Note:
Course content may be changed, term to term, without
notice. The information below is provided as a guide
for course selection and is not binding in any form,
and should not be used to purchase course materials.
MLAN 519 Syllabus
COURSE SYLLABUS
MLAN 519
WORLD LANGUAGE ACQUISITION, INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACHES, AND ASSESSMENT
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course discusses language acquisition/learning theory, addresses the applications and
implementation of current methods, activities, and materials for teaching and assessing world
languages in the four skill areas: reading, writing, listening, and speaking, and integrates Culture
as an over-arching component.
RATIONALE
The teaching of world languages, including English, is a growth field, which speaks to the
increasingly global orientation of current educational, business, and political goals. Content area
teachers in fields other than languages are being asked to contribute to the needs of second
language students in their regular content-area classrooms and to encourage all students to
diversify their learning. This course will help K–12 classroom teachers expand their instructional
preparation and, in some cases, add an endorsement to the teaching license they already hold.
The content will include an overview of language acquisition/learning theory, an examination of
language program models, state and federal language policies, state and “national” language
standards, the development of individual language resources, including professional resources
and organizations, the use of various technologies in language acquisition/learning and
assessment, an overview of various assessment techniques and instruments, and issues pertinent
to the individual preparation for licensure. Students will develop a thematic teaching unit as the
major course project. It is a hands-on, project-based course, which emphasizes reflection on best
practices and personal professional growth.
I.
II.
PREREQUISITES
For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic
Course Catalog.
REQUIRED RESOURCE PURCHASES
Click on the following link to view the required resource(s) for the term in which you are
registered: http://bookstore.mbsdirect.net/liberty.htm
III.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS FOR LEARNING
A.
Computer with basic audio/video output equipment
B.
Internet access (broadband recommended)
C.
Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
(Microsoft Office is available at a special discount to Liberty University students.)
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MLAN 519 Syllabus
IV.
MEASURABLE LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
A.
Identify intrinsic values in lesson content.
B.
Apply biblical standards to lesson content.
C.
Understand the philosophies and perspectives which have described second
language acquisition and promoted historic language pedagogy.
D.
Reflect on his/her teaching practices.
E.
Develop sets of resources for personal and professional use.
F.
Reflect on best practices in world language teaching.
G.
Evaluate world language materials and assessment instruments.
H.
Participate in professional language events.
I.
V.
Integrate teaching methods/approaches, student learning modalities, diversity,
types of assessment, technology, and professional reflection into an authentic
teaching unit.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND ASSIGNMENTS
A.
Textbook readings and lecture presentations
B.
Course Requirements Checklist
After reading the Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the
related checklist found in Module/Week 1.
C.
Discussion Board Forums (6)
The student will complete 6 Discussion Board Forums in Modules/Weeks 2, 3, 4,
5, and 6. Each Discussion Board Forum corresponds to video segments and 1
editorial letter. Each discussion will consist of a thread of 250–300 words and at
least 2 replies consisting of 150–200 words each.
D.
BALLI (2)
The student will complete a pre-test and post-test for “The Beliefs About
Language Learning Inventory (BALLI).” The purpose of taking the pre-test and
post-test is to analyze the student’s beliefs about language learning and how these
beliefs have changed during the course. Reflections of beliefs must be discussed
in the final paper. The student will not receive a grade for this assignment.
E.
Annotated Resources
The student will cite and annotate foreign language organizations, regional
language conferences, foreign language resources, state teaching standards, and
additional resources related to his/her foreign language.
F.
PowerPoint Presentations (2)
The student will complete 2 PowerPoint presentations on topics specified in the
assignment instructions. Each presentation must have a maximum of 10 slides
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MLAN 519 Syllabus
including a title and reference slide. The sources must be cited in current APA
format. In each PowerPoint, the student will formulate personal opinions which
will become part of the Guiding Principles Paper.
G.
Worksheets (3)
The student will complete 3 worksheets. The contents of each worksheet will
reference the materials of the module/week in which the worksheet is assigned,
although work done in previous modules/weeks may inform new learning.
H.
•
Worksheet 1: Summary Concepts: 2LA Theory is a 7-page worksheet that
the student must fill in.
•
Worksheet 2: Instructional Perspectives Timeline will be created by the
student.
•
Worksheet 3: Standards Alignments will be based on a written discussion
of the “whats” and “whys” of the Standards Movement. The student will
then create a chart, graph, or design representation, which will attempt to
show the alignments of the following Student Standards: ACTFL 5 Cs,
WIDA ELL levels, 21st Century Skills Map, Common Core, and explain
how these standards relate to/integrate with content SOLs. [If text,
maximum of 5 pages.]
TFLAS
The student will complete the “Teacher Foreign Language Anxiety Scale
(TFLAS).” The score will not be calculated into the student’s grade. The student
will use the score to examine his/her foreign language confidence and determine
his/her anxiety about his/her language proficiency level.
I.
PACE Projects (2)
The student will complete 2 PACE projects. Each PACE project will include a
lesson plan, learning activity, and performance assessment.
J.
Professional Development
The student will participate in 2 hours of professional development activity(s). In
addition, the student must sign in to a List Serve for his/her language area. It is
also strongly recommended that the student joins at least 1 professional
organization.
