IMPORTANT NOTICE !!!!
This seminar is reserved for M.Ed. students in their 1st semester. It is offered in combination with a seminar in Key Topics in Linguistics, "10-76-1-LING-02 Language History for Teachers of English: Varieties of English in the foreign language classroom" offered on Mondays 14:15-15:45. The two seminars build upon each other and should thus be taken together. So, please also register for that course.

This seminar is the practical application of the knowledge gained in the linguistics seminar “Language History for Teachers of English: Varieties of English in the foreign language Classroom”. Here we will discuss ways of incorporating different varieties of English into our teaching and evaluate existing teaching and learning materials. Students will also create a unit focused on varieties, which they will then be able to try out at one of our partner schools in Bremen.

This course will take place ONLINE with some video sessions during our normal seminar time (synchronous and asnychronous).

The seminar takes place ONLINE (via zoom) and combines synchronous (video lectures, discussions, group-work) and asynchronous (recordings, self-study time and group work) elements.

What defines the quality of a language test? How can you decide whether a test contains items of good, or poor quality? Which kind of procedures support fair and reliable ratings?

In the seminar, we approach the topic of language assessment by first exploring basic terminology and concepts in the field. Building upon this shared knowledge, we look deeper into relevant codes, standards and derived quality procedures, both in general as well as in specific phases of test development, administration and scoring. Against the backdrop of this theoretical basis, we critically analyze assessment instruments applied in both external and classroom-based language learning contexts and finally develop single assessment tasks and items ourselves.

The overall aims of the seminar are:
 to raise awareness for “the power of tests” (Shohamy, 2001)
 to develop knowledge and skills with regard to language assessment, focusing on aspects of quality and fairness
 to enhance “Language Assessment Literacy” (LAL), a competence which is critical for future teachers and other stakeholders in the educational context and helps to promote fair assessment.

Please note that prior enrollment via Stud.IP is mandatory.

Dieses Seminar ist verpflichtend für alle Studierenden, die ihre Masterarbeit (M. Ed.) im Fach Englisch abfassen. Beachten Sie bitte, dass dieser verpflichtende zweite Teil des Seminars nur im SoSe 2015 angeboten wird (als Forsetzung des ersten Teils aus dem vorangehenden WS).
Dieses Seminar befasst sich mit der Analyse und Evaluation aktueller Forschungsliteratur im Bereich der Fremdsprachenforschung; in diesem akademischen Jahr liegt dabei ein Schwerpunkt auf der Methodologie des Design-Based Research. Das Seminar ist als Grundlage zur Begleitung der eigenen empirischen Studie im Rahmen der Masterarbeit konzipiert. Durch eine intensive Betrachtung der gängigen Forschungsmethoden und ihrer Umsetzung in bereits veröffentlichten Studien werden eine Reflexion über Sprachlernprozesse sowie die Förderung logischen und kritischen Denkens angeregt und das Eintauchen in die Hintergründe der Fremdsprachenforschung ermöglicht. Im Seminar sollen Studierende lernen, ihre Erfahrungen mit der Untersuchung neuerer Forschungsarbeiten im Sinne einer Entwicklung zum reflective practitioner als Basis für ihre eigene Lehrkompetenz im Fach Englisch zu begreifen. Deswegen beschäftigen wir uns im Seminar vorrangig mit der Interpretation von Erkenntnissen aus der Fremdsprachenforschung und ihrer Relevanz für die eigene Forschung im Rahmen der Masterarbeit sowie die (spätere) eigene Unterrichtspraxis.

This course takes place both online and on campus ("Präsenzlehre"); both elements are in synch with the scheduled times.

This course addresses the implementation of various visual, written and aural adaptations into the language classroom. We look at what "adaptations" are from a theoretical point of view and use that knowledge to comprend their functions in the classroom. In order to do so, the selection of medial products is based on the official guidelines for teaching English in Bremen ("Bildungsplan").

As this course is part of the Practical Language Module, the focus is on the language functions and the active use of the adaptations rather than didactic concepts.

Note: This course takes place both online and on site at university. There will be video conferences at the beginning of the semester, but we will also meet in person towards the end of the semester.

Due to a lack of rooms this course is now an online course. Weekly session via Big Blue Button.

SUMMARY
Since you will become a teacher of English (soon), you might feel the need to fill any remaining ‘gaps’ regarding your own language learning and skills in English before going into school? Are there any grammatical areas which make you feel queasy? Do you feel confident when explaining these areas to learners of English? If not, now is the time to have another look at grammar....

