TESOL Practicum
EN 591 Graduate Directed Study
Course Syllabus Winter 2014
Listening & Speaking
Credit Hours:
4 credits
Instructor:
Dr. Jo Doran
Office:
Whitman 163
Phone:
227.2594
Office Hours:
By appointment
Email:
cdoran@nmu.edu
Webpage:
jodoran.net
Required Text: Teaching ESL/EFL Listening and Speaking, I. S. P. Nation and Jonathan Newton.
Routledge Publishing, 2008. ISBN13: 978-0-415-98970-1 (paperback $40.95 through Routledge; $38.90
through Amazon)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
EN 591 is a Directed Study course for NMU students working toward TESOL certification. The course
involves teaching, observation, reading, application of previous learning, and reflection. This course
is graded as a pass/fail course only.
This course involves working closely with a designated instructor for the course: This designated
instructor is the assigned instructor for the NELI course. This course also involves meeting with Dr.
Doran three times throughout the semester: An initial meeting to discuss the syllabus, etc. and two
additional times to assess your progress and give you feedback on your work. These meetings may
be face-to-face or online.
Please note that your designated instructor will be assigned to you by the NELI Director. Throughout
this syllabus, “designated instructor” will be referred to as DI.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
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Application: This course is designed to help you to apply the methodological principles
learned in your TESOL program courses in a real classroom context.
Teaching: Practicum students must teach a minimum of twelve class sessions of 60 minutes
or more. Four of these twelve must be four, consecutive teaching days in one week. You may
teach more classes if you wish – but only on approval from the DI.
Observations of Your Teaching: The DI will observe you each time you teach and complete
an observation form. Additionally, the NELI Director, Dr. Jo Doran, will try to observe you
twice during the practicum – early on in the Block and later on in the Block. This requires the
following:
o Submit your teaching schedule to your DI and to the NELI Director near the beginning
of the semester Block. Once the Director has chosen a date for observation, she will
notify you.
o Email the following to the Director via email – at least 24 hours in advance:
 A copy of your completed lesson plan
 Any handouts you plan to use
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A concise and observable list of three criteria you want the Director to
consider when observing you
Observations by You: Practicum students must observe a minimum of twelve class sessions.
These twelve observations must include two other NELI classes taught by two instructors
other than your DI.
o For these two classes, you must write up a one-page observation of each class.
Observations of your DI will help you in both practical and theoretical learning.
o Be sure to write down your general observations of your DI to describe her methods
using terminology learned from your methodology courses. Additionally, you may
want to focus on a topic or theme from your required textbook, when observing.
Reflection Assignment: I am open to ideas you have about this assignment. Additionally, I
have included possible foci at the end of this syllabus.
Teaching Philosophy: Practicum students must create a teaching philosophy statement.
Please limit this statement to one page, single-spaced. Required readings for this assignment
are here: http://jodoran.net/writing-a-teaching-philosophy/
Organization of Course: You may organize the course in one of two ways:
o You may divide your teaching and observations between the two semesters – while
reading the required text and taking notes for your reflection assignment and
teaching philosophy.
o You may spend the first semester on reading and observation – and the second
semester on teaching and writing
o Your two written assignments are not due until May 3. That said, you must turn in at
least two drafts of your teaching philosophy before I see the final paper on May 3. I
do not need to see a draft of your reflection paper, unless you wish to revise it.
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HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TEXTS
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Teaching by Principles: An Integrative Approach to language Pedagogy, H. D. Brown. Longman
Publishing. 2001/Second Edition
Curriculum Development in Language Teaching, Jack C. Richards. Cambridge Publishing. 2003
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE – AND DUE DATES
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12 hours of volunteer teaching, including observations filled out by your DI – by May 3
One copy of your completed lesson plan, applicable handouts, and list of three criteria for
observation – emailed or turned in as a hard copy to the NELI Coordinator before each
observation of you by the NELI Coordinator
12 hours of observation, including notes from your observations – Due May 3
Your lesson plans: to be completed before the class period that you teach. All copies of your
lesson plans are due to the NELI Director by May 3.
Textbook: Read all (see “Required Textbook”) – Read before you write your Reflective Paper
Reflective Paper: 3-5 pages, single spaced, Times New Roman, size 11 font – Due May 3
Teaching Philosophy: 1 page, single spaced, Times New Roman, size 11 font – Due May 3
Lesson Plans for all classes taught: Please staple these or place them in a folder to turn in.
Recording of Hours and Activities: Please keep a record of your hours (see Guidelines,
below): Please type this up as a Word document – Due May 3
CITATION STYLE
Please use MLA, APA, or Chicago Style citation style for your papers. I have no preference between
the three.
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GUIDELINES
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Meet with your DI early - and before the beginning of the practicum semester.
Please set up a teaching schedule as soon as possible with your DI. There might be days that
your DI wishes to teach the class herself for some reason. Therefore, plan to spend time with
your DI to understand how she would like to design the course around your practicum needs.
