ENGL 4033 Syllabus 1

TESOL Methods and Materials / ENGL 4033

Fall 2017

Dr. Aleksandra Kasztalska (Dr. K) Tuesdays 5:00-7:40pm

AKasztalska@saumag.edu Wilson 315
870-235-5230 F-to-F (0-24% online)
Office: Wilson 314 160 min per class, 14 meetings per term
Office Hours: M 10-11am, 2-4pm, TTh 12:30-3pm 3 credit hours

Credit Hour Description

For every course credit hour of a 15-17 week semester, the typical student should expect to spend
approximately 45 clock hours per term of concentrated attention on course-related work, including but
not limited to time engaged in class, as well as out-of-class time spent reading, reviewing, organizing
notes, preparing for upcoming quizzes/exams, problem solving, developing and completing projects, and
other activities that enhance learning.
_____________________________________________________________________________________

University Mission Statement

The mission of Southern Arkansas University is to educate students for productive and fulfilling lives in a
global environment by providing opportunities for intellectual growth, individual enrichment, skill
development, and meaningful career preparation. The University believes in the worth of the individual
and accepts its responsibility for developing in its students those values and competencies essential for
effective citizenship in an ever-changing, free, and democratic society. Further, the University
encourages and supports excellence in teaching, scholarly, and creative endeavors, and service.

College Mission Statement

The mission of the College of Liberal and Performing Arts is to foster students ability to think critically,
become tolerant of diversity, adhere to ethical values, communicate effectively, cooperate successfully,
and become responsible citizens in a changing global society. In addition, the College seeks to instill in
each student an appreciation of literature, languages, history, politics, geography, music, theatre, and
art, and to provide the campus and region with opportunities for participation in these disciplines.

Department Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of English and Foreign Languages is to provide the portion of a liberal
arts education that employs language, literature, and written communication to develop the students
ability to think critically, understand and appreciate diversity, adhere to ethical values, and
communicate effectively in a global environment.

Learning Goals and Course Content

Linguistic Knowledge: Students will learn about the key approaches to teaching ESL students and
consideration for working with diverse learners.

Course Content: Students will focus on the theoretical and practical aspects of teaching English as a
second language. Students will have an opportunity to learn current teaching approaches in ESL, the
dimensions of language proficiency, the connections between language and culture, learning strategies,
and the pedagogy of teaching oral and written skills. Students will also develop ways to facilitate
language learner differences by designing appropriate language tasks and by evaluating teaching
materials and texts. A research project is required.
 ENGL 4033 Syllabus 2

Required text
Brown, H. D. & Lee, H. (2015). Teaching By Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy.
White Plains, NY: Pearson.
The textbook is available on reserve at the Library. Other readings will be uploaded to Blackboard.

Course grades
Assignments will receive letter grades based on the percentage of all points a student receives for a
given assignment. Similarly, final grades will be assigned based on the percentage of all points the
student has received during the semester. The percentages and corresponding letter grades are:

A = 90-100% B = 80-89% C = 70-79% D = 60-69% F = < 60%

Dr. K will generally grade each assignment within one week. It is YOUR responsibility to check
Blackboard regularly to monitor your grades and notify Dr. K if you have any concerns. If you have any
questions or concerns about a given grade, you must contact Dr. K within 10 days of receiving the grade.

Assignments
Points will be awarded in the following amounts, for a maximum of 1000 pts:
Homeworks 50 pts (5 x 10 pts)
Course Reflections 100 pts (2 x 50 pts)
Teaching Philosophy (draft 1) 50 pts
Teaching Philosophy (draft 2) 50 pts
Teaching Observations 200 pts (2 x 100 pts)
Classroom Solutions 100 pts
Lesson Plan, Rationale, Demo 300 pts
Attendance and Participation 150 pts

More details about assignments

Homeworks
Over the course of the semester, you will submit 5 Homeworks. They will be smaller assignments
that you will complete at home and submit in-class on the day they are due. They will be pass/fail,
meaning you will either receive full credit or a 0. The Homeworks cannot be made up later.

Course Reflections
You will submit 2 Course Reflections this semester. A Reflection is an analytical and reflective
response to the readings and ideas we have been discussing in class (any readings/ideas discussed
up to that point; not just those scheduled for a given day). A Course Reflection is NOT a summary of
the readings! Instead, it is a text that demonstrates your critical thinking about the ideas
encountered in this coursefor example, by extending key concepts and applying them to new
situations, analyzing the ideas and providing novel examples, synthesizing the information in novel
ways and connecting them to your own life, evaluating the ideas, theories, and concepts, or
creating/proposing new frameworks, interpretations and applications. Each Reflection should be
400-500 words, typed on a computer, and submitted as a Word file to Blackboard by midnight. In
evaluating Reflections, Dr. K will consider the following criteria:
The text has a clearly stated thesis or central idea early in the text.
The text shows the author has thought carefully about the issues raised in the readings and
class discussions.
The author supports his or her own argument/opinion with relevant, detailed evidence,
examples and sound logic (try to avoid generalizations).
 ENGL 4033 Syllabus 3

The text clearly and directly references the ideas from the readings or class discussions
(make sure to specify the source or author of the idea).
The author considers alternative viewpoints to his or her own.
The text is well organized (uses multiple paragraphs or sections to make distinct points;
stays focused and effectively moves from one idea to another; has a clear thesis/central idea
and conclusion).
The writing is clear and uses appropriate academic vocabulary, spelling, and grammar.

