English Language & Teaching with Foundation Year

What is the difference between how we produce the sounds 'p' and 'b' ? Why does the rhythm of English sound different to Spanish? What are the processes that allow us to create new words and phrases? In this module you will discover how we describe and analyse the sounds, words and structures of languages, with a focus on English. You will learn the fundamentals of how languages work and how to identify differences and similarities between them. In the process, you will be developing your knowledge of key concepts and terminology that professionals use to support a range of people and their language needs, from learners of English to those with speech and communication disorders.

You will go on a journey of when and where English language began to sound like an English you can recognise and how it changed and evolved into the English language that we use today.

The TESOL Methodologies module will guide you through the approaches and techniques that professional language teachers use for teaching English, or other languages, in the UK and all over the world. You will find out about the development of methodologies over time, from audiolingualism to the post-methods era, enabling you to develop a toolkit of techniques that you can select from and identify in practical teaching modules. A particular focus will be how these methods can be applied for the teaching of the four skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Not only will you learn about language teaching methods and approaches, but you will understand the principles that underlie them by examining the relationship between method and general learning, as well as language learning, theories. This part of the study develops your criticality and professional capacity to select appropriate methods and builds on the theoretical knowledge of Second Language Acquisition you gained in Year 1. Further topics covered in the module will include lesson planning, classroom management, teacher and students roles, among others.

You will study the regional, national and international varieties of English and how social and occupational groups, gender and ethnicity influence the individuals’ language use and attitudes.

This is a highly practical module in which you have the opportunity to train to become an English language teacher over the course of 2 semesters.

In order to accomplish this, you will work with English Language learners on both a 1-2-1 basis and in small groups in a language classroom. You will also experience language learning (possibly Mandarin) using a range of teaching methodologies to help you gain an understanding of how language learners feel. You will be supported and guided by staff who are qualified ELT professionals and have language teaching experience.

The module will include four elements:

• Language Awareness

• Developing an Individual Learner Profile

• Study of an Unknown Language

• Teaching Skills

You will engage in needs analysis, linguistic analysis, lesson planning and materials adaptation as well as teaching individuals and groups of learners. In order to develop your teaching identity, you will observe and reflect on lessons taught by qualified teachers and your peers. You will also work closely with tutors to develop your practice and to build your confidence as a teacher. Assessment includes a range of work such as: a portfolio of lesson plans and observations; reflection of your own language learning; development of a leaner profile.

In this module you will have the opportunity to analyse and evaluate how English language, in spoken, written or digital forms, shapes meaning for use in fields ranging from media to politics to marketing. You will also explore how factors such as audience, purpose, genre and mode affect our use of language.

This module introduces you to the ideas, practices and challenges involved in understanding communities and contributing to social purpose. It explores how communities form, how they experience and respond to social issues, and how you, alongside individuals, groups and organisations, can support positive social change.

You will examine a range of perspectives on community, identity, belonging and participation, and consider how social purpose is expressed through collaborative activity, civic engagement and initiatives aimed at improving collective wellbeing.

Through a combination of theoretical exploration and applied learning, you will develop the ability to analyse the characteristics, needs and dynamics of different types of communities. The module encourages your critical thinking, ethical awareness and practical skills for engaging with community issues and contributing to meaningful social purpose.

The module uses a blend of learning approaches designed to support your critical enquiry, collaborative learning and the application of ideas to real-world contexts.

Assessments are designed to evaluate your ability to apply relevant theoretical frameworks, draw on appropriate evidence and formulate practical strategies for supporting social purpose in ways that align with your particular field of study.

*NB Students may be able to elect modules of study from other subject areas, subject to availability, timetabling, and capacity.  Where this is possible information will be made available by the Faculty.

This module equips you with an understanding of Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability in regional, global and organisational contexts.

You will be empowered to take positive action as an informed global citizen in line with The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015. The Agenda provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which are an urgent call for action by all countries, developed and developing, in a global partnership. They recognise that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand in hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and support economic growth, while also tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. These SDGs will therefore underpin the teaching and learning ethos of this module.

Through undertaking the module, you will begin to develop the knowledge and skills required to shape practices for managing and leading Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability in an organisational setting.

The approaches taken to manage and lead CSR and sustainability differ according to the nature and purpose of individual organisations. For this reason, the critical exploration of case studies will help you develop a fuller understanding of CSR and sustainability in a variety of organisational contexts.

*NB Students may be able to elect modules of study from other subject areas, subject to availability, timetabling, and capacity.  Where this is possible information will be made available by the Faculty.

This module will introduce you to the basic principles of how teachers construct and present English language tests. You will look at the different purposes of tests and you will critically evaluate testing techniques.

This module will give you the opportunity to evaluate and design materials for English language teaching use. You will develop a practical understanding of the role, principles and procedures of the design and evaluation of language teaching materials.

This module involves bringing to life the knowledge you acquired during your studies of TESOL. You will demonstrate your ability to design, conduct and report the results of a research project in an area of TESOL.

You will work independently, under the guidance of a supervisor. You'll draw upon the skills acquired during the research skills module and academic writing, conduct independent research and write a dissertation on any topic related to the modules you attended during your three years of study.

During the module you will have the opportunity to attend/ or deliver yourself further sessions about the skills required to design and carry out independent research in the area of applied linguistics and teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL).

Clinical linguistics is the application of linguistic theories and analytical techniques in the field of speech, language and communication impairment. It can be used in the description, explanation and remediation of a wide range of impairments in children and adults. All areas of linguistics can be applied clinically to study disorders in the perception, production and representation of language in all its modalities (spoken, signed and written). Clinical linguistics thus also focuses on characterising the language use of atypical populations, for example, speakers with autism, dementia, aphasia, and so on. By investigating the ways in which communication may be impaired, clinical linguistics also provides insights into the nature of unimpaired language, its development and use.

This module aims to provide an introduction to the field of communication sciences and disorders, as well as an overview of professional practice in the area. The aims of this module are to provide an introduction to: Models of health and disability within society; Key developmental and acquired disorders of speech, language and communication; The wider effects of speech, language and communication (including participation in education and employment, effects on wellbeing); and the value of studying individuals with communication difficulties in terms of increasing understanding of normal development and variation and normal speech and language processing.