Master Of Education (Teaching Content Through English)

Course 960-TC (2008)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2008. Search for this in the current handbook

Year and Campus: 2008
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Level: Graduate/Postgraduate

Contact

Faculty of Education Student Centre
Course Overview:

Where specific training for teachers involved in CLIL is offered, emphasis is placed on the interdisciplinary nature of the activity with insights drawn both from second language acquisition and teaching and content subject pedagogy, as does the course proposed here. In addition, since the teachers involved in this relatively new teaching activity must provide leadership for those who follow, it is important that those taking this course acquire both an understanding of the principles underpinning the activity and that they be able to apply those principles to the practical teaching situation and the management of CLIL programs in schools.

This course provides students with the opportunity to develop an understanding of those basic principles, to survey the available research, courses and teaching materials, and to apply that knowledge in classroom practice.

Objectives: Students who have completed the Master of Education (Teaching Content through English) should be able to demonstrate:
  • an understanding of the pedagogical, linguistic, sociolinguistic, cultural and cognitive issues that impinge on the success of courses taught through a second or foreign language
  • understanding of the cross-cultural issues involved in teaching through English
  • knowledge of the general pedagogical principles and practice entailed in teaching through a second or foreign language, including such issues as an understanding of the role of the first language, code switching, and bilingual dialogue
  • ability to apply their understanding of the theoretical issues and the pedagogical principles to their teaching practice
  • a high level of competence in the practice of teaching their content subjects through English to students whose first language is other than English
  • familiarity with the different approaches that have been adopted to 'content language integrated teaching', the literature on this activity and the worldwide research that has been undertaken on it
  • ability to identify and evaluate successful classroom practice in CLIL, both their own and others'
  • understanding of the differences between the language of the everyday world and that of the world of the particular discipline (e.g., science, mathematics or technology) and how bridges may be built from the discipline-specific discipline to the everyday language
  • ability to identify the learning needs of students in CLIL programs
  • ability to support the language needs (cognitive, linguistic and affective) of students learning through a second or foreign language, to facilitate their comprehension and learning of the content, and to help students developing their language through a discipline also to develop their general proficiency and their ability to communicate outside of their discipline
  • ability to plan a syllabus and teaching program (for a discipline taught through English) situated within an understanding of the whole curriculum and to apply it to their own teaching context
  • familiarity with the available materials for the teaching of their discipline(s) through English and an ability to adapt materials to suit their students' needs
  • awareness of the management activities required to support the introduction of CLIL programs at any level of education but especially in schools
  • awareness of the social and political issues, including for management, related to multiple languages in educational institutions (in particular, the implications of the global role of English)
  • development of their ability to direct their own independent learning and their understanding of the range of approaches to research in this form of teaching
Subject Options:
Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Not offered in 2008
12.500
Not offered in 2008
12.50
Not offered in 2008
12.500
Not offered in 2008
12.500
Not offered in 2008
12.500
Entry Requirements: An applicant may be eligible for entry into the Master of Education (Teaching Content through English), if the applicant has:
  • an appropriate undergraduate degree and an appropriate fourth-year level education qualification, or equivalent, with training in the methodology of teaching in one of the discipline areas of Science, Mathematics or Technology,or
  • an appropriate four-year education degree, or equivalent, with training in the methodology of teaching in one of the discipline areas of Science, Mathematics or Technology: and
  • at least two years of documented relevant professional experience in the relevant discpiline (Science, Mathematics or Technology), and
  • Satisfies the University's requirements for proficiency in the English Language.

2. English Language Requirements:

Applicants whose most recent qualifications were gained in the medium of instruction and assessment in a language other than English must provide documentary evidence that, within the previous 24 months, they have obtained a score as follows:

  • A minimum overall band score of 7.0 in IELTS, including a minimum score of 7.0 in the Academic Writing Module and no other sub-score below 6; o
  • A minimum score of 600 in TOEFL, including a minimum score of 5.0 in the Test of Written English (TWE); or
  • A minimum score of 250 in the computer-based TOEFL, including a minimum essay rating score of 5.

Those applicants who obtain an IELTS score of 6.5 (with minimum 6.0 in all bands), a TOEFL score of 577 (with a minimum score of 4.5 TWE) or a computer-based TOEFL score of 233 (with minimum essay rating score of 4.5) are eligible to take a 10 week intensive acdamemic preparation course offered at the Hawthorn English Language Centre in Melbourne. Students who accept the offer of meeting the university's English language requirements by successfully completing the University of Melbourne English Language Bridging Program will receive an unconditional course offer.

Where a whole cohort is involved, negotiations may be undertaken with the client authority for an off-shore bridging program.

Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Graduate Attributes: None

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