Teaching Philosophy (first and final draft)

On the first day of class, you will submit a rough draft of your Teaching Philosophy. You will
complete this assignment in class. At the end of the semester, you will be asked to reflect on what
you have learned about teaching and about working with ELLs in this course. You will then reread
your original Teaching Philosophy and revise it, evaluating and updating your original Philosophy, as
well as expanding it based on what you learned this semester. Further instructions will be provided
later.

Teaching Observations
Twice during the semester, you will observe an ESL class offered through the ESL Program at SAU.
Each class will have to be different. After observing each class, you will write a report in which you
describe the class, highlighting and evaluating the pedagogical principles and practices you
observed. The purpose of this assignment is to acquaint you with the behavior of ELLs in the
classroom, to observe authentic student-teacher interaction, and to see how SLA theories translate
into practice. Further instructions will be provided later.
Please note: You are responsible for making all necessary arrangements in order to conduct
your observations. This means that you will have to contact the ESL instructor in advance to
schedule a short meeting with them and to schedule your observation. In addition, you may
have to miss your own class or work in order to conduct your observations. If you have to miss
class/work, Dr. K will be happy to contact your other teacher/employer and ask them to excuse
your absence, but Dr. K cannot guarantee that your absence will be excused.

Classroom Solutions
You will work with a partner or in a small group. Each group will be assigned a particular educational
scenario and will need to offer a solution to a given problem. You will summarize your solution in a
one-page handout, write a short report summarizing your contribution to your group, and give short
group presentation in class. Further instructions will be provided later.

Lesson Plan, Rationale, and Demo

You will design a lesson plan for a hypothetical ESL class and present your lesson plan in class on
either 11/21 or 11/28, teaching a 15-minute portion of your lesson to your classmates. You will also
have to submit a written rationale for your lesson plan. Further instructions will be provided later.

Attendance and Participation

You are expected to attend ALL class meetings and conferences and to come to class on time.
However, you are allowed one unexcused absenceno questions asked. An absence counts as
unexcused if it is due to your own error or forgetfulness (e.g., if you oversleep or forget we are
meeting), or due to everyday mishaps that are not really your fault but that you can reasonably
expect to happen once or twice a semester (e.g., if your car breaks down or if you have to help a
friend/relative with an errand). An absence is also unexcused if you fail to contact Dr. K and explain
your absence in a timely manner. For each unexcused absence over the allowed one, 50 points will
 ENGL 4033 Syllabus 4

be deducted from your final grade in this class at the end of the semester. Moreover, as stated in
the Student Handbook:
If a student is absent from a class more than the equivalent of one week of instruction . . .
those absences will be reported to the dean of students. The dean will then send the student a
notice of pending action. The student is advised to contact the instructor as soon as this notice
has been received. Ten calendar days after the report is submitted by the instructor during a
regular semester or after seven calendar days during a summer session, a student may be
dropped from the class for excessive unexcused absences at the request of the instructor. If this
occurs, a grade of WF (withdrawal with failure) will be given for the course.
In this course, if you miss more than one class meeting, you may be dropped!
If at any point during the semester you become seriously ill or are facing other serious, unavoidable
circumstances (personal, financial, or other) that prevent you from coming to class, submitting
assignments on time, or turning in your best work, you must contact Dr. K as soon as possible. Some
absences may count as excused and some deadlines may be extended, but you have to let Dr. K
know in a timely manner!

Deadlines
All major assignments and deadlines are listed in the course schedule, but during the semester Dr. K
may change some assignments or deadlines, or create new assignments. It is YOUR responsibility to
stay informed about what is due and when. You should attend all classes and check your SAU e-mail
and Blackboard regularly.

Technical difficulties
Technical difficultiesincluding broken computers, problems with
Internet connectivity, etc.are NEVER an excuse for late or
missed work! You should always plan ahead to ensure that you
will can submit your work before the due date and you should
regularly back up all your work. Consider using a free
cloud/storage service, like Dropbox or Google Drive.

Emergencies and university functions

If an assignment is submitted late due to an emergency or other special circumstances, you must notify
Dr. K as soon as you can to ask for an extension. If you know in advance that you will have to miss a class
due to university-mandated activities (e.g., sports events, club trips, etc.) you must notify Dr. K in
advance and make advance arrangements to complete the missed work. If you do not make
arrangements in advance, you will NOT be given an extension or excused absences after youve missed
the due date or class.

