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HCMC OPEN UNIVERSITY

GRADUATE SCHOOL
MASTER IN TESOL PROGRAM
COURSE OUTLINE

Course: Theories of Language Teaching and Learning


Code: ENG601
Credit points: 3
Faculty in charge: Faculty of Foreign Languages

1. Course aims
This course aims to provide an introductory study in contemporary developments in the
theories of English language learning and teaching. The course includes an examination of a
range of theories (behaviorist, cognitivist, constructivist, and social constructivist) and
research, and factors affecting the process of learning and teaching a foreign/second
language, such as individual, sociological, and psychological, and their implications. It also
relates to changes in context and culture of English language learning and teaching in
Vietnam. By carefully examining these theories, the participants will be able to identify
different instruments which may be useful in learning and teaching in a variety of settings.

Owing to the practical application of the course, learners are requested to flexibly link
their insights and reflection to current observation of ELT learning and teaching.

The aims of the course are:

 to extend and develop awareness of the major theories of learning and their
applications in actual learning/teaching environments;
 to critically examine how learning theory informs classroom activity from both learner
and teacher perspectives;
 to develop the learners’ ability to find and interpret research material, and to enable
them to use recent academic research in the field to support their own approach to
learning and teaching;
 The course is organized as a four-hour session, incorporating reading, lectures,
participating in group presentations/workshop activities, and discussions. Learners are
expected to participate and actively contribute to the class outcomes during the
contact hours. Owing to the practical and interactive nature of the course, learners’
attendance is strongly recommended and is included in the assessment. Class
participation, work and processes are essential to the knowledge and understandings
needed for the assessment items;
 All learners will be randomly assigned a reading topic. They may work individually or in
pairs/small groups. They are strongly encouraged to consult other resources beyond
the required reading(s) (TBA).

Course outcomes
On completion of the course, the successful learners will be able:
 to identify the essentials of key theories of language learning and teaching;
 to describe the basic vocabulary, concepts, and theories of learning and teaching in
terms of behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, and social constructivism;

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 to develop a critical awareness and sound understanding of these theories;
 to apply these theories and their implications in practical classroom individual learning
and teaching, and to support learners’ cognitive and social development;
 to reflect on factors influencing individual differences in teaching in general and
learning in particular; and
 to be able to critically evaluate language learning and teaching theories,

2. Course contents and schedule

Week 1: Introduction to Language, Learning and Teaching


Overview: This session will begin the course by highlighting the nature of language and its
impact upon language learning. It also emphasizes the role of learners in learning a foreign
language.
Questions:
- Why should language skills be divided into sub skills?
- Why is language learner considered a social being?

Readings:
1.1 Introduction: Learners and Learning, Classroom and Context.
In Lewis, M & Hill, J., Language and Language Learning. London. OUP. 1992.
pp 22-38.
1.2 Mitchell, R & Myles, F. 2004. Second Language Learning: Key Concepts and
Issues. In Theories of Second Language Teaching and Learning. London. Arnold.
pp. 11-27.

Week 2: Focus on Teaching Theories


Overview: Reflecting the social nature of language and language learning, social
constructivism manifests its crucial role in making language learners more active through
lenses of different researchers’ and theorists’ views, such as social learning, active learning,
social, cognitive and situated learning.
Questions:
- Why does social constructivist theory gain its momentum in teaching and learning
languages?
- What are the differences between professional theory and personal theory?
- What kind of teacher do you want to become? And why?

Readings:
2.1 Johnson, K. E. & Golombek, P. R. 2011. A Sociocultural Theoretical Perspective
on Teacher Professional Development. . In Research on Second Language
Teacher Education. New York. Routledge. Chapter 1. pp. 1- 12.
2.2 Kumaradivelu. B. 2003. Conceptualizing Teaching Acts. In Beyond Methods:
Macrostrategies for Language Teaching. New Haven. Yale University Press.
Chapter 1. pp. 5-22.
2.3 Pritchard, A., & Woolard, J. 2010. Introduction. In Psychology for the Classroom:
Constructivism and Social Learning. London. Routledge. Chapter 1. pp. 1-19

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Week 3: Focus on Learning Theories
Overview: This session will examine the learning power and tries to tap the power which
every learner possesses and make every of them aware of such a powerful capacity so as to
help them bring their best one(s) into full play.
Questions:
- What kind of learning power do you think you are in possession of?
- Regarding learning theories, which one do you think facilitate your learning a
language?

