English language teaching didactics 4100-3SDYDJA
Students learn methods and techniques needed for developing and evaluating individual language skills of students (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) and for teaching grammar and vocabulary in English. They familiarize themselves with the developmental characteristics of students aged 10-14, basic principles of memory functioning, ways of arousing interest and motivating students. They learn to critically assess, select, and create their own teaching materials tailored to the age and level of students at this educational level. They practice practical teacher skills, such as planning stages of a language lesson, maintaining discipline in the classroom, giving instructions, providing feedback, and correcting students’ language errors.
During the course students learn to define and characterise stages in child development as well as to recognize difficulties and special educational needs. Students can describe the specifics of working with children and teacher’s duties concerning children’s educational needs. Students learn the techniques for classroom management, and especially for keeping discipline. The course equips students with an ability to assess and select methods, techniques and teaching aids appropriate for teaching foreign languages to very young and young children with reference to language skills (mainly listening and speaking but also reading and writing) and elements (vocabulary and grammar). After the course students are able to assess children’s progress during foreign language lessons and they know how to appropriately plan lessons and design teaching aids.
Basic topics
- Stages and aspects of child development.
- Foreign language learning process in children in kindergaten and lower primary classes.
- Class management and discipline.
Methods, techniques, aids used in foreign language training - songs, stories, rhymes, movement, games, arts and crafts.
- Own teaching materials creation and developmnent.
- Ways of teaching vocabulary to young learners.
- Teaching foreign language grammar to pre-school children and children at the first stage of education.
- Developing listening skills in a foreign language in pre-school children and children at the first stage of education.
- Developing speaking skills in a foreign language in pre-school children and children at the first stage of education.
- Developing reading skills in a foreign language in pre-school children and children at the first stage of education.
- Developing writing skills in a foreign language in pre-school children and children at the first stage of education.
- Assessing foreign language skills in pre-school children and children at the first stage of education.
- Planning foreign language lessons at pre-school level and the first stage of education level.
- New technologies in EFL teaching.
Note: Particular topics can be covered during more than one meeting.
Course coordinators
Type of course
Mode
Prerequisites (description)
Learning outcomes
Knowledge: the graduate knows and understands
D.1.W1., D.1.W2., D.1.W3., D.1.W4., D.1.W5., D.1.W6., D.1.W7., D.1.W8., D.1.W9., D.1.W10., D.1.W11., D.1.W12., D.1.W13., D.1.W14.,
D.1.U1., D.1.U2., D.1.U3., D.1.U4., D.1.U5., D.1.U6., D.1.U7., D.1.U8., D.1.U9., D.1.U10., D.1.U11., D.1.K1., D.1.K2., D.1.K3., D.1.K4., D.1.K5., D.1.K6., D.1.K7., D.1.K8., D.1.K9.
Assessment criteria
Assessment methods and assessment criteria:
Necessary conditions to pass the course in the first and in the second semester:
- getting a positive mark on a final test,
- getting a positive mark on the assignment connected with the teaching practice,
- timely completion of all the offline and online tasks,
- preparation and active participation in face-to-face meetings (readings, presentations, discussions),
- attendance (no more than 2 absences from the face-to-face meetings are acceptable).
The final mark for this course is a weighted average:
- a mark on the final test (weight 3)
- a mark on the assignment connected with the teaching practice (weight 3)
- marks on the offline and online tasks (weight 1 or 2 – depending on the type of the task) (verified learning outcomes:
D.1.W1., D.1.W2., D.1.W3., D.1.W4., D.1.W5., D.1.W6., D.1.W7., D.1.W8., D.1.W9., D.1.W10., D.1.W11., D.1.W12., D.1.W13., D.1.W14.,
D.1.U1., D.1.U2., D.1.U3., D.1.U4., D.1.U5., D.1.U6., D.1.U7., D.1.U8., D.1.U9., D.1.U10., D.1.U11., D.1.K1., D.1.K2., D.1.K3., D.1.K4., D.1.K5., D.1.K6., D.1.K7., D.1.K8., D.1.K9.
Scale (for the final test, online quizzes and tasks):
95-100% - 5
90-94% - 5-
85-89% - 4+
80-84% - 4
75-79% - 4-
70-74% - 3+
65-69% - 3
60-64% - 3-
0-59% - 2
Assessment criteria for the online tasks (they may differ depending on the type of task):
Practical placement
not applicable
Bibliography
Obligatory:
Cameron, L. (2001). Teaching Languages to Young Learners. Cambridge: CUP.
Pinter, A. (2006). Teaching Young Language Learners. Oxford: OUP.
Szpotowicz, M., & Szulc-Kurpaska, M. (2009). Teaching English to Young Learners. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.
Dakowska, M. (2022), Teaching English as a Foreign Language. A Guide for Professionals. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.
Students are required to read/get acquainted with the materials available on the COME platform and provided by the teacher during face-to-face meetings (e.g. articles, chapters, PowerPoint presentations, video materials).
Optional:
Brewster, J. et al. (2003). The Primary English Teacher's Guide. London: Penguin.
Dörnyei, Z. ((2010) Motivational Strategies in the Language Classroom
Dörnyei, Z., Ushioda, E.(2021) Teaching and Researching: Motivation
Ellis, G., & Brewster, J. (2003). The Storytelling Handbook. London: Penguin.
Ioannou-Georgiou, S., & Pavlou, P. ((2003). Assessing Young Learners. Oxford: OUP.
Harmer, J. (2015). The Practice of English Language Teaching (5th ed.). Pearson
Lewis, G., & Bedson, G. (1999). Games for Children. Oxford: OUP.
Moon, J. (2000). Children Learning English. Oxford: Macmillan
Richards, J. C. (2015). Key Issues in Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press
Slattery, M., & Willis, J. (2001). English for Primary Teachers. A handbook of activities & classroom language. Oxford: OUP.
Szpotowicz, M. (2011). Second language learning processes in lower primary children. Warszawa: WUW.
Komorowska, H. (2005). Metodyka nauczania języków obcych. Fraszka Edukacyjna.
Petty, G. (2014). Teaching Today. A practical guide. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes.
Scrivener, J. Learning teaching. (2011). A guidebook for English Language Teachers. Macmillan
Thornbury, S. (1999). How to Teach Grammar, Pearson Education
Thornbury, S. (2002). How to Teach Vocabulary, Pearson Education
Ur, P. (1996). A course in Language Teaching. Cambridge: CUP
Żylińska, M. (2013). Neurodydaktyka, Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Mikołaja Kopernika