Educational objectives
On completing the Year 5 English module, students are expected to have acquired the following competences.
As regards knowledge and understanding, on completion of the course participants are expected to:
- demonstrate knowledge of issues pertaining to instructed English language learning in childhood;
- demonstrate awareness of current teaching approaches and practices in the field of TEYL;
- be familiar with theoretical principles underpinning the creation of pedagogically sound YL lesson plans;
- understand how to plan and create a Teaching Unit with all its components for English language learning at preschool or primary school.
As regards applying knowledge and understanding, on completion of the course participants are expected to:
- demonstrate their developing expertise through the selection of suitable teaching approaches and resources;
- demonstrate their developing expertise in planning lessons that include a focus on holistic techniques, as well as on other YL-appropriate strategies;
- demonstrate knowledge and understanding of macroplanning and microplanning theories and methods in the creation of a Teaching Unit;
- demonstrate knowledge and understanding of critical alignment in planning learning aims, instructional strategies and assessment practices when creating a Teaching Unit.
As regards making judgments, on completion of the course participants are expected to:
- be able to develop and convey viewpoints, underpinning them with references to relevant literature;
- show an ability to think critically about relevant pedagogical issues pertaining to the English module;
- show an ability to analyse, select, adapt, and supplement English language learning resources;
- show an ability to evaluate advantages and disadvantages of various pedagogical proposals and practices, and to make informed choices;
- select suitable materials and activities for English language learning at preschool and primary school;
- identify age-appropriate and stage-appropriate language learning activities for skills practice in speaking, listening, reading, and writing in early learning;
- discern best practices in designing teaching units, lesson plans, and assessments based on learning theories and practices for ELT with YLs;
- show an ability to think critically about and evaluate progress through self-awareness of one’s own competences;
- adopt a self-critical perspective with a view to continuous development of their knowledge and competences.
As regards communication skills, on completion of the course participants are expected to:
- be able to provide critical and well-informed answers to general and specific questions on topics covered in the module;
- use English linguistic forms correctly to model the target language for YLs;
- use English fluently and accurately for presenting work in the lab.
As regards learning skills, on completion of the course participants are expected to:
- be able to take notes on readings and lectures and to organise this content coherently and effectively;
- be able to make connections between key concepts, to weigh strengths and weaknesses of arguments, and make informed decisions;
- be able to draw on knowledge, experience, and group and individual feedback from the module lecturers in order to improve competences;
- be able to refer to appropriate resources so as to select and deploy pedagogically principled strategies in order to achieve specific learning objectives;
- be able to consult reference materials, use them selectively, and integrate them correctly into their own work;
- be able to autonomously design teaching units, lessons, and their components for English language learning with YLs.