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Graduate School of Education
MSc TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)
SUPPLEMENT TO MASTERS PROGRAMMES HANDBOOK
2013 – 2014
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CONTENTS SECTION ONE: WELCOME FROM MSC TESOL PROGRAMME CO-ORDINATOR 3 1.1 The TESOL teaching team 3 1.1.2 External Examiner 4 SECTION 2: ORIENTATION WEEK 4 2.1 The TESOL Orientation assignment 5 2.2 Selecting Optional Units 5 2.3 Student Representation 6 SECTION 3: THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION 7 3.1 TESOL/Applied Lingusitics in the GSOE 7 SECTION 4: KEY INFORMATION ABOUT THE MSC TESOL 8 4.1 Aims of the Programme 8 4.2 Learning Outcomes 8 4.3 Award Requirements 9 SECTION 5: LEARNING IN THE MSC TESOL 10 5.1 Development of Learning 11 5.2 Personal Tutor and Unit Tutor 12 5.2.1 Personal Tutor 12 5.2.2 Unit Tutor 12 5.3 The Student Experience 12 5.3.1 Purpose of Assessment 12 MSc TESOL Table 1- The Student Experience of Assessment 14 5.3.2 Assessment Criteria: Formative and Summative Assessment 16 5.3.3 Plagiarism and Referencing 16 5.3.4 The Examination Board 16 5.3.5 Key Dates and Schedules 17 SECTION 6: TUESDAY SEMINAR PROGRAMME (FOUNDATION SEMINARS) 18 SECTION 7: ASSIGNMENT HAND-IN DATES 19 7.1 Learning Support in TESOL 20 i) Learning and Study Skills 20 ii) English Language Support 20 iii) ICT Support 20 iv Participation in meeting with tutors 20 v) Advice & Support for International Students 21 vi) Student Grievance Procedure 21 APPENDIX 1: EXAMPLE OF ASSIGNMENT FEEDBACK FORM 22
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1. Welcome from the Programme Coordinator
Welcome to the MSc TESOL programme and Applied Linguistics community at the Graduate School of Education.
This supplement is designed, in conjunction with the Masters Programme Handbook, to guide you through the programme. Please familiarise yourself with its contents and refer to both handbooks during the year. As the MSc TESOL Co-ordinator, I can assure you that your time here will be academically intensive, and personally and professionally rewarding. See what our previous TESOL students have said at: http://100stories.edn.bris.ac.uk/education/centenary/stories/ Also join our Applied Linguistic Research Network on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/linguistnet.bristol Wishing you every success Dr. Frances Giampapa
1.1. The TESOL teaching team
The teaching staff on the MSc TESOL programme are:
Dr Frances Giampapa (Programme Co-ordinator) o Office location: 1.17 o Email: [email protected] o Tel: (0117) 331 4499
Mr Gerald Clibbon o Office location: F14 (8-10 Berkeley Square) o Email: [email protected] o Tel: (0117) 331 14379
Dr Talia Isaacs o Office location: 3.16 o Email: [email protected] o Tel: (0117) 331 4312
Dr Vanda Papafilippou o Office location: TBA
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o Email: [email protected]
Dr Helen Woodfield o Office location: 1.19 o Email: [email protected] o Tel: (0117) 331 4483
Dr Guoxing Yu o Office location: 3.08 o Email: [email protected] o Tel: (0017) 331 4436
The Student Services Office provides administrative support to the students and staff of the Graduate School of Education. Jen Williams is the administrator responsible for all Masters Programmes, including the MSc TESOL programme.
Office location: 1.08 Email: [email protected] Tel: (0117) 331 4417
1.1.2 Dr. James Simpson (External Examiner - See also section 7.2.4)
The External Examiner for the MSc TESOL is Dr. James Simpson (University of Leeds) (http://www.education.leeds.ac.uk/people/academic/simpson) You will be invited to meet James on the day of the MSc Exam Board on 15th November 2013. Further information about the external examination of Masters
programmes can be found in the Assessment & Academic Matters section of the Masters Level Handbook.
