ALC8024 : Language Awareness
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Katherina Walper
- Owning School: Education, Communication & Language Sci
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
The purpose of this module is to give students a thorough understanding of the key systems (phonetics and phonology, morphology, lexis, grammar and syntax, and pragmatics) of the English language and to develop their understanding and use of appropriate metalanguage. This is viewed as the ‘core knowledge’ that any English language teacher needs in order to perform their role. Specific aims include:
- To enable students to use the terminology and technical language of the discipline (TESOL).
- To help students to identify the particular problems that language learners may have with each system.
- To equip students with the skills needed to analyse language for teaching purposes.
- To give students a detailed understanding of specific language systems.
Outline Of Syllabus
1. Introduction to the module inc. assessment. Introduction to meta-language
2. English Phonetics
3. Introduction to Phonology
4. Morphology: word structure
5. The word. Lexical and grammatical word classes
6. Semantics. Introduction to lexical meaning
7. Grammar and syntax I
8. Grammar and syntax II
9. Introduction to pragmatics
10. Implications for language teaching
11. Drop-in session (assignment support)
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 50:00 | 50:00 | N/A |
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 8 | 1:00 | 8:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 1 | 30:00 | 30:00 | N/A |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 8 | 0:30 | 4:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 9 | 1:00 | 9:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 88:00 | 88:00 | N/A |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures (in person) and lecture materials (online) provide an introduction to the weekly content, establish a basic level of understanding of the topic, provide opportunities for discussion within class, and signal areas for individual further study and essential and further reading.
Seminars offer an opportunity for further exploration, discussion, and personal reflection, through small group activities. Seminar activities are often linked to pre-lecture reading.
Structured Guided Learning activities provide students with weekly opportunities to consolidate learning through guided tasks linked to the weekly topic and online lecture materials.
Independent study will enable wider reading, further personal self-reflection and assignment preparation.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1 | A | 100 | 3500 word analysis of set text with reference to literature A: students reflect on a difficulty they/their learners had with a language system, B: find and analyse at least 1 example of each area of difficulty taken from set text |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prob solv exercises | 1 | M | These will be weekly short 'homework' tasks to accompany the seminars and to prepare students for language analysis. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Language awareness is a subject which requires both theoretical knowledge and practical analytical skills, which is the rationale for having two parts to the assignment. Part A is based on theory, and students will be required to refer to the literature. Part B is the practical application of their knowledge from part A. It requires an advanced understanding of the theory in order for students to justify their analysis. Students will have an opportunity to prepare for the assessment through their background (required) reading and through guided study and by completing short written homework exercises (non-assessed) throughout the module. Two of the nine seminars provide exercises explicitly linked to the assignment.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- ALC8024's Timetable