L530:  Materials and Language Curriculum Development

Instructor: Brian Barnett
Contact Information:  cbbarnet@indiana.edu

For more information, please contact Distance Education at deregstr@indiana.edu

Course Description

The overall goal of this course is to explore current approaches to teaching foreign languages (FL), English as a Second Language (ESL), English as a Foreign Language (EFL), and Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTL).

Overall, the goals for this course are not just to develop materials but to also critique, and redesign/adapt materials more appropriately for a given group, audience, set of students in a specific cultural context.

During this course the learner will:
1) Become familiar with some current approaches in Second Language
Pedagogy. These approaches have moved away from methodologies to the broader view of teaching through innovative, integrated curricula.
These include curricular approaches such as learner-centered,content-based, task-based, teaching through context, experiential language learning and integrated language teaching curricula.

2) Work with the challenges of teaching in materials-poor and technologically enhanced environments, creating socio-culturally appropriate materials, tailoring materials to given ages, proficiency levels, and institutional requirements.

3) Develop and apply criteria for appropriate material selection and authentic materials design.

4) Discuss culture of the target audience, culturally appropriate communication patterns, students' learning strategies and styles, and information on a variety of language skill areas and apply them to materials developed.