2. Orientation Week The purpose of orientation week is to initiate you as a member of the TESOL community at the University of Bristol. During this week you will start a learning process through which you will become familiar with our culture, procedures and expectations. In particular you will learn about: what is expected of you as a student what you can expect of the TESOL team and other staff of the department and the
University how you will learn on the TESOL Programme the facilities and resources open to you each other and the support fellow students can offer
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By the close of Induction Week students should have: a sense of the shape of the programme of learning in the first term and throughout accessed the TESOL Blackboard met their Personal Tutor started the TESOL orientation assignment registered as a University email user have a library card sorted out your accommodation registered with the University Health Service read through this Handbook and other documentation.
2.1 The TESOL Orientation assignment – Deadline 4th of October The TESOL orientation assignment is an opportunity to write and get feedback without the pressures of the formal assessment system. The title which you write on has already been sent to you in the document ‘Preparing for the Course’, and is reproduced below. The assignment should be submitted to your personal tutor via Blackboard. The feedback from your personal tutor will advise on writing strengths and areas for development.
The question below is set out for you to reflect on as you prepare for the MSc TESOL. This will be the topic of a short written assignment (for practice: it is not formally assessed) during Orientation Week.
From language learner to language teacher (1,500 words)
What are the key influences that have shaped your experience as a language learner (L1 and FL) and as a language teacher?
Which strategies and dispositions contributed to your success (or lack of it) as a language learner?
How do these relate to your teaching strategies?
What changes or additions in terms of skills and strategies do you feel would improve your performance as a learner and teacher?
2.2 Selecting Optional units (Please refer to your Masters Level Handbook)
Units will be selected during Orientation Week. Please see the About Our Masters Programmes section of the M-level handbook for further information. Normally the optional units we offer run, unless there is insufficient uptake. During Reading Week, there will be an information session to provide further details. You should discuss your choices with your personal tutor. You can change optional unit choices made in Orientation Week up until 1st November.
Students may also take optional units from any M-Level programme in the Graduate School of Education and Faculty of Social Science and Law. Any student
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who wishes to explore such opportunities should consult their Personal Tutor and the Unit Tutor of the unit you are interested in.
2.3. Student Representation – (See also section 7.1 (iv)) During Orientation Week, the MSc TESOL class will elect its student representatives for the academic year 2013/14. Further information about this role can be found in the M-level Handbook; perhaps you would like to support your classmates and help improve your programme? Hear what a former student representative has to say about his experiences: The role gave me an excellent opportunity to establish a closer relationship with both my fellow students and the academic and administrative staff at GSoE. The responsibilities of a student rep required a very small time commitment on my part, and included organising informal social activities and taking part in termly course committee meetings. During these meetings I was given the opportunity to pass on any comments, concerns or questions that had been raised by the students, and I would be invited to share my opinion about the best way to resolve these issues.This very rewarding role would suit anyone interested in helping to engender a sense of community among the TESOL students, and anyone wanting to improve their communication and interpersonal skills. (Matt, Student Rep 07/08)
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3. The Graduate School of Education
3.1 TESOL/Applied Linguistics in the GSOE The TESOL/Applied Linguistics team offer three teaching programmes or strands of programmes– MSc TESOL, TESOL/Applied Linguistics strands of the EdD, and TESOL/Applied Linguistics strand of the MPhil/PhD. You will find MSc TESOL tutors connected to different thematic groups (Learning Inquiry and Learning Societies) as well as different Research Centres (Centre for Research on Globalisation, Education and Societies and the Centre for Assessment and Evaluation Research). We have an Applied Linguistic Research Network (see Welcome message for link) – Linguistnet. Centres and Networks run termly seminars with invited talks by internal and external speakers as well as current doctoral research students. These add value to the learning of students on the MSc TESOL as well as other programmes.