GRAMMAR
We will adopt an active, hands-on approach to certain areas of basic syntax, among them tense selection and sequencing, use of the articles and reference, word order, and punctuation, examining their function to see how mis-selection can result in misunderstanding. Consideration of contrasting examples and work at the text level will underpin our analysis. You will be explaining the difference between potential options (e.g. the different ‘messages’ conveyed to the reader/listener by selecting Present Perfect or Past, or the definite or indefinite article, in a given context), and will give reasons for your syntactic choices. Thus, the class goes far beyond a merely ‘remedial’ level: if you can explain a grammatical point, you understand it, and can apply it correctly!
While all three SP-3 classes cover language functions and application of certain skills in the class room, this class has an ‘online’ touch to it, since we will be exploring various online resources available to pupils, students and/or (future) teachers.
Please note , however, that this is NOT an online course. It lives of live presentations and discussions with students and teacher present. Depending on class and room size we might (have to) split the class into two groups which will meet every other week. Preparation and homework can be done at home/online.

The class will also include

• a refresher of English pronunciation (especially regarding i. individual sounds problematic for German learners (and teachers?!) of English; ii. sentence intonation, as well as methods for improving this)
• an exploration of various online resources available to pupils, students and/or (future) teachers to detect their strengths and weaknesses and to evaluate their usefulness for learning and teaching English
• various resources such as role play, small-scale games and rhythm routines to mobilize vocabulary, internalize aspects of language, and develop self-confidence in using English

REQUIRED CLASS MATERIAL
Foley, Mark & Diane Hall, "MyGrammarLab" (Advanced) Student Book, 'with answers' (but 'NO KEY'!!!), Pearson.
ISBN 9781408299128, costing ca. €36 from online retailers.
IMPORTANT: Make sure you get the (NO key) ADVANCED, C1/C2-level book, NOT the elementary-level (A1/A2) or intermediate-level (B1/B2) ones and NOT the one 'with key'! You will need your own (new) copy of this book! It comes with online access to much supporting material (grammer videos) which you can use both as a student and as a teacher, as well as exercises you can download to your mobile phone (Android, iPhone). A new copy of the book is required, to have an unused access code to be able to access the online material required for this class. I will walk you through how to use the software, and also tell you at the first class meeting about other materials that you will need, some of which will be in Stud.IP. I will also explain then how the class will function, and outline class requirements for Credit Points and a grade for this SP-3 M.Ed. class.

REGISTRATION

There will initially be 20 places open for this class. Register in Stud.IP for the class by Friday, 15th October. A few weeks before teaching starts (2nd Nov) you will be notified (via Stud.IP) whether you have a seat in the class. Should you not receive a seat in this class, please check whether there are places still available in the two other SP-3 classes (one an online class!).

NOTE: This class is primarily for Master-of-Education EFL-teacher-trainee students. It is not open to ERASMUS students or students on other exchange programmes, unless their language skills in both English and German are demonstrably at at least C1 level. Any ERASMUS/exchange-programme students interested in participating MUST contact me well in advance (kamueller(at)uni-bremen.de) Replace the (at) with an @.

Please note that this course is an online course. Students are asked to participate regularly in the video conferences (see course schedule).

This course will examine the problems with the concept of sustainability with a focus on participation and justice. Language practice will focus on speaking, argumentation, debate, discussion as well as questions and answers. Students will be required to give a presentation.

Teaching method: We will meet in weekly online sessions, but students will also have access to weekly self-study units, worksheets and opencast podcasts. Since all of the participants are required to submit a research-based term paper, we will use parts of our seminar discussions to the development of topics, the formulation of a thesis statement, as well as considerations about the methodological approaches of writing such a paper.
Course description: This course aims to engage students enrolled in the Master of Education programme with the highly popular and thematically complex world of contemporary Anglophone graphic narratives. Following a brief introduction to the history of graphic novels, we will explore medium-specific aspects of storytelling in the graphic novel and identify selected critical approaches to the three novels selected for class. We will read and analyse the following three works: Anne of Green Gables: a graphic novel (2017), an adaption of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s renowned children’s novel first published in 1908; The Outside Circle: a graphic novel (2015) by Patti LaBoucane-Benson and Kelly Mellings focussing on the violent legacy of Canadian Colonialism from an indigenous perspective, and William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, first written as a dramatic text for the stage and now adapted to the world of visual/verbal-pictorial storytelling.

