• Davis Nathaniel

• Davis Nathaniel

This two-part foundation course is intended for students planning on teaching English in Swiss state schools at Secondary I level. The autumn session will provide you with an introduction to the international community of English Language Teaching (ELT) and its professional discourse. Starting with a historical overview of theories and methodologies of language learning, we will delve deeply into the fundamental concepts and practices of today’s dominant “post-communicative” approach to language pedagogy. Topics covered include teacher roles, classroom language, uses of technology in the classroom, student motivation, and patterns of classroom interaction. The complementary course offered in the spring (Language Learning Classroom II) covers testing, error correction and feedback, classroom management, task-based learning, and effective use of coursebooks.

Coursework will consist of regular homework, quizzes, written assignments, and a presentation. All written work must be submitted in digital form according to guidelines posted on Moodle. There is no final exam.

• Become familiar with the historical development of major theories and methodologies of language learning
• Gain awareness of the international ELT community and its discourse
• Discover the fundamental concepts of contemporary “post-communicative” foreign language pedagogy, including classroom interaction, teacher roles, motivation, and student autonomy
• Understand how to use native and target languages effectively in a classroom
• Acquire practical techniques for teaching grammar and pronunciation
• Become familiar with the various technological tools available to language teachers and discover how to use them most effectively in a classroom setting
• Begin to develop your own identity as a teacher and learn how to develop teaching practices that you are comfortable with

All required materials will be posted on the course Moodle site, for which you must register after the first class.

The following two books are recommended, but not mandatory, and can be purchased from Librophoros (Rue de Rome 1) or consulted at the Bibliothèque des langues étrangères (Rue du Criblet 13).

• Ur, Penny. A Course in English Language Teaching. 2nd ed., Cambridge UP, 2012.
• Harmer, Jeremy. The Practice of English Language Teaching. 5th ed., Pearson, 2015.