013989 Teaching Academic English
Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a
particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Postgraduate
Result type: Grade, no marksRequisite(s): 013102 Introducing Knowledge about Language AND 013105 The Multilingual Learner AND 010070 TESOL Practicum AND 028253 TESOL: Methodology
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 010039 Teaching English for Academic Purposes
Description
Students in this subject develop research-informed knowledge, skills and practices to teach English for academic purposes (EAP) in a wide range of tertiary education contexts including: tertiary preparation courses, academic language support programs in universities, and embedded academic language and literacy in other discipline subject areas. Students apply theoretical and practical knowledge to evaluate curricula and teaching resources, and to design a unit of work and assessment tasks for a group of learners in a chosen program context. Students complete a supervised practicum placement in an academic English context.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| a. | Explore key issues in the teaching and learning of English for academic purposes |
|---|---|
| b. | Analyse and describe approaches and practices in the teaching of academic English in different contexts with reference to theory |
| c. | Apply knowledge of theory and practices in teaching academic English to develop pedagogic resources for teaching academic English to specific groups of learners |
| d. | Produce written accounts with coherent structure, clarity of expression, and integrated reference to key literature |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
- Graduates have advanced skills and knowledge of linguistics, literacy and numeracy, pedagogy and curricula to teach in their specialised contexts. (1.1)
- Graduates are linguistically and culturally sensitive to local and international contexts of language education and can apply their sensitivity in their professional practice. (3.1)
- Graduates are able to engage with key issues in public debates about language, literacy and/or numeracy education. (5.1)
- Graduates have well-developed communication skills for relevant academic and professional contexts. (6.1)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
This subject addresses the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:
1. Professional Readiness
1.1 Graduates have advanced skills and knowledge of linguistics, literacy and numeracy, pedagogy and curricula to teach in their specialised contexts.
3. International & Intercultural Engagement
3.1 Graduates are linguistically and culturally sensitive to local and international contexts of language education and can apply their sensitivity in their professional practice.
5. Active Citizenship
5.1 Graduates are able to engage with key issues in public debates about language, literacy and/or numeracy education.
6. Effective Communication
6.1 Graduates have well-developed communication skills for relevant academic and professional contexts.
Teaching and learning strategies
Teaching and learning environment
Teaching and learning takes place in the on-campus classroom, online via Canvas, and in the practicum placement.
Lecturer input, modelling and scaffolding
Each week, the lecturer introduces new materials through an online lecture, with links to subject readings and learning activities. Students are expected to view the video, access and complete the readings, and participate in learning activities.
Student learning activities
In-class and online student learning activities in the tutorials, micro-teaching sessions and online via Canvas enable students to prepare for and check their interpretation of concepts presented in the lecturer input and readings. The tutorials provide opportunities for students to participate in discussions and collaborate with peers on related tasks. They also allow for tutors to monitor students' learning, and for students to receive tutor and/or peer feedback on their understanding and application of key concepts and theories.
Micro-teaching sessions
Students also participate in micro-teaching sessions where they work in small groups to present plans for a unit of work, assessment tasks and teaching approaches and give each other feedback.
Practicum placement
Students will complete 18 hours of supervised practicum in an EAP context. This includes observations of cooperating teachers' classes. Under the guidance of an experienced teacher, students develop teaching, learning and assessment resources, and implement these in a relevant class. Towards the end of the placement period, students are assessed by a UTS supervisor. Students submit a Practicum Journal which summarises their practicum experience.
Content (topics)
The subject is designed around the following guiding questions:
- What are the contexts of tertiary EAP education programs?
- What theoretical perspectives can inform tertiary EAP education?
- What do we need to know about learners in EAP education programs?
- What are the models and resources for program design in EAP, and how do we work with them?
- What are different types of assessments in EAP; how do we design assessment tasks?
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Analytic report: the learners and the learning resources
| Objective(s): | a, b, c and d | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 50% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 2,000 words, excluding references and appendices | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 2: Report: design for a unit of work
| Objective(s): | a, b, c and d | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 50% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 2,000 words, excluding references and appendices | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Minimum requirements
Students must complete the Practicum component of the subject in order to pass the subject. Students who do not satisfactorily complete the practicum component will receive an X grade for the subject.
Required texts
Charles, M., & Pecorari, D. (2016). Introducing English for Academic Purposes. Routledge.
NOTE: Students can download the complete text from UTS Library.
References
Altasan, A. (2016). English Language Provision in Australia within the Global Context of ELT. American Journal of Educational Research, 4(7), 563-569.
Basturkmen, H. (2016). Dialogic interaction. In K. Hyland & P. Shaw (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of English for academic purposes (pp. 152–164). Routledge.
Blok, S., Lockwood, R. B., Frendo, E. & Short, D. (2020). The 6 principles for exemplary teaching of English learners (pp. 35-66). TESOL Press.
Coxhead, A. (2017). Approaches and perspectives on teaching vocabulary for discipline-specific academic writing. In Flowerdew, J. & T. Costley (Eds.), Discipline-Specific Writing (pp. 76–90). Routledge.
Grabe, W. & Stoller, F. L. (2018). Reading instruction and assessment: activities and options. In Newton, J. M., Ferris, D.R., Goh, C. C. M., Stoller, F. L. & L. Vandergrift (Eds.). Teaching English to second language learners in academic contexts: Reading, writing, listening and speaking (pp. 48-71). Routledge.
Hinkel, E. (2003). Research Findings on Teaching Grammar for Academic Writing. English Teaching, 68(4), 3-21.
Hyland, K. (2006). English for Academic Purposes: An advanced resource book (Unit A12 pp. 99-105). Routledge.
Hyland, K. (2009). Points of departure. In Academic discourse: English in a global context (pp. 1-19). Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
Hyland, K. (2016). General and specific EAP. In The Routledge Handbook of English for Academic Purposes (pp. 17–29). Routledge.
Hyland, K. & Hamp Lyons, L. (2002) EAP: Issues and directions. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 1(1), 1-12.
Lynch, T. (2006). Academic listening: Marrying top and bottom. In Uso-Juan, E. & A. Martinez-Flor (Eds.), Current trends in the development and teaching of the four language skills (pp. 91-110). De Gruyter, Inc.
Stoller, F. L. (2016). EAP materials and tasks. In P. Shaw, & K. Hyland (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of English for Academic Purposes (Ch. 43 pp. 577–591). Routledge.
*Refer to the Reading List on the Canvas site for additional readings.
Other resources
Some important journals include:
ELT Journal
English Australia Journal
English for Specific Purposes
Journal of English for Academic Purposes
Journal of Second Language Writing
Language and Education
Linguistics and Education
TESOL Quarterly