Master's Program in the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language

Is ELT really now ‘beyond methods’, as has often been suggested? This wide-ranging introductory course looks at ELT methodology from both theoretical and practice-based perspectives, with a view to encouraging students to develop approaches, strategies and techniques that are suitable for their particular groups of learners, but at the same time responsive to current research and thinking. Amongst other influential approaches, it considers so-called ‘communicative’ language teaching: where did it come from, and what does it actually consist of? Is it really just a matter of ‘getting the students to speak’? During the course, students will have the opportunity to design and implement a small-scale piece of methodology-based Action Research in the classroom, thus taking the first steps towards becoming career-long teacher-researchers. Indeed, throughout the course, as throughout this MA, students are encouraged to explore critically their own approach in their own teaching context, and to focus on their consequent professional development.

The professional English language teacher is a specialist in pedagogy, and of course a highly competent user of the language. However, as English continues to be used in ever more diverse global contexts, it becomes increasingly important that s/he should have a disciplinary background in the study of language itself (Marr & English 2019). This course offers an introduction to a selection of influential scholars and ideas in the history of formal linguistic thought, starting with Saussure’s conceptualisation of the ‘linguistic sign’, and leading through Chomsky to socially-oriented researchers such as Labov and Hymes. It finishes with contemporary contributions to the theory of social semiotics, discourse analysis, text and context. While it is not intended to turn students into experts in linguistics, it does offer a historical introduction to the development of different approaches to language study which will provide a context for the discussions of phonetics and phonology, syntax, morphology, sociolinguistics and psycholinguistics which take place in other

The role of morphosyntax, or grammar, in language teaching has long been an object of research and a source of academic debate and discussion, and in recent years this has given rise to a huge diversity of theories and approaches. However, in the context of foreign language teaching in Colombia (and of course not only here!), it is clear that actual classroom practice often lags far behind developments at the theoretical level. This course aims to challenge preconceived ideas about how to teach and assess grammar, using as a background the current state of knowledge in the field. It revolves around questions such as: what exactly is grammar? What part does it play in communicative competence? To what extent does the academic discourse in the field influence the grammar teaching that goes on at classroom level? How do I as a teacher teach and assess grammar, and how can I reconcile contemporary theoretical insights, my own classroom practice, and the demands and constraints of the institution where I work?

The use of ICT is transforming education globally, and language education is at the forefront of this movement. In this course students are encouraged to engage critically with and analyse such technological tools as virtual classrooms, digital portfolios, online assessment, videoconferencing and graphic organizers, considering how to design meaningful learning experiences with the aid of technology and how to incorporate them into broader learning and teaching strategies. The course takes the form of a series of practical and theoretical workshop sessions, supported by the use of a virtual classroom.

Our course in research methods in applied linguistics offers a theorised, structured overview of the discipline of applied linguistics, focusing particularly on that large part of the field which is concerned with language learning, language teaching and related areas of study and practice (including such areas as language policy, sociolinguistics and language study per se). As well as helping students to identify likely areas of personal interest for their Master’s Report (Trabajo de Grado), it encourages students to broaden their conceptions of the possible areas of research open to them and to begin to see themselves as members of an international community of academic discourse and professional practice.

The course begins by laying out the range and variety of research areas available within this very broad discipline. Students can opt to carry out the traditional kind of classroom-based research on learning and teaching, of course, but very many other options are open to the teacher-researcher. Within the area of language and linguistics, you might wish to look at discourse analysis, conversation analysis, accent and pronunciation, culture/pragmatics in language, translanguaging and language practices, linguistic variation, World Englishes. Sociolinguistic areas for research might include national or regional language policy (e.g. Colombia Bilingüe), English as a Lingua Franca (ELF), the ‘linguistic imperialism’ debate, attitudes to English, intercultural awareness, language and gender/class/sexuality. Research into learning and teaching, meanwhile, might focus on areas such as: Young Learners, coursebook analysis, curriculum design, assessment, methodologies and theoretical approaches, materials development, the role of L1 in the classroom, teacher identity, CLIL and EAP, the use of corpora – in short, almost anything to do with English and English language teaching, whether in the classroom or outside it. Everyone is encouraged to think broadly, and to choose a research topic that they feel genuinely curious about.

Taken together with Research Methods II, this course aims to provide a thorough training in research in ELT and applied linguistics, and in particular, to guide students through the process of formulating, researching, writing and publicly defending their Master’s Report.

In Democracy and Education, American philosopher John Dewey wrote about the importance of developing individuality for democracy. That is that democratic societies, as opposed to other types of political regimes, must provide all individuals with opportunities for self-realization. He argued that any limitations placed on self-realization by either private or public institutions contradicted society’s democratic character. For Dewey, the classroom and the school were therefore ideal settings for the development of compassion, critical thinking, and opportunities for the student to reach self-realization.