A reader with selected secondary text materials will be made available for download on Stud. IP. Please be aware that your registration on Stud. IP. is mandatory. You may wish to check the sections "Information" and "Schedule" further details such as requirements, weekly schedule, select bibliography and modes of assessment.
Requirements and Assessment
• Interest in the topic discussed and ideally a regular online attendance and informed participation in class discussion (not part of your formal assessment);
• in-depth knowledge of the selected reading material,
• homework assignments,
• research-based term paper.
Reading materials:
LaBoucane-Benson, Patti. The Outside Circle - A Graphic Novel. (Italics) Art by Kelly Mellings, House of Anansi Press Inc., 2015. (ISBN 9781770899377)
Marsden, Mariah. Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel. (Italics) Illustrated by Brenna Thummler. Adapted from L.M. Montgomery's classic story, Andrews McPeel Publishing, 2017. (ISBN 9781449479602)
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. (Italics) Illustrated by Ken Hoshine, Ernst Klett Sprachen, 2008/2018. (ISBN 9783125782150)

This class will be completely taught online and is open to MA students from the E-SC Master Program at U Bremen, as well as students who participate in exchange programs. All reading and information material (except the two novels) will be made available through the U Bremen teaching and learning platform Stud.IP; hence prior enrollment via Stud.IP is mandatory.

The class will focus on Canadian literature and introduce students to the topics of solidarity and migration; it is part of the theme semester “Solidarity”, organized by the Department of Anthropology and Cultural Research (FB 9). After discussing the concepts of ‘solidarity’ and ‘migration’ based on theoretical readings, we will look at how these are contextualized in Canadian prose, mainly shorter texts and two novels by an African Canadian and immigrant Canadian writer: Lawrence Hill’s The Illegal and Sharon Bala’s The Boat People.
Class requirements are regular attendance, in-depth knowledge of reading material, and active class discussion. Reading the primary and secondary texts is mandatory. Students are required to purchase and read Lawrence Hill’s The Illegal and Sharon Bala’s The Boat People. Ten copies of each are available at the university bookstore for 15€ (Hill) and 16€ (Bala) at the beginning of October. You can also order them via amazon.de, amazon.com and amazon.marketplace (check delivery times).

The aim of this course is to introduce students to Shakespeare's only domestic tragedy. Set in Venice as well as Cyprus, Othello has become a key text in the debate about racism in early modern Europe. Since the play dramatises the social anxieties aroused by a black outsider taking centre stage, our analysis will include a discussion of the extent to which Shakespeare drew upon, contributed to, or modified notions of otherness dominating in his own day.
As of today, the seminar has to be organised as an asynchronous digital course. As far as requirements are concerned, the course will differentiate between assignments which in the absence of real meetings have to be completed by every participant and a specific task that directly corresponds with the respective module of your study programme. The design of the portfolio that you will have to hand in by March 15, 2021, will also make a difference between the work of students who need a grade (PL) and those who want to get a pass (SL). Portfolio is here generally understood as a collection of course work consisting of five short on-topic reviews, i.e. one for each act of the tragedy (obligatory for SL and PL), and one additional essay (obligatory for PL) when a grade is needed.

Please note that prior enrolment via Stud.IP is mandatory.

text:
Shakespeare, William. Othello. The Arden Shakespeare. London. Thomson Learning, 2004.

Corpora can be used in a variety of ways in language teaching. With a direct approach, language learners use a corpus to find out, for example, in what context a word is used, or whether a phrase is idiomatic or rather an error, or the difference between synonyms, or between varieties of English. With the indirect approach, the language teacher uses corpora to develop teaching materials. In this class, we want to weigh the pros and cons of both approaches, and try them ourselves.
By taking this class, you as a prospective teacher will become familiar with different corpora, different search interfaces, and you will build your confidence in your own corpus literacy. You will be able to guide your students in their own corpus studies, and to use corpora to develop up-to-date teaching material.
Assessment: Portfolio
Literature
Aijmer, Karin (ed.). 2009. Corpora and Language Teaching. John Benjamins. E-book.
Götz, Sandra & Joybrato Mukherjee (eds.). 2019. Learner Corpora and Language Teaching. John Benjamins. Print.
Reppen, Randi. 2010. Using Corpora in the Language Classroom. Cambridge University Press. Print.

IMPORTANT NOTICE !!!!

This seminar is reserved for M.Ed. students in their 1st semester. It is offered in combination with a seminar in module FD3, 10-76-1-FD3-02 "Handlungskompetenzen - Teaching Varieties of English" (C3, online
seminar) offered on Tuesdays 14:15-15:45. The two seminars build upon each other and should thus be taken together. So, please also register for that course as well.