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4. KEY INFORMATION about the MSc TESOL
4.1 Aims of the Programme
This programme is aimed at professionals in English language education at all levels (from kindergarten to university) and including teachers both from the UK and overseas. It aims to enable them to develop as researchers and as reflective practitioners, and to develop their intellectual, practical and transferable skills, by extending and deepening their professional knowledge in four specific areas: 1. The programme emphasises research skills both as a means to facilitating access to knowledge construction (for example in doctoral study, or as a researcher), and improving professional practice through enhanced understanding of learning and classroom processes and capacity to participate in and lead research projects. 2. The programme develops understanding and skills in English language description and analysis, addressing both traditional sentence-level approaches, more recent discourse-based perspectives, and emerging accounts based on corpora and other electronically constructed accounts. 3. The programme develops understanding of a range of perspectives on language learning, in particularsecond language acquisition sociolinguistic and identity, socio-cultural perspectives. It introduces the epistemological traditions underpinning these approaches, and develops awareness of data collection and analysis procedures relevant to these traditions; 4. The programme develops understanding of pedagogy and curriculum in TESOL. The professional focus here involves a reflective, analytic use of professional experience, related to a future-oriented, innovative practice resourced by teacher research, a range of ICT options, and a quality-informed view of the network of relationships which characterise TESOL practice.
4.2 Learning Outcomes A. Knowledge and understanding of the following aspects of the TESOL/Applied Linguistic field:
i) Specific theories, ideas and practices developed within Applied Linguistics and TESOL, and the relationships between these perspectives and i) theories, ideas and practices in Education, and ii) policies, procedures and practices in the range of contexts where language skills are developed;
ii) the role of research in building knowledge and informing practices in TESOL; iii) description of language, drawing on knowledge in Applied Linguistics and
Discourse studies; iv) language learning, from Second Language Acquisition, socialisation, and socio-
cultural, sociolinguistic and identity perspectives;
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v) language teaching strategies, and language programme management processes, including teacher learning, assessment of learning outcomes and quality assurance processes in instructional settings.
B. Intellectual skills/ Attributes Students will be able to:
i) Design and implement research projects (or part thereof) relevant to knowledge building and improvement of professional practice in TESOL;
ii) Describe and analyse language for pedagogic purposes; iii) Evidence language learning achievements and language use processes through
written and interactional data; iv) Document and analyse teaching strategies and wider curricular approaches both
for knowledge-building and enhanced effectiveness. C. Other skills and attributes Students will be able to use the following as resources for learning:
i) Professional experience in TESOL; ii) Reflection and collaboration; iii) ICT supported opportunities for interaction and learning; iv) diverse information sources to include the WWW, electronic data bases and
journals v) Natural and technologised approaches to critique; vi) Opportunities for elaboration and defence of academic positions; vii) Exposure to the nature and features of academic linguistics style and discourse; viii) Personal time and task management strategies.
4.3 Award Requirements (Read the Masters Level Handbook for information about the requirements)
Students who want to be awarded the MSc Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) degree need to:
i) have completed their six assessed pieces of work (20 credits each) at C grade or above;
ii) complete a dissertation (60 credits) and have this assessed as a pass at C or
above;
iii) complete the assignment for their compulsory research training unit (Research Methods for TESOL) at C or above. A failure in this unit cannot be substituted with any other unit;
iv) complete (normally) the three other core units (Analysing language for TESOL;
Pedagogy and Curriculum in TESOL; and Second language Learning) and two of the optional, specialist units offered.
v) attend a minimum of 80% of sessions for each of the programme units.
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Students who want to be awarded the Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) degree need to:
i) have completed their six assessed pieces of work (20 credits each) at C grade or above;
ii) complete (normally) the assignment for their compulsory research training unit
(Research Methods for TESOL) at C or above. A failure in this unit cannot be substituted with any other unit;
iii) complete (normally) the three other core units (Analysing language for TESOL;
Pedagogy and Curriculum in TESOL; and Second language Learning) and two of the optional, specialist units offered
iv) attend a minimum of 80% of sessions for each of the programme units.
Students who want to be awarded the Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) degree need to:
i) have completed their three assessed pieces of work (20 credits each) at C grade or above;
ii) complete (normally) the assignment for their compulsory research training unit
(Research Methods for TESOL) at C or above. A failure in this unit cannot be substituted with any other unit;
iii) attend a minimum of 80% of sessions for each of the programme units.
