This specialist MA is a one year, full-time, post-experience programme of study. It consists of a taught course followed by a dissertation. Its aim is to provide an understanding of the theoretical foundations of language development and language teaching and to study the ways in which theory can be applied to the teaching of English to Young Learners (children between the ages of 5 and 12), in order to bring about improvements in practice.

The programme has been designed for qualified and experienced teachers from a variety of professional backgrounds. It is particularly suitable for ELT personnel in primary and junior schools in both the private and the public sector, teacher training colleges, universities and departments in Ministries of Education such as the inspectorate and the curriculum development centre.

Entry requirements

Successful applicants will normally have a good honours degree or the equivalent in the field of English, language study and/or education. They will have a minimum of two years of full-time teaching experience.

International students need to have an English language score of 6.5 on the IELTS test (with at least 6.0 in the Reading and Writing components), 600 on TOEFL, 250 TOEFL CBT or BBC/BCC in WELT.  Some international students may attend part of the pre-sessional course in English language and study skills if their score falls slightly below the required level when they apply.

The programme

Term One

Theoretical Background to English Language Teaching

Core Module

• Applied Linguistics

Options

Choose three

• The Grammar of English
• Psychology of Language Classroom Practices
• Spoken English
• Text and Discourse Analysis

Term Two

Professional Practice

Core modules

• Teaching English for Young Learners
• Research Methodology

Specialist Interest Options

Choose two

• Literature in English Language Teaching
• Phonology and the Teaching of Pronunciation
• Teaching for Intercultural Competence
• Approaches to Teaching Grammar
• Language Testing
• Reading in a Second Language
• Teacher Training
• Management of Educational Institutions
• Computer Assisted Language Learning
• Teaching Writing in a Second Language

Term Three

Research Methodology leading to a Dissertation on a topic related to EYL (15,000 words)

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 problemsin the field of English language teaching to young learners.

The course is taught by means of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials. 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.

Assessment

Assessment is by written assignments on courses followed (3000 words on each except for the Professional Practice course which requires 6000) and the final dissertation of 15000 words. Students must normally pass in each component 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 with a maximum of four years.

EYL Specialist Staff

Shelagh Rixon has worked in CELTE since 1991. Her current research interests in the Young Learners field are vocabulary syllabuses and the teaching of initial reading to children for whom English is a foreign language. She has also researched in the area of policy and practice in Young Learners teaching world wide, creating the British Council web pages on the subject. Her academic publications include ‘Young Learners of English: some research perspectives’, Pearson.  She has published print based and video based teaching materials for Young Learners [Tip Top, Macmillan. Look Alive! Heinemann] and video based language support materials for teachers [Teachers Talking and Teachers and Children, Didier].  She has acted as a consultant to a number of materials writing projects, including the Sri Lankan primary textbook project. In January 2008, she will be convening and chairing a publishers panel at the Young Learners conference 'The Way Forward:learning from international experience of TEYL' to be held at the Regional Institute of English, Bangalore, India, from 3rd to 6th January 2008 http://www.primaryeltconference.org/

Dr Annamaria Pinter is co-teaching this module with Shelagh Rixon. She has a particular interest in issues of teaching and researching young learners and she has recently completed a comprehensive handbook entitled Teaching Young Language Learners published by Oxford University Press. Her recent research articles include 2007 Benefits of peer-peer interaction: 10-year-old children practising with a communication task Language Teaching Research Vol 11/2: 189-209, and 2006 Verbal evidence of task-related strategies: child versus adult interactions System Vol 34: 615-630. In addition to task based learning and research, she also has a keen interest in language learning autonomy, classroom SLA and materials design and evaluation. She has been involved in various international projects and consultancies such as the primary textbook writing project in Russia.  

More information, for those thinking of applying to the MA in EYL programme  

Admissions Tutor: Shelagh Rixon S.Rixon@warwick.ac.uk

Course Tutor: Annamaria Pinter: Annamaria.Pinter@warwick.ac.uk

In January 2008 the IATEFL Young Learners SIG, The British Council  and RIESI organised a conference in Bangalore. To learn more, click on the following link:

The Bangalore Young Learners Conference