English 1 for Teachers in Year 4-6

Department of Languages and Literatures

The course can be part of the following programmes: 1) The Intermediate Level Teacher Programme (L1GRU) and 2) The Intermediate Level Teacher Programme directed towards lower-secondary school (L1G46)

The course is grounded in both the communicative and functional view of language expressed in the syllabus for English and current research on language learning analysing teaching, learning, and assessment with a focus on classes 4-6. The course deals with theories of children’s language learning and how language development can be promoted by aesthetic teaching practices. The course also includes teaching elements where aesthetic forms of expression are focused. Language didactic research on learning and teaching is examined from both a national and international perspective. Different forms of assessment and documentation, which promote student learning in English, are discussed, and to national diagnostic and test-materials in English for older learners are analysed.

The course familiarises students with contemporary children’s literature in English and different ways of working with literature for the class 4-6 age group. The importance of reading in order to develop as language learners is emphasized. Additionally, attention is focused on methods surrounding the processing of children’s literary experiences.

The course provides the opportunity for participants to develop their oral communication ability through the study of the English phonetics. Focus is placed on developing strategies to be able to work with both one's own and the pupils' pronunciation.

On successful completion of the course the student will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

• develop knowledge and awareness of language development and language teaching of a foreign language,
• explain key concepts in the compulsory school syllabus including the national diagnostic and test materials in English,
• describe how contemporary English language children’s and youth literature can be used in teaching,
• describe the foundational features of the English phonetic system from a contrastive perspective.

Competence and skills

• apply language development methods and use different aesthetic forms of expression as well as literature to promote pupils' learning in English,
• apply phonetic knowledge to be able to develop a good pronunciation in both the participant’s own and pupils' oral communication,
• use English for oral and written communication in a manner appropriate to the profession, adapted to the recipient, purpose and situation,
• analyse the syllabus in English in relation to the practice of teaching and in relation to the communicative view of language,
• analyse national and international material for the assessment and documentation of pupils’ English language learning.

Judgement and approach

• critically reflect on how the choice of teaching materials and tasks can affect pupil’s English language learning

The course takes the form of Lectures, Seminars, Workshops and Fieldstudies.

Language of instruction: English
Teaching elements and course literature in Swedish may occur.

The course consists of four point-giving course sections: Pronunciation and phonetics (3hp), Oral presentation (2hp), English children’s and youth literature (4hp) and language didactics (6hp). The course is examined in part through attendance at twenty compulsory seminars/workshops, two compulsory group presentations and in part through individual examinations. The individual examinations take the form of a exam-hall exam and three oral exams.

If a student did not attend a compulsory occasion, a new opportunity may be offered, or alternatively replaced with an individual assignment.

If a student, who has failed the same examined component twice, wishes to change examiner before the next examination, a written application shall be sent to the department responsible for the course and shall be granted unless there are special reasons to the contrary (Chapter 6, Section 22 of the Higher Education Ordinance).

If a student has received a recommendation from the University of Gothenburg for special educational support, where it is compatible with the learning outcomes of the course and provided that no unreasonable resources are required, the examiner may, decide to give the student an adapted examination or alternative form of examination.

In cases where a course has been discontinued or has undergone major changes, the student shall normally be guaranteed at least three examination occasions (including the ordinary examination) during a period of at least one year from the last time the course was given.

The grading scale comprises: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U). A Pass for the whole course (15 credits) requires passing grades on the course’s four modules. A Pass with Distinction for the whole course (15 credits) requires VG for 10 out of 15 credits

Course evaluation is done in relation to the course learning outcomes and content and is done in the form of an individual network survey at the end of the course. The result and any changes in the course structure will be communicated to both the students who completed the evaluation and to the students who will begin the course.

The course uses the University of Gothenburg’s learning platform for different forms of digital communication. Access to a computer and the Internet is therefore required.