Professor Cindy Brantmeier
Office:  306 Ridgley Hall
Tel:  935-7953
cbrantme@artsci.wustl.edu
Office Hours:
1:30-3:30 Wednesday
 

Course Goals:

Romance Languages 501 is a practical and theoretical introduction to teaching languages.  The course begins with the theoretical component that incorporates historical and contemporary theories of language acquisition and instruction including the different types of learning contexts that promote second language learning. The course covers topics in applied linguistics such as individual learner differences, language and culture, and testing and assessment. The practical component focuses on the professional development as an instructor, roles of instructor and student, and daily classroom activities, with an emphasis on communicative language teaching and task-based instruction. Instructors will learn how to create activities where learners interact in meaningful, authentic ways and will begin to examine the integration of technology into foreign language teaching through the use of computer-assisted instruction.  Throughout the semester instructors will become reflective practitioners equipped with the tools to refine and perfect teaching practices.  As part of the course, instructors create a variety of teaching activities, teach with observations, and take part in one-on-one conferences concerning individual teaching practices. The course involves the creation of a teaching portfolio which consists of a teaching philosophy statement, different types of classroom activities, and an in-class exam. Finally, instructors will be able to conceptualize teaching practices in theoretical terms.

Required Materials:

Available in the campus bookstore

Lee, James F. and Bill VanPatten.  Making Communicative Language Teaching Happen.  New York:  McGraw, 2003.

Lightbown, Patsy M. and Nina Spada.  How Languages are Learned. Oxford:  Oxford UP, 2003.

**Additional article readings may be assigned on a weekly basis.

Optional book:
Lee, James F.  Tasks and Communicating in Classrooms. New York:  McGraw, 2000.

*Selected articles will be added and distributed prior to an assignment.

Evaluation:
A.  Materials Portfolio  40%
B.  Mid-term Exam   35%
C.  Final Presentation   15%
D.  Class Participation    10%

Participation
Preparation, attendance, and participation are assumed of graduate students. Participation grade is based on the following: preparing for class, volunteering, and classroom interaction. Absences will lower the final participation grade.

Grading Criteria

97-100 A+ 87-89 B+ 77-79 C+ 67-69 D+ 60 or below F
93-96   A 83-86 B 73-76 C 63-66 D
90-93   A- 80-83 B- 70-73 C- 60-63 D-

Materials Portfolio: (include both first and final drafts)
The materials portfolio will consist of the following:
1. teaching philosophy statement
2. input/grammar activity
3. task-based activity
4. reading/writing activity
5.   reaction papers-Language Learning Series lecture & workshop

Mid-term Exam:
The mid-term exam will cover both the text readings as well as the class discussions.  It will be short answer and essay.  You will have the entire 2 hours to write.

Presentation:
Throughout the semester you will link theory to practice by critical reflection of ideas, informed application of ideas, and a critical evaluation of the outcomes. At the end of the semester, you will give an oral presentation on a selected topic.

WEEKLY TOPICS and ASSIGNMENTS:

*All readings and other assignments should be finished before coming to class.

· LVP = Lee and VanPatten (Making Communicative…)
· L & S = Lightbown and Spada (How Languages…)

Monday, September 5th - No class. Labor Day.

Week 1:  Monday, September 12th

Brief History of Language Learning and Instruction
Theoretical Approaches to Explaining Second Language Learning: Practical Implications
Second Language Acquisition: Some Givens
Foundations of Communicative Language Teaching

     Read:  L&S Chs. 1, 2; LVP Ch. 1

Week 2:  Monday, September 19th

Input and the Classroom
Oral Comprehensible Input
Communication and Negotiation
Building Toward a Proficiency Goal
Lesson Plan Goals

     Due:  One-paragraph teaching philosophy statement (in English)
     Read:  LVP Chs. 2, 3, 4

Week 3:  Monday, September 26th

Listening Comprehension
Listening as Communication
Evaluating Spoken Language: Oral Testing and Rating Scales
Observing Second Language Teaching: Teacher-Student Interactions
Classroom Observation Schemes

     Read:  LVP Ch. 10, 5; L&S Ch. 5      ***Teaching Observations Begin***

Week 4:  Monday, October 3rd
 
Learning and Teaching Grammar
Explicit Explanation and Paradigms
Structured Input
Creating Specific Activities for Structured Input
 
     Read:  LVP Ch. 6, 7
 
Week 5:  Monday, October 10th

Five Proposals for Language Teaching
The Implications of Classroom Research for Teaching
Vocabulary Acquisition
Developing Task-Based Activities

     Due:  Grammar Activity based on LVP
     Read:  L & S Ch 6. (Ch. 4 optional)

***October 13th and 14th Lecture and Workshop
Language Learning Series: Professor Michael Long, Task-based Learning and Instruction

Week 6:  October 17th

     IN-CLASS EXAM (2 hours)

Week 7:  Monday, October 24th

Structured Output
Creating Structured Output Activities
Vocabulary and Output
Phonology and Spoken Language
Implementing Interaction in the Classroom

          Read:  LVP Chs. 8

Week 8:  Monday, October 31st

Interacting Variables in Second Language Reading
Second Language Reading Instruction
Second Language Writing Instruction
Tasks for Non-Beginners
 
     Due:  Task-based Activity
     Read:  LVP Chs. 11, 12

Week 9:  Monday, November 7th

Second Language Reading and Writing (cont’d…)
Teaching Culture
Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL)
Demo of CALL

     Read:  Article on Culture; Article on CALL

Week 10:  Monday, November 14th

Second Language Testing and Assessment
Creation of Language Tests across Stages of Acquisition:
Testing Grammar
Testing Reading Comprehension
Evaluating Writing
Freshmen Placement Testing

     Due:  Reading/Writing Activity
     Read: LVP Ch. 9, 13

*** Language Learning Series Lecture and Workshop- Professor Sue Gass, Input Processing and Instruction

Week 11:  Monday, November 21st (last Class) *** 3 hours instead of 2 hours***

     Class presentations

Monday, December 12th:

     Due:  Teaching Materials Portfolio
     (Deliver to my office by 3:00pm)