Course Syllabus

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APLNG 806: Focus on Classrooms: Planning and Supporting Language Learning

Course Overview

CATEGORY INFORMATION
Credits 3
Prerequisites None
Delivery Web (Canvas, https://psu.instructure.com)
Dates See the Calendar.
Instructor See the Orientation module under the Modules tab.

Description

This course will guide students to analyze the interactional patterns and discourse of diverse instructional settings and the factors that impinge upon planning and supporting effective instruction for adult English language learners.  Students will reflect on their own beliefs and knowledge about language learning and language teaching, recognizing the highly situated nature of teachers’ instructional decisions and practices.  Students will also develop materials that facilitate learning, evaluate curricular units, write teaching objectives, and connect instruction to local and global activities, using community as a learning resource.  Critical reflection further involves students observing several English language instructional settings, recognizing instructional models and classroom interactional patterns of community behavior, reviewing and adapting textbooks, and developing their own materials using authentic language texts.  A focus will be on writing clear teaching objectives and lesson plans and the use of new technologies to address the specific needs of adult English language learners.

Objectives

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

  1. Identify different variables that influence the nature of communication in English language classrooms including: teachers' control over the patterns of classroom communication, students' perceptions of the patterns of classroom communication, and students' knowledge and use of language.
  2. Develop an awareness of instructional language and classroom discourse that supports English language development.
  3. Devise, select, and/or adapt a wide range of curricular resources to meet the linguistic, social, cultural and educational needs and goals of English language learners.
  4. Create lesson plans, curricular units and an entire language course that meets the linguistic, social, cultural and educational needs and goals of English language learners.
  5. Develop an awareness of the various tools for assessing English language learning, including, classroom assessments, criterion-referenced tests, high-stakes standardized tests, and alternative forms of assessment. 

Organization

This course is made up of TWELVE lessons, each scheduled to be completed in one week.

Each week you will have Lesson pages to read on the course website, readings from the textbook and additional articles, and activities to complete. The types of tasks include VoiceThread responses, lesson content activities (Stop and Think and Discussion Forum activities), course discussion blog posts, and individual reflective blog entries. Some combination of these will be required each week. These activities will give you the opportunity to work with the material and take an active part in this course each week.

In summary, your coursework will include:

  • Reading the assigned chapters from the textbook and/or additional readings found on the libraries' Course Reserves.
  • Reviewing the online lectures for each lesson.
  • Completing the weekly assignments by the due dates listed on the course calendar.
  • Completing three different written cultural analyses as detailed in later Lessons.
  • Developing a final presentation and paper incorporating your cultural analyses as detailed in later Lessons.

Be sure to check out the list of assignments in the course calendar (Due dates can be also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.). It clearly lays out all the Lessons and their various assignments, and it indicates when each assignment is due.

This course uses three resources for blog posts and course assignments:

  1. Course Discussion Blog: short entries designed to create engagement among the students and instructor
  2. Individual Reflection Blog: longer entries designed to foster critical reflection on lesson content
  3. Dropbox: course assignments, completed as a document (Word), uploaded into a dropbox, then read, responded to, and graded by your instructor

In order for your instructor to locate, respond to, and grade all course blog posts and assignments it is important that you label everything correctly and post it to the correct resource. Refer to the directions for each assignment for the instructions regarding how to label and post.

Online Learning and Attendance

This course has been developed to promote asynchronous learning. The instructor and students do NOT meet on a designated day and time each week. For each lesson, there is a timeframe to complete all activities and assignments, and you may work at your own pace within that timeframe. However, you must adhere to the due dates outlined on the Calendar. (Due dates can also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.) You should log into the course daily to check for updates, review lessons, and participate in activities.

The Learning Experience

This online course may be a new experience for some of you, and for others it will involve learning contexts that might already be familiar. You will find that online courses make great organizational demands on you as a student (and on instructors) and that they are not easier than traditional resident courses. In fact, you will probably find that they require as much and possibly more time than resident courses, particularly if this is you first online experience. The benefit to an online course such as this one is that you can fashion the learning experience around your schedule. You can work any time because the classroom never closes.

