Major Essay
Major essay, under the supervision of a faculty supervisor, on a specific issue in subsequent language teaching, curriculum design, professional development, student assessment, program evaluation, or a related area.
Prerequisite: Completion of all course work; approval of the major essay topic by the supervisor.
MA Research and Thesis
A research project involving the preparation and defence of a thesis on a topic in subsequent language teaching, curriculum design, professional development, student assessment, program evaluation, or a related area, demonstrating capacity for independent work. Research to be conducted under the supervision of a faculty supervisor and defended at an oral examination.
Prerequisite: Completion of all course work; approval of the thesis proposal by the MA Program Committee.
Academic and Cultural Orientation for International Graduate Students in Applied Linguistics I
Foundation of advanced academic skills in research, note-taking, essay writing, and seminar presentation through a survey of fundamentals in Applied Linguistics combined with guidance in individual and group assignments. Orientation to Brock's library and academic computing resources, and to diverse aspects of life in the Niagara Peninsula region.
Lectures, seminars, 15 hours per week (June and July).
Academic and Cultural Orientation for International Graduate Students in Applied Linguistics II
Continued attention to socio-cultural enrichment and the development of academic skills in preparation for credit work at the MA level. Observation of ESL classes in the Ontario context. Preparation of linguistic and Teaching English as a Second Language background as related to MA work.
Lectures, seminars, 15 hours per week (July and August).
Foundations of Language Teaching and Learning
Linguistic, educational and social foundations of subsequent language teaching in the Canadian context as well as in international settings. Models of curriculum design and student assessment. Current trends in language teaching, program development, professional development, and related areas.
Seminars, 3 hours per week.
Sociolinguistics Applied to Language Teaching and Learning
Theoretical concepts and research findings in sociolinguistics applied to the teaching and learning of English as a subsequent language. Focus on the social and cultural aspects of language, on the collaborative and social aspects of language learning, on the link between language and personal or social identity, and on the influence of the social world on language use, learning and teaching.
Seminars, 3 hours per week.
Pedagogical Grammar: Theory, Research and Practice
Models of pedagogical grammar and their relationship to theories of subsequent language acquisition. Focus on issues arising in classroom learning. Application of grammar analyses to learning/teaching situations. Survey and critique of selected Information Technology tools available for the development of grammar skills.
Seminars, 3 hours per week.
Oral/Aural Skills in Teaching English as a Second Language: Theory, Research and Practice
Theoretical insights and research findings relevant to the pedagogy of speaking and listening, including articulatory and acoustic phonetics, computer analysis of speech, models of oral interaction and of listening comprehension, and trends in speaking/listening instruction. Canadian Language Benchmarks for speaking and listening.
Seminars, 3 hours per week.
Reading in Teaching English as a Second Language: Theory, Research, and Practice
Models of the process and pedagogy of subsequent language reading. Practical and theoretical foundations for decisions regarding materials design and instructional methodology, including Canadian Language Benchmarks.
Seminars, 3 hours per week.
Writing in Teaching English as a Second Language: Theory, Research, and Practice
Theoretical models of writing and instructional practices. Current issues in ESL writing research and teaching, including genre theory, contrastive rhetoric, feedback and assessment, Information Technology.
Seminars, 3 hours per week.
Topics in Subsequent Language Acquisition Theory and Research
Critical examination of current theories and key issues in subsequent language acquisition research, from various perspectives (linguistic, psycholinguistic, sociolinguistic, etc.). Integration of theoretical models, research evidence and practice.
Seminars, 3 hours per week.
Independent Study
Research project carried out in collaboration with a faculty member. Enrichment of theoretical knowledge in a particular area of Teaching English as a Second Language, and development of the ability to apply that knowledge practically.
Note: Approval of the Graduate Committee is required for registration in this course.
Supervised Practicum
Class observation and supervised teaching, including planning, managing and delivering second language instruction. Seminar discussions on current conceptual knowledge (theoretical) and perceptual knowledge (practical) highlighted with reference to the subsequent language teaching and learning context.
Observations and seminars, 3 hours per week.
Note: Students who have previously completed LING 4P80 are not admissible.
Research Issues and Methodology in Subsequent Language Education
Research methods and issues in subsequent language teaching, curriculum design, professional development, student assessment, program evaluation, and related areas.
Seminars, 3 hours per week.
Special Issues in Applied Linguistics
Selected issues in the theory and/practice of applied linguistics. Topics according to the specific areas of instructional expertise.
Seminars, 3 hours per week.