Readings:
3.1 Crick, R. 2006. Learning Power: what is it? In Learning Power in Practice: A Guide
for Teachers. London. Paul Chapman Publishing. pp. 1-14.
3.2 Johnson, K. E. 2009. Language as Social Practice. In Second Language Teacher
Education - A Sociocultural Perspective. New York. Routledge. Chapter 4. pp. 42-
61.
3.3 Galton, M. 2007. Learning Theory. In Learning and Teaching in the Primary
Classroom. Chapter 2. New Delhi. Sage. pp. 15-29.

Week 4: Focus on the How Students Learn Languages


Overview: This session presents some views on how people learn – accumulating facts,
increasing understanding and wisdom, constructing their own knowledge through social
interaction. It also informs the learner a variety of ways to widen their knowledge, sharpen
their skills and foster a thirst for learning in the era of technology.

Questions:
- What kind of learning do you think you are better able to apply in your teaching
context?
- What is the difference between adult’s and children’s learning a foreign language?

Readings:
4.1 Murphy, L., Mufti, E., & Kassem, D. 2008. How People Learn. In
Education Studies: An Introduction. London. Open University Press.
pp. 89-101.
4.2 Cameron, L. 2001. Children Learning a Foreign Language. In
Teaching Languages to Young Learners. 8th ed. Cambridge.
CUP. pp. 1-20.

Week 5: Focus on Approaches


Overview: This session is discussing the psychological aspects of a variety of teaching
methods currently applicable in teaching and learning English as a foreign language in the
world, and also in Vietnam. It also draws the readers into Task-based language Instruction
(TBI), a variant of Communicative Approach so as to better develop learner’s communicative
competence.
Questions:
- What do you think about CLT and TBI? Are they applicable in current teaching
situations of foreign language teaching in Vietnam?
- Which form of CLT is more appropriate in Vietnamese setting?

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Readings:
5.1 Johnson, K. E. 2009. Teachers as Learners of Teaching. In Second Language
Teacher Education - A Sociocultural Perspective. New York. Routledge. Chapter 3.
pp. 17 - 40.

Week 6: Focus on Concepts and Precepts


Overview: This session will present and discuss the concepts and precepts of language. It
aims to raise the teachers as language learners’ awareness of what to teach and how to
teach a language, whether language is just a means of communication, or it is a tool to
express one’s attitude towards changes in society and an opportunity to define one’s identity.
Questions:
- What is your opinion about “Learning a language means a learning opportunity”?
- How do teachers create learning opportunities for their learners?

Readings:
6.1 Kumaravadivelu, B. 2006. Language: Concepts and Precepts. In
Understanding Language Teaching. London. Erlbaum Lawrence. pp. 3-24
6.2 Crabbe, D. 2007. Learning Opportunities: Adding Learning Value to Tasks.
ELT Journal. 61(2). pp. 117-125.

Week 7: Focus on Internal and External Factors


Overview: This session will examine the factors and processes in language learning. It aims
to highlight both internal and external factors which may advance or constraint one’s
learning. In addition, this session also mention some debatable issues in language learning,
such as aptitude and personality, which will certainly to certain extent facilitate the teacher in
conducting language classes
Questions:
- What kind of language learner are you? How do you identify the different language
learners in your class?
- Does teacher’s teaching style have to match learners’ learning style? Why?

Readings:
7.1 Kumaravadivelu, B. 2006. Learning: Factors and Processes. In Understanding
Language Teaching. London. Erlbaum Lawrence. pp. 25-53.
7.2 Hall, G. 2011. Focus on the Language Learner: Individual Attributes and Attitudes.
In Exploring English Language Teaching – Language in Action. London.
Routledge. pp. 123-142.

