Analysing and Teaching Language Systems and Skills

Module title	Analysing and Teaching Language Systems and Skills
Module code	EFPM333
Academic year	2025/6
Credits	30
Module staff	Dr Esmaeel Abdollahzadeh (Lecturer)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	11

Number students taking module (anticipated)	105

Module description

In this module, you will broaden your understanding of the English language and how to teach it. You will be introduced to the concept of language awareness and the need to develop language awareness in your own students. You will develop skills and techniques of language analysis in the areas of lexis, grammar, phonology and discourse, both within spoken and written texts. You will broaden your understandings of the range of methods and approaches for teaching language systems (lexis, grammar, phonology and discourse) and skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking). You will then critically reflect upon how these aspects of language may be effectively taught within your own teaching contexts.

Module aims - intentions of the module

MODULE AIMS – intentions of the module

To provide an overview of the theories of language which inform and underpin foreign language teaching.
To provide an introduction to the concept of language awareness and its role in language learning.
To develop an awareness of phonological, semantic, grammatical and discourse elements of the English language.
To develop your language analysis skills and techniques and the capacity to apply these to both written and spoken texts.
To explore contextual or other variables that influence language use and lead to change or variation.
To provide a thorough examination of the concept of appropriate methodology for TESOL to include a critical examination of the concepts of method, approach, principles, and post-method pedagogy.
To provide an in-depth analysis of key current debates regarding an appropriate methodology for TESOL including discussions of the role of communicative approaches and post-method pedagogy.
To introduce and develop a framework for developing an appropriate methodology and apply this to the critical examination of how to teach language systems as well as the four main skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking in the TESOL classroom in specific teaching settings.
To develop insights from the theory and utilise it for developing an appropriate language teaching methodology of systems and skills of language.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. demonstrate a critical understanding of areas of phonology, semantics, grammar and discourse that inform English language learning and teaching;
2. analyse phonological, lexical, grammatical and discourse aspects of English language texts;
3. apply the concept of appropriate methodology to a critical exploration of current approaches to the teaching of lexis, grammar, phonology and discourse, as well as the four skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening;
4. apply a critical understanding of the issues and constraints discussed to make educated choices with regard to the development of an appropriate methodology for the teaching of language systems and skills in specific TESOL settings.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

5. demonstrate understanding of the concept of language awareness for both teachers and students;
6. apply language analysis skills to an analysis of spoken and written texts;
7. undertake a critical analysis of practice informed by theoretical insights regarding teaching and learning in TESOL classrooms.
8. apply aspects of language teaching theory to the evaluation and design of language teaching materials and activities.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

9. engage in independent study and group/pair work, including the presentation of materials for group discussion;
10. digest, select and organise material to produce, to a deadline, a coherent and thoughtful analysis of theory to particular professional and socio-cultural situations;

Syllabus plan

Introduction to the concept of language awareness, an overview of approaches to language analysis;
An introduction to the notion of appropriate methodology for TESOL and related theoretical concepts
Understanding and analysing written texts
Understanding and analysing spoken texts
Understanding and analysing lexis for TESOL teaching
Developing an appropriate methodology for the teaching of lexis (vocabulary)
Understanding and analysing phonology for TESOL teaching
Developing an appropriate methodology for the teaching of phonology (pronunciation)
Understanding and analysing grammar for TESOL teaching
Developing an appropriate methodology for the teaching of grammar
Understanding and analysing discourse for TESOL teaching
Developing an appropriate methodology for the teaching of discourse
Developing an appropriate methodology for the teaching of reading
Developing an appropriate methodology for the teaching of writing
Developing an appropriate methodology for the teaching of listening
Developing an appropriate methodology for the teaching of speaking

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
30	270	0

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching	30	Lectures and seminars
Guided independent study	60	Preparation for taught sessions (seminar readings, further reading, session activities and tasks)
Guided independent study	60	Directed reading: further exploration of chosen topic areas
Guided independent study	20	Formative assessment preparation
Guided independent Study	130	Summative assignment preparation

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Assignment outline	500 words	1-10	Written tutor feedback

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
100	0	0

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Written assignment	100	5,000 words	1-10	Written tutor feedback
	0
	0
	0
	0
	0

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Written assignment (5,000 words)	Written assignment (5,000 words)	1-10	6 weeks

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to redo the assessment(s) as defined above. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 50%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Andrews, S. (2007). Teacher language awareness. Cambridge University Press.

