Didactics III

Professor Iras Ramrez Balderas E-mail: iraisramirez1@yahoo.com Objectives: The participant will be able to identify different types of lesson plans, their elements and to plan a lesson Content: 1. Lesson planning 2. Elements of a lesson 3. Elements of a language lesson 4. Classroom comunication Texts Nunan, D. (1988). Syllabus design. Oxford University Press. Olshtain, E. and Dubin, F. (1986). Course Design: Developing Programs and Materialss for Language Learning, Cambridge University Press. Richards, J.C. (2001). Curriculum development in language teaching. White, R.V. (1988). The ELT Curriculum:design, innovation and management. Blackwell. Particulars: 1. Careful reading of all material before class. It is the learners responsibility to search for the appropriate materials based on the topic to be seen in class. 2. Consistently high quality in-class participation. 3. One class presentation, lasting roughly 15 minutes, in order to showcase the design of your course. You should be able to answer questions about your design. Absence will be penalized. Re-scheduling presentations will be the teachers prerogative. 4. I also encourage one person each class to take the minutes. That person will then refresh everyones memory by reproducing the salient points of discussion at the start of the next session. 5. Evidence of the construction of the syllabus in class 6. Final syllabus sample. You will need to submit your syllabus on the date agreed. Delay will be penalized. Specific requirements for this assignment can be found below. General Comments This approach to course design is intended to give you advice, support, confidence, and direction; it is meant to help you reflect on your arguments and to offset any chance that you may misunderstand an assignment. For obvious reasons, this approach can work only if I receive your questions or concerns about the assignment in advance. It matters very much to me that the course is an enjoyable and educational experience for you. Halfway through the term, following your completion of informal and anonymous evaluations, we will discuss the course and review our progress. But if you are having problems with the course or the material, please do not wait until Week 8 to say so! In my experience, e-mail is not a very efficient way of helping students work through
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uncertainty about assignments. Please note that I cannot accept papers by e-mail or requests for extensions by this medium.
SYLLABUS CHECKLIST Be sure to include this in your final paper BASIC INFORMATION: INSTRUCTOR & COURSE Course title, educational setting, number of hours, English proficiency level Instructors name, e-mail address Indication of web support (e.g., Blackboard online) if available

COURSE DESCRIPTION & GOALS Description of the course (give broad overview and a word about how the course fits the larger curriculum; engage students by showing your enthusiasm and the courses relevance to real life; avoid technical language where possible) Student learning outcomes (also called learning goals or objectives; specific observable outcomes you expect students to achieve, e.g., what students will know and be able to do; a grade is based on the quality of learning you can observe) Prerequisites for the course if suitable

INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES & MATERIALS Methods of instruction & learning (e.g., interactive lecture, discussion, group work, servicelearning, projects, practicum, problem based, case based) Calendar: class dates, topics, learning goals, readings, assignments, exams Special features (e.g., excursions, guest speakers, online chats with experts) Textbooks, readings and brief description of these and how they will be used (central text? for reference only?) Where texts are available (e.g., campus bookstore, library reserve, online) Other required materials (e.g., lab supplies, computer CDs, calculator)

ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING Brief description of each requirement (it helps to explain how it fits the learning outcomes) Expectations for in-class participation and group work Due dates for assignments and projects Quiz and exam description and dates; Place, date, and time of final exam Grade breakdown for the final grade (# of points possible per assignment/test and total # of points for a final grade of 10, 9, etc.); indicate whether or not you will use half points in grades.

COURSE POLICIES (USE POSITIVE LANGUAGE TO SET EXPECTATIONS AND PROVIDE SUPPORT) Your own policy regarding attendance & tardiness 2

Your own policy regarding late assignments & make-up exams Information for Students with Disabilities: I am committed to providing all students with equal access to learning. Once a disability is officially documented I will coordinate the way these will be implemented in this course.