5.0 Learning in the MSc TESOL Students benefit from five contexts of learning: i) Private study and independent reading
This is a set of individually-directed activities on which TESOL students will spend a lot of time. The key to success is achieving a strategic balance between required and recommended readings, and readings discovered through your own creative searches in the library, electronic resources and the internet.
ii) Collaboration with individual tutors Each student will have an allocated personal tutor from the TESOL team who will help you adapt to the demands of the programme, particularly in the first months of the programme. Each student will also have an allocated unit tutor to advise on learning within each unit. The unit tutor will normally be the first marker of assignments. (See Assessment Criteria in the Masters Level Handbook).
iii) Participation in the TESOL Blackboard (Virtual Learning Environment) Students will be registered on the TESOL Blackboard, a multi-faceted electronic resource for learning on the TESOL programme. A key aspect of successful learning is participation in the Discussion Board, to explore issues of personal and professional interest with classmates and tutors.
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iv) Scheduled lectures and seminars on units Students will have approximately 20 hours of class time per 20 credit unit. Class time includes lectures, seminars, workshops and student presentations. These activities are most effective when supported by preparation and follow-up tasks (reading, group discussion, Blackboard discussion). Details of teaching learning and assessment on units are provided in Unit Outlines.
The University guidelines state that one credit point is broadly equivalent to 10 hours of total student input. This includes teaching, private study, revision and assessments. Therefore a 20 credit point unit will normally require 200 hours of student input. The University wishes to ensure that paid work does not adversely affect the academic progress of its students, while understanding the need to work in order to earn money. It therefore advises that, for full time students, up to fifteen hours a week paid work would be reasonable over the course of the academic year.
v) The Dissertation (See the Masters Level Programme Handbook)
The dissertation is an individual study, designed and carried out by each student with the support of an advisor. It is a context of learning which draws together the opportunities for and processes of learning in i) to iv) above. Students should start thinking about the topic and approach of the dissertation early in the programme. You will be required to fill out a dissertation topic form by the end of January. Advisors will normally be allocated in February, and the submission date is normally mid-September.
5.1 Development of Learning The learning experience within the programme will be in three distinct phases: Phase 1 (normally Autumn Term) This is an intensively-supported learning experience, designed to support those from undergraduate study fields other than TESOL /Applied Linguistics, and those new to the UK cultural context of learning. Support mechanisms include electronic resources (Blackboard) and formative assessment in the development of portfolios. Assignments will facilitate a focus on the particular elements which are essential for effective graduate learning: critique of published research studies; focussed literature review; specification of contextual factors which shape language learning and teaching, and data collection and analysis. Phase 2 (normally Spring Term) This is a transition phase where the learning experience is increasingly self-directed, and through study in the specialist units, increasingly oriented to individual learning goals. In this phase students will initiate and develop dissertation projects to be completed in Phase 3. Assignments will typically be negotiated by students, shaped by individual learning plans related to research and professional practice and include a reflective element. Phase 3 (Dissertation phase) The learning focus in this phase will be the dissertation. Each student will work in an autonomous and self-directed way with an advisor to complete the dissertation.
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5.2 Personal Tutor and Unit Tutor
5.2.1 The Personal Tutor
All full and part-time students are assigned a personal tutor. The tutor is there to help with general issues that arise (that is, other than learning within units, completing assignments, etc: such discussion should be with the relevant Unit Tutor), or with personal concerns that may impact on learning and study. The personal tutor listens, sometimes provides advice or solutions, and sometimes recommends other avenues to consider. Students meet their personal tutor at the start of the programme, then normally once per term and subsequently as need arises. All students must complete a Personal Tutor form BEFORE each meeting (students are entitled to 4 meetings across the academic year). This form can be found in the Programme Information section of the MSc TESOL 13/14 Blackboard site, and emailed to the tutor in advance of the personal tutorial. It is important the Personal Tutor is seen as a resource for students, not a requirement. Visit the University Student Help Site for answers to frequently asked questions and links to support and advice: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/studenthelp/ http://www.bristol.ac.uk/esu/studentlearning/pt/ 5.2.2 The Unit Tutor All students are allocated a Unit Tutor for each unit they are taking. All students can expect the Unit Tutor to advise on learning in the particular unit and on assessed work for that unit. Further information about the role of the Unit Tutor can be found in the Student Support and Progress section of the M-level Handbook.