K.
Curriculum/Assessment Inventory
The student will describe and evaluate language curriculum and assessments
(personal materials/those used in his/her own teaching, etc.), according to
principles discussed in the textbook readings. The student will use a fill-in chart.
L.
Case Study
The case study has 2 parts. The student will study Schector & Cummins Action
Research Project in Part 1. The student will examine a federal refugee relocation
program in Part 2. It is recommended that the student examine the Somali Bantu
Project in Roanoke, VA. However, if a student lives close to another site, he/she
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MLAN 519 Syllabus
may substitute a federal refugee relocation program, with the permission of the
instructor. The student will formulate a personal opinion on
refugee/immigrant/federal funding of such issues, which will become part of the
Guiding Principles paper.
M.
Final Paper
The student will develop a set of “Guiding Principles” and reflect on course
material learned in this course. The page length requirement is 7–10 pages.
VI.
COURSE GRADING AND POLICIES
A.
Points
Course Requirements Checklist
Discussion Board Forums (6 at 25 pts ea)
Annotated Resources
PowerPoint Presentations (2 at 100 pts ea)
Worksheets (1 at 20 pts; 2 at 30 pts ea)
PACE Projects (2 at 100 pts ea)
Professional Development
Curriculum/Assessment Inventory
Case Study
Final Paper
Total
B.
10
150
50
200
80
200
20
100
100
100
1010
Scale
A = 940–1010 A- = 920–939 B+ = 900–919 B = 860–899 B- = 840–859
C+ = 820–839 C = 780–819 C- = 760–779 D+ = 740–759 D = 700–739
D- = 680–699 F = 679 and below
C.
Late Assignment Policy
If the student is unable to complete an assignment on time, then he or she must
contact the instructor immediately by email.
Assignments that are submitted after the due date without prior approval from the
instructor will receive the following deductions:
1.
Late assignments submitted within one week of the due date will
receive a 10% deduction.
2.
Assignments submitted more than one week late will receive a 20%
deduction.
3.
Assignments submitted two weeks late or after the final date of the
class will not be accepted.
4.
Late Discussion Board threads or replies will not be accepted.
Special circumstances (e.g. death in the family, personal health issues) will be
reviewed by the instructor on a case-by-case basis.
D.
Disability Assistance
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MLAN 519 Syllabus
Students with a documented disability may contact Liberty University Online’s
Office of Disability Academic Support (ODAS) at LUOODAS@liberty.edu to
make arrangements for academic accommodations. Further information can be
found at www.liberty.edu/disabilitysupport.
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MLAN 519 Course Schedule
COURSE SCHEDULE
MLAN 519
Textbooks: Brown & Abeywickrama, Language Assessment (2010).
Celce-Murcia, Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language (2014).
Horwitz, Becoming a Language Teacher (2013).
Schecter & Cummins, Multilingual Education in Practice (2003).
Shrum & Glisan, Teacher’s Handbook (2011).
MODULE/
WEEK
READING & STUDY
1
Celce-Murcia: pp. vii–viii, 535–552
Horwitz: pp. xi–xvi, ch. 2
Shrum & Glisan: pp. ix–ch. 1
2 presentations
Course Requirements
Checklist
Class Introductions
BALLI Pre-test
Annotated Resources
10
0
0
50
2
Celce-Murcia: chs. 3–4
Horwitz: chs. 1, 3
Shrum & Glisan: ch. 2, Appendix 2.1
1 article
1 website
DB Forum 1
PowerPoint Presentation 1
Worksheet 1
Worksheet 2
25
100
30
20
3
Celce-Murcia: chs 1, 2, 9, 28–29
Horwitz: ch. 8
Shrum & Glisan: ch. 4
1 website
DB Forum 2
TFLAS
PowerPoint Presentation 2
Worksheet 3
25
0
100
30
4
Brown & Abeywickrama: chs. 7–8
Celce-Murcia: chs. 6–10
Horwitz: chs. 4–5
Shrum & Glisan: ch. 5
1 website
DB Forum 3
25
5
Brown & Abeywickrama: chs. 9–10
Celce-Murcia: chs. 11–13, 27, 32
Horwitz: chs. 6–7, 9
Shrum & Glisan: chs. 7–9
1 website
DB Forum 4
PACE Project 1
25
100
6
Brown & Abeywickrama: chs. 1–3, 6, 11
Celce-Murcia: chs. 22, 24, 26
1 website
DB Forum 5
Professional Development
Curriculum/Assessment
Inventory
25
20
ASSIGNMENTS
POINTS
100
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MLAN 519 Course Schedule
MODULE/
WEEK
READING & STUDY
7
Celce-Murcia: chs. 20–21
Shrum & Glisan: ch. 11
1 website
DB Forum 6
PACE Project 2
25
100
8
Schecter & Cummins: Entire book
Shrum & Glisan: ch. 10
1 website
BALLI Post-test
Case Study
Final Paper
0
100
100
TOTAL
1010
ASSIGNMENTS
POINTS
DB = Discussion Board
NOTE: Each course week begins on Monday morning at 12:00 a.m. (ET) and ends on Sunday
night at 11:59 p.m. (ET). The final week ends at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday.
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