Unit Outline

This unit explores linguistics as an academic discipline, with a strong focus on its practical relevance to language learning and teaching. A central idea underpinning this unit is the vital role that language awareness plays in preparing teachers to teach English to speakers of other languages. Students will engage with core concepts and principles of linguistics and second language acquisition, and develop their understanding of key domains including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. The unit also examines contemporary approaches to teaching grammar and considers the relationship between linguistic awareness and language awareness in the classroom. Through a combination of theoretical study, collaborative discussion, and reflective activities, students will build the analytical skills and professional insight needed to interpret language structures and apply this knowledge to effective teaching practice.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1	analyse and describe spoken and written language to assist you in your teaching of the English language
2	recognise and explain a range of grammatical forms and sentence structures.
3	reflect on your knowledge of the structure of the English language in relation to your language teaching practice.
4	produce written assignments according to academic writing conventions and utilising APA referencing style.

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Anti-requisite (mutual excl)	ESG715

Alterations as a result of student feedback

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Personal Reflection on your Language Awareness	Week 6	50 %	LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 2:	Written Assignment	Week 13	50 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Personal Reflection on your Language Awareness

Task Description:

For this task, you are required to produce a personal written reflection that explores your current understanding of language awareness and its significance for teaching English to speakers of other languages. The concept of language awareness will be introduced and discussed in the first weeks of the semester to help you shape and deepen your ideas.

In your reflection, consider how your own experiences as a language user and learner have influenced the way you notice, think about, and respond to the structures, features, and uses of language in both written and spoken contexts. Reflect on what language awareness means to you, why it matters for language teachers, and how it may shape your future teaching practice.

You are encouraged to include personal examples, relevant observations, or moments when you became conscious of how language works or how people learn it. Your response should demonstrate thoughtful self-analysis, clear connections to the unit content, and a genuine exploration of how you see your role as a teacher developing alongside your language awareness.

Your reflection should be clearly structured, written in an academic yet personal style, and show depth and insight into your own learning journey.

Task Length:

2000 words

Due Date:

Week 6

Weight:

50 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Demonstrate the qualities of a reflective practitioner by critically reflecting on the impact of your personal experience on thinking about your own knowledge of the English language (your language awareness) in a TESOL context	LO3, LO4
2	Demonstrate the qualities of a reflective practitioner by supporting your reflection with evidence (experiential and literature-based)	LO3, LO4
3	Demonstrate the qualities of a reflective practitioner by discussing issues that are relevant to the development of a teacher’s personal understanding of English language teaching	LO3, LO4
4	Communicate in narrative writing from a personal perspective	LO4
5	Adherence to academic writing conventions	LO4

Assessment Task 2: Written Assignment

Task Description:

For your second assignment you submit a learning resource developed specifically for a group of learners. This is an individual assignment. Teaching resource and rationale for the teaching resource. In this assignment you are required to develop a plan/outline for a learning resource for a student or a small group of students to develop their understanding of the English language in relation to an identified need. You are also required to construct a rationale for your choice of learning experiences.

The assignment will be a response to a particular teaching and learning situation. You are required to respond to the needs of a particular learner or small group of learners and to plan a learning experience that will progress their understanding of a particular aspect of the English language. The focus of the learning experience will be on teaching an aspect of English that has been covered in this unit. If you are currently teaching English, you may wish to develop the assignment based on an individual learner or small group of learners that you are working with. If you are not currently teaching English, you may have recently had experience teaching English, and in this case, you may develop the assignment based on your recollections of the needs of the particular learners that you taught. If, however, you don’t have recent or current English teaching experience, please contact the Unit Coordinator. The type of learning resource could be a series of lesson plans or detailed description of a teaching approach for a particular aspect of English. In previous years students have submitted a range of learning resources, from a series of materials to use with a group of learners and associated lesson plans to a detailed program for one specific English language learner. Creativity and a response to a particular context is encouraged. You may also consider experiences such as fieldtrips, presentations and the use of technological resources. The rationale should clearly outline the learners’ needs and context and also provide a theoretical justification for your choice of learning experiences.

Task Length:

2000 words Note: The rationale should be approximately 500-800 words and the learning resource should be the remainder of the word-count balance.

Due Date:

Week 13

Weight:

50 %

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Academic progress review

The results for this unit may be included in a review of your academic progress. For information about progress reviews and what they mean for all students, see Academic Progress Review in the Student Portal.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.