Fulfill your required practicum hours and keep a log of your time:
o Time spent in the classroom
o Time spent in class preparation and grading
o Time spent in meetings with your DI
o Time spent reading, reflecting, and writing
Create detailed lesson plans for each class you teach. Review these plans with your DI –
before you teach.
Be prompt, open to learning, cooperative, and practice professional ethics. Be early for class.
Do not be late for class. We have serious attendance and time issues with our NELI students
and it is paramount that we set a professional example. Additionally, multiple absences
and/or tardies are grounds for your removal from the Practicum. You must notify your DI the
night before if you will not be to school the next day. This is for emergencies only.
Make sure that you are supervised at all times.
Please remember that your DI may use different approaches that you may have learned in
the TESOL program. Please note that you will be expected to adapt to your DI’s methods of
teaching and honor her procedures and the policies and curriculum of the NELI program. If
you have questions about the type of methodology your DI uses, please ask her in private.
Please note that you will be removed from the Practicum with a failing grade if you
question or challenge the DI’s methodology in front of students. Your presence in the
classroom must never compromise the education of the NELI students.
Feel free to share methodologically-based ideas that you would like to develop through your
lesson plans with your DI, but remember that your DI has the final say. The DI is responsible
for the instruction of the NELI students.
The DI is not your teacher. She has volunteered her time to allow you to work with her and
her students at no extra pay. Please respect her time, as she teaches multiple classes.
Dress appropriately for teaching and use proper hygiene. Please note that we do not dress
casually (blue jeans, sweatshirts, etc.) in the NELI program. Additionally, do not wear any
low-cut tanks, tops, or blouses or any too-short skirts. In addition to normal ethical
considerations, we are teaching students from cultures that have different views on dress,
etc. than we do in the U.S. Wearing more overly modest clothing is required in the NELI
program.
Please note that some of our students do not have a sense of what is and what is not
appropriate to talk about in public. Objectively route the conversation to an appropriate
topic if this occurs.
Contact the NELI Director regarding any problems that may arise with your DI – after – you
have seriously attempted to work out any problems in a professional manner with your DI.
Treating a DI disrespectfully will be grounds for removal from the Practicum.
Review FERPA before teaching. Maintain proper confidentiality with students and
colleagues.
COURSE POLICIES
ADA STATEMENT
If you have a need for disability-related accommodations or services, please inform the coordinator
of Disability Services in the Disability Office at 2001 C.B. Hedgecock (227-1700). Reasonable and
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effective accommodations and services will be provided to students if requests are made in a timely
manner, with appropriate documentation, in accordance with federal, state, and University
guidelines.
Also – please inform me if you have a disability and need-related accommodation/services.
NMU’S NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY
Northern Michigan University does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion,
sex, national origin, age, height, weight, marital status, familial status, handicap/disability, sexual
orientation, or veteran status in employment or the provision of services, and provides, upon
request, reasonable accommodation including auxiliary aids and services necessary to afford
individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in all programs and activities.
Anyone having civil rights inquiries may contact the Equal Opportunity Office, 502 Cohodas Hall,
telephone number 906-227-2420.
TEACHING RESOURCES
Please make sure that you pick up copies of Recommendations for Classroom Teaching and
Guidelines for Unit Lesson Plans from the NELI Director before you begin your Practicum.
Be sure to contact the NELI Director with any questions or concerns you may have.
POSSIBLE IDEAS FOR YOUR REFLECTION PAPER
A portion of your reflection paper should address your experiences in teaching the NELI students.
Additionally, a portion of your reflection paper should include an emphasis on methodology. Here
are some possible considerations for this section of your paper:
 What methodological principles, which you have been learning, did you see emphasized
within the classroom context?
 What ‘inconsistencies’ did you see between methodological principles you have been
learning and what you observed in the NELI classroom? Please go beyond listing them – and
discuss them in detail. This may entail a discussion about possible successes or failures of
theoretical materials compared to real-life application.
 Consider the proportion of teacher talk to learner talk in the NELI classroom through your
observations. In your opinion, how did the proportion affect the student’s learning?
 Consider the proportion of teacher talk to learner talk in the NELI classes you taught.
Compare this to your observation of your DI and discuss this.
 Choose a key idea from the required textbook and show its application to the real-world
classroom context through your observations and practicum teaching.
 Consider what you have been learning regarding the theories of second language teaching
and discuss the relationship between those theories and actual classroom planning.
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This is a sample observation form that your designated instructor will use when observing you:
PRACTICUM OBSERVATION FORM
This form is designed to be used by the Designated Instructor when observing lessons taught in his or
her classroom.
Practicum Student:
Designated Instructor:
Date of Observation:
Please list 1-3 strengths observed in this lesson:
Please list 1-3 areas for improvement based on this lesson:
Any other comments – on backside of paper: