COURSE DESCRIPTION AND REQUIREMENTS
Salisbury University
TARGET Program 2010
USDE Grant: T195N070327
ENGL 532 – Literacy and ESOL Reading
Instructor: Dr. Clement Okafor
Course Description and Objectives
This course examines the salient issues involved in the process of second language learning. It begins with an overview of the previous and current theories and practice of second language acquisition and highlights the issues involved in the various phases of language learning. It also emphasizes the interaction between the psychological and sociocultural factors in language acquisition. Thus, it is a study of the language learning process within its social milieu.
The main objective of the course is to empower the students to critique the present state of language learning theory and practice, with a view to enabling them to design programs that are best suited to the ESOL/TESOL situation in the schools in our rural environment.
A crucial component of this course is the ethnographically based project that requires each student to construct a biography of a second language learner. The biography should be based on at least three interview sessions of one hour each and is designed to give the student the opportunity to demonstrate her firm grasp of the theory of second language acquisition. The biography should also apply the theory learned in the course to the specific learning situation of the person interviewed.
This course meets the following NCATE Standards for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
1.b.5. Understand and apply current theories and research in language and literacy development
1.b.7. Recognize the importance of ESOL students’ home languages and language varieties and build on these skills as a foundation for learning English
1.b.8. Understand and apply knowledge of sociocultural and political variables to facilitate the process of learning English
2.a.1. Understand and apply knowledge about cultural values and beliefs in the context of teaching and learning ESL
2.a.2. Understand and apply knowledge about the effects of racism, stereotyping, and discrimination to ESL teaching and learning
2.a.3. Understand and apply knowledge about home/school communication to enhance ESL teaching and build partnerships with ESOL families
2.a.4. Understand and apply concepts about the interrelationship between language and culture
4.a1. Demonstrate an understanding of the purposes of assessment as they relate to ESOL learners and use results appropriately
4.a.3. Demonstrate understanding of the limitations of assessment situations and make accommodations for ESOL students
4.a.4. Distinguish between a language difference, gifted and talented, and special needs for ESOL students
4.b.1. Understand and implement national and state requirements for identification, reclassification, and exit of ESOL students from language support programs
4.b.4. Understand, construct, and use assessment measures for variety of purposes for ESOL students
5.a.2. Demonstrate knowledge of the evolution of laws and policy in ESL profession
5.b.1.Advocate and serve as language and education resources for students and families in their schools and communities
COURSE MATERIALS
Required Texts:
.
Freeman, David E. and Yvonne S. Freeman (2001) Between Worlds: Access to Second Language Acquisition. Second Edition. Portsmouth, NH: Heineman
Scovel, Tom (2001) Learning New Languages: A Guide to Second Language Acquisition. Boston: Heinle and Heinle
Crawford, James 2004. Educating English Learners, 5th Edition. Los Angeles, CA: Bilingual Educational Services.
Recommended Texts:
Watkins-Goffman L. 2001. Lives in Two Languages: An Exploration of Identities and Culture. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press.
Supplementary readings may be placed on reserve in the library
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Students are required to attend every class meeting barring any emergencies. There may be unannounced in-class assignments and such work will constitute part of the grade awarded for class participation. If a student is absent on a day of an in-class assignment, she will receive a zero for that assignment. Make-up work may be assigned only in cases in which the absence is for valid reasons.
WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM (WAC) STATEMENT
All written assignments in this course are in support of the university’s Writing Across the Curriculum Program.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY/PLAGIARISM POLICY
The English Department takes plagiarism, the unacknowledged use of other people’s ideas, very seriously. As outlined in the Student Handbook under the “Policy on Student Academic Integrity,” plagiarism may receive such penalties as failure on a paper or failure in the course. The English Department recognizes that plagiarism is a very serious academic offense and professors make their decisions regarding sanctions accordingly. Each of the following constitutes plagiarism:
1. Turning in as your own work a paper or part of a paper that anyone other than
you wrote. This would include but is not limited to work taken from another student, from a published author, or from an Internet contributor.
2. Turning in a paper that includes unquoted and/or undocumented passages someone else wrote.
3. Including in a paper someone else’s original ideas, opinions or research results without attribution.
4. Paraphrasing without attribution
A few changes in wording do not make a passage your property. As a precaution, if you are in doubt, cite the source. Moreover, if you have gone to the trouble to investigate secondary sources, you should give yourself credit for having done so by citing those sources in your essay and by providing a list of Works Cited or Works Consulted at the conclusion of the essay. In any case, failure to provide proper attribution could result in a severe penalty and is never worth the risk.
SPECIAL NEEDS: Any students with disabilities or other special needs, who require special accommodations and adjustments in this course, should share these concerns with the instructor as soon as possible.
STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE
The course is structured in such a way as to make the best use of the fact that all the students here are indeed seasoned teachers. Hence, the course will entail individual as well as group presentations and ethnographic reports.