A Course Roadmap

This course moves quickly; each topic is treated for only a few days before we move on to the next lesson. To help you keep track of the course assignments, check the Course Calendar (This can also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.). To be successful in the course, you will need to look ahead to note when work will be due the following week and plan your time accordingly. 

Course Communications

  • Email: Please use Course Mail (Canvas Email) for all private correspondence with the instructor. Only use the psu.edu email address above in an emergency.
  • Instructor Response Time: Your instructor will reply to your questions, concerns, and comments in a timely manner, not to exceed TWO business days.

Texts and Other Materials

The following texts are required:

  • Johnson, K. (1995). Understanding communication in second language classrooms. New York: Cambridge University Press.  ISBN-10: 0521459680 ISBN-13: 978-0521459686 MBS #335631
    (assigned chapters available in pdf format online)

Required Readings

All required and most supplemental resources are provided in the Libraries' Course Reserves section (these will be identified for you).

Supplemental Resources

Some of the lessons in the course include Supplemental Resources. These are optional readings and other resources that relate to the topic covered, which might help you in completing assignments. As noted above, some are located in the Libraries' Course Reserves and others will be available with the lesson overview section. They are not required readings, but you are strongly encouraged to explore them.

Library Services

Penn State Libraries provides a wide variety of services and resources. To learn how to take advantage, refer to the Online Student Library Guide (Links to an external site.) at http://guides.libraries.psu.edu/onlinestudentlibraryguide. This guide serves as your starting point for access to all that Penn State Libraries can offer you as an online student. Use this guide if you have questions on library services offered to you, how the library can help you, how to use the library, or what resources you can access via the library! The guide will connect you to important pages and resources within Penn State Libraries and save time from you searching for the information you need.

Course Reserves

There are electronic resources on reserve for this course that can be accessed through the Penn State Libraries. To access your Course Reserves, please go to the XGER/RUS 143 Course ReservesX at Xhttp://cat.libraries.psu.edu/uhtbin/cgisirsi/x/0/0/57/82/GER+143/124749?user_id=WEBSERVERX.

DELETE THE NOTE BELOW FROM A LIVE SECTION
Note for Design Team: As a reminder the link can be obtained from the PSU Libraries' Course Reserves page by clicking on Link to Page. Copy the permalink and add it above as 1) an active link with descriptive text and 2) plain text with the full URL. Each semester you will need to replace both links with course-specific, instructor-specific info. The example above goes to the GER/RUS 143 Course Reserves.

For any questions you may have about searching, viewing, or printing your Course Reserves, refer to the Viewing/Printing Electronic Reserves page at https://www.libraries.psu.edu/psul/reserves/usingreserves.html.

Grading

Final letter grades will be assigned based on the scale below.

Scale

LETTER
GRADE		 MINIMUM
PERCENT		 MINIMUM
POINTS
A 95 299
A- 90 284
B+ 88 277
B 82 258
B- 80 252
C+ 78 246
C 70 221
D 60 189
F 0 0

Due Dates

All assignments are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on the date indicated on the Calendar. (Due dates can be also be viewed under the Syllabus tab.)

Please be aware that Canvas follows the Eastern Time (ET) time zone. Assignment due dates adhere to this time zone, and it is your responsibility to submit assignments accordingly. If you are outside of the ET time zone, you can set your Canvas account to sync to it. Refer to the Set a Time Zone article in the Canvas Guide (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. at https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-2891.

As a general rule, you will NOT be able to go back and make up missed assignments. It is your responsibility to keep up with your assignments. Students with an excused absence (e.g. hospitalization, jury duty, family emergency, or military service) may be asked to produce proper documentation in order to make up graded work. All make-up work is at the discretion of the instructor.

Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g. upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, disabilities, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.

Notes

  • To Do List: Some assignments may not appear in the To Do list under the Home tab. Use the Calendar or Syllabus to ensure that you are fully aware of assignment due dates.

Notes on Technical Problems: If you encounter technical problems and cannot submit an assignment in Canvas, please immediately email me the assignment. Once the email has been sent, go back and try to fix the problem. All work must be submitted in Canvas in order to receive credit.

Assignments

Basic information about each assignment group is provided below. For detailed directions about an individual assignment, see the assignment information under the Modules tab.

