Module descriptions Modules taught in English - PH Zürich · Course description [email protected] Page 1 of 14 Module descriptions – Modules taught in English No.: MU A720

Course description [email protected]

Page 1 of 14

Module descriptions – Modules taught in English

No.: MU A720

Name: Switzerland - Nature, Culture and Society

ECTS: 4 – 6

Target audience: Incoming international students at PHZH (MU A720)

Option module for regular PHZH students (MU A920)

Examination: Presentation of one topic (to be chosen from the list of topics) plus handout

Team work: Organisation of excursions

Option: Written assignment on one topic to be handed in until the end of the semester

Students are expected to be present. If students wish to obtain ECTS credits they have to hand in a proof of achievement and help organising the excursions in small groups. 1. Presentation: The students present one topic (without reading the manuscript) to their fellow students for max. 10 minutes. The date and time will be fixed with the module co-ordinator or the lecturer responsible for the specific topic (cf. course outline) Tools: e.g. key words on slides (overhead projector), visual presentations recommended: pictures, objects, diagrams, mind map... 2. Handout: The handout (max. 3 pages) contains a summary of the presentation including il-lustrations for the other students. 3. Written assignment (incoming students only): If students want to obtain 2 extra ECTS credits they must hand in a written paper of 12-15 pages (format: 11p, 1.5 line) until the end of the semester. Visual ele-ments, documents, photos can be added. If the assignment is prepared by more than one person the amount of pages increases according to the number of stu-dents in the group.

Structure of the module: Objective: Acquaintance and knowledge about the host country Switzerland in different areas: Geography, History, Politics, Economy, Education, Language, Literature and Culture Content: This module provides an overview of Switzerland in its diversity. The students will present and discuss geographical, historical, social and cultural topics in seminars, on various excursions and on self-study basis. (Detailed course outline will be handed out in the first session.)

Contribution to the costs: A contribution to the excursions of CHF 40.- (to be paid in the first session). All other costs for train rides and entrance fees will be subsidised by the PHZH International Office.

ECTS-Punkte: For incoming students: 4 ECTS credits without written assignment 6 ECTS including written assignment (12-15 pages)

Course descriptions [email protected]

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No.: EN P220

Name: EN Didactics 2 / EN Fachdidaktik 2

ECTS: 2

Degree: Primary

Development of competence: Knowledge - Students:

know what learners should be able to do in English in different grades and are aware of various forms of assessment, testing, constructive feed-back and error corrections.

develop a repertoire of ideas how to adapt language tasks towards the needs of the learners.

develop a repertoire of ideas for using stories in the young learners class-room.

should have a repertoire of teaching techniques to support grammar, vo-cabulary and pronunciation learning.

know ways in which technology can support the teacher and the learners and also foster communication.

are aware of the effects of multiple foreign languages on each other and on the mother tongue.

know how to ease the transition from one grade and level to the next.

are aware of the role of cultures and of English as a lingua franca in the classroom.

Willingness to learn and implement - Students:

are ready to use the results of diagnosis and assessment for supporting their learners and planning their lessons.

are curious about and creative in teaching grammar, vocabulary and pro-nunciation.

show interest in using technology as a means of supporting learning and communication.

show interest in all foreign languages and are aware of how they affect each other and the mother tongue.

follow what happens as learners transition from one level to the next.

are keen on improving their command of English.

Competence - Students:

are able to analyze teaching problems from the 'Lernvikariat' and find ap-propriate solutions to these problems.

choose appropriate forms of assessing and testing their learners and providing differentiated grades and feedback.

use a large variety of teaching techniques to support grammar, vocabu-lary and pronunciation learning.

can locate relevant computerbased resources and use them with children in the classroom.

develop ideas for helping children transition from one level to the next.

can use the synergies between languages and cultures in the classroom.

use general classroom language correctly and flexibly.


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Examination: Students bring in the recurring problems and questions they have noted during their 'Lernvikariat' in the BPA detailed lesson plan form under the category "Re-flection and Evaluation" at the beginning of the semester. Over the course of the semester, they are required to find solutions to this/these problem(s) with the support and guidance of the instructor. A form of documentation that provides possible solutions to these issues is expected by the end of the semester in order to successfully complete the module.

Structure of the modules: This module is focused on finding solutions to issues defined from the 'Lernvikari-at' and so is thus discussion and solution oriented. Course content is further supported through the English in the Primary School toolbox on ILIAS. Forum and wiki work, readings, and watching video clips are to be done at home and used to trigger class discussions and demonstrate key princi-ples concretely.