Week 8: Focus on How Language Is Instructed


Overview: This session will focus on how knowledge/ skills are imparted in a language class
in terms of input from the teacher’s stance. It also shows how such input is shaped through
interaction and then some pedagogical implications are suggested.
Questions:
- Do teachers have to modify their input in language teaching? Why? To whom?
- Does negotiation benefit language learners? How?

Readings:
8.1 Kumaravadivelu, B. 2006. Teaching: Input and Interaction. In Understanding

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Language Teaching. London. Erlbaum Lawrence, 2006. pp. 55- 80
8.2 Walsh, S. 2006. Learning in the Second Language Classroom. In
Investigating Classroom Discourse. New York. Routledge. Chapter
2. pp. 17-38.

Week 9: Focus on Culture and Learning Culture


Overview: This session discusses how culture of learning affects language learners’
progress and shapes their identity. It also indicates the relationship between motivation and
investment, ethnicity, gender, classes and language learning in reference to language
learning autonomy.
Questions:
- How does identity affect one’s progress in language learning?
- Explain the relationship between dependence, independence and interdependence in
language learning autonomy?
Readings:

9.1 Tarnpichprasert, M. 2008. Reflections on Becoming Experienced. In Professional


Encounters In TESOL, Garton, S and Richards, K (Eds.). New York. Palgrave.
pp. 123-29.

Week 10: Focus on Technology-enhancing Language Teaching and Learning


Overview: This final session will present the importance of technology in language teaching
and learning as it helps to form one’s culture of learning in terms of cognition, metacognition
and affection. It also suggests some new forms of learning with support from ICT.
Questions:
- Explain how SCT develops and fosters language learners in a CALL classroom?
- How do foreign language teachers adopt CALL in their teaching practice? What
lessons do they learn from such an application in terms of language teaching and
learning theory?

Readings:
10.1 Pritchard, A. 2007. ICT, the Internet and Theories of Learning. In Effective
Teaching with Effective Technologies: Pedagogy and Practice. London. Sage. pp.
1-12.
10.2 Motteram, G. 2014. Developing and Extending Our Understanding of Language
Learning and Technology. In Innovations in Learning Technologies for ELT.
Cambridge. CUP. pp. 177 - 191.
(https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/sites/teacheng/files/C607%20Information
%20and%20Communication_WEB%20ONLY_FINAL.pdf)

Week 11: Consultation and Evaluation

3. Course assessment

3.1 Reading/Class participation (20%)

 Attending at all class sessions


 Critically completing all assigned readings prior to class
 Participating in discussion, activities, and tasks during each class period

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This is a “seminar” class, so your ideas and input are important and highly
appreciated. Participation will involve group discussions, oral presentations, and individual
comment on presentations/ discussions/ readings.

3.2 Group Presentation (30%)


This is a team work in which every member is expected to demonstrate their
understanding - in both theory and practice - of the topic assigned and to deliver a brief and
interesting presentation. Individual efforts should be made in order to equally contribute to a
successful outcome of the presentation through addressing the audience’s interest in the
topic, their relevant questions and also through the follow-up discussion.

3.3. Critique Paper (50%)


One short paper (2500 words) written in response to one given topic as addressed in
the readings and class discussions. This paper does not require research, but should be a
thoughtful critique/ discussion of points raised in the readings, or from teaching experience.

This paper is an opportunities to explore, through your own writing, exactly how you
see yourself involved in the learning and teaching process, how you see yourself as a
facilitator of learning environments. It will also address how you view children and/or adult as
learners. It is a guiding philosophy of what you aim to do as a teacher. This is a document
you should keep because it may be useful for teaching job interviews. It is something you
should evolve and alter throughout the semester. The readings and the class activities we do
should help you to think about this more deeply as time passes. It is expected that you will
begin with a draft, somewhat sketchy, in the mid of the course, and be challenged to add
detail as we progress through the course content.

This reflective critique will be 10 pages in length and 1 and ½ spacing, properly
formatted in APA writing style. The paper will present your responses/opinions regarding the
article.