Note on Feedback: The instructor will reply to students’ questions, concerns and comments in a timely manner not to exceed two business days. Students can expect meaningful feedback on all written assignments within one week of the assignment deadline.

ASSIGNMENT
GROUP		 PERCENT POINTS
Class Participation/Lesson Activities 3% 10
Course Discussion Blog (CDB) 11% 35
Individual Reflective Blog Entries (IRBE) 22% 70
Language of the Classroom Project 32% 100
Curriculum Development Project 32% 100
Total 100% 315

Class Participation/Lesson Activities (3%)

Value: 20 x .5 PT, 10 PTS total (There will be a total of 23 Lesson Activities. The lowest 3 Lesson Activity scores will be dropped. The final Class Participation/Lesson Activity grade will be based on the 20 highest Lesson Activity scores.)

You will be asked to participate in a series of Lesson Activities which are designed to create ‘conversations’ among class members. These discussions are analogous to classroom attendance and participation in a residential class and are required, although not individually graded.

There are two types of Lesson Activities.

  1. Discussion Activities: The Discussion Activities require that you Post an Initial Response to a discussion forum by Thursday of the discussion week and READ the posts of your classmates by Sunday.
  2. VoiceThread Activities: The VoiceThread Activities require that you post a short entry by Thursday of the discussion week and READ the posts of your classmates by Sunday.

Specific instructions are provided for the nature of each week’s Lesson Activities. All Lesson Activities must be completed to receive the full 10 points at the end of the semester.

Refer to the Course Calendar for due dates. 

Course Discussion Blog (CDB) (11%)

Value: 7 x 5 PTS, 35 PTS total (There will be a total of 7 CDBs.)

Throughout this course, students will be asked to complete blog posts. The Course Discussion Blog will be one of the main sites for interaction with the course content and is designed to create ‘conversations’ among class members. The Course Discussion Blog requires you to post short blog entries and respond to the entries of at least two other class members. Specific instructions are provided in each lesson for the nature of that lesson’s CDB.

Each CDB is worth 5 points based on the rubric guidelines. Refer to the Course Discussion Blog Rubric for grading expectations. You can view the assignment rubric within each Course Discussion Blog assignment.

Refer to the Course Calendar for due dates. 

Note: Initial posts are expected to be posted by Thursday of the discussion week, and replies to classmates must be posted by Sunday.

Individual Reflective Blog Entry (IRBEs) (22%)

Value: 7 x 10 PTS, 70 PTS total (There will be a total of 7 IRBEs.)

Your Individual Reflective Blog Entry is the final activity for most of the lessons in this course. These entries are intended to create an opportunity to foster critical reflection by using writing as a means of relating to what is read, discussed, and completed in the course. The instructor will respond to reflective blog entries in terms of the extent to which students have attempted to respond to the assigned questions.

Your IRBE is due each Sunday at 11:59 p.m., EST. I will read, comment on, and grade your IRBEs based on the rubric guidelines. Refer to the Individual Reflective Blog Entry Rubric for grading expectations. You can view the assignment rubric within each Individual Reflective Blog Entry assignment. 

Each IRBE is worth 10 points and is 20% of your final grade. After the first week, points will be deducted for late postings of blog entries. One point per each day late will be deducted from the grade for that assignment.

You may also want to draw on your IRBEs for your e-Portfolio, the capstone project for the TESOL certificate.

Refer to the Course Calendar for due dates.

NOTE: It will be important for you to include specific titles and categories for both the Course Discussion Blogs and Individual Reflective Blog Entries. These identify and categorize the blog assignments so they can be located easily. The titles and categories you should use for each assignment are listed in the lesson with the specific directions for each post.

Language of the Classroom Project (32%)

Value: 2 x 50 PTS, 100 PTS total

Students will study the complex nature of language in the classroom in this two part project.

  1. Part 1: This part will involve two classroom observations of an English language classroom. Students will complete an observation form, which will direct attention to classroom interaction patterns, learning styles and classroom interactions. Refer to the Language of the Classroom Project Part I Rubric for grading expectations. You can view the assignment rubric within the assignment. 
  2. Part 2: This part will involve collecting, transcribing, and analyzing the language in that classroom. Refer to the Language of the Classroom Project Part II Rubric for grading expectations. You can view the assignment rubric within the assignment.

