EKIA3010 Teaching English Today (5 op)

Content 

This course is targeted at future teachers of English and offers an introduction to key areas of Second Language Acquisition and Language Pedagogies. We will explore theories and practices of language learning from the perspective of teaching English as a so-called “foreign” language in Finland, but also more broadly.

Completion methods

Contact teaching: Weekly readings and tasks, pair and group work, presentation in class 

OR

Self-study: Written tasks

Assessment details

After completing the course students will be able to

• understand some key differences/similarities between first and second language acquisition, particularly metalinguistic awareness
• get at sense of the broader field of TESOL and tap some of its resources
• think critically about being multilingual and learning languages in Finland (and beyond)
• discuss traditional theories and current views on L2 learning and teaching in the larger framework of SLA research
• understand the procedures and benefits of integrating content and language teaching in the English classroom
• understand the notion of learner language and draw conclusions for their own teaching
• think within a translanguaging framework and use some translanguaging strategies for their own teaching
• understand how a teacher can and should take into account learners’ individual differences (and how these differences may affect language learning outcomes)
• know what fair and multi-dimensional assessment can look like
• reflect critically on different ways of correcting language learners
• understand how some language ideologies can be detrimental to promoting multilingualism, language learning, and student wellbeing, and will be able to respond to them with research-based arguments.

Participation: 83%

• KLSP004 Johdatus kieleen ja sen tutkimukseen and
• KLSP005 / KOPP1000 Kohti kielenopettajuutta.

• KLSP004 Johdatus kieleen ja sen tutkimukseen

Further reading assigned at the beginning of the course