Course Description

The course is an introduction at the graduate level, to the field of Language Teaching and Learning. We will explore current issues in the field as they relate to the main pedagogical emphases of the Language Education Department in the School of Education, at Indiana University, Bloomington. We will thus be focusing on Language Teaching and Learning from the perspectives of reading/literacy; second/foreign language; and critical pedagogy.

The L500 course invites all members of the class to engage in discussions of issues of pedagogy that emerge from the three perspectives in the field; to reflect on their own learning-teaching philosophies, and to explore in greater depth an issue of particular interest. The course is designed so that all participants will be engaged in individual and collaborative inquiry using various resources, including the Internet, in a seminar/workshop format. In such a format, the instructor and members of the class will take turns serving as consultants, experts, critics, idea generators, discussion leaders, and so on.

Reading Materials for On-Campus students:

Reading materials will be available via e-reserves and a reading packet for students on the Bloomington campus. Your instructor will inform you on the first day of class as to where the materials can be obtained.

Class expectations:

As professionals, we’ll work together in this course to improve our knowledge, competence, and understanding in our own and other areas of language education. Each of us in this class will know more in some areas and less in others; each participant will take on the role of mentor in some situation and novice in others. In all of these contexts, you should expect from yourself and the other participants very high standards of professional conduct.

Assessment and Evaluation:

Assignments and grading grids are listed and described in detail in the assignment page.