FALL
WL ED 400 Foundations of Language in Second Language Teaching (3 credits)
This course is designed to give second language teachers a critical understanding of basic concepts and principles in second language acquisition and teaching. The core of the course explicates processes of language acquisition viewed from major theories of first and second language acquisition and common issues within these major theories are presented and debated.
Dates: October 4-6 and November 1-3, 2024
Location: Zoom Classroom
To register, please contact Kathy Cavanaugh at kxf27@psu.edu.
SPRING
APLNG 493 Teaching English as a Second Language (3 credits)
This course focuses on the teaching of English to speakers of other languages. Specifically, the course explores the multi-dimensional nature of the teacher as a learner of teaching, the contexts within which teaching occurs, and the activities and content of second language teaching and learning. Throughout the semester, students engage in a range of theoretical, pedagogical, and reflective activities that will enable them to: 1) understand their own beliefs and knowledge about beliefs in the classroom practices; 2) recognize the highly situated and interpretative processes involved in language teaching and be able to reflect on, critically analyze, and evaluate their own teaching practices; 3) become sensitive to the complex social, cultural, political, and institutional factors that affect language teaching and students' language learning; 4) come to recognize students' strengths and development as learners and language learners; 5) understand subject matter content from an instructional perspective and learn to anticipate areas that may require additional instructional support; 6) use their knowledge of theory to inform their instructional practices; 7) participate in professional collaborations with other teachers as they learn about language teachers, language teaching, and language learning.
Dates: January 10-12 and January 31 - February 2, 2025
Location: Zoom Classroom
To register, please contact Kathy Cavanaugh at kxf27@psu.edu.
WL ED 483 Evaluating Performance & Programs with ELL's (3 credits)
From an ESL assessment perspective, emphases are given to developing and using varieties of multiple assessments for levels/stages of language proficiency, acquisition, and social and subject matter learning. PDE approved assessment, curricular and instructional adaptations for assessing and evaluating ESL students, development and use of ESL/Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and administration, scoring, interpretation and classroom usage using the five approved PDE ESL assessment instruments are emphasized.
Dates: February 21-23 and March 14-16, 2025
Location: Zoom Classroom
To register, please contact Kathy Cavanaugh at kxf27@psu.edu.
SUMMER
WL ED 444 Language, Culture and the Classroom: Issues for the Practitioner (3 credits)
This course will examine issues of language and culture in the classroom. Focus will be placed on developing cross-cultural competence (in the classroom, with families, etc.). This course is intended to provide participants with the opportunity to reflect on the mutual impact of language and culture in the learning experiences of language minority students. It will explore culturally and linguistically diverse students' assets as educators begin to critically reflect upon how to extract such rich knowledge possessed by their students.
Dates: June 23-27, 2025
Location: Zoom Classroom
To register, please contact Kathy Cavanaugh at kxf27@psu.edu.
APLNG 484 Functional Discourse Grammar (3 credits)
This course is designed to provide an overview of the structure of the English language through a functional/discourse analytical approach to linguistic analysis.
Dates: July 21-27, 2025
Location: Zoom Classroom
To register, please contact Kathy Cavanaugh at kxf27@psu.edu.
Class Times
Fall and spring classes run on a weekend format: Friday - 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday - 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday - 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Summer classes run during the week: Monday - Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Friday - 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.