5.3 The Student Experience of Assessment 5.3.1 Purposes of Assessment There are two principal roles for assessment in the MSc TESOL:
a. It is the means by which the credits which build to the MSc TESOL degree are awarded. Thus each unit assessment process leads to a literal grade, and where this is A, B, or C, it means you have accumulated 20 credits towards the degree requirement (180 credits);
b. Assessment is a key context of learning on the MSc TESOL. Students
learn a) through the intellectual activity (thinking, reading, reflecting, talking, listening, writing, remembering, etc) of preparing an assessment task, b) through formative assessment processes (self-assessment; and feedback from tutors and classmates), and c) comments on marked assignments which identify aspects of your work to develop in later assessment tasks.
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The table on the following pages provides a map of how learning through assessment builds skills and capacities over the course. And as a map you may find this useful to track your own development as an MSc TESOL student, and complete the final dissertation phase with the required intellectual skills, awareness and confidence. Further information on assessment is available in the Assessment & Academic Matters section of the Masters Level Handbook. Details of matters such as word counts, assignment extensions, resubmissions and conventions for assessed work can be found there too.
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Table 1: MSc TESOL – The Student experience of assessment
Units Assessment format (See Unit Outlines for details)
Use of Assessment for Learning (AfL) (In addition to routine tutorial and online support)
Key assessment criteria Assessment completed (normally)
Building blocks for Dissertation
Analysing Language for TESOL
A portfolio of tasks which reflect skills of language description and discourse analysis, with a reflective conclusion on process and impact of learning (equivalent to 4,000 words).
Feedback on tasks will establish learning goals for each individual student, and facilitate a focus and access to resources as required. The reflective section will facilitate self-assessment and learning through reflection.
Understanding of approaches to discourse analysis, and frameworks and concepts used by others; Links between discourse and textual analysis and development of pedagogical practice in TESOL; Construction and analysis of linguistic and textual data; Reflective use of own capacity as a language user.
Autumn and Spring terms
Collecting, transcribing and analysing linguistic data; Reflecting on purposes, and own motivations and assumptions.
Pedagogy and Curriculum in TESOL
A portfolio of tasks which analyse curriculum processes, with a reflective conclusion on process and impact of learning (equivalent to 4,000 words).
Completion of tasks during Term 1 and 2, supported by tutor feedback will facilitate reflective use of own professional and contextual knowledge; and developing familiarity with concepts from input sessions and the literature.
Understanding of frameworks and concepts used to analyse and develop curriculum and pedagogy in TESOL; Awareness of the factors affecting TESOL practice; Analysis of context for the development of teaching and learning; Task design and adaptation skills; Reflective use of own experience as a language teacher.
Autumn and Spring terms
Analysis of potential and limitations of pedagogical contexts; Design, adaptation and of language learning tasks and materials.
Research methods for TESOL
Written critique of a published research study; Oral presentation component of the research method(s) used. (Critique is equivalent to 3,000 words and Group Oral presentation
Completing the written critique is supported by student-led study groups working on samples of previous students’ critiques. Group Oral presentation
Understanding of research purposes and processes in TESOL, Applied Linguistics, Education and across the social sciences; Critique skills; Presentation skills.
Written critique: Autumn term. Oral presentation: Spring term
Close reading of published research studies; Dissemination of knowledge through oral presentation and reflective component.
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component 1000 words) component will follow the return of the marked written critique, and involve use of feedback
Second Language Learning
A 4,000 word focussed literature review in an area of second language learning
This will be a self-directed assignment, supported by small-group tutorials and student-led study groups.
Understanding of factors affecting language learning; Awareness of relevance and limitations of language learning theories for teachers; Awareness of relevance and limitations of language learning research processes
Autumn term Scoping and completing a literature review; Identification of relevant literature resources.
Students select two from options A-D A. Intercultural Pragmatics & Communication. B. Globalisation and the Politics of English in TESOL C. Language Testing and Assessment D. Teaching and Assesing Fluency and Pronunciation
Either: 1. A negotiated assignment of 4,000 words (or equivalent) exploring professional aspects of the selected option field, informed by both current perspectives in the literature, and the development needs of a specific curricular context. Or 2. An outline proposal for an empirical research study addressing a current theoretical or curricular issue in the selected option field, including a focussed literature review, research questions and procedures for data collection and data analysis.
Increasingly self-directed, with online support and tutorials with unit tutors
1. Conceptualisation of professional problem in TESOL; Appropriateness of approach and resources used to develop a solution; Viability of the solution. 2. Identification of a researchable issue in the fields introduced in the options; Quality of research questions and data sets; Awareness of ethical and logistical aspects of research.
Spring term 1. Novel perspective on a pedagogical context and capacity for improved teaching and learning. 2. Design of a research study (which may be used as a platform for the dissertation study)
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5.3.2 Assessment Criteria: Use of criteria for formative and summative assessment The assessment of each assignment will be referenced to the criteria stipulated in the Masters Level Handbook. Unit Outlines will provide additional notes on how the criteria apply to particular assignments. Grades are:
A. Excellent B. Good C. Pass D. Marginal fail E. Fail
Formative assessment One function of the criteria is to provide feedback to contribute to the development of students’ learning and writing skills. Grades A, B and C reflect an M-level performance. Grades D & E indicate where attention on the students’ part, normally for future assignments, is required.
Summative assessment The assessment according to these criteria has a summative function in relation to accumulation of unit credits. Where the overall grade is D or E, then the assignment needs to be re-written. Students who get a D or E for an assignment should arrange without delay to see the unit tutor. 5.3.3 Plagiarism and Referencing (Please read the Masters Level Handbook) Plagiarism is:
Passages quoted or closely paraphrased from other authors must be identified as quotations or paraphrases, and the sources of the quoted or paraphrased material must be acknowledged. Use of unacknowledged sources may be construed as plagiarism.
Plagiarism is cheating. Tutors who suspect plagiarism may use one of the many electronic detection services available, and students who plagiarise are likely to be caught and to suffer severe consequences. Please see Appendix 6 (Plagiarism Declaration form) and consider carefully whether an assignment may contain any of the infringements (a - e) on the form.
More information about plagiarism can be found at: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/esu/studentlearning/plagiarism/
5.3.4 The Examination Board Awards on the MSc TESOL programme are confirmed by a meeting of the Faculty Exam Board held in December each year. Prior to this meeting, the School Exam Board meets to confirm details of awards to be recommended, and to receive a report from the External Examiner. Further information about the Exam Board can be found in the Assessment & Academic Matters section of the M-level Handbook.
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5.3.5 Key Dates and Schedules Once you have chosen your units, you can access your personalised timetables by going to the MyBristol portal at: mybristol.bris.ac.uk You must read and note the key dates listed in the Key Dates for 2013/14 section of the M-level Handbook, which includes term dates, information about Reading Week, and other dates and deadlines that you will need to know about. Individual tutors will provide other key dates related to particular units.
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6.0 Tuesday Seminar Programme (Foundation Seminars) Room 2.26
The Tuesday programme adds value to learning on the MSc TESOL in two ways:
i) The Foundation Seminars present some ‘big picture’ perspectives on the theories, frameworks and concepts which are important in explanation and theory building in TESOL and Applied Linguistics. The seminars thus map some of the connections between the topics and issues examined in detail in units.
ii) The Meetings are an opportunity for us to develop as a community of learning: for students to understand the principles and culture of the planned learning experience, and for tutors to understand the student experience of this.
Tuesday 1st October – Pragmatics in TESOL (Helen Woodfield)
Tuesday 15th October – Researching Identity: New Perspectives and New Directions
in TESOL/Applied Linguistics (Frances Giampapa)
Tuesday 22nd October – Language Testing and Assessment in TESOL (Guoxing Yu)
Tuesday 29th October (Reading Week) – Optional Unit Session (TESOL team)
Tuesday 5th November – Research Paradigms in TESOL (Talia Isaacs)
Date and time to be announced – Critical approaches and methodologies in TESOL
(Vanda Papafilippou)
Note: A series of MSc TESOL dissertation seminars will run in summer term (schedule will be published on Blackboard in due course). For all other M-level workshops and seminars please check Blackboard.
