Postgraduate Module Descriptor

EFPM787: Teaching English to Young Learners

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

Module Aims

To provide a survey of theoretical perspectives concerning child learning and development, and second language acquisition.
To provide a critical overview of a variety of important issues in the teaching of English to young learners within the context of the growth of English as an international language.
To consider the implications of these theories and issues for the development of appropriate practice for teaching English as a foreign or additional language to young learners.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here - you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. Demonstrate a thorough and critical understanding of children as foreign or additional language learners. 2. Demonstrate a critical understanding of different aspects of teaching English as a foreign or additional language and associated issues and the ability to address these in ways appropriate to their own teaching contexts
Discipline-Specific Skills	3. Undertake a critical analysis of practice informed by theoretical insights regarding teaching and learning in TESOL classrooms. 4. Apply aspects of language learning theory to the evaluation and design of programmes and materials for a specific group of learners in a particular teaching setting.
Personal and Key Skills	6. Engage in independent and cooperative learning with peers from different cultural and pedagogic backgrounds, as evidenced in group discussions. 7. Undertake a critical analysis of the relevant academic literature. 8. Digest, select and organise material to produce, to a deadline, a coherent and thoughtful analysis of theory to particular professional and socio-cultural situations.

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 Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
30	120	0

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

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Learning and teaching activities	15	lectures, seminars and workshops
Learning and teaching activities	15	directed reading
guided independent study	40	assignment preparation
guided independent study	80	directed 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.