Contacting Dr. K
To contact Dr. K, please use the information listed on the first page of
this syllabus. When e-mailing Dr. K, use proper email etiquette:
Include an informative subject line, begin with an appropriate
greeting, use appropriate grammar and spelling, and sign with your
full name, class number or title, and class meeting time. Moreover,
you should allow at least 24 hours for Dr. K to respond to e-mails
during the week and longer during weekends. Finally, please keep in
mind that Dr. K will NOT discuss your grades in an e-mail. If you wish
to discuss your grade, you must set up an appointment with Dr. K.
 ENGL 4033 Syllabus 5

Additional course policies:

While class is taking place, please refrain from using your cell phone or browsing non-SAU
websites (unless Dr. K gives you explicit permission to browse other websites). Violation of this
policy will result in a lowered Attendance and Participation grade at the end of the semester.
While class is taking place, you may NOT wear headphones in your ears or chew gum or tobacco.
You are expected to participate cooperatively, constructively, and to the best of your ability in
all class activities, while respecting the different experiences, beliefs and values expressed by
everyone in this course. Any behavior that could be distracting to Dr. K or your classmates
including but not limited to off-topic conversations, use of cell phones, or chewing/spitting
tobaccois considered disrespectful and should be avoided. If you fail to behave in an engaged
and respectful manner, you may be asked to leave a class meeting and will receive an unexcused
absence. In both your in-class and online interactions with classmates, you are expected to
avoid any language that may be construed as hate speechin other words, any words or
phrases that could be understood as threatening, insulting, or degrading to a person or group
based on characteristics such as race, gender or gender identity, or sexual orientation.
It is the policy of SAU to accommodate students with disabilities, pursuant to federal law, state
law, and the University's commitment to equal education opportunities. Any student with a
disability who needs accommodation should inform the instructor at the beginning of the
course. Students with disabilities are also encouraged to contact the Office of Disabilities
Support Services, 216 Reynolds Center, 870-235-4154.
Academic integrity at SAU is an organizational and individual responsibility to honesty in all
learning experiences. Any act of dishonesty in academic work constitutes academic misconduct
and is subject to disciplinary action. Acts of dishonesty include, but are not limited to:
A. Plagiarismthe act of taking and/or using the ideas, work, and/or writings of another
person as ones own.
B. Cheatingan act of dishonesty with the intention of obtaining and/or using information in
a fraudulent manner.
C. Fabricationfaking or forging a document, signature or findings of a research project.
D. Resubmissionsubmitting a work you have submitted for credit in a previous class.
If you are caught committing plagiarism or any other act of academic dishonesty, you will
automatically receive a grade of 0 on the assignment and be required to meet with the dean of
the College of Liberal and Performing Arts; other penalties may be assessed at the instructors
discretion, depending on the severity of the offense.
 ENGL 4033 Tentative Schedule
Fall 2017

Wk Date Topic Readings Due

1 8/29 Introductions and course overview Filmore & Snow (p. 5-12) Teaching
Filmore & Snow discussion Philosophy (draft 1)
Teaching Philosophy (in-class)
2 9/5 A Century of Language Teaching Brown & Lee ch. 2 HW1
Contextualizing Communicative Brown & Lee ch. 3
Approaches
3 9/12 Q&A with Dr. Petr Kandidatov Brown & Lee ch. 4 Course Reflection 1
Teaching by Principles Sharifian, Globalisation and
Intercultural Competence developing
4 9/19 Teaching Across Age Levels Brown & Lee ch. 6 HW2
Teaching Across Proficiency Levels Brown & Lee ch. 7
5 9/26 Curriculum and Course Design Brown & Lee ch. 9 Teaching
Lesson Planning Brown & Lee ch. 10 Observation 1
6 10/3 Techniques, Textbooks, and Brown & Lee ch. 11 HW3
Materials Brown & Lee ch. 14
Classroom Management
7 10/10 Q&A with Amelia Mena Brown & Lee ch. 15 Classroom Solutions
Teaching Listening Filmore & Snow (p. 14-25)
What teachers need to know about
oral language
8 10/17 Teaching Speaking Brown & Lee ch. 16 HW4
Sung, I would like to sound
9 10/24 Teaching Reading Brown & Lee ch. 17 Course Reflection 2
What teachers need to know about Filmore & Snow (p. 25-32)
written language
10 10/31 Teaching Writing Brown & Lee ch. 18 HW5
Fernsten, Writer identity
11 11/7 Q&A with Wenfeng Li Brown & Lee ch. 19 Teaching
Teaching Grammar and Vocabulary TBA Observation 2
12 11/14 Language Assessment Brown & Lee ch. 20
TBA
13 11/21 Lesson Plan Demos
14 11/28 Lesson Plan Demos Lesson Plan
Potluck and TESOL Awards
15 12/5 FINALS WEEK (NO CLASS) Teaching
Philosophy (draft 2)

Please note: Topics, readings, assignments, and due dates are subject to change. It is YOUR responsibility to stay
informed about what is due and when. You should attend all classes and check your SAU e-mail and Blackboard
regularly to stay up-to-date.