The course offers a theoretical framework for the classroom observation protocol for foreign languages and it provides tools for the application of the theory to the teaching practice. It aims to improve students'capacity to reflect on teaching materials and styles through the analysis of foreign language lessons. The final  goal is to find effective teaching strategies to promote foreign language learning and to experiment with new teaching techniques. Accordingly, particular attention will be paid to the foreign language teacher's duties and competencies.

Being able to place classroom activities in a coherent and theoretically sound lesson plan and to carry out meta-analysis  on the aspects of one's teaching practice costitute the core of the professional profile of a FL teacher.

The course covers the following topics:

• Planning a syllabus, a module, a learning unit and a lesson
• Foreign language classroom observation and evaluation protocol
• Group reflection and corrective actions

Students should be aware of the second language acquisition (SLA)  process  and of the  fundamental bases of foreign language instruction.

• Knowledge and understanding: students will be able to comprehend and discuss foreign language lesson planning and evaluation.To this end, lectures and interactive activities will be implemented;
• Applying knowledge and understanding: students will be able to create teaching activities whose content and procedures are in line with the requirements of a FL classroom. They will be able to explain their choices and to correct their teaching strategies.To this endstudents will analyse and evaluate  their own and classmates' lessons  both face-to-face and in online activities;
• Making judgements: students will gain a critical understanding of  the degree of efficacy of teaching practice. To this end discussion sessions will be organized to analyse the practical teaching activities conducted by the students;
• Communication: students will be able to interact effectively and collaboratively in a FL classroom.  To reach this goal, students will deliver lessons to school pupils, discuss different teaching styles in class and post comments on Moodle; 
• Lifelong learning skills: students will be able to research and extract information individually and in groups. To this end,  hands-on activities will be organized.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Teaching

• Teacher-fronted lectures
• Interactive lectures
• Groupwork and written assignments
• Presentations

Course books

1.Harmer J., (2007), The practice of English Language Teaching, (4th edition), Pearson Longman: Harlow UK; (parts 3/5/9/10)
2.Carmel Mary Coonan, (2000), La ricerca azione. 
(http://venus.unive.it/aliasve/moduli/didattica_intercultura/ricerca_azione.pdf)

Assessment

Oral exam . Attending students will be assessed on the basis of their knowledge of the theoretical concepts  introduced in the course (30%), their ability to apply their knowledge to the development, analysis and evaluation of FL lessons (50%), their subject-specific communication skills (10%), and their degree of in-class and online participation (10%).

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Course books

Harmer J., (2007), The practice of English Language Teaching, (4th edition), Pearson Longman: Harlow UK; (parts 3/5/9/10)

Carmel Mary Coonan, (2000), La ricerca azione. 
(http://venus.unive.it/aliasve/moduli/didattica_intercultura/ricerca_azione.pdf)

Sisti F. (2016),  “CLIL in higher Education: what if…?” in C. Coonan (a cura di),  A journey through the CLIL landscape: problems, prospects, Cambridge Scholars Publishing: Cambridge  

Sisti F. (2016), “Narrative thinking and storytelling for primary and early FL/SL education” in  Donna Tatsuki (Ed.), Fictions.  Studi sulla narratività, (n. XV), Fabrizio Serra Editore: Pisa-Roma

Assessment

Oral exam: NON -attending students will be assessed on the basis of their knowledge of the concepts introduced in the reading materials (60%), their ability to apply their knowledge to the analysis and evaluation of practical teaching cases (30%)  and their subject-specific communication skills (10%).

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Only attending students have to study the teaching materials available on Moodle. 

The student can request to sit the final exam in English with an alternative bibliography given by the instructor.