English Department, CASS

MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology

SYLLABUS FOR ENGLISH 120

I. Course Title: Theories, Issues and Current Trends in Language Teaching

II. Course Credits: 3 units, 3 lecture hours per week
III. Course Description: This course provides the students with the knowledge on the
different theories, teaching methods and the issues in socio-linguistics,
psycholinguistics and ethno linguistics. It also includes the basic concepts and
principles of teaching English for functional purposes and the approaches, which seek
to fit English teaching to the language needs and career goals of specific group of
students.

Prerequisite: Same as those for English 50, i.e. English 1,2,'3, and 4

IV. Objectives:

General Objectives: At the end of the course students will be able to:
1) conceptualize the theoretical framework and pedagogical implications
underlying language teaching and learning.
2) survey research findings that lend significance to current theories in
language learning and teaching
3) identify research agenda in the language classroom in the light of evolving
theories and concepts.
4) evaluate critically the different theories in language learning and teaching
consideration to recent research findings in the field.

Specific Objectives: After a semester's course, the students will be able to:
1) review and reassess the differing approaches to second language teaching.
2) survey the methods and techniques in the teaching of the macroskills,
namely: reading, writing, speaking and listening
3) discuss and review some techniques in teaching, literature
4) discuss techniques in the teaching of pedagogical grammar and the
underlying principles that support their integration in language learning and
teaching
5) exhibit skills in developing instructional materials, and lesson plans/guides
for the different language skills including English for functional purposes.
6) design a syllabus and a testing instrument to evaluate learners competence.
7) conduct action research to discern actual problems facing the language
classrooms.
8) reflect critically on one's communicative and teaching competence in ESL in
the light of the goals and objectives of language teaching and learning.
V. Course Content:

FIRST GRADING PERIOD

Unit 1. Introduction 1 week

A) Course Awareness
1) Discuss objectives of the course
2) Course content and requirements
3) Learning competence expected of the students: learning strategies,
class discussion, etc.

Unit II. Survey of Theoretical Positions and Issues

A) Contextualizing ESI, Teaching in the Philippine Setting
1) The State of English language teaching in the Philippines
2) Philippine National Language Policy and Its Rationale
3) CHED Recommendation
4) Domains of English in the Philippines
5) Patterns of Language Use in a Society

B) Some Issues in ESL Teaching 2 weeks

1) Language competence and performance
2) Language comprehension and production
3) L1 vs. L2: Acquisition and Learning
4) TESL and TEFL
5) Child and Adult Language Learning
6) Naturalistic and Classroom Language Learning
7) Input-Intake Distinctions
8) Aptitude and Attitude in SLA
9) Formal and Informal Linguistic Environments

C) Views About Language

1) General Aspects of Language
2) Structural vs. Transformational
3) Functional/Interactional View
4) Language and Communicative Competence

D) Theories of First and Second Language

Acquisition/Learning 2 weeks
1) Behaviorist Theory
a) Operant Conditioning
b) Mediation Theory

2) Generative Theories
a) Nativist Approach
b) Cognitive Approach
3) Hypotheses About Second Language Acquisition
 4) Causative Variables in SLA
5) Error Correction
6) Socio-cultural Factors
7) Personality Factors
8) Variations in Language Learning

SECOND GRADING PERIOD

Unit III. Language Learning Studies and Classroom Teaching 2 weeks

1) Behaviorist Theory and Classroom Learning
2) Naturalistic and Classroom Learning
3) Classroom Process Research
4) Classroom Interaction and Language Learning
a) Interaction Hypothesis
b) Output Hypothesis
c) Discourse Hypothesis
d) Topicalization Hypothesis
e) Formal Interaction and Language Learning
f) Elli's Integrated Theory

Unit IV. Studies on Learner Variables: Cognitive

Functioning, Motivation, Attitude Among
Bilinguals, Other Affective Variables

Unit V. Approaches and Methods in Teaching ESL 1 week

A) The Relationship Between Theory and Practice

B) Overview of Language Teaching Methodology
1) Grammar-Translation
2) Humanistic Approaches
3) Oral Approach and Situational Language Teaching
4) Structuralism vs. Functionalism
5) Audio-Lingual Approach
6) Communicative Approach
7) English for Specific Purposes
8) Content-based Language and CALLA

