2008-09 AM Skills, Knowledge, Abilities

English Didactics
Educational Terminology
Online Resources for ELT
Online Journals for Foreign Language Teaching
Literary Research for Didactics
Secondary Literature for ELT

• Lecturer: Wolfgang Gehring
• Language tutor: Lindsay
• Time: Tuesdays, 2-4pm
• Venue: A10 1-121a

• Requirements for AM 7
• Suggestions for graded action items (3KP)

  All written work should be handed in by March 15, 2009. 

Week 1 - October 14, 2008

1. Find information on:

• the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
• types of curricula
• core curricula
• educational standards

2. Make a list of references to be discussed in class, so find a proper way of visualizing your findings. (Samples can be found in stud-ip schedule for 14.10.08.)

Week 2 - October 21, 2008

We will discuss your findings from the "like/dislike" lesson plan.

Action item 1: Comment on the development of a standard of your choice, for example writing.

• structures for developing the competence/standard
• conception of learning
• conception of communicative competence

Action item 2: Reconstruct major rationales of the nativist and constructivist approaches (Krashen, Pienemann, also see download in stud-ip). What didactic theories should be considered in lesson plans?

Action item 3: Analyze the lesson plan in studi-ip (21.10.08: "food food food").

• What didactic theories can be detected?
• Collect more criteria for analyzing a lesson plan (referring to the example).
• Compare this lesson plan with the PPP concept (see download in stud-ip).

Week 3 - October 28, 2008

Activity 1:

• Reconstruct major rationals of Krashen's nativist theory of foreign language learning.
• Visualize Wolff's arguments/theses (instructive/constructive) in a mind map and be prepared to explain it.
• Visualize the principles of the PPP approach in a mind map.

Activity 2:

• Are there any arguments against Wolff's theses?
• Are there any arguments against the PPP approach?

Activity 3:

• Make a list of criteria that could be used to analyze lesson plans.
• Apply this criteria to your evaluation of "food food food".

Week 4 - November 04, 2008

1. Critically comment on "Lernziele" and "Bemerkungen zur Didaktik" in your excerpts from last week. Please remember that didactics is interested in WHY, WHAT, and HOW.

2. Be prepared to facilitate:

• "Teaching Pronunciation" (surnames Bec-Kuhl)
• "Beyond Listen and Repeat" (surnames Met-Zim)

Facilitation includes the following activities:

• Write questions about the text and have answers prepared.
• Suggest one or two activities if possible that refer to the text and can be done in class or in groups.
• Direct the discussion.
• Support this discussion with a visualisation or blackboard chart.

3. Choose a textbook and comment on its approach to developing pronunciation skills.

4. How is pronunciation dealt with in advanced learning environments (for example at the university, in the "Oberstufe", etc.)

Week 5 - November 11, 2008

1. Look at what Lower Saxony's core curriculum says about "Wortschatz" and about "Methodenkompetenz und Wortschatz". (see: Nibis)

• Grund-, Haupt- und Realschule (surnames Bec-Kuhl)
• Gymnasium (surnames Met-Zim)

2. Research: What are possible problems with the English lexicon?

3. In-class activity: Develop vocabulary activities. Make yourself familiar with formats of vocabulary practice and read the text posted in stud-ip.

Week 6 - November 18, 2008

Facilitators:

1. Find exercises and tasks in textbooks that promote lexical competence, see: ESL/EFL Teaching and Learning Resources, Wortschatzeinführung, Goethe Verlag Poster

2. Develop criteria for vocabulary selection

3. Read and discuss text on vocabulary teaching (by Paul Nation)

Week 7 - November 25, 2008

1. Write down four tasks to help facilitate Paul Nation's text on vocabulary teaching and have the answers at hand.

2. Explain and write down how consciousness-raising and modern language teaching go together. (see Ellis text)

3. Explain and write down how the following learning theories would see the role of consciousness-raising: behaviorism, nativism, and cognitivism.

4. Activity: lexical and grammatical activities in textbooks: A WRITTEN CATEGORIZATION