The massive spread and diversification of the English language, its dominance as a second/foreign language and its use as a global lingua franca has brought about a change in the foundations of how English should be taught and learned. However, in English Language Teaching
(ELT) in Germany there is still an exclusive exonormative orientation towards "Standard English", i.e. British and/or American English. But setting a monolingual, inner-circle native-speaker benchmark for todays' learners, including the corresponding cultural norms, does not correspond to the linguistic reality and is therefore no longer considered appropriate in many contexts. This seminar aims at helping teacher students develop an awareness of the sociolinguistic and pedagogical implications of the global spread of English, also beyond school curricula. In this linguistics seminar will approach World Englishes from a pedagogical point of view and discuss the sociolinguistic and pedagogical implications of the global spread of English.

Note that this seminar is component 1 of a paired tandem teaching project. Component 2 is a seminar on World Englishes and ELT pedagogy that shifts the focus to questions of material evaluation and design, curricular implementation and the preparation of students' teaching projects (seminar in module FD3, 10-76-1-FD3-02 "Handlungskompetenzen

• Teaching Varieties of English" offered on Tuesdays 14:15-15:45).

The knowledge acquired in these two paired seminars is then brought together in component 3, a practical phase at the end of the term in which the students take their lesson plans and teaching material dealing with selected varieties of English to the classroom by co-operating with local partner schools and experienced in-service teachers.

In the last decades, the research paradigm of World Englishes has experienced a proliferation of detailed studies of different aspects of Englishes across the world. These descriptions have largely focused on phonological, lexical, morphosyntactic, and, more recently, also pragmatic and cultural-cognitive aspects of World Englishes. The massive spread and diversification of the English language, its dominance as a second/foreign language and its use as a global lingua franca has also implications for the way English is learned and how it should be taught.

In this seminar we will review recent trends and current research topics and methods in the field (e.g. model formation, lexico-grammatical variation and innovation, pragmatics, metaphor and idioms, as well as the implications of the global spread and diversification of the English language for English language teaching).

IMPORTANT NOTICE !!!

This seminar is also offered for M.Ed. students in their 3. semester who need a credit in either the LING or KULT modules. After half of the semester, for these students different topics will be covered, i.e. the socio-historical contexts of selected World Englishes as well as the sociolinguistic and pedagogical implications of the global spread of English.

MA students will develop and work on corpus-based empirical research projects in which they examine selected aspects of World Englishes.

Obligatory preparatory reading for this seminar: tba

IMPORTANT NOTICE !!!!

This seminar is reserved for M.Ed. students in their 1st semester. It is offered in combination with a seminar in module FD3, 10-76-1-FD3-02 "Handlungskompetenzen - Teaching Varieties of English" (C3, online
seminar) offered on Tuesdays 14:15-15:45. The two seminars build upon each other and should thus be taken together. So, please also register for that course as well.

The massive spread and diversification of the English language, its dominance as a second/foreign language and its use as a global lingua franca has brought about a change in the foundations of how English should be taught and learned. However, in English Language Teaching
(ELT) in Germany there is still an exclusive exonormative orientation towards "Standard English", i.e. British and/or American English. But setting a monolingual, inner-circle native-speaker benchmark for todays' learners, including the corresponding cultural norms, does not correspond to the linguistic reality and is therefore no longer considered appropriate in many contexts. This seminar aims at helping teacher students develop an awareness of the sociolinguistic and pedagogical implications of the global spread of English, also beyond school curricula. In this linguistics seminar will approach World Englishes from a pedagogical point of view and discuss the sociolinguistic and pedagogical implications of the global spread of English.

Note that this seminar is component 1 of a paired tandem teaching project. Component 2 is a seminar on World Englishes and ELT pedagogy that shifts the focus to questions of material evaluation and design, curricular implementation and the preparation of students' teaching projects (seminar in module FD3, 10-76-1-FD3-02 "Handlungskompetenzen

• Teaching Varieties of English" offered on Tuesdays 14:15-15:45).

The knowledge acquired in these two paired seminars is then brought together in component 3, a practical phase at the end of the term in which the students take their lesson plans and teaching material dealing with selected varieties of English to the classroom by co-operating with local partner schools and experienced in-service teachers.

In this course we will engage in critical debates on popular culture, discuss various ways and methods of analyzing it and carry out exemplary investigations of selected cases. Employing a cultural historical perspective we will focus on categories of difference such as race, class, gender, sexuality. Students will improve their critical reading skills that can be applied to academic as well as to popular texts. Moreover, we will develop ideas how to productively use popular culture in schools.
Essential readings will be available for download on Stud-IP.
Requirements:
• regular attendance and participation in Stud.IP forum discussions
• in-depth knowledge of the reading material
• group presentation and handout
• term paper
Prior enrollment via Stud.IP is mandatory.

