Coursebook Evaluation

elective courses

The aim of the course is to give students, pre-service teachers, necessary theoretical background and practical skill for coursebook evaluation (material selection, adaptation and design). The course comprises three main parts; the first two provide a brief covering of background areas; the third offers the students ample opportunities of gaining hands-on experience in coursebook evaluation.

The course is dedicated for graduate students.

AIMS:The aim of the course is to give students, pre-service teachers, necessary theoretical background and practical skill for coursebook evaluation (material selection, adaptation and design).

CONTENT:The course comprises three main parts; the first two provide a brief covering of background areas; the third offers the students ample opportunities of gaining hands-on experience in coursebook evaluation.

I. THE WHO: learner individual differences:

- age groups, incl. dimensions of age group characteristics; features of specific age groups;

- brain lateralization;

- learners differences, incl. NLP (VAKOG) and the Theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI)

II. THE WHAT: what can be found in coursebooks:

- 'humanistic' teaching, incl. The Needs Hierarchy (Abraham Maslow); The Affective Filter (Stephen Krashen); psychology (Carl Rogers);

- current elt methodologies in a nutshell, incl. CLT, CEFR, CLIL;

- principled eclecticism vs. principled integration;

- types of syllabuses, incl. synthetic vs. analytic syllabuses; product-oriented vs. process-oriented syllabuses

- models of lesson planning and kinds of lessons, incl. PPP vs. ARC

III. THE HOW: models of coursebook evaluation:

- English & Polish checklists;

- the practice of coursebook evaluation

Bolitho, R. and Tomlinson, B. (1995) Discover English. Macmillan Heinemann.

Ellis, M. (1996) Observation. A course for Teachers of English. CODN.

Harmer, J. (2001) The Practice of English Language Teaching. Longman.

Harmer, J. (1998) How to Teach English. Longman.

Komorowska, H. (2004) Metodyka nauczania języków obcych. Fraszka Edukacyjna.

Nunan, D. (1994) Syllabus Design. OUP.

Phillips, S. (1993) Young Learners. OUP.

Prodromou, L. (1992) Mixed Ability Classes. Prentice Hall.

Rinvolucri, M. and Davies, P. (1995) More Grammar Games. CUP.

Scott, W. A. and Ytreborg, L. H. (1990) Teaching English to Children. Pearson Education.

Scrivener, J. (1994) Learning Teaching. Macmillan.

Tanner, R. and Green, C. (1998) Tasks for Teacher Education. A Reflective Approach. Longman.

Learning outcomes of the course are as follows:

- students are able to describe the process of coursebook evaluation

- students are able to list the criteria to be taken into account when selecting materials for in-class use

- students are able to outline the main stages of designing materials

- students are able to differentiate between well- and poorly-designed teaching sequences

- students are able to assess the importance of material evaluation

- students are able to evaluate existing FL coursebooks.

In class discussions students acquire skills of expressing their thoughts in a clear, coherent, logical and precise manner, with the use of language which is correct grammatically, lexically and phonetically.

The course is conducted at the B2+ level.

KNOWLEDGE

• has knowledge about the place of English philology in the context of the humanities

• is familiar with the terminology used in linguistics and applied linguistics specific to English Studies

• is familiar with the methodology of scientific research in the field of applied linguist

• has knowledge of the English language, its grammar, syntax, phonetics, morphology, pragmatics and can pass on this knowledge in the teaching process

• has knowledge about the processes of communication in English, both orally and in writing

• has knowledge about the conditions of the process of second language acquisition; knows and understands the main models of acquisition of a foreign language appropriate for English linguistics

• has knowledge of research design in the field of applied linguistics, its techniques, research tools and problems

• is aware of the rules and ethical norms in science

• has knowledge of how to design one's own path of career development

SKILLS

• can use linguistic terminology specific to English Studies

• can apply appropriate methodology in the study of linguistics

• can speak English properly, accurately and consistently by choosing forms of expression appropriate for the communicative context

• knows how to present one's knowledge in a logical and clear manner, both orally and in writing

• can control and diagnose the correct use of English and one's own native language

• can use language functions, such as expressing doubt, distance, exemplification, emphasis, formulating conclusions

• can interpret, analyze, prioritize, synthesize various types of content and various phenomena in their respective dimensions: linguistic, cultural and social

• can select and apply knowledge of English philology for communication purposes, for teaching and for research

• can assess the usefulness of various theoretical constructs for research and for practical applications

• has the skills to analyze and define research and conduct one's own research; knows how to formulate the research problem and determine the method

• can appreciate the diversity of opinions presented in readings and discussions and use them as a source of inspiration

• knows how to search for information in a variety of sources, how to assess their usefulness, interpret them in terms of theoretical and practical training in the context of English Philology

• can use modern technology in overall self-development, in the process of acquiring knowledge and in professional situations

• can design their own path of development through specifying interests, methods and objectives

• can participate in teamwork, has basic organizational skills to carry out objectives; can adjust one's own initiative and use group tasks creatively

SOCIAL COMPETENCE

• is aware of the social significance of one's knowledge, work and skills

• understands the role of lifelong learning and believes in the need for personal and professional development; defines the stages of development

• understands the ethical dimension of one's own activities and observes the principles of professional ethics

• feels responsible for one's own work and respects the work of others

• believes in the importance of individual initiative, independence and recognizes the possibility of own contribution to team activities

• recognizes the nature of dilemmas, problems, and conflicts; seeks the best solutions for them

• has a need to express oneself in a manner consistent, transparent, and logical in order to operate effectively in dealing with others

• appreciates the usefulness of one's own knowledge and skills in building community links

• knowingly participates in one's own national culture, respecting the cultural heritage of Europe, manifests understanding and curiosity about different cultures

Students are evaluated on the basis of:

- attendance and participation

- self-study at home

- one co-authored presentation

- end-of-term oral test

Two (2) absences are allowed.

If the course is taught in a distance-learning mode, each student is expected to have a working web-cam and a mic.

- does not apply -