FLLT
429/629 Teaching Foreign Languages in the Elementary School
FLLT
623 Theoretical and Practical Issues in Foreign Language Pedagogy
FLLT 429/629 – EDUC 429/606 – SPRING 2001 – TR, 2:00-3:15 P.M.
Professor: Katrien Christie
Tel: 831-2183 (office)
Office: 410 Smith Hall
E-mail: katrien@udel.edu
Hours: T, R 10:30-11:30 and by appointment
Textbooks:
Curtain, H. and C. Pesola. (1994). Languages
and children: Making the match. Longman. (required)
Shrum, J. and E. Glisan. (2000)Teacher’s handbook:
Contextualized language instruction. Heinle & Heinle.
(required)
Gilzow, D. and L. Branaman (2000). Lessons
learned: Model early foreign language programs. Delta Systems Co.
(optional)
Course description:
This course covers current methodology and history of foreign language
teaching in the elementary and middle schools,
including topics such as national standards, communicative competence,
the whole language approach and the
integration of content and culture. The use of alternative assessment
tools and of modern technology, especially the
WWW, will also be discussed. There will be a combination of theoretical
issues (e.g. language development) and
practical activities (e.g. developing classroom activities).
Conceptual Framework:
The course implements the University of Delaware's Conceptual Framework,
which was developed by a multi-college
committee to define the approaches generally used in the university's
teacher education programs. The Framework is
based on the conviction that good teaching requires constant trial
and error, thought, revision, and reflection. For that
reason, a primary goal in this course is not merely to convey content,
but to help students develop and practice the
skills they will need for a career of vital, innovative teaching. These
skills begin with personal reflection aimed at
improving practice, but they also include using scholarly resources
as well as forming partnerships with parents,
teachers, and the larger community as a means of defining and resolving
problems. Students should read the entire
Conceptual Framework document, which appears at the back of this syllabus
before proceeding to the following
summary of its application to 429/629.
Reflective practitioner: All readings, activities, and projects encourage
students to think through problems and
approaches to teaching. Often, specific step-by-step models are provided.
At other times, general tools are provided
and students are encouraged to find their own systematic way to solve
problems. The textbooks present material in a
way that invites reflection and problem-solving. The activities that
accompany the chapters require thoughtful
consideration. The classroom observations, class discussions, small
group work, the "discuss and reflect" and "teach
and reflect" assignments all encourage students to become reflective
practitioners.
Scholar: In accord with the general goal of becoming reflective practitioners,
students are encouraged to consider ways
of using existing research-based information as a means of determining
what more they need to learn and how best to
learn it. Students are required to include in this effort not only
traditional scholarly texts but also appropriate Internet
sites and community resources. This work is not undertaken as a separate,
isolated assignment; rather, it is part of the
routine development of motivational activities, lesson plans, multiple
assessments, and other instructional materials the
students are writing in the course. Accordingly, students are required
to indicate, in written assignments (especially in
the "discuss and reflect" assignments) how they are applying this research-based
information to the material they are
proposing to use with their (future) students. Finally, students are
challenged to move beyond the traditional image of
scholarship as an individual pursuit and to experience the acquisition
of knowledge as a collaborative, community effort.
Problem-Solver: The concept of problem-solving is inseparable from the
goals of reflectiveness and scholarship defined
above. For that reason, the classroom observation reports, class discussions,
activities and teaching presentation are
routinely framed in terms of analyzing what problems need to be solved,
what information or material is necessary to
solve them, and how that information or material may be acquired. This
approach is applied to such topics as the
development of motivational activities for diverse learners; the incorporation
of national standards into lesson planning;
and the development of principled stands on issues of importance to
the profession.
Partner: Students are encouraged to develop both the skills and the
attitudes necessary to foster routine, comfortable
partnerships -formal and informal- with pupils, parents, and colleagues.
To that end, students routinely work in small
groups during class and collectively research and report on relevant
issues in group projects such as the "discuss and
reflect" assignments.
The overarching goals of this course are the development of: -- a retrievable
and usable knowledge base in Foreign
Language Pedagogy geared specifically towards the elementary/middle
school; -- effective problem-solving and
higher-order thinking skills; -- self-directed learning skills; --
skills and attitudes needed for effective collaboration with
colleagues.
