MA TESOL / Course details

This course unit is directly concerned with the potential of principled thinking for both short course and materials development. For this focus, principled thinking is not just experience-shaped, context-framed, and literature-informed, but also underpinned by insights regarding learner and other needs. This course unit therefore develops teachers’ ability to use needs analysis (NA) purposefully to propose a course for a given group of learners in a given context. This principled thinking is then carried forward to the design of exemplar materials for the proposed course. Teachers will develop their ability to design materials which reflect an appropriate methodology for the course objectives, and an understanding of how materials can engage learners affectively and cognitively.

This unit has a pre-requisite of a minimum two years of language teaching experience

To develop TESOL practitioners’ understanding of needs-informed evaluation, adoption, adaptation, and design of contextually-appropriate TESOL materials and courses;

Drawing on that understanding, to experientially prepare them for principled materials and course design.

This course unit, supported with online teaching resources in Blackboard, will involve a mix of didactic and experiential elements in classes, consolidated through group tutorials.
Group activity and learning is important in this unit. Groups work collaboratively and cooperatively to develop and conduct needs analysis activity resulting in a course specification. Groups continue to support individual materials development arising from their course design activity. Opportunities for formative feedback arise naturally from this highly experiential, collaborative learning approach.
 

• demonstrate an informed understanding of the process of course design
• critically engage with the concept of ‘needs’ pertaining to the language learner;
• demonstrate how the identification of (language) learner needs can shape and enhance learning materials and courses
• Identify appropriate principles which shape learning material design

• Problematise a context for course and materials design
• draw on diverse literature-informed and experience-based insights into professional practice to inform their course and materials design thinking
• provide a principled articulation of the practice associated with the adaptation and development of (language) learning materials and courses in the light of needs analysis outcomes

• conduct needs analysis (NA) activities to identify students’ (language) learning needs.
• evaluate existing language learning materials
• adopt and adapt existing learning materials,
• design new learning materials, and develop new short courses.
   

• To draw on their developing academic and digital literacy to present academic work and teaching materials, navigate and utilise online tools and resources for study and professional purposes, process information (on-and off-line)
• demonstrate critical reflection as a tool for developing professional practice.
• demonstrate autonomy and meta-cognitive strategies with regard to further professional development.
   

Written feedback through Turnitin as per Faculty of Humanities guidelines

Core text
Graves, K. 2000. Designing Language Courses: A guide for teachers, Heinle and Heinle.

Indicative reading
Macalister, J. and Nation, I. 2020, Language Curriculum Design Second Edition, London: Routledge

Macalister, J. and Nation, I. 2015, Case Studies in Language Curriculum Design: Concepts and approaches in action around the world. London: Routledge

McGrath, I. 2016. Materials evaluation and design for TESOL Second Edition Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press

Mishan, F. and Timmis, I. 2015. Materials Development for TESOL. Edinburgh: Edinburg University Press

Tomlinson, B. 2013. Developing Materials for Language Teaching Second Edition London: Continuum Press

Tomlinson, B. (ed.) 1998. Materials development in language teaching Second Edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Tomlinson, B. & Masuhara, H. (eds.) 2011. Research for materials development in language learning: Evidence for best practice. London: Continuum Press