Department of Spanish and Portuguese

HISP-S 517  Methods of Teaching College Spanish  (3 credits)                       
Prerequisite:  Must be a graduate student

This course provides a foundation in the theory and techniques for teaching university-level foreign language in a classroom setting.  The theoretical background of communicative language teaching will be emphasized with particular attention to task-based language teaching.  Students will critically review theories on second language acquisition and learn how to implement current research findings into effective teaching practices.  Internal and external factors that affect the language acquisition process will be discussed, as well as how instructors can maximize in-class learning in their role as instructors.  The relationships between instructor characteristics and learning opportunities will also be examined.  Throughout the semester, students will lead and participate in discussions, complete classroom observations, and carry out teaching evaluations.  Students will also collaboratively design classroom tasks, assessments and lesson plans for future use in an online teaching portfolio.  This course is guided by three basic questions:

1)  How do adult students learn a foreign language in a classroom setting?

2)  What internal and external factors contribute to/complicate learning in this context?

3)  How can we as instructors utilize this information to maximize opportunities for              language learning within our current and future classrooms?

HISP-S 517 #6576       11:30A-12:45P    TR          SY 037         Dr. K. Allen Davis

NOTE: By permission only:  Email GRADHISP@indiana.edu for permission