Expectations and policies:
The participants are expected to read all assignments before each meeting,
be prepared to give a critical assessment of
the readings, and to participate actively in the discussions and the
practical projects. All projects that are assigned and
done outside class are to be written on a computer and must be double-spaced
and include all appropriate (typed)
accents in the foreign language. Students should also very carefully
proofread all the assignments before handing them
in so that they accurately represent the language and culture they
(will) teach. Students are highly encouraged to work
in teams to prepare for class and for many assignments. This is done
to develop and promote collaboration which is of
great benefit to learners of all types and which is useful to teachers
in the field. All students are required to have an
active e-mail account in order to receive messages from the instructor
and engage in small discussions. Students are
also encouraged to meet with the instructor during office hours to
talk about individual concerns. As committed
professionals, students are expected to attend all classes. Since the
course is labor intensive and numerous
assignments will be required on a regular basis, late work will receive
a grade of 0. Exceptions may be made in unusual
circumstances. The course grade will be based on the following criteria:
429 629
Attendance, preparation and participation 5%
Attendance, preparation and participation 5%
Model program presentation 5%
Position paper 10%
Lesson demonstration and report 10%
Lesson demonstration and report 10%
Discuss and reflect (2 assignments @ 5% each) 10%
Discuss and reflect (1 assignment) 5%
Observation and report 10%
Observation and report 10%
Program portfolio 20%
Program portfolio 20%
Exam 1 20%
Exam 1 20%
Exam 2 20%
Exam 2 20%
Attendance, preparation and participation:
As committed professionals, students are expected to attend all classes.
Read the assigned material before class, be
prepared to answer questions and participate in group or class discussions.
Model program presentation (for undergraduates):
Students will discuss one of the model FLES programs in Gilzow and
Branaman in a maximum 10-minute presentation
to the class. Programs will be assigned to pairs of students at the
beginning of the semester. One or two presentations
per class will be scheduled, with presentations beginning in the second
or third week of the semester. After all
presentations, a round table discussion of all programs will be held.
Position paper (for graduates):
Students will, after discussion with the instructor, select a FLES-related
topic/issue for a maximum 7-page (plus 1 page
for references) position paper. In your paper you should review and
reflect on research papers in your chosen topic, as
well as state and defend your own position on the issue. Topic and
at least two references to research papers due on
October 18, outline of main ideas (bullet format) due on November 1,
final paper due November 27.
Lesson demonstration and report:
All students will, in groups of three, demonstrate a 30-minute FLES
lesson to the class. You are free to choose the
language, level and topic of the lesson. The lesson should be organized
according to the principles of communicative
competence and should be carried out in the (same) target language.
Alternative arrangements will be made for
students who don’t have a foreign language. You will need to prepare
a detailed lesson plan according to the guidelines
discussed in class, and distribute copies to all students and instructor.
You will also need to make and use all necessary
materials, props and manipulatives. The rest of the class will assume
the role of elementary school children and
participate appropriately J . All lessons will be videotaped for the
purpose of self-evaluation and reflection. The report
will consist of reflection on your own group’s performance as well
as on the other lessons (1 to 2 paragraphs per
lesson). It may be prepared individually or as a group.
Discuss and reflect:
Two projects will be assigned to discuss and reflect on in a maximum
3-page paper each, the first based on a video, the
second a case study from the Teacher’s Handbook. Students may work
individually or in pairs on these assignments.
Graduate students will only do the first assignment.
Observation and report:
All students will observe a FLES class for a minimum of 6 visits (of
40 minutes minimum) and write a report detailing
their observations and reflections (see handout). Scheduling will be
arranged through the Clinical Studies Office.
Observations will start as soon as possible. Notice you need to have
a PPD test done prior to observation, which can be
done at the Health Center (see the policy at http://www.udel.edu/teachered/).
The report must be handed in no later
than one week after the end of the class observations.
Program portfolio:
Over the course of the semester, assemble a portfolio in which you
develop a FL program (any type) for elementary or
middle school. As a minimum, the portfolio will contain:
a color brochure: introducing the program
to your target group (what, where, when, why, …),
the curriculum: program goals, teaching practices
and unit descriptions (for one year),
2 detailed lesson plans for different units
with built-in assessments and visuals,
3 technology-related activities (e.g. WWW,
CD-Roms).
This is your chance to be creative and apply what you learn in class
to a practical project which may be useful in your
future career! The textbooks are good resources to look for ideas.
If applicable to your program, refer to the National
Standards, especially in your lesson plans. It is the your responsibility
to hand in the portfolio for a progress check at
least four times over the semester at more or less evenly distributed
intervals. The complete portfolio will be handed in
no later than 3:00 p.m., December 6.
