Seminar in the Teaching Foreign Languages
in Secondary Schools
 
 
 EDU 637  Instructor:  Dr. J. LeLoup
 Fall, 2002  Office: 225F Old Main
 T 4:20-6:50 ; OM 229   Telephone: 753-2022 (office); 753-4303 (dept.)
 Office Hours: TR 1-2:30, W 1-3;  & by
 appointment.
 E-mail: leloupj@cortland.edu

 
Required Texts: 1. Teacher’s Handbook: Contextualized Language Instruction, Shrum & Glisan 
2.  Modern Languages for Communication.  New York State Syllabus (NYSS).

 
Recommended Texts:  1.  Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century, 1999; na; Lawrence, KS: Allen Press, Inc.
 2. Teaching Language in Context, 3rd edition; A. Omaggio Hadley

 
Required Technical Competence:  1. Get electronic mail account for class/personal use
 2.   Subscribe to FLTEACH for the duration of the course
 3. Design and present a lesson using WWW and/or Internet technology

Objectives:
 

1. To expand our knowledge of the foreign language teaching/learning process as we currently understand it
2. To learn about, critique, and practice effective techniques for teaching and evaluating foreign language students in secondary schools
3. To familiarize students w/resources available to enhance FL teaching/learning
4. To familiarize students w/the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning and address them in the curriculum
5. To provide practice in creating a curriculum based on the NYSS
6. To provide an introduction to technology pertinent to the FL classroom; to have hands-on practice using these technologies and integrating them in FL lessons

Course Description and Expectations:

The class will be conducted as a seminar with the instructor and students sharing the leadership role.  It is therefore important that each person accept the responsibility for being prepared and for participating.  The course objectives will be met through meetings in which students discuss, collaborate on, present, and evaluate student products.  Students are encouraged to draw on their classroom experience regularly and share their expertise with other class members.  All projects, presentations, and assignments are designed to be directly applicable to and usable in the classroom and to improve FL instruction.
 
 
Evaluation:  1. Class attendance and participation  20%
 2. Interactive Model Lesson Plan & presentation  10%
 3. PACE Lesson Plan & presentation  10%
 4. NYSS lesson plans  20%
 5. Technology Lesson Plan & presentation  05%
 6. FLTEACH weekly assignments  15%
 7. Professional readings  10%
 8. Final exam  10%

Student Disability Services

SUNY Cortland is committed to upholding and maintaining all aspects of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

If you are a student with a disability and wish to request accommodations, please contact the Office of Disability Services located in B-40 Van Hoesen Hall or call (607) 753-2066 for an appointment.  Any information regarding your disability will remain confidential.  Because many accommodations require early planning, requests for accommodations should be made as early as possible.  Any requests for accommodations will be reviewed in a timely manner to determine their appropriateness to this setting.
 

Tentative Schedule:
 