The seminar will take place primarily in the form of asynchronic, weekly study assignments and Stud.IP forum discussions. Additionally, synchronic meetings will be held in an online conference meeting room.

In the last decades, the research paradigm of World Englishes has experienced a proliferation of detailed studies of different aspects of Englishes across the world. These descriptions have largely focused on phonological, lexical, morphosyntactic, and, more recently, also pragmatic and cultural-cognitive aspects of World Englishes. The massive spread and diversification of the English language, its dominance as a second/foreign language and its use as a global lingua franca has also implications for the way English is learned and how it should be taught.

In this seminar we will review recent trends and current research topics and methods in the field (e.g. model formation, lexico-grammatical variation and innovation, pragmatics, metaphor and idioms, as well as the implications of the global spread and diversification of the English language for English language teaching).

IMPORTANT NOTICE !!!

This seminar is also offered for M.Ed. students in their 3. semester who need a credit in either the LING or KULT modules. After half of the semester, for these students different topics will be covered, i.e. the socio-historical contexts of selected World Englishes as well as the sociolinguistic and pedagogical implications of the global spread of English.

MA students will develop and work on corpus-based empirical research projects in which they examine selected aspects of World Englishes.

Obligatory preparatory reading for this seminar: tba

What happens when a Shakespeare play is transferred into a different medium? What distinguishes the Elizabethan drama from contemporary forms of art like film, the comic or the graphic novel? How can we describe and analyse the characteristics of both Shakespeare’s plays and their adaptations? This seminar deals with the phenomenon of adapting Shakespeare and asks about the genre-specificities of each production while also considering their sociohistorical context. We will begin by looking at excerpts of selected Shakespeare plays and then move on to three primary ‘texts’ that significantly contributed to the emergence of the cinematic Shakespeare renaissance in the 1990s: Much Ado About Nothing (1993), Richard III (1995) and William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet (1996). All three films are particularly suitable for a discussion of gender, which will serve as a leitmotif in this seminar.

Prerequisites for a successful participation:
• regular attendance and oral participation
• in-depth knowledge of the reading material
• online & offline assignments
• oral presentation
• term paper (optional)

Key texts/films to be purchased* by students as soon as possible:
Much Ado About Nothing. Dir. Kenneth Branagh. BBC Films. The Samuel Goldwyn Company. USA/GB: 1993. DVD.
Richard III. Dir. Richard Loncraine. Bayly/Paré Productions British Screen. United Artists Pictures. GB: 1995. DVD.
William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet. Dir. Baz Luhrmann. Bazmark Productions. 20th Century Fox. USA/GB: 1996. DVD.
*feel free to watch the films online, depending on your media services provider

Maximum number of participants: 20

Please note: Due to the pandemic, this seminar will in parts be taught virtually via ZOOM including a significant number of asynchronous tasks. Please also note: For a successful participation, it is essential that you join the very first zoom meeting (via StudIP). Make sure you are online at least 10 mins prior to the first session to ensure a timely start, thank you.

In the course of this seminar we shall analyse three contemporary films which highlight diverse aspects of the life and achievements of historical scientists. In Creation (2009), directed by Jon Amiel, a specific biographical reading is offered that foregrounds Charles Darwin's relationship to his wife Emma and their initial dispute on the nexus between science and religion. James Marsh's The Theory of Everything (2014) is a biopic on the famous theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking and his complex family life. Hidden Figures (2016), a film directed by Theodore Melfi, tells the fascinating story of Katherine Johnson who worked at NASA at the time of the space race.
The aim of this seminar is to have a close look at the way in which each film production ventures on a biographical reconstruction of an individual scientist or a group of scientists. And it will be interesting to see how the specific representations are based on the multimodal nature of the corpus under scrutiny.
As of today, the seminar has to be organised as an asynchronous digital course. As far as requirements are concerned, the course will differentiate between assignments which in the absence of real meetings have to be completed by every participant and a specific task that directly corresponds with the respective module of your study programme. The design of the portfolio that you will have to hand in by March 15, 2021, will also make a difference between the work of students who need a grade (PL) and those who want to get a pass (SL). Portfolio is here generally understood as a collection of course work consisting of terminological issues (obligatory for SL and PL), three on-topic reviews, i.e. one for each film (obligatory for SL and PL), and one additional essay (obligatory for PL) when a grade is needed.

Please note that prior enrolment via Stud.IP is mandatory.

You are kindly asked to stream, purchase or borrow the three films. If you want to buy them, the sum total will not exceed 25 Euro.