Scientific context of the mod-ule:

Assessing and Testing

Corrective feedback

Vocabulary

Grammar, Focus on form, Formfocused instruction

Pronunciation

Meeting diverse learners' needs

Differentiating instruction

English as a lingua franca

Further information about the module:

Although the Diploma Exam is part of this module, further content is based on the needs of the learners.


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No.: EN P953

Name: Language competence C1.2

ECTS: 1

Degree: Primary

Development of competence: Knowledge – Students:

are aware of the requirements and the mode of the diploma examination level C1 of the European Framework of Reference for Languages

know the techniques and strategies for the development of their lan-guage competences

know, how they can evaluate their personal level of competence

Willingness to learn and implement – Students:

are ready to take over responsibility for acquiring their competences and to invest the necessary time and effort

are aware that the development of the foreign language competences plays is an important requirement for the quality of teaching in primary schools

Competence – Students:

develop their linguistic competence to level C1

are able to prepare oneself for the diploma examination C1

Examination: Evidence of academic achievement according to the requirements of the Lecturer


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No.: EN P954

Name: Language competence C1.3

ECTS: 1

Degree: Primary

Development of competence: Knowledge – Students:

are aware of the requirements and the mode of the diploma examination level C1 of the European Framework of Reference for Languages

know the techniques and strategies for the development of their lan-guage competences

know, how they can evaluate their personal level of competence

Willingness to learn and implement – Students:

are ready to take over responsibility for acquiring their competences and to invest the necessary time and effort

are aware that the development of the foreign language competences plays is an important requirement for the quality of teaching in primary schools

Competence – Students:

develop their linguistic competence to level C1

are able to prepare oneself for the diploma examination C1

Examination: Evidence of academic achievement according to the requirements of the Lecturer

No.: EN S110

Name: Foundation Course C1/I Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE)

ECTS: 1

Degree: Secondary I

Goals: The participating students familiarise themselves with the format of the Cam-bridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE). In the course of the semester they acquire some of the skills and techniques required for the five parts of the test: Reading, Writing, Use of English, Listening and Speaking. Students are given as much practice as possible in preparation for each of these papers.

Content: at least three complete old tests for the Cambridge Certificate of Ad-vanced English

Exercises to improve students? reading, writing, listening and speaking skills

Exercises designed to enlarge the participants? vocabulary

Revision of grammar (if necessary) with particular regard to forms tested at the exam.

Textbook: Michael Vince. Advanced Language Practice

The students are required to do homework regularly in order to reach the aims of this course.


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No.: EN S111

Name: Foundation Course C1/II Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE)

ECTS: 1

Degree: Secondary I

Goals: The participating students continue to prepare for the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE). In the course of the semester they refine the skills and techniques required for the five parts of the test: Reading, Writing, Use of English, Listening and Speaking. Students are given as much practice as possible in prepa-ration for each of these papers.

Content: at least three complete old tests for the Cambridge Certificate of Ad-vanced English




Textbook: Michael Vince. Advanced Language Practice


No.: EN S121

Name: Foundation Course C2/II Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)

ECTS: 2

Degree: Secondary I

Goals: The participating students continue to prepare for the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE). In the course of the semester they refine their skills and techniques required for the five parts of the test: Reading, Writing, Use of English, Listening and Speaking. Students are given as much practice as possible in preparation for each of these papers.

Content: at least three complete old tests for the Cambridge Certificate of Profi-ciency in English




Textbooks: Mary Stephen. New Proficiency Reading



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No.: EN S130

Name: CPE exam preparation

ECTS: 2

Degree: Secondary I

This course is intended to prepare students who have already reached CPE level for the CPE exam. Practice in all the four skills will be offerend.

Goals: The central focus of the course is on the five papers of the CPE exam, i.e. Reading, Writing, Use of English, Listening and Speaking.

Content: In this module the participants concentrate on old exam papers. They work on their individual weaknesses and focus mainly on the Listening, Speaking and the Use of English papers. Students will have to do most of the Reading, Writing and Use of English papers at home.

No.: EN S210

Name: ELT Methodology II

ECTS: 2

Degree: Secondary I

Goals: This is the second of three modules on English language teaching methodology. Based on the general knowledge acquired in Module EN S200/Q200 about lan-guage acquisition and foreign language learning, students gain practical insights in the teaching and assessment of receptive and productive skills as well as gram-mar and vocabulary. They are enabled to develop these skills in secondary school pupils with the help of the set course materials Voices.

