Language Teaching Practice PG (11386.1)

Required texts

Required text:

Hall, G. (2018). Exploring English Language Teaching: Language in Action (2nd ed.). Routledge. (Available as an e-book at the UC library)

Recommended texts:

Harmer, J. (2015). The Practice of English Language Teaching (5th ed.).  Longman.

Ur, P. (2012). A Course in English Language Teaching (2nd ed.).  Cambridge University Press.

Additional resources and readings will be made available on the unit Canvas site and the Reading list.

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

Approval of extenuating circumstances will be dependent upon the production of supporting documentation and at the discretion of the unit convener.

All assessment items required to be submitted online must be submitted via the appropriate Canvas drop box. It is the student's responsibility to upload the correct and corresponding draft or assessment item to the right submission section. Assignments must be submitted in a format accessible to the assessor(s), as stated on the relevant canvas site. If the unit convener and/or tutor are unable to access a submission, or if no submission has been made by the due date and time, a standard late penalty of 10% of the total marks possible for the task may be applied per day, for three days, after which the submission will receive a score of ‘0' in keeping with UC's Assessment Policy.

Moderation is used in the TESOL courses to maintain agreed standards in the assessment of student work through a valid, consistent and transparent process, in line with the UC Assessment Policy. Sample assignments at different grade levels will be moderated for each assessment item in each unit. All assignments that receive a mark of 45 or more but less than 50 percent will also be moderated. In addition, if a student receives an overall mark close to a grade boundary, their assignments will be moderated before their final result is released.

Special assessment requirements

Students must complete every assessment item in order to pass the unit. This includes the Hurdle Assessment items that are not allocated a mark (i.e. WWVP card, requirements for placement). An aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the unit.

Students should keep a copy of any assessment item that has been submitted.

Moderation is used in the TESOL courses to maintain agreed standards in the assessment of student work through a valid, consistent and transparent process, in line with the UC Assessment Policy. Sample assignments at different grade levels will be moderated for each assessment item in each unit. All assignments that receive a mark of 45 or more but less than 50 percent will also be moderated. In addition, if a student receives an overall mark close to a grade boundary, their assignments will be moderated before their final result is released.

Special consideration: In the case of illness, misadventure or unavoidable commitments, participants should contact the unit Convener as soon as possible.

If there is any doubt with regard to the requirements of any particular assignments or assessment procedure, the onus for clarifying the issue rests with the student who should contact the lecturer about the matter.

Academic integrity

Students have a responsibility to uphold University standards on ethical scholarship. Good scholarship involves building on the work of others and use of others' work must be acknowledged with proper attribution made. Cheating, plagiarism, and falsification of data are dishonest practices that contravene academic values. Refer to the University's Student Charter for more information.

To enhance understanding of academic integrity, all students are expected to complete the Academic Integrity Module (AIM) at least once during their course of study. You can access this module within UCLearn (Canvas) through the 'Academic Integrity and Avoiding Plagiarism' link in the Study Help site.

Use of Text-Matching Software

The University of Canberra uses text-matching software to help students and staff reduce plagiarism and improve understanding of academic integrity. The software matches submitted text in student assignments against material from various sources: the internet, published books and journals, and previously submitted student texts.

Provision of valid documentation

Please note that the University takes student conduct very seriously. All documentation provided to University staff must be valid and the provision of fraudulent documentation carries with it potentially serious consequences, including suspension and/or exclusion from the University. Note that all allegations of student misconduct will be referred to the Associate Dean for Education (ADE) as a prescribed authority for investigation.

Format requirements for all assignments:

• Font: Times or Times New Roman
• Size: 12
• Spacing: 1.5 or double
• Referencing style: APA style. The information is available through the Library website: https://canberra.libguides.com/c.php?g=599301&p=4148716 
• Use page numbering.
• Check your work carefully for spelling and grammatical errors.
• All assignments must be submitted in Word format.

References should be listed on a separate page, be attached to the end of your assignment (but before any appendices), and consist of several references. Please note that only references appearing in the assignment text should be listed on your page of references.

Appendices should be numbered and linked to the main text of the assignment.

Learner engagement

Students are expected to participate in synchronous and asynchronous activities online, complete the professional experience practicum and prepare assessment items. The time devoted to the unit would normally consist of:

Reading recommended texts and additional suggested material 20 hours

Preparation for supervised teaching practice  30 hours

Supervised teaching practice for 20 hours

Engagement in online activities 30 hours

Assessment items 50 hours

Participation requirements

Active engagement in all online modules enhances your learning and is strongly advised. Unless specifically stated in the unit outline, there is no mandatory attendance requirement. However, you may elect to attend timetabled activities, as they allow you to ask 'real time' questions to develop your understanding for the relevant assessment tasks.

Your participation in both class and online activities will enhance your understanding of the unit content and therefore the quality of your assessment responses. Lack of participation may result in your inability to satisfactorily pass assessment items.

Successful completion of the professional experience component is critical to success in the whole unit. Refer to 'Threshold task: Professional placement' under '5a. ASSESSMENT ITEM DETAILS' for more information. Students must make themselves familiar with the processes and policies of professional experience.

