English in the Early Years II: Culture and Identity in a Multilingual Society

Course Code: KS196E

Institution:

Culture, Languages and Media

Revision:

4

For students admitted fall 2012   spring 2012  

Other set versions

Approval

The course was established 06 March 2009.
This course syllabus (version 4) was approved 25 November 2011 by the Education Commitee at School of Education.
The syllabus is valid from 18 January 2012. Replacement for course syllabus ratified 06 March 2009.

Education level

First cycle

Course description

In this course, students further develop their proficiency in English. Participants also further develop their knowledge of learning, second language development, English texts and the English language as preparation for teaching younger learners in primary and lower secondary-school. The course also aims to develop the participants’ knowledge of cultures, identity, ethnicity and the culturally heterogeneous society.

Advancement in relation to the degree requirements

Single subject course and minor subject in teacher training.

Entry requirements

Prerequisite courses for this course are: Passed courses: KS155E-English in the Early School Years I or KS193E-English in the Early Years I: Promoting Language in a Communicative Classroom.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the students will be able to:
• express themselves in idiomatic and fluent oral and written English in a range of communicative contexts
• demonstrate an understanding of how English as a global language affects English language teaching and learning in the Swedish school system
• analyze and discuss issues related to culture, identity and ethnicity as well as sociocultural factors and explain their significance for English language teaching
• demonstrate an understanding of themselves as bearers and transmitters of culture in their roles as teachers in culturally heterogeneous and plurilingual schools
• demonstrate an understanding of different ways of assessing and grading students’ language ability in relation to national knowledge requirements and local criteria
• analyze and evaluate teaching materials

Assessments

One part of the examination is an examination where students, building upon relevant theoretical literature and Lgr 11 design thematic lesson plans which include English as a global language and issues of culture and identity. Furthermore, the students write a reflective log on the assessment of pupils’ language development. The students also do an oral evaluatation of a teaching materials.

The examination forms and the criteria for Pass and Pass with Distinction are clarified by the examiner at the start of the course. A good level of language and presentation is required in both oral and written work.

The regulations for reexamination are described in Malmö University’s document ‘Studenternas rättigheter och skyldigheter vid Malmö högskola’ (‘Students’ rights and obligations’ - Swedish text). Students are informed of the reexamination dates at the start of the course.

Course content

The course focuses on culture, identity formation, ethnicity, and language development with a particular focus on children and young people’s forms of cultural and linguistic expression. The course texts: non-fiction, fiction and film, deal with how themes such as growing up, gender and ethnicity. Text usage is connected to language development activities and discussion about how texts can be used in a school context. The significance of modern children often learning English in multicultural and multilingual classrooms and environments is highlighted. The position of English as a global language as well as children’s identity formation and conditions for growing up are related to how thematic lessons can be planned, executed and evaluated. The course also deals with how teachers can assess and grade children´s language ability and support their learning.

Learning activities

The course contains a variety of learning activities, such as individual work, group work, seminars and lectures. These learning activities are developed from the course aims and learning outcomes in cooperation between the students and the course leader. Students are informed at the beginning of the course about which elements are compulsory.

Grading system

Fail (U), Pass (G) or Pass with Distinction (VG). ECTS grading system can be used on students demand.

Reading list and other media

Council of Europe (2009). Autobiography of Intercultural Encounters. Context, concepts and theories.
Ellis, Deborah. Parvana’s Journey. Groundwood Books, 2002. (197 pages)
Kehily, Mary Jane & Swann, Joan (2003). Children’s Cultural Worlds. London: John Wiley & Sons. (I urval) McKay, Sandra Lee. Teaching English as an International Language. Oxford University Press, 2002. (158 pages) Lewison, Mitzi m.fl. (2010). Creating Critical Classrooms: K-8 Reading and Writing with an Edge. New York: Routledge. 360 s (i urval).

Oxfam (2006). Education for global citizenship. Kan laddas ned från Oxfam. 12 s.
Pilcher, Jane (2010). What not to Wear? Girls, Clothing and ‘Showing’ the Body. Children & Society, 24:6 (s 461-470) (9 s) Pinter, Annamaria (2006). Teaching young language learners. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (180 s) Read, Carol (2007). 500 Activities for the primary classroom. Macmillan Education. (320 s) Skolverket (2011). Handledning till bedömarträning – årskurs 6 Skolverket (2011). Kunskapsbedömning i skolan – praxis, begrepp, problem och möjligheter.
Skolverket (2005). Kön och skolframgång
Skolverket (2010). Lilla genushäftet
Skolverket (2009). Vad påverkar resultaten i svensk grundskola?
Zephaniah, Benjamin (2002). We Are Britain. France Lincoln. (28 pages)

Additional course materials consist of articles, films and pictures books corresponding to 200 pages of text.



Appendix to the Course Plan
Malmö University’s Perspectives: Gender, Environment, Migration and Ethnicity

The three Malmö University perspectives are dealt with throughout the course. Migration, gender and ethnicity permeate the course and are dealt with in connection to questions concerning democracy and cultural heterogeneity in school and society. The course non-fiction develops the students’ ability to understand and analyze the pedagogical consequences of the sociocultural changes and the increased cultural heterogeneity of modern society. Other types of text, such as the fictional The Story of a Childhood and Parvana’s Journey, provide opportunities to discuss individual experiences, gender constructions and identity and meaning formation in relation to global migration.

The environment is dealt with from a broad perspective which is integrated with gender and ethnicity. This is clearly emphasized in course material on children’s and young people’s living conditions and learning. The environment pertains here to young people’s social, cultural- political and material conditions in English-speaking cultures. One example is Walking to the Bus Rider Blues which describes the experiences of children in the segregated southern states of the USA in the 1960s. Sustainable development and the environment are also dealt with in theoretical literature such as the websites from the United Nations and UNESCO and discussions of English as a global language and the role of the school in a global perspective.

Course evaluation

Students are given opportunities to influence course content through continual reflections on the course. The course ends with an individual, written evaluation based on the course purpose and learning outcomes. This evaluation is used as a starting point for an oral evaluation which includes a discussion of measures to develop the course. The results of the evaluation are summarized and made available in a report to be used as a basis for future courses.