The written assignment is due on: TBA

Assessment
For the final assessment, students are required to draw on theory for the practice that
they are asked to demonstrate in class activities and final paper. Students also need to think
reflectively on what they have read, what they have gained from the course and experienced
in their own teaching. An individual student’s assessment mark may be varied (up or down)
by 10 per cent to reflect differences in contribution.

Academic Honesty
Learners must neither cheat nor contribute to cheating by others in writing the final
assignment. Plagiarism can therefore be avoided by observing the following rules:

 if other writer’s ideas or facts are used, they must be fully sourced, and
 if another writer’s phrasing is used, the source must not only be well cited, using
quotation marks or indent from the body of the paper.

In other words, you are expected to turn in work of your own, with proper reference
and citation of all sources that you use in your papers.

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Referencing
All sources of references must be explicitly and clearly acknowledged and students
are to observe recognized referencing conventions. APA style is recommended
Plagiarism
Assignments that include plagiarism, unintentionally or deliberately, are not
acceptable. Plagiarism will result in a failing grade

Attendance Policy
Class attendance is mandatory. You are expected to be on time and well prepared for
each class. You are expected to participate actively in class by taking part in all class
discussions, completing readings promptly, and finishing the final assignment properly and in
due course. Each student is responsible for all information from each class session.
Attendance at all classes is important. In case you are unable to attend a class, you
are to inform me of the reason for the absence. Failure to do this will result in a
corresponding lower of your course grade.

Guidelines for Presentation from the Weekly Readings


All learners are required to make at least one (depending on the total number of
students) presentation from the weekly readings. A presenter will lead a discussion of the key
points and terminology from the readings. The rest of the students are expected to equally
and actively share the work and contribute to the success of the group’s work. Learners
should consider utilizing approximately 30-45 minutes of class time.

Grading criteria for the final assignment:


In your paper, you should:
 identify and describe a relevant issue or topic in a specific context that you are
familiar with;
 demonstrate an understanding of the concepts introduced in the readings and
study notes that are relevant to your chosen issue;
 apply these concepts to a consideration of your chosen issue and context;
 write clearly and concisely in academic style;
 refer specifically to the relevant readings and study notes to introduce, illustrate
and support your own personal reflections;
 provide a reference list citing all and only those references cited in the body of your
essay;
 use APA referencing style;
 Observe the word limits.

Your grade will be mostly determined by:


 How well the relevant issue is identified and described
 How well your discussion of the issue is related to the theory.

Course Evaluation
Your views on the course content, teaching, resources, etc. will be requested by
means of an anonymous questionnaire at the end of the course.

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SOME TIPS ON CLASS PARTICIPATION AND ASSIGNMENT

1. Essay on Reflective Practice (Individual Assignment)

The assignment aims at helping teachers as reflective teacher-practitioners to


understand both what they do in their classrooms, and why they do it. The rationale that
informs teaching practice is based upon theory, professional and content knowledge, and
intuitive knowledge drawn from personal experience.

A primary goal of reflection is to better understand one's self and to impact positive
change in one's teaching behaviors. Writing a reflective essay will allow you to organize your
thinking about your past and present language teaching and language learning experiences
and to incorporate into your thinking new insights and information that you have acquired
about ESL issues and pedagogy during the past several months.

As you begin this course, you will explore, in writing, your reflections upon topics and
issues in ESL that impact your teaching and/or that we have explored in the program thus far.
This opportunity for reflection will also help you begin to draft your own rationale for many of
the current teaching and learning strategies critical in the field of ESL which you may be
called upon to share with your administrators and colleagues, as well as with your students
and their parents.

2. Share Fair Presentation (Individual or partner assignment)

We, teachers, attribute "lack of time" as a definite barrier to effective collaboration with
our peers. Because of this, we may be unaware of our colleague's outstanding teaching
ideas, and we many often find ourselves 'reinventing the wheel,' in our efforts to come up
with creative ways to present course material or to engage students in learning.