Content: Fostering pupils' competence in the communicative language skills

Interrelations and priorities among the skills

Teaching and assessment of receptive skills (listening, reading)

Teaching and assessment of productive and interactive skills (speaking, writing)

The interrelation between lexis and grammar

Building up English vocabulary

Grammar analysis and practice activities

Planning English lessons

Further familiarisation with the structure and content of the Voices ma-terials

Examination: Planning of a skills-based teaching sequence


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No.: EN S400

Name: English Linguistics I

ECTS: 2

Degree: Secondary I

Goals: In this lecture course you will learn about central aspects of the structure of Eng-lish and will be given an overview of the history of the English language. The course will heighten your language awareness, i.e. deepen your understanding of the language you will teach.

Content: The first part of the lecture "The Structure and the History of English" covers the most important fields of English linguistics, focussing on sounds (phonetics and phonology), words (morphology, semantics) and sentences (syntax). The second part of the lecture deals with the pre-history of the English language and on the four historical stages Old, Middle, Early Modern and Modern English.

Bibliography / Literature: Viereck, Wolfgang, Karin Viereck and Heinrich Ramisch. 2002. dtv-Atlas Englische Sprache. München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag. Yule, George. 2006. The Study of Language. 3rd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge Uni-versity Press.

Self-study: You are expected to do preparatory or follow-up work for each session and to re-vise the content of the lecture for the written test.

Teaching and learning methods: Teacher-centred learning (lecture). There will be brief exercises, and questions are welcome any time.

Examination: Regular attendance, final written test (pass/fail "Leistungsnachweis")

No.: EN S450

Name: English Literature II

ECTS: 2

Degree: Secondary I

Goals: The students will be able to familiarize themselves with some of the most im-portant literary texts in the English language and at the same time learn how to read and interpret novels, drama and poetry

Content: A survey of representative English, American and International Literatures in Eng-lish, from the Renaissance to the present. The course will focus, among other things, on Shakespeare and his time, the Metaphysical Poets, the Neoclassical Age, Romanticism, Modernism and Postmodernism. Special attention will be paid to recent developments, particularly postcolonial writing (e.g. African, Native American, In-dian authors). The lecture also offers an introduction to the central concepts of literary and cul-tural criticism, ranging from standard conceptions (e.g., metaphor and symbol) to modern notions such as the hyperreal.


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No.: EN S477

Name: Discourse and conflict across cultures - Communication in the Internet Age

ECTS: 2

Degree: Secondary I

Goals: In this seminar we will explore the linguistic means by which human beings – across a wide range of cultures and contexts – conduct conflict. Engaging ver-bally (and nonverbally) in conflict is a common but complex phenomenon. Our aim will be to come to a better understanding of how the various dimensions of discourse contribute to the enactment, negotiation, and (possibly) resolution of human conflict. What is the role played by such aspects as the phonological, lex-ical and grammatical encoding of conflict, the types of speech acts performed, the interactional dynamics of politeness and face work, narratives that are used within verbal disputes, and/or the representational practices that people engage in? In addition, we will also be interested in understanding the situated, social and cultural meanings of conflict. How, for instance, is conflict talk viewed in dif-ferent societies and by different groups, and what various functions does it serve – including forms of sociability, the construction and negotiation of ideolo-gies, identities, status and power, etc.

Content: We will engage with various case studies that have explored the linguistic enact-ment of conflict, both in private and in public domains. We will thus look, for in-stance, at conflicts arising in family dinnertime conversations or amongst chil-dren/teens at play, at classroom interactions, disagreements in online commen-taries, the communication of conflict in the media, political debates, or the ne-gotiation of conflict in mediation contexts. Methodologically, we will use dis-course-analytical and ethnographic approaches and adopt a perspective that is sensitive to contextual factors and cross-cultural variability. Students are expected to prepare reading assignments and to give oral presen-tations on one of the topics discussed in the course. Dates and texts will be as-signed in the first session.


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No.: EN S478

Name: Pragmatic Competence - Communication in the Internet Age

ECTS: 2

Degree: Secondary I

Goals: In today’s globalized world, communicative settings are increasingly multilingual and multicultural. For this reason, developing pragmatic competence in a sec-ond or foreign language is becoming more and more important. Pragmatics is the branch of linguistics that studies language use, in particular the relationship between the form and meaning of an utterance, and the situational context. Consequently, pragmatic competence describes the ability to use language ap-propriately in different social situations, for example when giving advice to a col-league, disagreeing with a superior or asking a stranger for help.

