English I for School Years 4-6, 15 credits

Main field of study with advanced study

General entry requirements (with the exemption of the requirement in Swedish) + English 6, Mathematics 2a or 2b or 2c, Science studies 1b or 1a1+1a2, Civics 1b or 1a1+1a2.

The course is part of Primary Teacher Education - School Years 4-6, 240 credits. The course is also given as a single-subject course.

During the course, the student will develop their own productive and receptive skills in both written and spoken English. The student will also develop the ability to teach the four skills, that is listening, reading, speaking and writing, by acquiring knowledge about various theories and aesthetic modes of expression. The student will develop knowledge of the grammatical structures and sound system of English, as well as develop knowledge of Second Language Acquisition theories which focus on the acquisition of words and phrases, and the ways in which children develop their ability to speak and write English. The student will also develop their communicative skills in English as a language of instruction. Similarly, they will develop, analyse and reflect upon a range of methods and ways of working with a variety of resources for the teaching of English.

The student will also develop their ability to plan, motivate, execute and reflect on teaching based on theoretical perspectives such as Second Language Acquisition theories. The student will furthermore analyse and evaluate different types of strategies for pupils’ language acquisition, as well as how children’s text worlds and children’s literature influence language acquisition and language development. The student will also develop their ability to reflect on the way in which the English language is constructed and which difficulties pupils can meet in the acquisition of a second language.

By the end of the course, the student should be able to:

Knowledge and Understanding

• account for and analyse the grammatical structures and sound system of English
• lish
• account for the significance of the ways in which children’s text worlds influence language development in English
• account for Second Language Acquisition theories regarding children’s ability and development in speaking and writing in English 
• comprehend written and spoken English from a variety of different genres and fields

Skills and Abilities

• communicate in spoken and written English in a clear and appropriate manner
• make use of children’s literature and other materials as tools for teaching and learning
• plan, execute, document, and evaluate teaching which practically implements a variety of theories on learning words and phrases, in order to motivate pupils to write and speak English inside and outside the classroom environment
• analyse the content and didactic methods used for the learning and teaching of English in relation to current theories for teaching second languages

Judgement and Approach

• critically reflect on the construction of the English language, and which assets and difficulties it can present for pupils with another first language
• evaluate and reflect on the content and didactic methods used for the teaching and learning of English in relation to steering documents and current theories of Second Language Acquisition and, by doing so, evaluate one’s individual developmental needs

The course provides opportunities for the student to work on their own receptive and productive skills with regard to written and spoken English. The receptive skills are worked on through reading and listening (of which practice of the sound system of English plays an integral part) exercises related to a variety of text types. The productive skills are worked on through discussions on grammar, the writing of individual texts, and through a variety of spoken tasks. Furthermore, the student critically reflects on the structure of the English language and how it influences pupils’ second-language acquisition.

During the course, the student will discuss and problematise the relationship between the Swedish curriculum for English and theories on the teaching of languages to children, with a focus on listening, speaking, reading, writing and interaction. As the course has a focus on theories for teaching and learning of vocabulary, at both word and phrase level, the student is given opportunities to expand their own vocabulary. The student will also examine ways in which children receive different types of written and spoken texts in English, as well as the impact that children’s text worlds can have on their language development in English. The student will also examine examples of how the Swedish curriculum for English can be implemented practically in the communicative classroom. The student will be given the opportunity to make use of children’s literature to plan and execute moments of learning and teaching. They will also work with the documentation and evaluation of learning and teaching moments which practically implement theories concerned with the acquisition of words and phrases in order to create strategies which motivate pupils to write and speak English inside and outside the classroom environment.

The teaching will take the form of lectures, seminars, workshops and group work.

The examination *English grammar and phonetics *will be assessed* * through an individual written exam. *Oral Proficieny* is assessed through an individual oral assignment, and the examination Micro-Lesson will be examined through oral and written tasks performed in groups. *Written Assignments *will be assessed through a series of short written assignments collected in a portfolio.

To pass the course, all examinations must be awarded at least the grade of E (sufficient). To pass the course with a higher grade, three of the four examinations must addititonally be awarded the grade in question or higher.

If there are special reasons, the examiner may make exceptions from the specified examination format and allow a student to be examined in another way. Special reasons can e.g. be study support for students with disabilities.

Course evaluation is part of the course. This evaluation offers guidance in the future development and planning of the course. Course evaluation is documented and made available to the students.