Course Overview
This course looks at best practices in English language instruction through an exploration of the three key components: course objectives, instructional activities, and assessment. Participants will develop their skills and knowledge in each of these areas, and consider optimal classroom management strategies for use in the communicative language classroom. The course will aid participants in becoming reflective classroom teachers.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Fully articulate the relationship between course objectives, instructional activities, and assessment.
- Analyze core components of their own classroom instruction in relationship to key concepts from the course.
- Create a quality communicative learning environment in their classroom based on current best practices in English language teaching.
Course Scope and Sequence
- Week 1: Course introduction and cohort building. Core principles of objectives, instructional activities, and assessment. Write measurable learning objectives.
- Week 2: Planning for instruction. Lesson planning processes.
- Week 3: Principles of effective formative and summative assessment. Rubric design and use. Alternative assessments using portfolios and self/peer evaluation.
- Week 4: Strategies for effective classroom management in a communicative language classroom.
- Week 5: Reflective teaching practices. Inquiry-based professional development. Introduction to action research in the classroom.
Course Requirements
Course participants will be required to:
- Complete all reading assignments.
- Participate in weekly online discussions by posting thoughts and reflections about the readings and commenting on the posts of other course participants.
- Submit weekly course analysis tasks and revised final course analysis.
- Give constructive and substantive feedback on fellow participants’ tasks.