BABEd (Lang Ed) English

BBED4321 Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Teaching English in Primary School

ASSIGNMENT 1: Wiki-based text analysis (40%) (Group Work)

This assignment is designed to help you analyse how language is treated in texts designed for
language learning (English language textbooks) when compared to authentic examples. This
is an important part of effective lesson planning and preparation for classroom teaching. This
assignment will be conducted in groups of three (one group of 4 if required).
In groups, you will collaborate to critically analyse and evaluate the way a specific text type
is presented in a local English language primary textbook when compared to authentic
examples of that text type. You will need to consider the pedagogical soundness of the
textbook text and implications for the teaching and learning of language in context in primary
schools. With your group you will create a wiki page showing your analysis.
Procedure
1. First, analyse an authentic example of a text (provided by your tutor). Identify the text
type or type of discourse, the content/topic, and the social purpose and use. Then
analyse the internal structure, grammatical features, vocabulary, and visual features.
2. Then, find another authentic example that you might use in the classroom and conduct
a similar analysis.
3. Next, use the analyses of the authentic examples of the text to evaluate the
authenticity and pedagogic soundness of a text from a local primary English textbook
(provided by your tutor). When analyzing the textbook material you may consider the
following:

What is the intended pedagogic use of the text in the classroom (as far as you can see
from the page)?
To what extent is the textbook text authentic? (consider all aspects of the text type and
meanings expressed, and draw on your analysis of the two authentic texts of the same
text type)
To what extent is the textbook material suitable for providing young learners with
exposure to this text type? i.e. is it pedagogically sound to use this as an example of
this text type?
What are the implications of your analysis for classroom practice, ie would you
suggest that the textbook text is suitable to use as is but with particular teaching
strategies, or would you suggest replacing, adapting, or supplementing it? Please give
your reasons.

With your group, create a wiki page showing your analysis. Make every attempt to design an
attractive, organised and reader-friendly wikipage, for example, with an introduction to the
materials, tables showing your text analysis, headings to organize the page, use of colour etc.
You should embed the textbook page into your wikipage, as well as the two authentic
examples referred to in your analysis. You are encouraged to cite course readings or other
relevant literature to support your analysis.
The total number of words on your wikipage should not exceed 1000 words, including
headings and reference list.
MMLo/BMoorhouse, Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong

BABEd (Lang Ed) English

BBED4321 Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Teaching English in Primary School

Individual commenting:
After your group has created the wiki page analysis, you will be individually assigned to
constructively comment on another groups wiki page. You should post your comments on
the pages discussion board. Your feedback should be given in 1-3 posts and/or replies, and
each post should not exceed 150 words. Your comments and feedback are not formally
assessed, but it is a hurdle so you must do it, in good faith. Your group may wish to respond
to feedback from peers.
Timeline:
A wiki is intended to be an ongoing, collaboratively constructed and edited text (thus the
individual feedback). The text can be edited at any time and feedback and discussion about
the contents, wording, layout of the wikipage can be discussed on the discussion board
attached to the page. You can revert to a previous version of the page at any time. You can
also view the other groups analyses and thus learn from each other. However, you should not
edit the pages of another group! Please only edit the page of your own group.
To encourage this ongoing, collaborative composing process, the following due dates are
set:
A. Create first draft of wikipage by Sunday 11th September. Give your page an
appropriate title which reflects the topic or text type. You may also put your names in
the title e.g. Biographies (Mandy, Evan, Yael).
You may start your page at any time, even with one word! The draft does not have to
be well polished at this stage as it can be revised and edited and expanded upon at any
time.
B. Revise and complete your wikipage by Sunday 25th September. This version should
be a good version, worthy of feedback from your peers.
C. Individually comment on a wiki page you have been assigned by Sunday 2nd October.
D. Your group should finalise the wikipage by Monday 10th October 11:59, carefully
considering comments and feedback received from your peers. You may respond to
their comments on the discussion board. For formal assessment purposes, you should
not make any further revisions or comments on the wikipage after this date.
Assessment criteria
Hurdle requirements: _one wikipage created by group _ minimum of one individual comment to
another group
KEY: E= Excellent, G=Good, S= Satisfactory, M= Marginal, U= Unsatisfactory
E
Content
a. Accuracy and depth of analysis of the text/language content of the authentic
texts as well as the relevance of the second authentic text selected
b. Quality and depth of evaluation of the authenticity and pedagogic soundness of
the textbook text

MMLo/BMoorhouse, Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong

BABEd (Lang Ed) English

BBED4321 Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Teaching English in Primary School
c. Relevance, quality and pedagogical soundness of the pedagogical implications
and suggestions for classroom use, with reference to principles and theories of
language teaching and learning to young learners.
Form
a. Clarity, coherence and accessibility of wiki page, including organisation of subsections, layout, accuracy of written expression, spelling and punctuation, and
adhering to maximum word limits
b. Relevance of references; clarity, consistency and appropriateness of academic
conventions for quoting, paraphrasing, attributing sources of information, citing
references, compiling a reference list etc. according to academic conventions.

MMLo/BMoorhouse, Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong