Course syllabus

SEMESTER 1, 2018

15 points

 
Course Convenor and Lecturer: 

Professor John Read

Email: ja.read@auckland.ac.nz

Phone:  DDI 923-7673; Extension 87673

Arts 2/CLL Building, 18 Symonds St, Room 206

Course delivery format:

One two-hour class per week on Wednesdays, 4-6 pm

421E-619 (Architecture Building - East, Room 619)

 Course Description:              

Whatever approach that language teachers adopt in teaching their classes, it is essential for them to have a good knowledge of the structural system of the language they are teaching, even when they are not formally engaged in giving lessons on grammar or vocabulary or pronunciation. This knowledge is very useful in analysing the kind of errors that learners make and in giving them feedback that will help them to improve their language usage. Native-speaking teachers in particular have often not studied formal grammar as part of their own schooling, so it is important for them to complement their implicit knowledge and intuitions with an explicit framework for analysing linguistic structures.

LANGTCHG 740 is not simply an introductory linguistics course. Although obviously it draws on concepts and classification systems taken from descriptive linguistics, it adopts a pedagogical perspective which gives attention to the kinds of errors that learners make and to aspects of the language system that are often difficult for learners to master.

The course is divided into three modules. Half of the course is devoted to grammar, and the other half is divided between vocabulary and the sound system. For the course assessment, each module has its own assignment and in addition there is a one-hour class test for the grammar module. 

 Course outcomes:

At the end of the course you should be able to:

• analyse the key elements and structures of the language
• identify the difficulties that learners may have with particular structural aspects of English
• discuss strategies for teaching various language forms

 Assessment Summary:

Assignment 1 (Vocabulary)  25%

Class test (Grammar)  25%

Assignment 2 (Grammar)  25%

Assignment 3  (Sounds of English)  25%

Weekly Topics:

Prescribed Text:

Kennedy, G. (2003). Structure and meaning in English: A guide for teachers. Harlow, UK: Pearson Longman..

 Workload and deadlines for submission of coursework:           

The University of Auckland's expectation is that students spend 10 hours per week on a 15-point course, including time in class and personal study. Students should manage their academic workload and other commitments accordingly. Deadlines for coursework are set by course convenors and will be advertised in course material. You should submit your work on time. In extreme circumstances, such as illness, you may seek an extension but you may be required to provide supporting information before the assignment is due. Late assignments without a pre-approved extension may be penalised by loss of marks – check course information for details.