One way to share and acquire quality teaching ideas from our colleagues is through
an interactive "Share Fair," during which participants present successful teaching ideas from
their classrooms. During the "Share Fair," each of us will have the opportunity to gain a
variety of new ideas which we may take and adapt to our own specific teaching contexts.

3. Inquiry: Our Own Questions (Individual or partner assignment)

We teachers also attribute "lack of time" as a barrier to exploring questions we have


about our teaching and our profession. The school year is often too busy with planning,
grading, testing, and being involved with our kids to allow us the luxury of reading and
reflecting on our own questions. In addition to the issues we examine in class together, you
have the opportunity to design your own assignment.

Many of you have sent us topics and questions that you would like to know more
about but which can't all be covered within the time constraints of our summer course.
Choose one of your own questions to research, and share what you find out with us. You
choose the question and the way you will present it. (Scary, huh?) Your rubric will include
your rationale for choosing this topic, your research journey, and a description of how this

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information and the process you engaged in will be useful for you and other teachers of ELL
students.

Guidelines for writing the reflective assignment on the Readings and/or Class
Discussions

This assignment will help you become a more critical reader and thinker on issues that
you encounter in the contexts of learning and teaching. You may address one or a
combination of the following responses at least for a total of 10 pages or 2,500 words.

 Briefly summarize the reading and give your response.


 Did you find this article or book chapter easy or difficult to read? Why? Be precise.
 Write your own questions that you have about this reading.
 What did you learn from this article or book chapter that you did not already know?
Why is this important?
 What relevance does this article or book chapter have to you?

Written assignments should be carefully prepared, proofread, and typed. APA style
should be followed (refer to The Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association (6th ed.). More specific instructions for the paper will be provided during the
semester.

NOTE: All written work must be done on a word processor and must conform to APA style
standards. Any work not conforming to APA style will not be accepted.

For genral APA style guidance, see


http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_apa.html

4. Materials
Johnson, K. E. & Golombek, P. R. 2011. A Sociocultural Theoretical Perspective on Teacher
Professional Development. . In Research on Second Language Teacher Education.
New York. Routledge. Chapter 1. pp. 1- 12.
Kumaradivelu. B. 2003. Conceptualizing Teaching Acts. In Beyond Methods: Macrostrategies
for Language Teaching. New Haven. Yale University Press. Chapter 1. pp. 5-22.
Pritchard, A., & Woolard, J. 2010. Introduction. In Psychology for the Classroom:
Constructivism and Social Learning. London. Routledge. Chapter 1. pp. 1-19

Crick, R. 2006. Learning Power: what is it? In Learning Power in Practice: A Guide for
Teachers. London. Paul Chapman Publishing. pp. 1-14.
Johnson, K. E. 2009. Language as Social Practice. In Second Language Teacher Education
- A Sociocultural Perspective. New York. Routledge. Chapter 4. pp.42- 61.

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Galton, M. 2007. Learning Theory. In Learning and Teaching in the Primary Classroom.
Chapter 2. New Delhi. Sage. pp. 15-29.
Murphy, L., Mufti, E., & Kassem, D. 2009. How People Learn. In Education
Studies: An Introduction. London. Open University Press. pp. 89-101.
Cameron, L. 2005. Children Learning a Foreign Language. In Teaching
Languages to Young Learners. 8th ed. Cambridge. CUP. pp. 1-20.

Johnson, K. E. 2009. Teachers as Learners of Teaching. In Second Language Teacher


Education - A Sociocultural Perspective. New York. Routledge. Chapter 3. pp. 17 - 40.
Kumaravadivelu, B. 2006. Language: Concepts and Precepts. In Understanding Language
Teaching. London. Erlbaum Lawrence. pp. 3-24
Crabbe, D. 2007. Learning Opportunities: Adding Learning Value to Tasks. ELT Journal.

Motteram, G. 2014. Developing and Extending Our Understanding of Language Learning and
Technology. In Innovations in Learning Technologies for ELT. Cambridge. CUP. pp.
177 - 191. (https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/sites/teacheng/files/C607%20Information
%20and%20Communication_WEB%20ONLY_FINAL.pdf)

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