New York University
Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development
Department of Teaching and Learning
LANED-GE 2202 .001
The Second Language Classroom: College and Adult
Spring 2015
Wednesday 6:45-9:15pm TISC LC3
4 credits
Professor:
Mary Carpenter
Office:
239 Greene St. 6th Floor
Email:
[email protected]
Office hours: Tuesday and Wednesday 3-5:00 and by appointment
Office hour phone: (212) 998 5655
Catalog Description
Study of materials, approaches, & techniques used in teaching language skills to adult second
language learners.
Course Description
This course is designed to address the communication, learning, and cultural perspectives of
adults who need or want to learn a second language. Adults bring specific needs for and ideas
about their learning goals and they need to understand the purpose and value of specific teaching
and learning practices in order to become engaged in the language learning process. In order to
select and promote best practices for adults, this course will address theoretical constructs for
selecting and adapting teaching materials. The advantages and challenges of different practices
and methods for specific purposes will be explored .Task-based learning is particularly important
for adult learners as adults often approach language classrooms with clear objectives in mind.
Standards for planning, instructing, managing, integrating, supporting and assessing language
learning strategies for adults will be developed and implemented in this course. Teachers of
adult language learners need to acquire multiple strategies and approaches in order to be
prepared to meet the divergent but very specific needs of adult learners. Effective learning
requires good teaching choices.
Learner Objectives
1.To design and present lessons to enhance proficiency and incorporate specific communication
cognitive and language needs.
2. To design and present lessons based on real-life use of listening, speaking, reading ,
vocabulary, writing , grammar and sociolinguistic skills
3. To be a risk-taker and be willing to try out and respond to different strategies and
practices.
4. To question and assess the strengths and challenges of specific practices.
5. To explore a range of teaching strategies and practices for adult learners
6. To address local and global needs of adult learners
7. To understand the learning styles of adult learners.
8. To be able to communicate learning objectives to students
9. To evaluate the linguistic and cognitive variables in the selection of teaching materials
10. To integrate authentic use of language
11. To design curriculum based on needs assessments
12.To appreciate the value of a content-based or task-based learning approach for adult learners
13.To assess language proficiency skills and learning outcomes
13. To evaluate and present research perspectives with classmates
Required Texts
Wiggins,Gregg and amd McTighe, Jay (2005) Understanding by Design. ASCD
PDF Files
Article files listed on the syllabus will be posted as course resources. Some additional articles
will be posted as the course develops.
Course Requirements
The requirements for this course are designed to address both theory and practice. This is a
four credit course. Specifications and rubrics for each assignment will be discussed in class and
posted on our class site.
1. Micro Teaching 15%
Each student will be assigned to a group to develop and present a 20-30 minute lesson in class
addressing a specific linguistic skill. This lesson needs to be based on a specific needs
assessment and communication task. The class will be asked to respond as learners. A schedule
of presentation dates will be assigned during the first class session. Each group will hold a preteaching planning session with the instructor.
Listening Lesson
Speaking Lesson
Vocabulary Lesson
Reading Lesson
Writing Lesson
Structure Lesson
Sociocultural Lesson
- Feb. 11
- Feb. 18
- Feb. 25
- Mar. 4
- Mar. 11
- Mar. 25
- Apr. 1
This requirement includes four components:
planning meeting with instructor
detailed lesson design to be distributed to class
teaching of lesson to class
written assessment of learner feedback and suggestions for revision.
2. Teaching Skill Research 25%
For the language skill focus of the micro lesson assigned, each student will select three
current research or scholarly articles for which you will need to submit a critical review.
Specifications for the critical review will be discussed in class and posted . Begin your
research as soon as you receive your assigned skill. There are three dates assigned for the
critical review submissions:
Research Article #1 - Feb. 25
Research Article #2 - Mar. 25
Research Article #3 - Apr. 15
3. Research Roundtable 15%
Select one of your research articles to present to the class. Each member of your group will
share the findings or ideas of the specific research or scholarly article. This should be an
organized and selective 8 minute presentation with 7 minute Q&A . You will need
to focus on the key take away points which you feel would be most useful for your
classmates to know and use. Power-point slides will be posted as resources for the class.
.
Listening Roundtable Feb. 25
Speaking Roundtable Mar. 4
Vocabulary RoundtableMar. 11
Reading Roundtable
Mar. 25
Writing Roundtable
Apr. 1
Structure Roundtable Apr. 8
Socio-cultural Roundtable - Apr. 15
4. Postings and Required Feedback Conferences 15%
Some postings will address the readings while others will require application of course topic
activities . On some posting dates, the class will be divided into groups which will alternate
between posters and responders. Post no later than twenty-four hours (Tuesday) before our
class meeting on Wednesday. Late or no submission will affect posting grade.
