and
me to dialogue about your work. I enjoy the process of “talking” with each of my students about
their decisions and experiences as they complete assignments. I read each assignment carefully
and usually provide feedback in the form of comments and questions. My questions are usually
meant to guide your thinking, and I am happy to discuss them with you if you want. Otherwise,
please read my feedback and use it in your revisions and future assignments as appropriate.
Keep in mind that the assignments in ELT II contribute to the eventual creation of your TESOL
program portfolio and your oral comprehensive exam. Therefore, you should start thinking now
about the instructional decisions you make and how you might explain and justify them in your
future academic work as well as in job opportunities.
Participation (20%)
Your participation grade includes your completion of informal (ungraded) homework activities
(e.g., lesson studies), online and in-person discussions, peer feedback, activity demonstrations,
and regular class attendance. The peer feedback that you provide one another must be
substantive, and follow the guidelines set out in class.
Class Observation Report
(10%)
You will conduct an observation of the teaching context for which your lesson plan and unit plan
for this course will (ideally) be created. The observation report should include a description of
the teaching context followed by a focused observation and critical analysis.
Practice Lesson Plan and Tutoring/Teaching Report
(20%)
You will create a lesson plan focused on contextualized language use, applying the principles
and theories discussed in class. The lesson plan may focus on oral communication or written
communication, and should demonstrate instructional choices grounded in best practices for
teaching ESL/EFL, such as outcomes-based design, effective sequencing of activities and timing,
key instructional language, transitions, and an evaluation of learning. Ideally, the lesson plan
should be written for the same teaching context as the one in your observation, eventually
building up to the Unit Plan. You will then teach the lesson plan in the context for which you
have written it, or with a tutee if that is impossible, in order to improve your use of one or two
effective techniques for English language instruction. For the tutoring report, include the lesson
plan as an attachment, and write a summary of what actually happened in the lesson, a reflective
analysis of how the technique(s) you focused on worked or didn’t work, and how you will
improve the lesson plan.
Thematic Unit Plan
(50%)
Over the course of the semester, you will gradually develop a 5-lesson Thematic Unit Plan that
culminates in a project, product, or performance to demonstrate students’ learning. The Unit
Plan will be based on the principles of backward design and can be created based on an
ESL/EFL textbook of your choice. Your Unit Plan will specify a unit goal(s), learning outcomes
for each lesson, and will describe appropriate learning activities, including effective use of a
textbook and/or other materials. A detailed rationale, backed up with appropriate literature, will
TESL 402/602 (Spring 2016)
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accompany the unit plan. After cycles of drafting lesson plans, peer feedback, activity
demonstrations, and revisions, you will present your final unit plan to our class using a
PowerPoint or other visual materials.
Grading Scale for All Assignments:
94-100
90-93
87-89
84-86
80-83
77-79
74-76
70-73
65-69
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD
TESL 402/602 (Spring 2016)
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ELT 2 Course Schedule
Date
1/13
Topics/Activities
Readings (done before that
day’s class)
PART 1: OVERVIEW OF INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
Assignments
due
Principles and practices of
contextualized L2 instruction
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Ur, Chs. 1 &15
Horn (2011)
Instructional design and intended
learning outcomes: What should
learners know and be able to do?
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UBD, Module A & E
Paran (2012)
Howard (2010)
Unit Plan
Analysis (bring
to class)
Instructional design and assessing
learning outcomes: How will I know
what learners know and can do?
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Ur, Ch. 12
UBD, Modules B & G
Lesson Study 1
(bring to class)
Instructional design and planning for
learning: What classroom activities,
in what order, will help us reach our
learning goals? What makes a good
warm-up and wrap-up?
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Ur, Ch. 4
UBD, Module H
Fifty Alternatives to Lecture
Dornyei (2013)
Class
Observation
Report (submit
via Bb)
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Lesson Study 2
Ur, Chs. 3 & 14
(bring to class)
Maley & Peachey (2015):
Read the Overview (pp. 613) AND one chapter of your
choosing
Collins (2009) OR
Rosenberg (2009)
1/20
In class: Revised Bloom’s
Taxonomy
1/27
2/3
In-class lesson study: Bell (2004)
Materials for learning: How do I
choose the “good stuff”? How do I
adapt materials for my learners?
2/10
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“Technical” aspects of lesson
planning: Teacher talk, timing,
grouping, scaffolding, error
correction
2/17
TESL 402/602 (Spring 2016)
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Ur, Chs. 2 & 7
Jiang (2014)
Choose one: Ernst-Slavit &
Mason (2011) OR
Shamispour & Allami (2012)
OR Zhang (2012) OR Meng
et al (2012) OR Lucero
(2014)
Practice Lesson
Plan and
Tutoring Report
due (submit via
Bb)
In class:
Microteaching
practice
6
Readings (done before that day’s class)
Date
Topics/Activities
2/24
Project-based unit planning:
Integrating language,
themes, and content
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Baecher et al (2014)
Alan & Stoller (2005)
UBD, Modules C& D
Lesson Study 3
(bring to class)
Instructional design:
Listening
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Ur, Ch. 8
J. Siegel (2014)
Choose one: Galloway & Rose
(2014) OR Renandya & Farrell
(2011) OR Ross (2007) OR Chou
(2013)
Unit Plan Draft
Outline (submit
via Bb)
3/2
3/9
3/16
Assignments
due
PART 2: CREATING AND IMPLEMENTING THEMATIC LEARNING
In class: Preparing for peer
feedback
SPRING BREAK
Ur, Ch. 9
A. Siegel (2014)
Jackson (1969)
Choose one: Borzova (2014) OR
Crawford (2002) OR Iberri-Shea
(2009) OR Jones (2012)
Instructional design:
Speaking
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3/23
Instructional design:
Reading
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Ur, Ch. 10
Stoller et al (2013)
Underwood (2004)
Draft Unit LP 2:
Speaking (bring
to class)
3/30
Instructional design: Writing
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Ur, Ch. 11
Tessema (2005)
Banegas (2011)
Draft Unit LP 3:
Reading (bring to
class)
4/6
TESOL – NO CLASS
4/13
Instructional design:
Pragmatics & culture
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Edwards (2004)
McConachy & Hata (2013)
4/20
Adapting activities for
different levels and
managing classroom
interactions
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Ur, Ch. 16
Vanderwoude (2012)
4/27
Unit Plan Presentations
Final Unit Plan
Due (submit via
Bb)
TESL 402/602 (Spring 2016)
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Draft Unit LP 1:
Listening (bring
to class)
Draft Unit LP 4: Writing (exchange with partner via email)
Draft Unit LP 5:
Pragmatics &
culture (bring to
class)