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7.0 Assignment Hand-in Dates
Month Assignment task Hand-in dates Return dates
October PCT Task 1 Thursday October 31st by 15th November
November ALT Task 1 Thursday 21st November by 6
th December
December RMT Critique Group A: Tues 10th December Group B: Tues 17
th December
Thur 14th January
January SLL assignment Group B: Tues 14th January Group A: Tuesday 21st January
Tues 4th February
February PCT Task 2 (+Task 1) Group B Thurs 6th February Group A: Tues 11th February
Tues 25th February
February ALT Task 2 Thurs 20th February Thurs 6th March
March
ALT Task 3 + Intro /Conclusion
Group A: Thurs 13th March Group B: Thurs 20 th March
Friday 28th April
April/May
Research Design Pedagogical App.
Thu 24th April Thu 8th May
Thur 8th May Thur 24th May
Notes i) All work will be submitted to Blackboard electronically. It should be accompanied by the assignment feedback form, which can be found in the Assignment section on Blackboard. You should read the unit outline and the guidance given on Blackboard in advance of your first assignment deadline. ii) Overall grades for Units (Please refer to unit outlines)
The overall grade for RMT will be generated from 2 grades (1 for the written critique (75%) and 1 for the Oral Presentation component (25%) that will be arranged in the spring term. Oral presentation dates will be assigned in the Spring Term.
iii) Two hand-in dates Students will be allocated to one of two seminar groups – A & B. To alleviate pressure on library resources and tutor time the hand-in dates for assignments are
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sometimes staggered. Students should observe the hand-in date specified for their group. iv) Extensions If you need to apply for an assignment extension, please see the guidance given in the Masters Level Handbook. v) Hand-in dates for optional unit assignments There are two dates. Each student should decide which assignment to complete first and inform their unit tutors of their decisions.
7.1 Learning Support in TESOL (see also section 5.2)
i) Learning and Study Skills (See Masters Level Handbook)
Seminars on Learning and Study Skills are provided within the Graduate School of Education during the Autumn and Spring terms. These sessions will be advertised to all Masters students at the start of the Autumn term.
All students may also find it useful to refer to other resources aimed at enhancing their academic performance and future employability. The Student Skills Directory, enables students to search for and book on to skills courses in addition to those courses run by the Department. (http://www.bris.ac.uk/studentskills/skills_resources/). Information Services and the Computing Centre, which includes useful information on Library services, as well as self-help learning (http://www.bris.ac.uk/is/). The Careers Service, which provides career-orientated workshops, practice interviews and personal guidance as well as a variety of courses to help develop student skills:(http://www.bristol.ac.uk/careers/ The Careers Service also offers advice which is aimed specifically at postgraduate students:(http://www.bristol.ac.uk/careers/postgrads).
ii) English Language Support
English language support is provided at School level (individual sign-up consultations) and by the University of Bristol Language Centre. Students can opt to make use of these services, and additionally, may be advised to draw on this support in the feedback on initial assignments. iii) ICT Support
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There are some Open Learning training sessions offered in the Main Arts and Social Sciences Library Open Learning Centre. The Centre is staffed from 10:00 – 16:45 each weekday. iv) Participation in meetings with tutors
TESOL students will meet regularly with tutors in meetings as part of the Tuesday Programme. Student representatives (elected by students in the first weeks of the programme) will attend meetings of the MSc TESOL Programme Committee (one per term), and meetings of other formal groups and report formally on student concerns as part of the University of Bristol Quality Assurance procedures. v) Advice & Support for International Students
Housed in the Student Union this service is especially for international students. It provides guidance, information, practical help and support and arranges a number of social and cultural events throughout the year. Please see http://www.bristol.ac.uk/international/studentsupport/ vi) Student Grievance Procedure There are clear procedures in place to help any student who feels unhappy about any aspect of the Programme they are following, or any treatment they receive. Further information about this is available in the Student Representation & Feedback section of the Masters Level Handbook. The complete University of Bristol’s Student Grievance Procedure can be found at: http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Secretary/grievance.