There will be required conferences to discuss goals, microteaching lesson proposals, and
curriculum mapping projects. Appointment schedules will be posted.Specific dates will be
posted although other dates will be possible if needed to accommodate individual schedules and
responsibilities.
5.. Curriculum Mapping Project for Content-based or Task-based Instruction 30%
The ability to map a curriculum is an important professional skill for teachers of adult
learners. Curriculum mapping provides a process for identifying and evaluating both
teaching and learning.
The project should be designed for [1] a specific content-based or task-based focus [2]a
specific learner population and program [3] a clear understanding of what you want the
students to know and what you want them to be able to do and [4]transferability of skills
to language use in general.
This will be an ongoing course project :
design proposal and meeting Feb. 25 (proposal meetings 2/25, 2/26, 3/3, 3/4)
curriculum map specifications overview
big idea/enduring understandings
essential questions
common core standards
content concepts
language skills
communication functions
cognitive skills
activities
assessment
lesson plans for specific listening, speaking, reading and writing
lessons as defined by the curriculum map tables of specifications.
Individual meetings will be scheduled to assess and provide feedback
about project direction and progress. Bring working draft to meetings
scheduled for April 1, April 2, April 7, and April 8.
All written project reports are due April 29.
-
Curriculum design and table of specifications - 15%
Four detailed lessons and presentation - 15%
Curriculum highlight postings and presentations
April 29 and May 6
Usual Class Session Format:
6:45-7:45
7:45-8:15
8:15 8:25-9:15
clarification inquiries, project specifications, and skill topic development
micro-teaching lesson
break
research roundtable / assessment and feedback activities
Course Policies
1. Communication is important and welcome. E-mail your questions and inquiries. Include a
subject heading. Please note that the usual e-mail response hours are Monday-Friday.
Individual student questions or concerns may be important to others in this course; therefore,
class e-mail will be used frequently in this course. Be sure to have NYU e-mail forwarded if
this is not your primary e-mail source.
2. Make appointments to discuss concerns and assignments early in the semester so that they
can be handled in a timely and helpful manner.
3. Select a communication partner in class to collect class handouts and discuss lecture notes.
E-mail your partner if you will not be able to attend class.
4. The use of all electronic equipment is not allowed in class without permission.
5. Academic integrity is an important and serious matter. Academic integrity is the guiding
principle for all that you do; from taking exams, making oral presentations, to writing term
papers. It requires that you recognize and acknowledge information derived from others, and
take credits only for ideas and work that are yours. You violate the principle of academic
integrity when you
Cheat on an exam;
Submit the same work for two or more different courses without the knowledge
and the permission of all professors involved;
Receive help on a take-home examination that calls for independent work;
“collaborate” with other students who then submit the same paper under
individual names;
Give permission to another student to use your work for class;
Plagiarize
Plagiarism, one of the gravest form of academic dishonesty in university life,
whether intended or not, is academic fraud. In a community of scholars, whose
members are teaching, learning, and discovering knowledge, plagiarism cannot be
tolerate. Plagiarism is failure to properly assign authorship to a paper, a document, an
oral presentation, a musical score and/ or other materials, which are not your original
work.
You plagiarize when, without proper attribution, you do any of the following:
Copy verbatim from a book, an article, or other media;
Download documents from the Internet;
Purchase documents;
Report from others’ oral work;
Paraphrase or restate someone else’s facts, analysis and/ or conclusions.
Copy directly from a classmate or allow a classmate to copy from you.
For a very helpful self-test on what constitutes plagiarism, please visit:
http://www.indiana.edu/~istd/practice.html.
Note that for this particular course, you should not use research articles assigned for
other courses without clearing it with both instructors. The research information should
be presented in a paraphrased format and not copied verbatim. Also, for those students
enrolled in FLGED-GE 2223 Teaching EFL in International Settings, similar course
projects will not be accepted . Course instructors will be conferring about course project
proposals.
6. Students with disabilities
Any student attending NYU who needs an accommodation due to chronic,
psychological, visual, mobility and/or learning disability , or is Deaf or Hard of
Hearing should register with the Moses Center for Students with Disabilities, 726
Broadway, 2nd Floor, (212-998-4980) and are required to present a letter from
the Center to the instructor at the start of the semester in order to be considered
for appropriate accommodation www.nyu.edu/csd.
7.Attendance is required and expected. Reading about ideas is not the same as
processing and trying out ideas. Language learning is as much a process as it is a
product. The workshop component of this course requires being an active participant.
You will be asked to play the roles of a learner, a teacher and a consultant. .
a. You are allowed two absences. There is no distinction made for excused and
unexcused absences ;therefore, plan your absences wisely as more than two will
affect your course grade.
b. Habitual late arrival, early departure, and use of electronic equipment will count
as an absence. .
c. More than two absences will result in the loss of ½ letter grade per absence. For
example, if you earned an A on all the required assignments but have missed
three classes, your grade will be lowered to an A-. Extenuating circumstances do
occur, but they need to be documented and discussed with the instructor in a
timely manner.