Exams:
A first exam is scheduled for October 11, a second exam for December
4. Collaborative review/preparation activities
will be organized to help prepare you for these tests.
Schedule of classes:
Tuesday
Thursday
Aug. 28-30
Introduction
Why FLES?
Rationale for FLES/Learning from the past
Reading: Ch.1 and 2 – LC
Sep. 4-6
Program models
Reading: Ch.3-
LC
Standards for FL learning and contextualized FL
teaching Reading: Ch.2 – TH
Sep. 11-13
Theoretical
foundations
Reading: Ch.4
- LC
Theoretical foundations Reading: Ch.4 - LC, and
recommended for graduate Ss also Ch.1 - TH
Sep. 18-20
Creating an
environment for communication: the role
of L,S, R, W;
Reading: Ch.6 - LC
Creating an environment for communication: the role
of L,S, R, W; Reading: Ch.6 - LC, and
recommended for graduate Ss also Ch.6 – TH
Sep. 25-27
Planning the
FLES curriculum
Reading: Ch.9
- LC
Discuss and
reflect n.1 due
Planning the FLES curriculum Reading: Ch.9 - LC,
and recommended for graduate Ss also Ch.3 - TH
Oct. 2-4
Immersion programs
Reading: Ch.5
- LC
Immersion programs
Reading: Ch.5 – LC
Oct. 9-11
The elementary
and middle school FL curriculum:
Review Reading:
Chs.4 & 5 – TH
EXAM 1
Oct.16-18
Creating classroom
activities
Reading: Ch.14
– LC
Creating classroom activities
Reading: Ch.14 – LC
Oct. 23-25
Drawing on the
whole curriculum
Reading: Ch.7
- LC + App. D (Part 1)
Drawing on the whole curriculum
Reading: Ch.7 - LC + App. D (Part 1)
Oct. 30-Nov. 1
Using technology
Reading: Ch.6
in M. Met (on reserve)
Discuss and
reflect n.2 due (undergraduate Ss)
Using technology
Reading: Ch.12 – TH
Nov. 6-8
Experiencing
culture
Reading: Ch.8
- LC + App. D (Part II)
Model lessons
Experiencing culture
Reading: Ch.8 - LC + App. D (Part II)
Model lessons
Nov. 13-15
Assessment
Reading: Ch.10
– LC
Model lessons
Assessment Reading: Ch.10 - LC, and
recommended for graduate Ss also Ch.11 - TH
Model lessons
Nov. 20
Student diversity:
learning styles and strategies,
learning disabilities,
etc. Reading: Ch.10 – TH
Model lessons
report due
Nov. 27-29
Is foreign language
education for all learners? (Ch.3
in M. Met (on
reserve)
Position paper
due (graduate Ss)
Final discussion: TBD
Review
Dec. 4
EXAM 2
Program portfolio due
LC = Languages and Children TH = Teacher’s Handbook
FLLT 623 Theoretical and Practical Issues in Foreign Language Pedagogy
Fall 1999, MW 2:30-3:45 p.m., Smith 204
Katrien Christie, office 410 Smith Hall, 831-2183
office hours MW 4:00-5:00 and by appointment
katrien@udel.edu
Required texts:
Lee, J., & VanPatten, B. (1995). Making Communicative Language Teaching
Happen. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Omaggio Hadley, A. (1993). Teaching Language in Context (2nd ed.).
Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle.
Recommended texts:
Ellis, R. (1994). The Study of Second Language Acquisition. Oxford:
Oxford University Press. (Chapters 11 and 12 are assigned.)
Shrum, J. L., & Glisan, E. W. (1994). Teacher's handbook. Boston,
MA: Heinle & Heinle. (Chapter 3 is assigned.)
Musumeci, D. (1997). Breaking Tradition: An Exploration of the Historical
Relationship between Theory and Practice in Second Language Teaching. New
York: McGraw-Hill.
Course description:
Welcome to the foreign language teaching profession! As a new teacher or soon-to be-teacher. I hope that you will find this course useful. It is designed to allow graduate teaching assistants and graduate students in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures an opportunity to work with issues directly related to the teaching of a foreign language. In the course we will work with many approaches, methods, and techniques used in the foreign language teaching profession. While the emphasis of the course is practical, the theoretical background of second language learning and teaching will be provided and discussed in class. We will focus on teaching language in a communicative setting with the help of demonstrations by the students and the use of practical activities thus allowing the participants to design, discuss, try out in their classes, assess, and revise their own lesson plans.