Today, education faces a crisis. Martha Nussbaum has spoken about the move towards education for profit, rather than for democracy. As teachers and educators we must ask ourselves if our classrooms and schools encourage our students to develop their individuality and freedom, and provide tools to think ethically. Are we promoting autonomous and critical thinking, both of which provide the basis for democracy? How do ethics fit into our work as educators? How do we encourage responsible citizenship among our students? These are some of the questions we will have the opportunity to engage in this class, guided by our collective reading and discussion of authors such as Aristotle, Martha Nussbaum, and Amartya Sen.

What are we actually teaching and assessing when we teach and assess ‘speaking and listening’? To what extent does the spoken language of coursebooks match real, unmediated speech? What sort of models of speech should we offer to our students, and why? Is it desirable or necessary to encourage learners to aim at native-speaker-like pronunciation? Is there such a thing as ‘standard English’ in speech? This critical, wide-ranging course, based firmly in contemporary linguistic and sociolinguistic research and theory, engages from the start with these kinds of essential, practical, classroom questions. It then uses them as the starting point for an exploration of, among other things, correctness and standardness in speech, intelligibility and comprehensibility, translanguaging, conversation analysis and language repertoires. By the end of the course, students will have gained a new and challenging perspective on what it means to ‘speak English’, and a correspondingly new, informed idea of what it means to ‘teach speaking and listening’.

Phonetics (how speech sounds are produced) and phonology (the pattern or system of sounds in a specific language) together make up the area of linguistics which deals with how we as human beings make and interpret speech sounds. In this course, you will learn to describe and classify the phonemes of English (and not only English), and to transcribe them accurately using the International Phonemic Alphabet. Ear-training exercises and production practice will help you to identify and reproduce the specific sounds used in different languages, and to understand how the various articulators – lips, tongue, soft palate – combine to form those sounds. You will learn about the relation between speech sounds and phonemes, and how we combine phonemes to produce words and sentences. You will also learn how to undertake the teaching of pronunciation in an informed, focussed way, and how to diagnose and rectify the particular problems that Spanish-speaking students encounter when learning English. Phonetics and phonology is a vital area of knowledge for the professional language teacher, and your study of it will increase your confidence – and that of your students.

What sort of errors do your students tend to make, why do they make them? How can we distinguish between ‘welcome’ error and ‘unwelcome’, and what can error tell us about the learner’s learning process? In this course you will learn how to identify and categorise particular types of error, in speech as well as writing, and deepen your understanding of areas such as interlanguage and so-called L1 ‘interference’. Correction, too, is always a tricky area for teachers, especially when teaching oral skills. Correct too much, and you risk damaging students’ confidence and motivation. Correct too little, and your students might think they are not being helped to improve their English. We look at how to correct in a focused, structured way, and consider the value of, for example, self and peer correction, as well as individual and group-level correction. By the end of the course, you will have developed a clear practical and theoretical understanding of the place of error in the language classroom, and learned how to deal with error in a positive and constructive way.

The second part of the Research Methods course introduces a range of conceptual and practical tools for the design and implementation of a research project, and guides students through the process of data collection and analysis, looking at key areas such as the formulation of research questions and selection of research tools, how to approach a literature review, the collection and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, and so on. It finally deals with how to ‘write up’ the finished project, and how to present it effectively.

This course considers both the MA student’s own writing and the challenge of teaching writing to learners of English. It adopts a theorised view of how writing is or has been taught, both to native and non-native speakers of English, and encourages the student to reflect critically on their own literacy practices. Among other things it looks at how academic writing practices such as synthesis, summary, citation and referencing are carried out, how writers establish authorial identity and authority, and how teachers can navigate the tricky waters of correction and feedback. The course emphasises throughout that the study of academic literacies ‘provides a way of understanding that writing is more than spoken language written down and that the term literacy embraces more than the acts of reading and writing’ (Barton 2001).

Foreign language teachers are often expected by their institutions to contribute to the development of the curriculum, but rarely have a thorough grounding – or any grounding at all – in the theory and practice of curriculum design. With a clear focus throughout on the discipline of ELT in its various contexts (elementary school, high school, university, private institute etc.), this course aims to guide you through the principles which underlie effective curriculum design, starting with the very concepts of curriculum and syllabus. The course concentrates on indispensable practical aspects of curriculum design such as the formulation of learning objectives, competencies and outcomes; the benchmarking of standards against pre-existing frameworks like the Common European Framework for Languages (CEFR) and subsequent mapping onto national and international exams; and the formulation of appropriate assessment criteria and assessment instruments.

Students can choose to take a course offered by the program, or courses offered by other programs either from the School of Education Sciences, or from other Schools at the University. This provides curricular flexibility as students can take courses from other areas that fit the interests. Credits can also be counted when students decide to do double-degree programs.

