HENB10221U English - Written Communication and Foreign Language Acquisition (BASF/BATV)

Volume 2020/2021
Content

The part of the coursecalled  Foreign Language Acquisition is an introduction to foreign language acquisition and teaching. The foreign language learner needs to acquire a range of skills to be able to function in a foreign language - in writing, speaking, listening and reading. The aim of the course is to introduce the participants to central theories of communicative competence, language learning and language processing which may explain the complex processes involved in both using and learning languages in different contexts. We will explore the role of learner variables and learning factors and discuss different approaches to language teaching in the classroom. One of the aims will be to investigate how the teacher can create an optimal learning environment that takes a communicative approach to language teaching as a starting point, but which also enables the learner to focus on the language, pushing the language learning process forward. What type of learning activities can be introduced and what is the potential for language learning of using various forms of learner-centred tasks? Much empirical research has been carried out attempting to answer these questions. Therefore, participants will be introduced to a range of empirical studies, which employ different types of research approaches and tools. Through the reading of these studies, the course participants will develop the ability to discuss and evaluate the design of empirical research and the findings presented in the studies. The course will be conducted using a mixture of lectures, group work and discussions. Course material will be based on a course book and a number of research articles. The course book: Keith Johnson (2018), An Introduction to Foreign Language Learning and Teaching. Routledge.

 

The part of the course called Written Communication is the part where academic writing, as a privileged example of enhanced general writing skills, will play a key role. At the same time, it is the first leg of a three-semester language course consisting primarily of linguistics and grammar.

The first part of this course focuses on the fundamentals of written communication, the second part on basic language structure and the third part on variation and register. A vital part of the course is peer reviewing. In our course peer review is not a form of evaluation, but a form of helpful advice, and the intention is that through reviewing other people’s writing, you also learn to look more objectively at your own writing, i.e. the course aims to focus your attention on your own English writing skill as something you should work actively to develop throughout your English studies.

In the second part of the course, we move from the texts and paragraphs to sentences and words and start investigating the structure of language and finally in the third part we look at different language registers and variation in language.

The course book is: Lennart Björk & Christine Räisänen. 2003. Academic Writing. A University Course. Third Edition, and newest edition of the compendium Introduction to Writing and Language Awareness by Peter Harder, Kim Ebensgaard Jensen, Janus Mortensen and Lisbeth Buskjær.

Throughout the course, there will be a mixture of lectures, group work and discussions.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Class Instruction
  • 84
  • Preparation
  • 325,5
  • Total
  • 409,5
Written
Oral
Individual
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Peer feedback (Students give each other feedback)
Credit
15 ECTS
Type of assessment
Other
Criteria for exam assesment