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Assignment Feedback Form
Below is an example of the assignment cover-feedback form, which you should use whenever you submit an assignment via Blackboard. Download the form, complete it, save it and upload it along with your other assignment documents. You can download this form from the Assignments section of the MSc TESOL 2013/14 Blackboard site.
Please note that for quality assurance purposes, a percentage of all assignments are second-marked (moderated). Your assignment may also be reviewed by the external examiner. Please see the M-level Handbook for further information.
ASSIGNMENT FEEDBACK FORM – Masters Programmes 2012/13 (Example with Comments)
Section A – to be completed by student Student Name
MEd Programme Please indicate MSc TESOL and the unit
Unit Name Unit No:
Credit points sought 10 20 First Submission Resubmission Agreed Extension
Title/Question answered Please indicate exact question - for PCT/ALT/RMT - you will need to specify which task you are doing
Word Count You are only allowed 10% over or under – please bear this in mind
By submitting this assignment cover sheet, I confirm that I understand and agree with the following statements:
I have not committed plagiarism, as defined in Section 3.2 of the University’s Examination Regulations (available at www.bristol.ac.uk/secretary/studentrulesregs/examregs.html)
I have not submitted this piece, in part or in its entirety, for assessment in another assignment (including at other institutions)
I understand that this piece will be scrutinised by anti-plagiarism software and that I may incur penalties if I am found to have committed plagiarism, as outlined in Section 19 of the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes (available at
www.bristol.ac.uk/esu/assessment/codeonline.html)
By marking an X in this box, I confirm that I am prepared for my work to be anonymously presented in printed
and digital form as exemplar material to support future students taking this unit. = Section B – to be completed by unit tutor/marker First Marker/Unit tutor
Second Marker AGREED GRADE
Section C – to be completed by unit tutor/marker
A note on the marking of assignments The categories on this form are intended to be used to support the assignment feedback process and aim to function as
an indicator of strengths and weaknesses in the assignment. The grade is awarded in relation to an assessment based
on the overall criteria as given in the Masters Programmes Handbook
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Knowledge and Understanding Excellent insights developed from a deep and comprehensive understanding of the issues. Sound understanding of the issues is demonstrated; some insights developed. Basic but reasonable level of understanding of the issues is demonstrated. Limited or weak understanding of concepts and somewhat superficial grasp of the issues. An inadequate level of understanding of key concepts, ideas and issues is apparent. Comments on knowledge and understanding
Approach The work is a highly appropriate response to the assignment task. Very good coherent work with analytical arguments maintained throughout. All aspects are covered; argument is reasonable & consistent; some lack of depth in analysis. Insufficiently analytical discussion – it remains a somewhat descriptive catalogue of ideas No noticeable coherence in the assignment and a lack of analysis of the ideas discussed. Comments on approach
Organisation and Structure An extremely well organised, well structured and coherent assignment. Very good rhetorical structure, but more sophistication was possible. Structure and organisation are satisfactory but at a rather basic level. There are distinct weaknesses in the organisation of the text Very little structure or effective organisation has been achieved. Comments on organisation and structure
Use of sources Extremely effective and interesting use of sources. Sources very well integrated and interpreted. Perhaps some limitations in the selection. The interpretation/evaluation of sources is reasonably effective. Insufficiently effective use of sources - a serial approach has been taken. Inadequate and/or inappropriate selection. Use of sources uncritical and/or text has been copied. Comments on use of sources
Style and presentation Excellently well presented assignment in every respect. Very good presentation. A well presented assignment. Assignment is not very well written or presented. Assignment is difficult to read with many linguistic errors.
Good To be Improved Unacceptable Length Referencing Proof reading
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Comments on presentation
First Marker’s Overall Feedback Comments First Marker’s Signature Date
Second Marker’s comments Second Marker’s signature Date