 27 August  Course Introduction; FLTEACH; NYSS; lesson plan components; 
 Use of authentic materials
 3 September  Teacher’s Handbook, Chapter 1; SLA overview;  NYSS: Personal Identification; 
 FLTEACH thread
 10 September  Teacher’s Handbook, Chapter 2;  National Standards for FL Learning;  Standards video; 
 work w/incorporating Standards into lessons;  NYSS: Services or Current Events; FLTEACH thread
 17 September  Teacher’s Handbook, Chapter 3;  Technology introduction;  NYSS: House and Home or Family Life; 
 FLTEACH thread
 24 September  Teacher’s Handbook, Chapter 4 & 5;  Elementary and Middle School Issues: Alphabet Soup; 
 Journal reading #1;
 NYSS: Community/Neighborhood;  FLTEACH thread
 1 October  Teacher’s Handbook, Chapter 6;  Interactive Model for Reading and Listening; 
 NYSS: Physical Environment;  FLTEACH thread
 8 October  Interactive Model Presentation: any  NYSS topic;
 FLTEACH thread
 15 October  Teacher’s Handbook, Chapter 7;  PACE Model; 
 Interactive Model Presentation: any  NYSS topic;
  NYSS: Health and Welfare;  FLTEACH thread
 22 October  Fall break; no class
 29 October  Journal reading #2; 
 NYSS: Earning a Living;  FLTEACH thread
 5 November  Teacher’s Handbook, Chapter 8: Communication; 
 PACE Model Presentation: any NYSS topic; 
 FLTEACH thread
 12 November  Teacher’s Handbook, Chapter 9: Writing; 
 PACE Model Presentation: any NYSS topic;
 NYSS: Public and Private Services or Leisure;  FLTEACH thread
 19 November  NYSS: Meal Taking/Food/Drink; FLTEACH thread
 26 November  Teacher’s Handbook, Chapter 10: Student Diversity; 
 Journal reading #3; 
 NYSS:  Shopping; FLTEACH thread
 3 December  Teacher’s Handbook, Chapter 12: Technology; 
Technology presentation in ICC LLC; 
 NYSS: Travel;  FLTEACH thread
 10 December  Teacher’s Handbook, Chapter 11: Assessment; 
 FLTEACH thread
 Loose ends

Final Exam Schedule: Tuesday, December 17, 4:20 - 6:20 p.m.

Electronic Mail Account, Electronic Communications Technologies, and FLTEACH

You are required to obtain an electronic mail account and to use it.  If you do not have personal access to an ISP, go to Bowers 119 or the library as soon as possible to sign up.  You will need to subscribe to FLTEACH for the duration of the course.  Instructions for this will be given during the first class meeting. Please feel free to communicate with the instructor on e-mail about questions and problems concerning the class and/or assignments, projects, presentations, and to make appointments.

If you are unfamiliar with electronic communications technologies, you may wish, on your own, to complete all or portions of the Communications Technology Module for the FL Methods Course located on the WWW.  The URL for this module is:
 

http://web.cortland.edu/flteach/methods/main.html


New York State Syllabus Lesson Plans: Due weekly

Each week students will turn in a lesson plan they have created (and hopefully used successfully) that deals with the specified topic from the NYSS.  Students should use authentic materials whenever possible for language content.  Bring enough copies for every class member and two for the instructor.  Be prepared to explain the lesson, its rationale, and answer any questions about it.  The class will constructively critique these lessons on a weekly basis.
 

FLTEACH Thread Summary: Due weekly

Students will need to subscribe to FLTEACH during the entire spring semester.  Students should come to each class prepared to discuss one thread in particular that they found interesting, controversial, noteworthy, etc.  Students will need to turn in a brief summary of the thread followed during the preceding week.
 

Professional Readings: Due  September 24th, October 29th, November 26th

Students are required to write three annotated bibliographies and reaction papers for recent articles (within the last 5 years) from the recommended list of foreign language or ESL professional journals.  Please choose articles that are of interest to and have practical application for you as a classroom FL teacher.

Journals recommended:


Please feel free to read from other journals, but please clear them with me first.  The annotated bibliography should contain:


The ensuing reaction paper should be a 1(+) page discussion of your reaction to the article in light of your experience vis-à-vis teaching and learning in the FL classroom. Include the bibliographic information and the abstract on the paper you turn in.  Please also email the bibliographic information and the abstract to the instructor (in the body of the email, no attachments).
 

Interactive Model Lesson Plan & Presentation: Due October 8th

Students will develop a comprehensive lesson plan based on the Interactive Model in the Teacher’s Handbook.  Students will present/teach this lesson to the class.
 

PACE Lesson Plan & Presentation: Due November 5th

Students will develop a comprehensive lesson plan based on the PACE Model in the Teacher’s Handbook.  Students will present/teach this lesson to the class.
 

Technology Lesson Plan & Presentation: Due December 3rd

Students will develop a comprehensive lesson plan using WWW resources and Internet technology. Students will present/teach this lesson to the class using the ICC Language Learning Center (LLC).