This course aims to develop an understanding of advanced principles in materials and lesson design. Adopting a practitioner enquiry led approach, students will investigate underlying theories in relation to specific types of lessons, and consider applications to differing contexts.

Daytime sessions- 2 hours per week, 10 weeks

Course Design and Practice

Summative assessment: a portfolio of work including an individual oral presentation and a written assignment totalling 3000 words.

1. Assignment 1: Oral presentation (25%)

Plan a classroom research project on an aspect of language learning. Students will present a critical evaluation of the project in their chosen area with PPT/Poster.

2. Assignment 2: Written assignment 3,000 words (75%):  

An investigation into a specific aspect of language learning, discussion of relevant theoretical principles and applications of these to lesson and course design.  The assignment will be accompanied by a series of three lesson plans contextualised within a short course.

On this course participants have an opportunity to apply theoretical principles of task and materials design to classroom practice. They will critically reflect on learning processes and related approaches at an advanced level, going beyond lesson planning to course design and materials development. This reflection is linked to the development of skills to undertake a small classroom research project through an 'exploratory practice' or 'practitioner enquiry' approach.

Specific aims of the course are :

■ to provide a foundation in the principles of practitioner enquiry and a range of methods of enquiry

■ to provide a framework for critically reflecting on a of range of teaching skills and practices, and materials and learning tasks

■ to introduce relevant principles of course and syllabus design in planning schemes of work (planning a series of lessons and short courses )

■ to develop an awareness of differences in contexts and how this can affect planning and delivery

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ reflect critically on classroom practices in a range of contexts, relating practice to relevant theories

■  analyse the processes required to develop learners' language and skills and select relevant learning tasks and materials for these

■ plan a series of language skills and language systems lessons within the context of a short course.

■ design and reflect on small scale classroom based research projects

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.