ED 479/579

Course Title

Linguistics for Teachers¹

Course Description

Explores linguistic categories: phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and discourse. Focuses on teaching implications—from psycholinguistic, sociolinguistic and critical perspectives—for emergent bilingual students in P-12 contexts. PREREQUISITE: Earn a C (2.0) or higher grade in ED 472/572.

Relationship to State and National Standards

The Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) Standards embedded in this course include the following:

  • Standard 1: Learner Development.  The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.
  • Standard 2: Learning Differences.  The teachers uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.
  • Standard 4: Content Knowledge.  The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content.
  • Standard 5: Application of Content.  The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues.

This course also addresses the following Teachers Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) Oregon administrative rules and Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) standards for P-12 ESOL teacher education programs:

  • Domain 1: Language.  Candidates know, understand, and use the major concepts, theories, and research related to the nature and acquisition of language to construct learning environments that support English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and bilingual students’ language and literacy development and content area achievement.
    • Standard 1.a. Describing Language: Candidates demonstrate understanding of language as a system and demonstrate understanding of language as a system and demonstrate a high level of competence in helping ESOL and bilingual students acquire and use English in listening, speaking, reading, and writing for social and academic purposes.
  • Domain 6: Technology.  Candidates use information technology to enhance learning and to enhance personal and professional productivity.
    • Standard 6.a. Demonstrate knowledge of current technologies and their application in ESOL.
    • Standard 6.c. Use technologies to communicate, network, locate resources, and enhance continuing professional development.

Required Textbooks

  • Zwiers, J. (2014). Building Academic Language: Essential Practices for Content Classrooms, Grades 5-12 (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
  • Freeman, D. E. and Freeman, Y. S. (2014). Essential Linguistics: What you Need to Know to Teach (2nd ed.). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Course Outcomes

This course may be cross-listed as ED 479 and ED 579.  Because course outcomes are based on the same state and national standards, the topics covered are the same.  ED 579 students are expected to go into more depth in completing all assignments.  Major assignments will be graded differently depending on students’ enrollment in ED 479 or ED 579.  Details can be found on the course Canvas site.

ED 479 students will accomplish the following:

  1. Explain language proficiency in linguistic terms related to phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and discourse.
  2. Compare theoretical perspectives on teaching grammar.
  3. Identify language demands that are present in K-12 core content-area instructional materials and how these connect to English language proficiency development standards.
  4. Apply knowledge of second language development to co-create lesson plans that demonstrate a high level of competence in helping English language learners acquire English for academic purposes.
  5. Recognize and discuss language and language variation as sociopolitical and historic constructs.

ED 579 students will accomplish the following:

  1. Explain language proficiency in linguistic terms related to phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and discourse.
  2. Evaluate theoretical perspectives on teaching grammar.
  3. Identify language demands that are present in K-12 core content-area instructional materials and how these connect to English language proficiency development standards.
  4. Synthesize knowledge of second language development to independently create lesson plans that demonstrate a high level of competence in helping English language learners acquire English for academic purposes.
  5. Recognize and discuss language and language variation as sociopolitical and historic constructs.
  6. Compare the structure of English and of students’ home language.

 

¹ Prior to Fall 2013, this course was entitled Linguistics for ELL/Bilingual Teachers.

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