A Few Words about the Material: Since this course is an introduction to course and syllabus design, prior knowledge of technical and interpretive concepts will not be assumed. The very nature of an introductory course requires that we cover quite briskly a range of concepts. As the course evolves, you will find that we might easily spend an entire session of class discussing one or two concepts, and that our pace and selective focus prevent us from paying such attention to all that we planned to do. So, you will be reading more than we unfortunately have time to discuss in class. The course is also a workshop where you are expected to build your own syllabus. Your participation and evidence of the progress in developing your syllabus will be key for the success in this course. Grading Policy Each paper will be graded on a scale from 10 to 5, with half points assigned when appropriate, only in passing grades. A failing grade is not awarded with half points. These grades will be determined by the coherence, depth, consistency, and clarity of your arguments, its relevance to the course, and the amount of effort your work displays. You must complete every assignment to pass this class. Attendance is mandatory, and I give incompletes only for personal documented emergencies. Any late work and consistent absenteeism will result in a lowered grade at my discretion. I will calculate your final grade using the following criteria and points: Assessment 1 Assessment 2 Basic information 10% Instructional activities . 30% Course description and goals 30% Materials ...20% Stating reasons behind the design choices20% Reasons for design choices10% Evidence of reading .....................................10% Evidence of reading ..................10% Presentation 10% Presentation10% English proficiency 10% English proficiency 10% Neatness 5% Neatness . 5% Participation 5% Participation 5% Assessment 3 Assessment of learning30% Stating reasons behind the design choices20% Evidence of reading .....................................10% Presentation 20% English proficiency 10% Neatness 5% Participation 5% Assessment 4 Course policies. 30% Reasons for design choices20% Evidence of reading ..................10% Syllabus sample .20% English proficiency 10% Neatness . 5% Participation 5%

Criteria A 10/9 paper and presentation makes its point (presents its argument) persuasively and eloquently. Its approach to the chosen subject-matter (or issue) is richly developed, and
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astutely adapted to its audience and situation. It uses the available evidence (or data), and is alert and responsive to possible (and significant) alternative lines of thought. The use of English, neatness and participation may make the difference in the grade. A 8 paper and presentation effectively makes its point: it is generally persuasive. It takes a thoughtful and responsible approach to its chosen subjectit takes up an issue with a sense of urgency, and goes beyond the obviousand it makes appropriate adaptations to audience and situation. It makes generally good use of available and relevant evidence, and shows awareness of possible alternatives. Its overall structure is generally effective. Nonfunctional digressions and irrelevant points are kept to a minimum. The presentation is clear, accessible, and appropriate, with few or no grammatical errors that could significantly impede readability or detract from the writers credibility. An 7 paper and presentation meets the minimal criteria for acceptable writing, though it may not be effective or persuasive. It presents a claim and offers some basis for it (argumentation, evidence) though it may not go much beyond the obvious, may not develop its points effectively, may not have an especially strong sense of audience and situation, may not be adequately responsive to alternative lines of thought, and may have major flaws in its reasoning. The presentation is generally clear. There may be irrelevant points or nonfunctional digressions or lapses. The presentation is more or less clear and readable, though there may be occasional grammatical errors that disrupt the intelligibility of what is being said and weaken its overall persuasiveness. A 6 paper and presentation makes an honest effort, but significantly falls short of the minimal criteria. It presents an argument whose intelligibility is seriously flawed. It lacks a sense of audience and situation, and may show little or no awareness of possible alternative lines of action. Its structure is unclear (from an audience point of view): its points may not seem to have a purposeful sense of order. The presentation may have (again, from an audiences point of view) serious problems of intelligibility or appropriateness, including frequent and significant lapses in grammar. A 5 paper and presentation completely fails to meet the assignment: the paper is not completed or not handed in; or it falls significantly short of the minimum requirements; or it addresses no topic under discussion; or it seriously violates the agreed standards; or it is plagiarized. Policy on Graded Work Discussing your work and ideas will save you time and diminish your anxiety about assignments. If you can understand properly the assignment and reflect clearly and confidently on your answer, you will work more effectively. Since this approach also serves as a safety-net, allowing you to clear up any confusion before you submit the final assignment, you are expected to correct the graded work so the rest of the work is coherent. Final advice Please follow this advice carefully when writing assignments for this class. 1. All papers should be typed, double-spaced, stapled, and given page numbers and 2.5 margins. No handwritten papers will be accepted. 2. Follow the APA conventions to quote and refer to authors in the text and in the reference list. If youre not familiar with this style, you can find a good guide in the following site: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/10/ 3. Cultivate a formal and concise writing style, and aim to express yourself with clarity, style, and eloquence. Whenever possible, avoid slang and use of academic jargon. 4. Pay particular attention to subject-verb agreement, and ensure that your assignment
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contains the elements in the syllabus checklist provided here. 5. Before submitting your assignment, check your spelling, grammar, references and quotations for accuracy. This simple exercise will help you catch many errors, and will almost certainly improve your grade.