Slide 2 Content Unplugged: a bespoke approach to teaching EAP?
[email protected] Slide 3 my motivations Our teaching and learning
habits are useful but they can be deadly. (McWilliam 2008: 263) The
illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read
and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. -
Alvin Toffler Slide 4 student thoughts for me, i think the most
important thing for media students is that we need to learn how to
improve our reading skills and writing skills. as you know, for us,
we may have almost 10000 words to write in every semester Slide 5
Slide 6 Slide 7 Yushi Slide 8 my inspirations Threshold concepts
Academic Reading Circles Teaching unplugged Dialogic Teaching /
Learning Slide 9 the approach the class is dedicated to discussion
based on a pre-selected text in the vein of ARC the class is
dedicated to producing writing and focusing on a certain aspect of
academic writing Slide 10 the roles Slide 11 Lexicographer Compiles
a dictionary of key terms and vocabulary [maximum 20 words].
Include definitions and pronunciation and share with your group
Slide 12 Slide 13 Grammarian Looks at sentences and considers
language use in terms of clarity of argument and coherence. Take
some sentences and copy the structure to provide some of your own
examples how the structure can be used. Slide 14 Orienteer Tries to
find out what the authors position is. Are they pro or anti a
certain theory / argument / research method/ author. Use the
language in the text around these issues to help you decide. Slide
15 Cartographer Maps the text draw a mind map type illustration
showing the articles main ideas / arguments and the examples used
to support them Slide 16 Ethnographer Checks/ googles cultural
references and finds more up- to-date / relevant examples Slide 17
Britain from 1970s 1997. Audrey Hepburn Angelina Jolie Greenpeaces
StopEsso Campaign Married with children Slide 18 Interpreter
Explains how this text is relevant and how it relates to the
course. Slide 19 Slide 20 Media lecturers observations there was
some evidence of engagement with key concepts e.g. one group
compared covert participant observation to the activities of
journalism and another discussed how field notes could be recorded
when conducting such research. Slide 21 Media lecturers
observations I got the impression that the class did build on prior
knowledge of some in the class and primed others for the
forthcoming lecture on this subject. Slide 22 student feedback the
highlight of the classes this semester are better student
involvement and interaction, more appropriate content relating to
our lectures. The class time is so productive cause we all
participate in thinking, discussing, writing, speaking etc,. Slide
23 student feedback I should felt confident, because I received the
unconditional offer of this university this semester, I found after
I attended in the ELTU classes, I become more familiar with some
terminologies, when the lecturer said them in the class, I felt so
excited because I know that ! And I also found my reading speed is
getting faster and faster. Slide 24 Slide 25 managers observations
What I saw was a group of students engaged in genuine academic
discussion about a core text and this has to be beneficial to them.
Despite the focus on autonomous learning, I saw a lesson in which
the tutor took a variety of relevant roles and aided the learning
and understanding of the students. This group of students
definitely buy into the methodology and clearly feel that the
classes are beneficial. Slide 26 managers observations Language
input was student driven. They chose the vocabulary from the text,
they chose what items of vocabulary to discuss together without
rushing to the tutor or their dictionary for an explanation. They
discussed, argued and joked about meaning... Slide 27 managers
observations I saw a tremendous amount of self and peer correction
going on. Students are using language naturally and are not afraid
to question each other, seek clarification, agree and disagree.
They try to work things out for themselves. This seemed to happen
across the group and there wasnt a silent student. Slide 28 looking
ahead More structure to the writing Analyse/track student
performance Trial with a multi-disciplinary group [pre-sessional]
Even greater synchronisation with the media department Slide 29
Media lecturers observations perhaps there may even be a case to
synchronise the ELTU and lectures so the former allows students to
deepen learning and clarify misunderstandings of key concepts
conveyed in each class? The students could perhaps bring along
specific questions from the lecture powerpoint as a means of
prompting group discussion. Slide 30 references Donohue, J. (2012)
Using systemic functional linguistics in academic writing
development: An example from film studies. Journal of English for
Academic Purposes.11(2) pp4-16. Lyle, S. (2008) Dialogic Teaching:
Discussing Theoretical Contexts and Reviewing Evidence from
Classroom Practice. Language and Education. 22(3), pp222-240.
McWilliam, E. (2008) Unlearning how to teach. Innovations in
Education and Teaching International. 45(3), pp263-269. Meddings,
L. & Thornbury, S. (2009) Teaching Unplugged. Surrey: Delta
Publishing Seburn, T. (2011) Academic Reading Circles (ARC). 4C ELT
[blog] accessed 27 th February 2014 Slide 31 Thank you
[email protected] www.theeaparchivist.wordpress.com @susiecowley