ESOL/TESOL: NCATE STANDARDS
This course is designed to meet the NCATE standards pertaining to the five domains that are listed in “TESOL/NCATE Standards for the Accreditation of Initial programs in P-12 ESL Teacher Education,” (2002) – Draft prepared by the TESOL task force on ESL standards TESOL Inc. These standards are located in the following web site: http://www.ncate.org/standard/new%20program%20standards/tesol.pdf
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
The final grade will reflect the performance in the following course requirements:
1. Class Participation 10%
2. Individual Presentation 15%
3. Written Reaction Paper 15%
4. Field Observation/Lesson Plan 20%
5. Ethnographically Based Project 20%
6. Final Examination 20%
GRADING SCHEME
90 – 100% A
85 – 89% B+
80 – 84% B
75 – 79% C+
70 – 74% C
65 – 69% D
0 – 64% F
The classes are modified seminars and students are required not only to attend classes but also to participate actively in all class activities. Students will be asked to generate ten interview questions to be administered during the ethnographically based project. These questions can be drawn from one or both of the required texts. As from Institute 2, these questions should be submitted at the beginning of class.
Each student is required to make a class presentation of approximately twenty-five minutes. The presentations will begin during Institute 3, and a student may base her presentation on one or more interview sessions that she has had with a second language learner.
Every student will submit a reaction paper on a topic to be assigned during Institute 2. It should have the following three distinct components:
i. a brief overview of the salient issues in the reading
ii. a critical evaluation
iii. a practical application
The paper should be approximately three double-spaced typed pages and is due on March 27, 2010.
Every student has an option to submit either a field observation report or a lesson plan. The field observation report will be based on at least three hours of observation in a regular class, which has ELL students or in an ESL special class. The report should have the following components:
a) a brief summary of the observed class experience
b) an analysis of the principles of second language acquisition applicable to the class visited
c) an assessment of the class session, which indicates how you can ameliorate the observed weaknesses.
The lesson plan should demonstrate the use of principles and content learned in this course (Second Language Acquisition) in order to teach a specific lesson on a topic of interest to you.
Your plan should include two sections:
SECTION A
SECTION B
This is a biography of the second language learner interviewed earlier by the student. It should be based on at least three interview sessions of one hour each and should be (approximately fifteen pages). Each student is free to present the material in
whichever way she chooses. However, the report should reflect the following guidelines:
i. You may interview any one you consider to be a second language learner
ii. This is not a group project; hence, two students are not allowed to interview the same second language learner
iii. There are no age restrictions
iv. Your report should record the name and contact address of the second language learner interviewed
v. The report should also record the location, time, date and duration of each interview session
Bear in mind that the objective of the project is to give you ample opportunity to demonstrate your firm understanding of the theory and application of second language acquisition. Hence, the report should apply the theories learned in this course to the specific language learning situation of the second language learner interviewed. Finally, it should state clearly the conclusions that you have made as a result of your experience during this project. Thus, the project should have the following components:
i. Theoretical underpinnings of the project, showing motivation for choice of the second language learner interviewed
ii. Clear statement of how the relevant theories apply to the language learning situation of the bilingual person interviewed
iii. Specific deductions and recommendations based on the case study.
The project report is due on April 17, 2010.
The final examination will comprise an in-class test that requires short answers and will be administered on April 17, 2010.
PROPOSED COURSE SCHEDULE: This is subject to change.
March 13, 2010
Theory
i. Identifying the Second Language Learner
ii. Factors influencing academic performance
iii. What we acquire when we acquire a language
iv. Functions of a language
v. Competence and performance
vi. Domains of language learning
Discussion: Video: Educating Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Students
Reading Assignment:
i. Freeman - Chapters 1 and 4
ii. Scovel - Chapter 1
INSTITUTE 2
March 20, 2010
Theory
i. How teachers teach
ii. How learners learn
iii. Role of age in second language acquisition
iv. Critical period hypothesis
v. Theories of learner styles and strategies
vi. Cognitive processes
Application
Presentation by content coaches from local school districts on current rural
ELL classroom praxis
Discussion: Video: Assessing Diverse Populations
Reading Assignment:
i. Freeman - Chapters 2 and 3
ii Scovel - Chapters 4 and 5
March 27, 2010
Theory
i. Motivation, Anxiety, and Empathy in language learning
ii. Role of affect in second language learning
iii. Role of scociocultural factors in second language acquisition
iv. Theoretical and research base for bilingual education
v. Strategies for supporting primary languages
vi. Interference, avoidance, and error analysis
vii. Role of grammar in second language acquisition
Application
Presentation by content coaches from local school districts on current rural ELL
classroom praxis
Discussion: Video: Growing Minds: Cognitive Development in Early Childhood
Reading Assignment:
i. Freeman - Chapter 8
ii. Scovel - Chapters 3 and 6
April 10, 2010
Theory
i. Theory in the second language classroom
ii. Learning factors in the second language classroom
iii. Role of the teacher in the second language classroom
iv. Role of the community in the second language classroom
v. Role of students’ attitudes in the second language classroom
Application
Presentation by content coaches from local school districts on current rural
ELL classroom praxis
Discussion: Video: Effective Two-Way Bilingual Teaching: Sixth Grade
Reading Assignment:
Freeman - Chapters 5 and 9
April 17, 2010
Theory
i. Developing an additive paradigm
ii. Parental involvement in second language acquisition
iii. Improving action through action-based research
Application
i. No child left untested discussion
ii. Conclusion
Reading Assignment:
i. Freeman - Chapters 10, 11, and 12
ii. Scovel - Epilogue
iii.Crawford - Chapter 14