8. Assignments are due on the dates listed .Late assignments will be penalized ½ letter
grade . Being absent from class is not an acceptable reason for late submission. Electronic
submission due to a class absence will be granted only once during the semester and must be
submitted by the beginning of the class session.
9. Specifications for each course assignments will be discussed in class and posted..Please
note that forum points must be posted by Tuesday although the class meets on Wednesday.
10. Be willing to share your experiences as a native speaker or second language
learner.. One of the strengths of our Multilingual Multicultural Program is
the understanding we gain about a second language learner’s perspectives when there
is a mutual exchange of insights. Language learning and teaching is a partnership.
Course Outline
Spring 2015
This is a working syllabus subject to changes and additions and changes based on the needs of
the topic selection for the final content-based projects.
Text: Wiggins, Grant and McTighe ( (2005) Understanding by Design. ACSD UBD
PDFs - to be posted as course documents .
session
Jan. 28
topics
Course introduction and
requirements
Adult Learners
Learning Styles
Communication Styles
Types of Programs
Types of Competencies
readings and assignments
read prior to class
post prior to class
micro teaching schedule
individual appointment schedule –
needs and assessment interests 1/29,
2/3, 2/4, 2/5
Needs Assessment
Assessing Content Materialcognitive and context variables
Feb. 4
Communication Functions
Learning and Retention
Blooms’ Taxonomy
Questioning Techniques for
Learners
Learning Style Results
Communication Style Results
Listening Skills (range, scope
and specificity)
UBD – introduction and chapter 1
How to debrief a lesson
Assessing Linguistic and Cognitive
Potential of visuals
PDF Vandergrift
Posting
Listening
Specifications for research article
review submission and research
roundtables
Feb. 11
Use of graphic organizers
Use of rubrics
Speaking Skills (micro and
macro skills)
Listening Group – lesson
Begin article research – exploration
and selection
UBD - chapters 2 and 3
PDF - Orem - adult learner
Posting - debriefing examples
Feb. 18
Vocabulary
Tiers
Interpersonal
Academic
Generative
Speaking group – lesson
PDF Beck
Blachowicz
UBD - chapter 4
Probable Passage
Posting- speech assessment
Curriculum Mapping
Specifications for Course
Curriculum Project and Proposal
Feb. 25
Reading
Proficiency level
Independent level
Instructional level
Anticipation Guides
Cloze
Jig Saw
Likert Scale
Semantic Differential Scale
Echo statement
Mar. 4
Writing
Content
Organization
Research Article 1 – due
Curriculum Design Proposal Due(Proposal meetings scheduled for
2/25,2/26, 3/3,. 3/4 )
Vocabulary group – lesson
Listening group – research
roundtable
UBD 5 & 6
Posting – vocabulary tiers
Reading group – lesson
Speaking group – research
roundtable
Structure
Vocabulary
Mechanics
Points of view
Assessment
UBD chapter 10
PDF - Nunan
Posting – likert and semantic
differential statements
Writer and reader Connection
Professional Need and Styles
Mar. 11
Structure and Grammar
Form
Use
Meaning
Writing group– lesson
Vocabulary group research
roundtable
Assessment
Feedback
PDF Schleppegrell The Grammar of
History
Posting – assessment of writing skills
Mar. 18
NYU Spring Recess
No class
Mar. 25
Socio-cultural
Enjoy the break!
Research Article 2 – due
Values, Norms, Behaviors
Structure group– lesson
Culture
Age
Gender
Professional
Social
Ethnic
Reading group – research roundtable
UBD chapter 11
PDF
Use of mini-case studies
Wolfson - Compliments
Pragmatics
Speech Acts
April 1
Incorporating socio-cultural
resources
Sociocultural (Pragmatics) team –
lesson
Curriculum Map Progress Meetings
Overview Due (4/1,4/12, 4/7, 4/8)
Writing group – research roundtable
UBD - chapter 9
PDF - Poulos and Mahoney
Effectiveness of Feedback
Posting – cultural capsules
April 8
Assessing media-based
resources
Implementing web-based
instruction
Structure group– research roundtable
PDF Jung et al Web-based
Instruction Posting – McWhorter TED talk
Posting – Curriculum Mapping Project
Title
April 15
World Englishes
Global Models
Evaluation and Assessment
Peer feedback for classmate
projects
Research Article 3 – due
Sociocultural group – research
roundtable
UBD Chapters 7 and 8
YouTube - Adichie The Danger of a
Single Story
Posting - Adichie
April 22
Critique of Micro-teaching
Evaluation Postings
Posting – peer suggestions
April 29
May 6
Curriculum Highlight
Presentations & Postings
Curriculum Highlight
Presentations & Postings
Curriculum Projects Due
Final Reflective Response
– due by May 10