This page provides you with more detail about the MA in ELT ( with Multimedia and ICT specialisation)

Entry requirements

Successful applicants will normally have a good undergraduate degree or the equivalent in the field of English, language study and/or education. International students need to have an English language score of 6.5 on the IELTS test (normally with at least 6.5 in the Reading and Writing and components), or the equivalent on a test approved by the UK Border Agency.

For those whose scores fall very slightly below the required level when they apply, studying on our pre-sessional course in English language and study skills me be deemed satisfactory.

Russell Stannard programme leader

The programme in more detail (2010-11 onwards)

 Term One (October to December)

• Issues and Research in English Language Teaching (15 credits) (for students with at least two years prior experience of English language teaching) or ELT Methodology (15 credits) (for students with less than two years prior experience of English language teaching)
• Second Language Acquisition and Classroom Language Learning (15 credits)
• Lexis and Grammar (10 credits)
• Spoken English (10 credits)
• Text and Discourse Analysis (10 credits)

 Term Two (January to March)

• ICT in ELT (15 credits)
• Professional Practice (ICT and Multimedia in English Language Teaching) (30 credits)
• Research Methodology (15 credits)

 And one of the following* (15 credits each):**

• English as an International Language
• English for Young Learners
• Language Testing
• Literature and Drama in ELT
• Professional and Academic Discourse
• Teacher Training and Development

* A limit may be put on numbers taking some additional modules, and their availability in any particular year may be subject to change.

** Students with less than two years prior experience of English language teaching must take the following, and not one of the above:

• Syllabus, Materials, and Task Design (15 credits)

 Term Three (April onwards)

• Research Methodology workshops leading to a
• Dissertation (45 credits) on a topic related to ICT and/or multimedia in English language teaching

The nature of the work

Students are encouraged to develop an understanding of underlying principles of language teaching and of ways in which these might be applied in the solution of particular problems in the use of IT and multimedia in English language teaching and learning. This is a fast moving area of ELT, which has changed massively since the introduction of web 2.0 tools and mobile technologies. There is plenty of opportunity, through the tutorials, to discover and learn about the emerging technologies and tools including the amazing amount of content on the internet, the use of IWBs, mobile phones, iPods and iPads. It is an area of ELT that is now expanding at lightning speed and offers many new working opportunities within schools, training and working on content with publishing houses as well as opportunities to do further research.

The course is taught by means of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials. It offers a good balance between hands-on practice and theoretical underpinning. In addition, there is much guided reading and a number of written assignments in the form of long essays and portfolios of materials. Students are introduced to research methodology which will assist them in carrying out the research for the dissertation with the support of a supervisor. Research in this area is particularly pertinent and opportunities to explore and investitage new tools and technologies, understand digital literacies and the impact of ICT in teaching and learning are abundant.

Assessment

Assessment is by a written assignment for each module followed plus a final dissertation. The written assignments are 3,000 words in length, apart from the assignments for Grammar of English, Spoken English and Text and Discourse Analysis, which are 2,000 words each, and the assignment on the Professional Practice course, which is 6,000 words. The final dissertation is 15,000 words in length. Students must normally pass in each component, thus gaining a total of 180 credits, to be awarded the degree. The MA can be awarded with Distinction.

Modular Structure

The course is organised on a modular basis.

The whole course may be taken together within one academic year, beginning in October. Alternatively, students may complete the work in termly sections in different academic years but within a maximum of four years.

ELT(ICT&MM) Specialist Staff

Russell Stannard is the programme leader. He is very well known for his work in technology and English Language Teaching. He runs perhaps one of the most famous ELT ICT/Multimedia internet web sites, which receives thousands of hits from teachers of ELT all over the world. The site is called www.teachertrainingvideos.com. Russell has won 4 separate awards for his website. In 2008 he won the University of Westminster award for "Excellence in Teaching and Learning" and the Times Higher "Oustanding Initiative in ICT." In 2009 he won the TEFLnet "Website of the year" and in 2010 he won the British Council ELTons award for "Innovation". He writes a regular column in the ELT Professional Magazine and often writes in the Modern English Teacher. His work is known throughout the world and he travels extensivly giving talks and presentations on using technology. He is known especially for his work in using technology for feedback, work that has been covered extensively by the British press and even led to an appearance in the news on French TV.

Tilly Harrison has been involved with Computer Assisted Language Learning for over 16 years, mainly as a teacher but also as a software developer and researcher. She has a particular interest in wikis and WebQuests and was involved in developing a wiki for language learning for the Warwick E-Learning Award. She was on the committee of the Computer (now Learning Technologies) Special Interest Group of the International Association of Teaching of English as a Foreign Language for eight years (four years as the Coordinator) and has presented on and given many workshops on CALL related topics, the most recent being at the IATEFL Conference in Harrogate in April 2010 where she presented on 'Anonymous Peer Review Online: Can it enhance student autonomy?'.