Unit VI. Strategies and Techniques in Communicative

Second Language Teaching 2 weeks

A) Developing Speaking Skills

B) Developing Writing Skills
C) Developing Listening Skills
D) Teaching of Pedagogical Grammar
1) Pedagogical Grammar Defined
 2) Learning Strategies
3) Techniques in Teaching Grammar
E) The Teaching of Reading and Vocabulary
F) The Teaching of Literature
G) The Integrated Approach to the Teaching of Language

THIRD GRADING PERIOD

Unit VII. Language Testing and Evaluation 2 weeks

A) Purposes of Testing and Evaluation

B) Overview of Testing
C) Kinds of Tests
D) Testing Specific Skills: Reading, Writing, Speaking
Listening
E) Evaluation of Language Performance

Unit VIII. Constructing Varying Kinds of tests workshop 1 week

Unit IX. Reflective Teaching and the Reflective Teacher

A) Teacher Training Programs

B) Pre-Service and In-Service

VI. Methods and Strategies:

1) Lecture
2) Individual Report and Class Discussion
3) Workshop on Syllabus and Lesson Planning
4) Case Studies
5) Article Summaries regarding Language Teaching

VII. Enrichment Activities/Co-curricular Activities:

1) Design and develop course syllabus

2) Write Lesson Plan for each macroskill
3) Case Studies
4) Administer sample self-made tests

VIII. References:
Brown, D. 1987. Principles of Language Learning and Teaching.
Brown, D. 1994. Teaching by Principles.
Carter, R. and Long, M.N. 1987. The Web of Words: Exploring Literature
Through Language
Celce-Murcia. 1988. Techniques and Resources in Teaching Grammar.
 Cook, Vivian. 1991. Second Language Learning and Teaching.
Long, M. and Richards, J.C. 1987. Methods in TESOL: A Book of
Readings.
Nunan, D. 1988. Syllabus Design.
Richard, J. and Rodgers, T.S. 1986. Approaches and Methods in Teaching
Rionda, C.S.A. 1996. A Handbook of Readings in Language Education.
Taschner, J (no date). Texts and Tasks.
English Teaching Forum Issues
Internet Sources:
http://www.oup.com/pdf/elt/teachersclub/task-based-approach
http://www.training-youth.net/INTEGRATION/TY/Publications/tkits/tkit2/2_task
_pdf
http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/0102lexical.html
http://www.jalt.org/global/32Mino.htm
http://www.cybertesis.cl/tesis.uchile/2004/prieto_n/html/index-frames.html
http://www.sfu.ca/ccrel/strategies/abstracts/abstr97.html
http://www.nmline.edu/personal/amabott/esl753/2trends.htm
http://www.ingilish.com/Contructivism.htm
http://www.isu.edu/english/egsa/DA_reading_lists.htm
http://www.developingteachers.com/articles_tchtraining/langphils_mark.htm
http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/14_01/past141.shtml
http://www.cal.org/resources/digets/rodgers.html
http://www.writing.berkeley.edu/TESL-EJ/ej03/r15.html
http://www.learndev.org/ambiguity.html
http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/499s99/cachola/chpt2/chptr2.html

Course Requirements:
1) Periodic Examinations
2) Write Lesson Plans
3) Develop Course Syllabi
4) Conduct Case Studies as may be required
5) Individual Reports and occasional group assignments
6) Critical reports on assigned articles

IX. Instructional Materials: journal review, sample lesson plan, syllabi, sample lesson
guides
X. Grading System:
1) Quizzes
2) Oral and written reports
3) Periodic exams
4) Lesson plans
5) Other Requirements
Performance Level to Pass the Course: To pass the course, the students should be able to:
a) get 60% of the periodic exams and quizzes
b) submit satisfactory oral and written reports
c) submit satisfactory lesson plans and other requirements
 Subject: English 120
Prepared by: FAITH O. MIGUEL, Ph.D.

Approved by:

CHRISTINE F. GODINEZ-ORTEGA
Chair, English Department

PROF. GEOFFREY SALGADO

Dean, CASS