FLE 238 Approaches to English Language Teaching 2016-2017 Fall

Dr. Yasemin Tezgiden Cakcak (EFB39)

tezgiden@metu.edu.tr
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course focuses on identifying the difference among approach, method and technique and the
significance of these concepts in course design. A critical overview of methods and approaches taking a
historical perspective is presented: Grammar Translation Method, Direct Method, Audio-lingual Method,
Silent Way, Community Language Learning, Suggestopedia, Communicative Approach, the Natural
Approach. Student teachers will discover and synthesize classroom application possibilities of such methods
through designing micro-teaching of activities associated with them. A portion of the course also focuses on
current issues and practices in ELT course design, selecting the appropriate approach suitable to learner
needs based on current distinctions such as ESL, EFL, EIL, ESP, EAP. It outlines current foreign language
teaching trends such as constructivist approach, content-based instruction, task-based instruction, problembased teaching, multiple intelligences, whole language approach and corpus-based applications of language
teaching and designing micro-teaching of activities associated with them. This course also aims to
problematize the notion of the method itself touching upon post-method and teacher empowerment.
MATERIALS
Celce-Murcia, M. (Ed.) (2014). Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. 4th Ed. Boston, MA: Heinle &
Heinle.
Kumaravadivelu, B. (2003). Beyond Methods Macrostrategies for Language Teaching. New Haven: Yale
University Press.
Larsen-Freeman, D. & Anderson, M. (2011). Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching (3rd Edition).
Oxford: University Press.
Richards, J. C. & Rodgers, T. (2014). Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching (third edition).
Cambridge University Press.
REQUIREMENTS
Reflection Tasks (5x5=25 points):
Students are required to read the assigned readings in each module and write a critical reflection paper on
them. Reflection papers will be submitted at the beginning of the class on due weeks as a hardcopy. Late
submissions will not be accepted.
Module Quizzes (5x4=20 points)
After the end of each module, students will take a module quiz. There will be no make-up for those who
missed the quizzes.
School Observation Report (15 points):
Each student will choose a partner for the final project. With their partners they will find an English class at
a public or a private school/language school/university they wish to observe. They will go and observe the
same English class for at least 10 hours so that they get to know the profile and needs of the students and get
familiar with the class culture and teachers teaching style (SUGGESTED TIME: between late October and
early November). During the observation, students will take notes. After completing the observation, they
will write their individual observation reports about the experience they have (due on November 21st).
Final project (35 points):
Students will prepare a lesson plan with their partners for the English class they have been observing by
selecting/designing an appropriate methodology. Before they implement the plan, they will get feedback
both from their course instructor and from the English teacher of the class they have observed. After revising
their lesson plans, they will rehearse their plan in their university class first. After getting feedback, they will
perform their actual lesson plan in the class they observed and they will video-record themselves. After their
actual performance, they will write a reflective essay on their performance and submit all their materials
(lesson plan, video-recording, materials and reflective essay) in a portfolio (due January 13th, 2017).
Lesson Plan
Actual Performance
Participation (5 points)

10 points
10 points

Rehearsal
Reflection Essay & Portfolio

10 points
5 points

Tentative Schedule
Week
Date
1

Topic

Assigned reading

October
3-7

Introduction

October
10-14

October
17-21

October
24-28

MODULE I- An overview of
language teaching approaches and
methods
Grammar- Translation Method
Direct Method
Audio-lingual Method
MODULE IIThe Natural Approach
Silent Way
TPR

Celce-Murcia (2014, ch. 1);

Richards & Rodgers (2014,
ch. 1 & 2)
Larsen-Freeman & Anderson
(2011; ch. 2, 3 & 4; Richards &
Rodgers, 2014, ch. 4)
Richards & Rodgers, (2014,
ch. 14,15,16);
Larsen-Freeman & Anderson
(2011; 5 & 8)

November
1-4

Desuggestopedia
Community Language Learning

November
7-11

MODULE III
Communicative Language Teaching

November
14-18

Content-Based Instruction
CLIL

November
21-25

MODULE IVTask-Based Language Teaching

CEFR

November2
8
December 2

Text-based Instruction
The Lexical Approach
Cooperative Learning
Multiple Intelligences

Larsen-Freeman & Anderson

(2011; ch. 6 & 7)
Richards & Rodgers
(2014, ch. 17-18)
Larsen-Freeman & Anderson
(2011; ch. 9)
Richards & Rodgers
(2014, ch. 5 & 6)
Larsen-Freeman & Anderson
(2011; ch. 10)
Richards & Rodgers
(2014, ch. 6)
Larsen-Freeman & Anderson
(2011; ch. 11)
Richards & Rodgers
(2014, ch. 8 &9)
Larsen-Freeman & Anderson
(2011; ch. 13)
Richards & Rodgers
(2014, ch. 10, 11, 12,13)

10

December
5-9
December
12-16
December
19-23
December
26-30

11
12
13

14
15

January
2-6
January
13

Task

Terms and concepts

Task 1

Task 2

Task 3

School
Observat.
Report Due
Task 4

Final Project Preparations & Feedback

Final Project Rehearsals
Final Project Rehearsals
MODULE VTeacher roles and post-method era

Kumaravadivelu (2003, ch.

1&2)
Richards & Rodgers
(2014, ch. 20)
Political dimensions of language
Larsen-Freeman & Anderson
teaching
(2011; ch. 12)
FINALS FINAL PROJECT

Task 5