Required IT skills

Students are expected to have word processing and IT skills to allow them to fully engage in the unit through Canvas and to complete their assessments. This includes basic word processing skills, downloading documents/files from Canvas, use of Virtual Room, posting messages, uploading assignments, and using the library catalogue and library databases. For your professional placements, you may need to have access to a laptop/computer, with a microphone/speaker handset and camera access, and you may need to gain familiarity with Zoom or other online learning platforms.

Artificial intelligence services must not to be used for assessment or assessment preparation by students unless explicitly allowed in the assessment instructions for an assessment task published with the assessment task and/or in the unit outline. That is, an artificial intelligence services may only be used if:

• its use is authorised by the unit convener as part of a specified
  assessment task, and
• it is used in the way allowed in the assessment instructions and/or unit outline, and

its use is appropriately referenced, meaning that students must reference the use of AI in their assessment in the same way as they reference other source material.

In-unit costs

The textbooks are available through the Schoollocker website or other online providers (Amazon, Zookal) should you wish to purchase them. They are also available for borrowing at the UC library.

Work placement, internships or practicums

This unit involves work-integrated learning (WIL): Placement. Students must adhere to University policy during WIL activities, including the Student Conduct Rules 2018, the WIL policy and WIL procedure, and the Assessment policy, and Assessment procedure. 

Additional student responsibilities are required in addition to those described in section 6. Workplace learning requires strict adherence to professional practice principles and ethics. School student and staff confidentiality must always be maintained (refer policies Teachers' Code of Professional Practice (or equivalent) and Student Conduct Rules), including for assessment items such as reports or essays. This applies to staff and patrons of any outside agency where an internship or other WIL activity is taking place. 

Students must ensure appropriate details are recorded in InPlace (inplace.canberra.edu.au), and the relevant student agreements are agreed to and signed prior to your placement commencing. 

Students are responsible for obtaining the WWVP card by 5th August 2024. Students are expected to identify a placement institution and organise placement suitable to their location. These can be discussed with the unit convenor in week 1 of the semester.

NOTE: The Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) card only applies to the ACT. For students who choose to do a placement in an institution relevant to their work, located in a different state or territory, it may be that a Police Check or a Working with Children Check is required. Students can apply for a WWVP card via https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/app/answers/detail/a_id/1804/~/working-with-vulnerable-people-%28wwvp%29-registration

Additional information

Academic integrity

Students have a responsibility to uphold University standards on ethical scholarship. Good scholarship involves building on the work of others and use of others' work must be acknowledged with proper attribution made. Cheating, plagiarism, and falsification of data are dishonest practices that contravene academic values. Refer to the University's Student Charter for more information.

To enhance understanding of academic integrity, all students are expected to complete the Academic Integrity Module (AIM) at least once during their course of study. You can access this module within UCLearn (Canvas) through the 'Academic Integrity and Avoiding Plagiarism' link on the Study Help site.

Use of Text-Matching Software

The University of Canberra uses text-matching software to help students and staff reduce plagiarism and improve their understanding of academic integrity. The software matches submitted text in student assignments against material from various sources: the internet, published books and journals and previously submitted student texts.

Notifications through the Canvas Announcements Forum or the Canvas Discussion Forums are deemed to be made to the whole class.  It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they check for announcements on the Unit's Canvas website (forum messages are also emailed to student email addresses only).  Students should ensure they check their student email regularly.  The Canvas discussion forums will be checked by staff regularly.

Use of student email account

The University Email policy states that "students wishing to contact the University via email regarding administrative or academic matters need to send the email from the University account for identity verification purposes".  Therefore all unit enquiries should be emailed using a student university email account. Students should contact ServiceDesk@canberra.edu.au if they have any issues accessing their university email accounts.

Research-led education

This unit involves research-led education and work-integrated learning. There are active researchers delivering this unit who are able to engage students in deep and active learning and transmit to students their passion for the research they are carrying out.

• Semester 2, 2024, Online, UC - Canberra, Bruce (219703)
• Semester 2, 2024, On-Campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (219702)
• Vietnam Period 3, 2024, Intensive, UCI - Hanoi University, Hanoi (220481)
• Vietnam Period 1, 2024, Intensive, UCI - Hanoi University, Hanoi (220466)
• Semester 2, 2023, Online, UC - Canberra, Bruce (214507)
• Semester 2, 2023, On-Campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (214506)
• Vietnam Period 3, 2023, Intensive, UCI - Hanoi University, Hanoi (215135)
• Vietnam Period 1, 2023, Intensive, UCI - Hanoi University, Hanoi (215082)
• Semester 2, 2022, Online, UC - Canberra, Bruce (207905)
• Semester 2, 2022, On-Campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (207904)
• Vietnam Period 3, 2022, Intensive, UCI - Hanoi University, Hanoi (205546)
• Vietnam Period 1, 2022, Intensive, UCI - Hanoi University, Hanoi (207124)
• Semester 2, 2021, On-Campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (202016)
• Semester 2, 2021, Online, UC - Canberra, Bruce (203972)
• Vietnam Period 3, 2021, Intensive, UCI - Hanoi University, Hanoi (201359)
• Vietnam Period 1, 2021, Intensive, UCI - Hanoi University, Hanoi (200980)
• Semester 2, 2020, On-Campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (196010)
• Vietnam Period 1, 2020, Intensive, UCI - Hanoi University, Hanoi (198365)
• Semester 2, 2019, On-Campus, UC - Canberra, Bruce (190194)