EDLA618 Strategies for TESOL

Task:

The first part of assignment 1 aims to develop a theoretical framework, and, based on that framework, promote critical observation and analysis of your own teaching practice.

For this assignment, you need to complete all activities in Topic 1. The readings in Topic 1 will be the foundation for your observation and the development of a theoretical framework. The structure of this assignment should be as follow:

1. first, an introductory paragraph, succinctly indicating the purposes of the essay, the key concepts that will be referred to and how the essay will be organised.

2. a description of your teaching context. For this description, you are expected to provide basic information about the school, subject area and year that you will focus on; indicate number of students in the classroom and relevant characteristics of the group in relation to EAL/D learners and also mainstream learners. At this point, you should rely on relevant readings to connect your context with what the literature has proposed.

3. identification of a language learning outcome that you consider relevant to the teaching of EAL/D learners in mainstream and/or EAL specialist classes in your context. In order to do this, you need to revise relevant curricular documents in your subject area. You should also clearly explain why this is a relevant outcome for your context.

4. a critical analysis of your teaching practice. You should focus on teaching activities that are oriented to achieve the language learning outcome that you set up before. You will have to set up key concepts that will be useful for your analysis – scaffolding, ZPD, semiotic mediation, etc. You need to explain the concepts and then explicitly use them to analyse what you do in the classroom, providing clear examples. Consider the following example, focusing on classroom talk

Learning outcomes assessed

Assessment criteria: The student:

• identifies and thoroughly explains relevant features in the teaching context

• clearly articulates how outcomes relate to the teaching of EAL/D learners in mainstream and/or EAL/D specialist classes.

• demonstrates a critical perspective into the own practice in the light of the principles related to the teaching of language for EAL/D learners in mainstream and/or EAL/D specialist classes

• draws on, and appropriately cites, references from the Topic’s readings (and possibly other sources) to support position

• correctly employs relevant metalanguage in relation to SLA research-informed approaches to TESOL

• demonstrates a high level of academic writing

• employs high quality APA referencing in text and bibliography