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Language Analysis for TESOL

Module description

This module will enhance your language awareness as teachers by providing you with an overview of the theories of language which inform and underpin foreign language teaching. It is a core module, and you will use your skills, knowledge and experience as a language learner and teacher to help you explore the topics. You will be introduced to the concept of language awareness and its role in language teaching and the need to develop language awareness in your own students. You will develop skills and techniques of language analysis in the areas of phonological, semantic, grammatical and discourse elements of the English language and will learn how to apply these to both written and spoken texts. In addition, you will have the opportunity to explore how language changes as a result of differences in context, time and users, thus developing a wider view of what impacts on our awareness of language.

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 students’ 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.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

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

• 1. apply a thorough understanding of key perspectives in the field of linguistics to the analysis of spoken and written texts;
• 2. demonstrate a critical understanding of areas of phonology, semantics, grammar and discourse that inform English language learning and teaching;
• 3. analyse phonological, lexical, grammatical and discourse aspects of English language texts;
• 4. apply analytical skills to language awareness-raising activities in the TESOL classroom;

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

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

• 5. apply language analysis skills to an analysis of spoken and written texts;
• 6. demonstrate understanding of the concept of language awareness for both teachers and students;
• 7. undertake a critical exploration of language awareness in own and/or other students’ contexts and demonstrate the ability to apply knowledge in a group production activity;

ILO: Personal and key skills

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

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

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

• Introduction to the concept of language awareness, an overview of formalist and functionalist approaches to language analysis, and introduction to the techniques employed to analyse spoken and written texts.
• An application of key principles identified in session 1 to the development of phonological awareness.
• An application of key principles to the development of lexical awareness.
• An application of key principles to the development of grammatical awareness.
• An application of key principles to the development of textual awareness. 

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

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

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

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

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

Andrews, L. (2006). Language awareness and exploration.Routledge.

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

Bolitho, R., Carter, R., Hughes, R., Ivanic, R., Masuhara, H., & Tomlinson, B. (2003) Ten questions about language awareness. ELT Journal, 57(3), 251-259.

Carter, R. (2003) Language awareness. ELT Journal. 57(1), 64-65.

Garrett, P. & Cots, J. M. (Eds.) (2017). The Routledge handbook of language awareness. Routledge.

James, C., Garrett, P. & Candlin, C. (2014) (eds). Language awareness in the classroom.  Longman.

Svalberg, A. (2009) Engagement with language: Interrogating a construct. Language Awareness, 18(3-4).

Chalker, S. (1998). Oxford dictionary of English Grammar. Oxford University Press.

Journal: Language Awareness

ELE: http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=2363&topic=all

Key words search

Language awareness; foreign language teaching; phonological, semantic, grammatical and discourse analysis