Arndt, V., Harvey, P., & Nuttall, J. (2000). Alive to language: Perspectives on language awareness for English language teachers. Cambridge University Press.

Berry, R. (2021). Doing English Grammar: Theory, Description and Practice. Cambridge University Press.

Biber, D., Johansson, S., Leech, G. N., Conrad, S., & Finegan, E. (2021). Grammar of spoken and written English. John Benjamins.

Boers, F. (2021). Evaluating second language vocabulary and instruction. A synthesis of the research on teaching words, phrases, and patterns. Routledge.

Friginal, E. (2018). Corpus Linguistics for English Teachers: New tools, online resources, and classroom activities. Routledge.

Grabe, W. & Stoller, F. (2002). Teaching and researching reading. Longman.

Hall, J. K. (2002). Teaching and researching language and culture. Longman.

Haynes, A. (2007). 100 ideas for teaching writing. Continuum.

Holliday, A. (1994). Appropriate methodology and social context. Cambridge University Press.

Hyland, K. (2002). Teaching and researching writing. Longman.

Hughes, S. (2002). Teaching and researching speaking. Longman.

Johnson, K. (2017). An Introduction to foreign language learning and teaching. Routledge.

Kelly, G. (2000). How to teach pronunciation. Pearson Longman.

Kumaravadivelu, B. (2006). Understanding language teaching: From method to post-method. Lawrence Erlbaum.

Kumaravadivelu, B (2003). Beyond methods: Macro-strategies for language teaching. Yale University Press.

Larsen-Freeman, D., & Anderson, M. (2011). Techniques and principles in language teaching. Oxford University Press.

Lobeck, A. C. (2013). Navigating English grammar: A guide to analyzing real language. John Wiley & Sons.

McCarthy, M. (1991). Discourse analysis for language teachers. Cambridge University Press.

McCarthy, M. (2021). English Grammar: the basics. Routledge

McCarthy, M. (2021). Innovations and challenges in grammar. Routledge.

Nation, P. (2008). Teaching vocabulary: strategies and techniques. Heinle.

Nation, P. (2022). Learning Vocabulary in Another Language. Cambridge University Press.

Norton, B. & Toohey, K. (eds) (2003). Critical pedagogies and language learning. Cambridge University Press.

Reynolds, D. W.(2010). Assessing writing, assessing learning. UoM Press.

Richard, J. C. (2015). Key issues in language teaching. Cambridge University Press.

Richards, J. & Renandya, W. (eds.) (2002). Methodology in language teaching. Cambridge University Press.

Rost, M. (2016). Teaching and researching listening. Longman.

Schmitt, N. & Schmitt, D. (2020). Vocabulary in Language Teaching (2^nd ed.). Cambridge University Press

Szudarski, P. (2018). Corpus Linguistics for Vocabulary: A guide for research. Routledge.

Thornbury, S. (2001). Uncovering grammar. London Macmillan.

Thornbury, S. (2017). About language: Tasks for teachers of English (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.

Underhill, A. (2005). Sound foundations: Learning and teaching pronunciation (2nd ed.). Macmillan.

Thornbury, S. & Slade, D. (2006). Conversation: From description to pedagogy. Cambridge University Press.

Walker, R. (2010). Teaching the pronunciation of English as a lingua franca. Oxford University Press.

Webb, S. (Ed) (2020). The Routledge Handbook of Vocabulary Studies. Routledge.

Key words search

Language awareness; language analysis; lexis; vocabulary; grammar; syntax; morphology; phonology; pronunciation; discourse; speaking; writing; listening; reading; methods; methodology; pedagogy

Credit value	30
Module ECTS	15
NQF level (module)	7
Available as distance learning?	Yes
Origin date	14/01/2024