English II for Teacher Education Students

The aim of the course is for students to develop good knowledge of the English language, English-language literature and the various British and American eras of intellectual history and literary history. Students will assimilate key concepts and methods in modern linguistics and different aspects of language learning, at the same time as they prepare for their future profession as language teachers. They must be able to critically analyse discourses within politics and the media as well as identity-creating processes based on a language-sociological perspective. A further aim is for students to develop independence in their studies and the ability to reflect on their learning.

Modules

On completion of the module, students will be able to:

• demonstrate knowledge of the historical development of British and American literature from the perspective of intellectual history
• describe main features of the eras of intellectual history and literary history in the Anglo-Saxon world, from the Renaissance to postmodernism, by associating representative literary works with corresponding trends in intellectual history
• explain and argue for similarities and differences in the historical development of British and American intellectual history and literary history
• demonstrate, both orally and in writing, proficiency in critically reflecting on, analysing and interpreting literary texts from both historical and their own contexts, with a certain degree of independence
• communicate, both orally and in writing, their own and others’ interpretations of trends in intellectual history and  literary texts in such a way that demonstrates inter-cultural understanding and ethical awareness
• write an academic essay.

On completion of the module, students will be able to:

• discuss the use and functions of the English language with reference to basic linguistic concepts
• demonstrate an understanding of English as a formal system
• explain basic types of variation in the English language by referring to social variables (such as age and socioeconomic status) and contextual variables (such as formality and time pressure)
• recognise and explain basic methods of analysis from core areas of linguistics
• analyse different types of English-language data and discuss differences and similarities between fundamental categories such as speech and writing
• describe the basic features of developments in the English language, including historical features and contemporary trends, as well as its place in the global linguistic landscape
• independently carry out a small-scale study in an area of English linguistics, and present it orally and in writing
• demonstrate adequate proficiency in English through a competent use of vocabulary and grammar in the different ways of communication used in the course.

On completion of the module, students will be able to:

• demonstrate knowledge of pupils‘ views on and experiences of their language learning, and reflect on how language teaching should be designed to promote pupils’ language development
• demonstrate knowledge of assessment in language teaching based on the national curriculum for Swedish schools and theories of assessment
• demonstrate knowledge of the background to the national curriculum for Swedish schools with focus on European cooperation and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR )
• discuss and reflect on the language teaching and learning issues what, how and why in relation to the choice of content and approaches in language teaching
• analyse and critically examine teaching materials for teaching English as a foreign language from a language education perspective and in relation to the national curriculum for Swedish schools
• demonstrate knowledge of different forms of information and communication technologies and how they can be used in teaching to develop subject content and teaching methods as well as to promote pupils learning, and apply these in their own language learning.

The aim of the module is for students to deepen their theoretical knowledge in language didactics and to develop the skills to be able to independently argue for vocational choices regarding the planning and implementation of language teaching in primary and secondary schools. The module also aims to introduce the students to scientific work and to improve their ability to plan a language didactic investigation.
On completion of the module, students will be able to:

• demonstrate an ability to independently select content and an approach that are relevant to language teaching in relation both to pupils’ different needs and backgrounds as well as to the national curriculum for Swedish schools and relevant research
• demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and an ability to make relevant assessments of pupils’ language skills in relation to CEFR and the national curriculum for Swedish schools
• demonstrate both a thorough knowledge of the use of ICT in language teaching, the importance of ICT development for the content and working methods used in language teaching as well as the ability to apply ICT in language teaching based on relevant language education research
• demonstrate knowledge of key language education research areas and methods
• demonstrate the ability both to form a relevant research question in a defined research area that has to do with language teaching in primary and secondary schools and to develop a method to examine the question
• demonstrate the ability to prepare, lead, and evaluate a discussion on selected parts of the course literature.

The course consists of two obligatory modules:
Module 1. The History of British and American Literature and Ideas, 12 credits
Module 2. Introduction to English Linguistics for Teacher Students, 12 credits
Students then choose one of the two didactic modules:
Module 3. Language Learning and Teaching II A, 6 credits
Module 4. Language Learning and Teaching II B, 6 credits
Students whose first subject is English AND students whose first subject was not a language take module 3, Language Learning and Teaching II A.
Students whose first subject was another language take module 4, Language Learning and Teaching II B.

Modules

The module includes studies of British and American intellectual history and literary history from the Renaissance to postmodernism. The historical development is studied by interspersing studies of intellectual history with the close reading of a selection of representative literary texts. In this way, more emphasis is placed on students’ understanding of the meaning and function of the literary texts than it is on general knowledge of historical events. Particular attention is paid to the contemporary view of, and to some extent the reevaluation of, historical Anglo-Saxon idea trends. Aspects such as colonialism, imperialism, power, gender, race, and class are highlighted through literature studies. The module consists of two parts:
Part 1 deals with British and American intellectual history and literary history from the Renaissance to postmodernism.
Part 2 consists of the writing of an academic essay of 3500 words with supervision and a peer-review and defence seminar.

The module provides an overview of English linguistics. The learning outcomes are achieved through the study of theory and method in a selection of central areas in English linguistics, including morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and sociolinguistics. Different types of authentic data in English are analysed to enable a deeper understanding of theory and method, as well as to provide opportunities to practise the application of linguistic terminology. Towards the end of the course, students are expected to be able to carry out a defined independent investigation in an area of English linguistics.

This module contains studies of various aspects of language learning, where discussion and reflection around the didactic issues are central. One element is pupils’ linguistic awareness and how they perceive their situation as language learners as expressed in the project Strategies in Learning Modern Languages (STRIMS). This project is a starting point for reflection and discussion about awareness in language learning, the connection between strategies and language development and the way this knowledge can be used in language teaching. Different aspects of assessment and grading in languages constitute another important feature of the module. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is used and put in relation to Swedish school syllabuses and subject plans in English. The module also includes studies of how information technology can be used in language teaching as well as the review of other types of teaching materials. Through these different themes in the module, students can connect the content of the various modules to their future profession and the concrete teaching situation as well as to the demands placed on language teachers in their professional role in schools.

This module involves an in-depth study of language-didactic theories and research with a particular focus on the importance of new media for language teaching, for both the content of the subject and its teaching methods. Students practise their ability to independently plan, implement, and evaluate language teaching and to use and take a critical position on ICT as a resource for pupils’ learning. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is studied from an assessment perspective, and students also receive practical training in how it can be used in the assessment of pupils’ knowledge and skills in relation to the school’s governing documents. Students are also introduced to central research areas and research methods in language didactics and they practise their ability to formulate a relevant research question within a defined area and to describe a relevant method to respond to the question.

• Active participation in seminars
• Written assignments
• Oral assignments
• Oral presentations
• Written supervised online examination
• Academic essay
• Academic essay with defence of their essay and peer-review on another student’s essay

The grading scale used for the final course grade is U–VG.

For a final course grade of VG, students must achieve VG for at least 24 credits.

Grades are reported as follows:

• Literature History from Renaissance to Postmodernism - 9 Credits | U–VG
• Literature History: Essay - 3 Credits | U–VG
• Introduction to English Linguistics for Teacher Students - 9 Credits | U–VG
• Project in Linguistics - 3 Credits | U–VG
• Language Learning and Teaching II A - 6 Credits | U–VG
• Language Learning and Teaching II B - 6 Credits | U–VG

This course overlaps with previous course codes GEN2SF and EN1126.

In modules 1 and 2, the language of instruction is English. In modules 3 and 4, the language of instruction is mainly Swedish.

The module Language Learning and Teaching includes two to three days of study visits at a primary or secondary school.