Graduate Diploma in TESOL

Course Content

MODULE ONE

Objectives: By the end of this module you should:

1. be aware of the nature of language
2. have a knowledge of the different varieties of language
3. understand what constitutes error in language
4. understand how language is acquired
5. know which methodologies can be used to teach English
6. know the principles on which modern language teaching is based

Contents

Introduction: Learners' aims; different teaching situations.

Section A

1.1 What is language?
Sounds, symbols, a complex system, speech and writing

1.2 What is language for?
Communication, control, socialization, thought, feelings

1.3 Language varieties
Historical, geographical and social dialect;
Register: age, sex, status, role; topic, medium, style

1.4 Appropriateness and error
Communicative competence, mistakes, errors, teaching model.

Section B

1.5 First language acquisition
Stages of language development, mother/parent role

1.6 Second language acquisition
Classical conditioning, creative learning, motivation

1.7 Language teaching methodologies
Grammar-translation, direct methods, structural approach, audio-lingual approach, cognitive code, immersion method, lexical approach

1.8 Language teaching principles
Selection, grading, contextualization, repetition, practice

Tasks and self correcting exercises
Essays to be submitted
Further reading

MODULE TWO

Objectives By the end of this module you should:

be aware of the aids available to the language teacher
know many of the techniques for using them
know what is involved in developing language skills
know how the aids and techniques can be used to do this

Contents

A note on student levels

Section A

2.1 Aural/oral skills: General principles, receptive v. productive skills.

2.2 Teaching pronunciation: General points, discriminating sounds, producing sounds, stress and intonation.

2.3 Language drills: Contextualized drills, substitution tables.

2.4 Question and answer: Ten types and five levels

2.5 Dialogues, drama and role play

2.6 Extensive and intensive listening: Stories, comprehension passages, dictation

2.7 Flashcards and wordcards

2.8 Exploiting the blackboard

2.9 Realia

2.10 Pictures and charts: Magazine picture library, wall charts.

2.11 Songs and rhymes

2.12 Games and puzzles

2.13 Electronic aids

Section B

2.14 Reading and writing skills: Different learners, reading skills, writing skills

2.15 Teaching the script: Phonic method, look-and-say method, pre-reading activities, reading activities, letter formation

2.16 Teaching spelling: Spelling and reading, sound to symbol, symbol to sound

2.17 Composition from guided to free: Labelling, answers to questions, substitution tables, guided composition, free composition

2.18 Intensive reading: Progression of reading skills, reading activities.

2.19 Extensive reading: Readability, graded readers, reading records.

2.20 Exploiting texts: Using authentic texts, simplifying texts.

2.21 Integrated skills: The four skills, translation.

Tasks and self correcting exercises

Essays and work to be submitted

Further reading

MODULE THREE

Objectives

By the end of the unit you should

1. be aware of the factors affecting teaching aims
2. know what is involved in syllabus design
3. have a procedure for evaluating textbooks
4. understand the role of the teacher and have a basis for self-evaluation
5. be aware of the different modes of classroom interaction
6. be able to plan effective lessons
7. have a fund of ideas for planning lessons

Contents

Section A

3.1 Teaching Aims
Course aims, sample syllabuses, textbook evaluation

3.2 Class organisation
Role of the teacher, modes of interaction, class layout

Section B

3.3 Lesson Planning
Preparation, presentation, practice, testing, revision

3.4 Sample lesson plans

Tasks and self correcting exercises

Essays and work to be submitted

Further reading

MODULE FOUR

Objectives

By the end of the module you should

1. have a knowledge of the main concerns of linguistic theory
2. know many linguistic terms and categories
3. be able to approach linguistic texts with confidence
4. have started to relate linguistic theory to the practice of teaching
5. be thinking more clearly about the content of what you teach

Contents

Section A

4.1 Phonetics and Phonology
The distinction between them, how sounds are made, phonemes, consonants, vowels, stress, rhythm, intonation

4.2 Morphology
Nouns, adjectives, pronouns, verbs

4.3 Vocabulary
Words, morphemes, collocation, meaning, subordination

4.4 Grammar
Parts of speech, clause, phrase, auxiliary and modal verbs, verb classes, tense systems and uses, complex verb phrases, noun classes, determiners,
adjectives, pronouns and proforms, prepositions, conjunctions, conditionals

Section B

4.5 Applications of Linguistics to Language Teaching
Error analysis, phonology, vocabulary selection, sentence complexity

Epilogue

Essays and work to be submitted

Further reading

MODULE FIVE

Section A – Professional skills

Unit 1 Syllabus Design
1.1 Syllabus vs curriculum
1.2 Syllabus types
1.3 Functional/notional syllabuses
1.4 Syllabus design

Assignment 1 - essay-evaluation of a syllabus

Unit 2 Needs analysis
2.1 Introduction to needs analysis
2.2 Practical problems in needs analysis

Assignment 2 – needs analysis

Unit 3 Course programmes
3.1 Why have a course programme?
3.2 Designing the course
3.3 Approaches to course design
3.4 Course programming and lesson planning- what’s the difference?
3.5 Specific business English course plan

Section B – Methodology

Unit 1 classroom management
1.1 The Role of the Teacher
1.2 How interactive am I as a teacher?
1.3 Advising on learner independence

Unit 2 Approaches
2.1 Differences between Class teaching & One to One teaching
2.2 Problems of one to one teaching
2.3 Dealing with difficult students

Assignment 3 - mini profiles

Unit 3 Teaching 1-1
3.1 Reflecting on 1-1 teaching
3.2 Teaching modes

Assignment 4 - teaching modes

Unit 4 evaluation of materials

Unit 5 Teaching Business English and the Internet

Assignment 5 - mini project-choice from 5 topics

Unit 6 Using dictation
6.1 Ways of using dictation

Unit 7 Teaching grammar
7.1 Points to remember

Section C - Business concepts and practices

Unit 1 The Business client
1.1 Problems of the business client
1.2 Skills a business client may need

Assignment 6 – Business English materials critique

Unit 2 Cultural Differences
2.1 symptoms of culture shock
2.2 linguistic/cultural misunderstanding
2.3 non-verbal communication
2.4 cross-cultural quiz
2.5 Answers to Cross Cultural Quiz

Unit 3 Teaching meetings
3.1 points to remember
3.2 a way of teaching meetings
3.3 a meeting needs audit
3.4 Business Meetings Maze

Unit 4 teaching negotiating skills
4.1 points to remember
4.2 a way of teaching negotiating

4.3 Assignment 7 -lesson planning

Unit 5 Teaching presentations
5.1 points to remember
5.2 a way of teaching presentations
5.3 presentation sheet

Unit 6 Teaching telephoning skills
6.1 Problems of telephoning
6.2 A Way of Teaching Telephoning Skills
6.3 Telephone mini simulations
6.4 Useful phrases

Assignment 8 – reformulated telephone conversation.

MODULE SIX

Unit 1. Introduction to the English language and its origins
Unit 2. Teaching methodologies
Unit 3. EFL examinations and placement tests
Unit 4. Research and Development
Unit 5: Research Dissertation

Qualification

On completion of your course, you will receive a Level 7 Graduate Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages endorsed by TQUK. This is endorsed at a level of learning equivalent to level 7 on the National Qualifications Framework (NFQ) and Qualifications Credit Framework (QCF) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland (in which case GCSE's are at levels 1 and 2 and A Levels are at level 3).