This course is based in part on the University of Delaware's Conceptual Framework, which was developed by a multi-college committee to define the approaches generally used in the university's teacher education programs. This framework is based on the conviction that good teaching requires constant trial and error, thought, revision, and reflection. For that reason, a primary goal of Theoretical and Practical Issues in Foreign Language Pedagogy is not merely to convey content, but to help students develop and practice the skills they will need for a career of vital, innovative teaching. Students in this course will be encouraged to develop skills as reflective practitioners, scholars, problem solvers, and partners in teaching and learning.
Conceptual Framework:
This course implements the University of Delaware's Conceptual Framework,
which was developed by a multi-college committee to define the approaches
generally used in the university's teacher education programs. The Framework
is based on the conviction that good teaching requires constant trial and
error, thought, revision, and reflection. For that reason, a primary goal
in this course is not merely to convey content, but to help students develop
and practice the skills they will need for a career of vital, innovative
teaching. These skills begin with personal reflection aimed at improving
practice, but they also include using scholarly resources as well as forming
partnerships with parents, teachers, and the larger community as a means
of defining and resolving problems. Students should read the entire Conceptual
Framework document, which appears at the back of this syllabus before proceeding
to the following summary of its application to FLLT 62 3.
Reflective practitioner: All readings, activities, and projects encourage
students to think through problems and approaches to teaching. Often, specific
step-by-step models are provided. At other times, general tools are provided
and students are encouraged to find their own systematic way to solve problems.
The textbooks present material in a way that invites reflection and problem-solving.
The activities that accompany the chapters require thoughtful consideration.
Finally, the journal, classroom observations, class discussions, small
group work, demonstrations and projects include reflective exercises.
Scholar: In accord with the general goal of becoming reflective practitioners, students are encouraged to consider ways of using existing research-based information as a means of determining what more they need to learn and how best to learn it. Students are required to include in this effort not only traditional scholarly texts but also appropriate Internet sites and community resources. This work is not undertaken as a separate, isolated assignment; rather, it is part of the routine development of motivational activities, lesson plans, multiple assessments, and other instructional materials the students are writing in the course. Accordingly, students are required to indicate, in written assignments specifically how they are applying this research-based information to the material they are proposing to use with their (future) students. Finally, students are challenged to move beyond the traditional image of scholarship as an individual pursuit and to experience the acquisition of knowledge as a collaborative, community effort.
Problem-Solver: The concept of problem-solving is inseparable from the goals of reflectiveness and scholarship defined above. For that reason, the classroom observation reports, class discussions, activities and teaching presentation are routinely framed in terms of analyzing what problems need to be solved, what information or material is necessary to solve them, and how that information or material may be acquired. This approach is applied to such topics as the development of motivational activities for diverse learners; the incorporation of state content standards into lesson planning; and the development of principled stands on issues of importance to the profession.
Partner: Students are encouraged to develop both the skills and the attitudes necessary to foster routine, comfortable partnerships -formal and informal- with pupils, parents, and colleagues. To that end, students routinely work in small groups during class and collectively research and report on relevant issues in group projects.
The overarching goals of this course are the development of: -- a retrievable and usable knowledge base in Foreign Language Pedagogy; -- effective problem-solving and higher-order thinking skills; -- self-directed learning skills; -- skills and attitudes needed for effective collaboration with colleagues.
Expectations and policies:
The participants are expected to read all assignments before each meeting,
be prepared to give a critical assessment of the readings, and to participate
actively in the discussions and the practical projects. All projects that
are assigned and done outside class are to be written on a computer and
must be double-spaced and include all appropriate (typed) accents in the
foreign language. Students should also very carefully proofread all the
assignments before handing them in so that they accurately represent the
language and culture they (will) teach. Students are highly encouraged
to work in teams to prepare for class and for many assignments. This is
done to develop and promote collaboration which is of great benefit to
learners of all types and which is useful to teachers in the field. All
students are required to have an active e-mail account in order to receive
messages from the instructor and engage in small discussions. Students
are also encouraged to meet with the instructor during office hours to
talk about individual concerns. As committed professionals, students are
expected to attend all classes. Since the course is labor intensive and
numerous assignments will be required on a regular basis, late work will
receive a grade of 0. Exceptions may be made in unusual circumstances.
