Postgraduate Module Descriptor


EFPM787: Teaching English to Young Learners

This module descriptor refers to the 2019/0 academic year.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

8 weekly sessions of two hours each:

Week 1-2.
An introductory overview of the teaching of English to young learners. Including a critical introduction to the significance of age to teaching English as a foreign or additional language and the development of principles of teaching English to young learners informed by learning, development and second language acquisition theoretical perspectives.

Week 3.
A critical examination of different approaches to teaching English as a foreign or additional language. To include an exploration of how best to support and structure language learning and an examination of the relative merits of language-based versus activity-based approaches.

Weeks 4-6.
A critical examination of the different ways to address language skills in the young learner classroom. To include a consideration of the impact of educational and second language acquisition theoretical perspectives on the teaching of spoken language, grammar, vocabulary and literacy skills.

Week 7- 8.
A critical exploration of a range of issues relating to developing pedagogic practices in the young language learning classroom. To include an examination of ways to promote differentiation and assessment, and an introduction to appropriate ways of undertaking research into teaching and learning in the young learner classroom. Group presentations of activities for teaching specific groups of young learners.

Students will also be given the opportunity to undertake a primary school visit during the module.

 

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
301200

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Learning and teaching activities15lectures, seminars and workshops
Learning and teaching activities15directed reading
guided independent study40assignment preparation
guided independent study80directed study

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

http://www.cambridgeesol.org/exams/teaching-awards/celtyl.html (Sample young learner EFL language tests)
http://www.countryschool.com/ylsig2/index.php ( IATEFL Young Learner SIG webpage)

Other Learning Resources

Young learner EFL course books.

How this Module is Assessed

In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.

Formative Assessment

A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Group presentations of activities for teaching young learners ( 1-2 and 4-5)Verbal comments and review

Summative Assessment

A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
10000

...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
A presentation of a task cycle for teaching a specific group of young learners with a rationale informed by relevant literature.1003,750 words(1-7)Written feedback

Re-assessment

Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.