As the world grows ever more interconnected, physically and virtually, it has never seemed more necessary to be able to function in more than one language. And in Colombia, as elsewhere, this means that there has been growing public and governmental interest in bilingualism and bilingual education. But what are the fundamental issues around bilingualism that teachers need to understand? What principles underlie bilingual education, and how should they be applied? This wide-ranging introduction to the study of bilingualism considers topics such as the L1 as a learning resource (should the English classroom be an English-only space?); the behaviour of bilinguals – code-switching, code-mixing and translanguaging; language rights and the treatment of native and indigenous languages. Students will learn to develop and evaluate bilingual curricula, and to find effective responses to the challenges raised by bilingual classrooms.

As all language teachers are well aware, no matter how well prepared you might be or how stimulating your materials, if the learner is not in the right frame of mind to engage with the task of language learning, the class is likely to achieve little. What goes on in the minds of learners as they set about the task of learning a second language, and what teachers need to know in order to provide the best possible environment for this learning are some of the issues addressed in this course. It provides a fascinating introduction to the psychology of language learning, ranging from the areas of educational and social pychology on the one hand to neuropsychological and biological issues on the other. We consider the role in language learning of motivation, sense of self, autonomy, beliefs and attitudes, feelings and thought processes. We examine the way learners relate to and think about their own language competence, their peers, the teacher and the target language itself. And then of course there is the question of the psychology of the language teacher, too. How might confidence or anxiety about their own linguistic competence and professional identity affect their performance and their self-belief? How does what the teacher thinks, feels or believes affect what happens in the classroom?

In this course you will work independently on the research and writing of your Master’s Report, under the personal guidance of a supervisor with expertise in your chosen area of research.

This course considers both the MA student’s own writing and the challenge of teaching writing to learners of English. It adopts a theorised view of how writing is or has been taught, both to native and non-native speakers of English, and encourages the student to reflect critically on their own literacy practices. Among other things it looks at how academic writing practices such as synthesis, summary, citation and referencing are carried out, how writers establish authorial identity and authority, and how learners can be encouraged to become self-aware writers through the teacher’s use of focused correction and feedback. The course emphasises throughout that the study of academic literacies ‘provides a way of understanding that writing is more than spoken language written down and that the term literacy embraces more than the acts of reading and writing’ (Barton 2001).

Foreign language teachers are often expected by their institutions to contribute to the development of the curriculum, but rarely have a thorough grounding – or any grounding at all – in the theory and practice of curriculum design. With a clear focus throughout on the discipline of ELT in its various contexts (elementary school, high school, university, private institute etc.), this course aims to guide you through the principles which underlie effective curriculum design, starting with the very concepts of curriculum and syllabus. The course concentrates on indispensable practical aspects of curriculum design such as the formulation of learning objectives, competencies and outcomes; the benchmarking of standards against pre-existing frameworks like the Common European Framework for Languages (CEFR) and subsequent mapping onto national and international exams; and the formulation of appropriate assessment criteria and assessment instruments.

Students can choose to take a course offered by the program, or courses offered by other programs either from the School of Education Sciences, or from other Schools at the University. This provides curricular flexibility as students can take courses from other areas that fit the interests. Credits can also be counted when students decide to do double-degree programs.

As the world grows ever more interconnected, physically and virtually, it has never seemed more necessary to be able to function in more than one language. And in Colombia, as elsewhere, this means that there has been growing public and governmental interest in bilingualism and bilingual education. But what are the fundamental issues around bilingualism that teachers need to understand? What principles underlie bilingual education, and how should they be applied? This wide-ranging introduction to the study of bilingualism considers topics such as the L1 as a learning resource (should the English classroom be an English-only space?); the behaviour of bilinguals – code-switching, code-mixing and translanguaging; language rights and the treatment of native and indigenous languages. Students will learn to develop and evaluate bilingual curricula, and to find effective responses to the challenges raised by bilingual classrooms.

As all language teachers are well aware, no matter how well prepared you might be or how stimulating your materials, if the learner is not in the right frame of mind to engage with the task of language learning, the class is likely to achieve little. What goes on in the minds of learners as they set about the task of learning a second language, and what teachers need to know in order to provide the best possible environment for this learning are some of the issues addressed in this course. It provides a fascinating introduction to the psychology of language learning, ranging from the areas of educational and social pychology on the one hand to neuropsychological and biological issues on the other. We consider the role in language learning of motivation, sense of self, autonomy, beliefs and attitudes, feelings and thought processes. We examine the way learners relate to and think about their own language competence, their peers, the teacher and the target language itself. And then of course there is the question of the psychology of the language teacher, too. How might confidence or anxiety about their own linguistic competence and professional identity affect their performance and their self-belief? How does what the teacher thinks, feels or believes affect what happens in the classroom?

In this course you will work independently on the research and writing of your Master’s Report, under the personal guidance of a supervisor with expertise in your chosen area of research.