Refer to the Course Calendar for due dates.

Curriculum Development Project (32%)

Value: Part 1, 10 PTS, x Part 2, 15 PTS, x Part 3, 75 PTS, 100 PTS total

In this project, students will practice the planning process of course design.

  1. Part 1: Involves a critical analysis of the teaching context.
  2. Part 2: Students will create a draft of the assessment measure they would use in their project.
  3. Part 3: This will be the final version of the project and will consist of a detailed course syllabus that is appropriate for a specific teaching context and meets the specific instructional goals and objectives identified in that context, as well as a detailed 3-week instructional unit designed to carry out one aspect of the course. Part 3 will be due at the end of the course and serves as a culminating assignment, demonstrating the breadth of what has been covered in the course.

A rubric for the evaluation of each part will be provided within each individual assignment.

Refer to the Course Calendar for due dates.

University Policies

Academic Integrity

Penn State defines academic integrity as the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner. All students should act with personal integrity, respect other students' dignity, rights and property, and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their efforts.

Dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated in this course. Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarizing, fabricating information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others, having unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another person or work previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering with the academic work of other students. Students who are found to be dishonest will receive academic sanctions and will be reported to the University's Judicial Affairs office for possible further disciplinary sanction. For further information, please read University Faculty Senate Policy 49-20 at http://senate.psu.edu/policies-and-rules-for-undergraduate-students/47-00-48-00-and-49-00-grades/#49-20.

Disability Access

Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources website provides contact information for every Penn State campus at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/disability-coordinator. For further information, please visit the Student Disability Resources website at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources.

In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation described at http://equity.psu.edu/student-disability-resources/applying-for-services. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

Nondiscrimination

Penn State is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University's educational mission, and will not be tolerated. For further information, please visit the Affirmative Action Office website at http://www.psu.edu/dept/aaoffice/.

Reporting a Bias Incident

Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage at http://equity.psu.edu/reportbias/.

Counseling and Psychological Services

Penn State's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office offers residential and distance-based Penn State students non-emergency mental health services in the form of case management, community resource referrals, supportive listening, care giver support, and much more.

Students may request assistance from CAPS regarding a variety of common mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, and stress. CAPS services are designed to enhance students' ability to fully benefit from the University environment and academic experience. Call CAPS at 814-863-0395 (8 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday EST) or submit an inquiry online (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. at http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/counseling/contact_form.shtml to schedule an appointment with a mental health advocate, who can help you address mental health concerns that may interfere with your academic progress or social development. This appointment will include a one-on-one session that can be conducted via telephone, teleconference (Skype, FaceTime, etc.), or locally at Penn State University Park. For more information on services provided through CAPS, please visit the Penn State CAPS website (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. at http://studentaffairs.psu.edu/counseling/.

Reminder: These services are for non-emergencies only. If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis situation, please call your local crisis center or 911.

TEACH Act

The materials on the course website are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.

University Emergency Procedure

In the event of a University-wide emergency, the course may be subject to changes. Exigent circumstances may require alternative delivery methods, class materials, and interactions with the instructor and/or classmates. In addition, there may be revisions to grading policies and the Calendar, including assignments and their due dates.

In the event of a University-wide emergency, please refer to the Canvas website at https://psu.instructure.com for specific information related to the course. For more general information about the emergency situation, please refer to the Penn State website at http://www.psu.edu or Penn State News website at http://news.psu.edu.

To register with PSUAlert, a service designed to alert the Penn State community when situations arise that affect the ability of a campus to function normally, please go to the PSU Alert website at https://psualert.psu.edu/. Subscribers can receive alerts by text message to cell phones, and also can elect to have alerts sent to an email address.

Syllabus Subject to Change

The class will likely adhere to the information outlined in this Syllabus and the Calendar, but adjustments may be made based on what actually transpires during the semester. Remaining in the course after reading this Syllabus will signal that you accept the possibility of changes and responsibility for being aware of them

Course Summary:

Date Details Due