The course grade will be based on the following criteria:
Midterm exam 15%
Final exam 15%
Classroom observations (3) 10%
Teaching presentation 10%
Teaching resource portfolio 15%
Lesson plans (4) 15%
Journal (4) 10%
Group reports (2) 10%
Grading of non-TAs:
Graduate students who are not teaching while enrolled in this course
will be asked to write a short research paper of 5-7 pages on a topic related
to foreign language teaching. This paper will amount to 10% of the final
grade in lieu of the Journal entries required of Teaching Assistants.
Schedule:
1 September
Introduction of the course, the participants, and of basic terminology
Historical overview of foreign language teaching methodology
Is language teachable?
Prepare: Omaggio, pp. 1-21
6 September - Labor Day - no class
8 September
Introduction to teaching language for proficiency and communicative
language teaching
Outcome-based teaching: organizing content and planning lessons
Prepare: Omaggio, pp. 21-40, 76-79
Shrum and Glisan, ch. 3
Bring your French/German/Spanish textbooks and syllabi
13 September
Introduction to lesson planning: focus on listening
The role of comprehensible input
Prepare: Lee & VanPatten, ch. 3
Omaggio, pp. 174-195
Hand in: Lesson plan 1 for next week
15 September
Lesson planning: focus on listening and presentation of vocabulary in
the communicative classroom
Roles and tasks in the language classroom
Prepare: Lee & VanPatten, ch. 1 & 4
Design a 3-minute TPR activity and report on its success
in your own FL class
20 September
Lesson planning: focus on speaking
Prepare: Omaggio, pp. 228-266
Lee & VanPatten, ch. 8
Hand in: Journal entry 1
22 September
Lesson planning: focus on speaking
Teaching pronunciation
Interlanguage and error correction
Prepare: Omaggio, pp. 266-289
Design a 3-minute pronunciation exercise and report
on its success in your own class
Hand in: Lesson plan 2 for next week
27 September
The role of formal instruction in the foreign language classroom
Interlanguage
Prepare: Lee and VanPatten, ch. 5
Hand in: Class observation 1
29 September
Lesson planning: focus on grammar in the communicative classroom
Inductive grammar presentations
Prepare: Lee and VanPatten, ch. 6
4 October
Foreign Language Media Center: using technology in the classroom
Using authentic sources
Hand in: Group report 1
6 October
Lesson planning: focus on writing and using communicative objectives
in the foreign language classroom
Prepare: Lesson plan 3 for next week
11 October
Midterm exam
13 October
Focus on the learner: individual differences
Prepare: Omaggio, pp. 63-67
Ellis, ch. 11
18 October
Focus on the learner: learning strategies
Prepare: Ellis, ch. 12
20 October
Guiding students through efficient small group work
Prepare: Bring plan of a module of a small group activity
Hand in: Journal entry 2
25 October
Survey of theories of language learning
Prepare: Omaggio, ch. 2 (minus pp. 63-67)
27 October
Survey of approaches to foreign language teaching
Prepare: Omaggio, pp. 88-120
Hand in: Class observation 2
1 November
Lesson planning: focus on developing reading skills
Prepare: Lee & VanPatten, ch. 10
3 November
Lesson planning: focus on developing reading skills
Prepare: Omaggio, pp. 162-168, 195-224
Hand in: Journal entry 3
8 November
Using decoding exercises in reading
Prepare: Bring an authentic reading
10 November
Lesson planning: focus on developing writing skills
Prepare: Lee & VanPatten, ch. 11
15 November
Lesson planning: focus on developing writing skills
Using appropriate tasks and grading
Prepare: Omaggio, ch. 7
Hand in: Group report 2
17 November
Teaching C/culture
Prepare: Omaggio, ch. 8 (up to p. 374)
22 November
Incorporating C/culture in every lesson plan
Prepare: Omaggio, ch. 8 (pp. 374-407)
Hand in: Class observation 3
24 November
Basic assumptions of language and testing
Prepare: Omaggio, ch. 9 (up to p. 451)
Bring a test from a 100-level class
29 November
Assessing learners' foreign language ability?
Prepare: Omaggio, ch. 9 (pp. 451-478)
Hand in: Lesson plan 4 for next week
1 December
How to bridge the gap between your lesson plan and reality
Hand in: Journal entry 4
6 December
State of Delaware Foreign Languages Curriculum Framework
Content Standards, National standards
Teacher behaviors
8 December
The successful language teacher
Staying informed
Review for final exam
Hand in: Teaching portfolio
Final exam to be announced
This syllabus is a guide. Changes may be made during the semester as
per the needs of the class.