Learning and Teaching English as a Foreign Language - the Development of Language Skills in Different Age Groups- MA Seminar 4 3301-JSS4HRY

The aim of the seminar is to discuss the issues concerning the process of learning and teaching foreign languages to children and adults. The following topics are suggested for discussion: developing language skills, literacy in particular, sociolinguistic competence, learning strategies as well as acquiring vocabulary and grammar. During the seminar aspects of teaching and learning will be discussed, such as: motivation, autonomy, using didactic aids and authentic materials, the development of intercultural competence as well as communicative and integrative approaches to teaching foreign languages. Additionally, topics which are covered during the seminar include: ways of analyzing discourse for the purposes of foreign language learning and teaching, assessment techniques, individual differences, classroom interactions, the role of the mother tongue and its influence on the acquisition of English. Forms of work: exercises, reading and analyzing academic texts, presentations and discussions.
The aim of the first semester is learning the specifics of writing a master’s thesis, its structure, the types of content which should be included in its parts and the formal requirements that the writer should follow. Students should formulate the topics and the titles, problems and the plans of their works. They should select appropriate sources, learn the conventions of citing and writing a bibliography. Passages of example academic texts will be analyzed. Students should study the chosen sources, discuss the key concepts and organize the content of their work. The final requirement:around 10 pages of work should be submitted (the background of the problem, the plan of the work and the beginning of the overview of previous research).
The second semester will be devoted to discussions on key concepts and previous research results (theoretical and empirical) connected with the chosen topics of the students’ theses. Students write chapters including a review of literature on their chosen subject and learn about the research methodology used in foreign language learning and teaching. They select methods that are most appropriate for their topics and plan the empirical / analytical parts of their works. Ways of presenting research and interpreting results are also discussed. Final requirement: they should submit a review of the literature used in their work (ca. 25 pages) and a plan of the empirical part of their work together with research questions.
In the third semester, students finish the first drafts of their theses including: the title page, the table of contents, the introduction, the overview of literature and key concepts, theresearch conducted, conclusions, bibliography and appendices. Problems and questions are consulted. Students should formulate the first version of the whole work in this semester.
The fourth semester is devoted to preparing the final versions of the theses. Students review, add the necessary content, and edit their works. They also start preparing for the diploma exam. They present their knowledge on the topics required at the exam. The final requirement: students should submit the final version of their work, accepted by the supervisor, and be able to present theacquired knowledge in their field of studies.