Syllabus

Learning to Teaching Second Languages I is the first part of a two course sequence developed to provide the preservice second language teacher with both the theoretical and practical aspects of learning to teach and evaluate learning in the precollegiate environment. Previous coursework has introduced students to the foundations and theoretical considerations in classroom language learning. In this course, we will use the theory and practice of language learning as a basis for developing skills second language pedagogy. We will blend issues related to general k-12 teaching with developing specific second language teaching skills.

The central focus of this course is to provide the preservice teacher with an understanding of how to create curricula and teach lower level language in the secondary and elementary language classroom. The student will gain an understanding of the relationship between language teaching approaches and cultural instruction. The course includes an overview of the different teaching methodologies that have been prevalent in the language teaching profession and an awareness of how one's notion of language impacts language teaching.

The purpose of this course is NOT to impose on the student a particular philosophy, or a new theory or method. Rather it is to help students to develop a position of their own. This will be done largely in the following way:

1. Examining national education goals in language teaching;
2. Obtaining a historical orientation on recent trends in language pedagogy so that we can look at current developments in perspective;
3. Focusing on four essential concepts of a language teaching theory and their classroom applications in planning, teaching, and assessment.