Content: In this course, we will investigate the notion of pragmatic competence in three regards: Firstly, we will examine the relation between pragmatic competence and grammatical competence which focuses on the command of rules that gov-ern word and sentence formation, spelling, pronunciation, and meaning. Sec-ondly, we will discuss the linguistic resources available in a given language for realizing communicative functions. Here, we will discuss how pragmatic choices may vary across languages, in order to exemplify how potential misunderstand-ings can occur based on differing pragmatic behavior. In order to enhance com-munication, specifically between speakers with a different first language, there is a need to learn and teach pragmatic competence in the classroom. Finally therefore, we will discuss the importance of pragmatic competence in multilin-gual settings and investigate how pragmatic competence can be taught to L2 speakers. Students are expected to prepare reading assignments for each session and pre-pare a dataset for a classroom discussion. Dates and topics for the data sessions will be assigned in the first session.


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No.: EN S478

Name: Dictionaries - Communication in the Internet Age

ECTS: 2

Degree: Secondary I

Goals: Dictionaries are among the most frequently used tools of language learners. They provide access to the vocabulary of a language, which is often held to be the key to understanding and using a foreign language. Yet, dictionaries provide much more information than “mere” vocabulary: Modern dictionaries include not only details about the spelling, grammatical properties and usage of a word, they often also describe its etymology and history. Since dictionaries serve vari-ous purposes and there are many groups of users, a vast number of dictionaries is available today: Monolingual and bilingual dictionaries, picture dictionaries, etymological dictionaries, slang dictionaries – just to name a few.

Content: This module covers three aspects of English dictionaries: First of all, we will in-vestigate the linguistics behind dictionaries and find answers to the following questions: How is meaning described? Which linguistic details beyond meaning can we find in a dictionary? How is information structured and organized? Sec-ond, we will look into the history of the dictionary of English, which goes as far back as the earliest existing English text – a glossary dating to the year AD 700. We will find out how English is employed to explain Latin or French vocabulary in medieval dictionaries and trace the origin of dictionaries with English as the target language from the 15th century – first in bilingual and later in monolin-gual dictionaries. Third, we will look into research on dictionary use in the EFL classroom. In particular, we will focus on the skills necessary for language learn-ers and discuss how various types of dictionaries (monolingual, bilingual, elec-tronic etc.) can be employed successfully. Students are expected to read preparatory texts for each session and give a poster presentation on one particular dictionary in class. Dates and dictionaries will be assigned at the beginning of the semester.


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No.: LL S103

Name: The Teachers Guide to the World of Learning Strategies. Learning Strategies and Learning Process Development in Foreign Language Teaching (Secondary level 1)

ECTS: 4

Degree: Secondary I

Development of competence: Knowledge - Students: acquire an overview of learning strategies develop tools for identifying learning strategies used in the classroom and evalu-ating their effectiveness understand how to create an ideal learning environment. Willingness to learn and implement - Students: are curious about their own personal preference: How do I choose learning strate-gies? Which ones work best for me and why? are aware of the individual needs of students as regards learning strategies are interested in the results of recent research. Competences - Students: can apply tools for identifying learning strategies can relate their personal experiences made in the analysis of a case study to re-cent research can generalize and transfer the findings of the case study to a new classroom situ-ation and develop the learning process of an individual student.

Examination: Students will work on their personal learning strategies journal where they ana-lyse and reflect their in-sights. During the module they will focus on one case study of a student in school and will work out an individual learning process devel-opment plan. The results will be shared with the group in presentations including a controversial discussion. Students will sum up their insights in a paper which is to be handed in at the end of the course. The main goal of the paper (to be writ-ten in small groups of at most 3 students) is an interesting and precise presenta-tion of ideas and not grammatical correctness. Lively and heated discussions and an exchange of ideas form an essential part of this module. Its success-ful completion is based on general PH policy about at-tendance as well as participation as defined by the instructor.

Structure of the module: In total, the duration of the module entailing 120 hours is 10 weeks. It comprises 8 compulsory sessions, meaning a total of 32 lessons at the PH. The assignment given at the end of each meeting is the main substance of the following session making careful preparation work essential. The heart of the module is a case study of a student in school and the working out of an individual learning process devel-opment plan. The results will be shared with the group in presentations including a controversial discussion. The first 6 sessions will be taking place every week (be-ginning February 23rd, 2011). The students will then have 2 weeks to work inde-pendently, preparing presentations and working on the papers. In total, the dura-tion of the module is 10 weeks (possibly 11, depending on the Easter holidays).


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No.: VE A610

Name: Education for the 21st century

ECTS: 6

Degree: pre-primary, primary, secondary I

Development of competence: Knowledge - Students acquire knowledge about current developments in education in global as well as national dimensions. - Students assess these developments critically and understand the answers school and teachers give to these. - Students know tools and materials for meeting the challenges of schooling and decide how to use them for their own future teaching Attitude - Students critically reflect on their teaching expertise in the 21st century in the context of current developments in school and education. Skills - Students apply insights from the course to their professional understanding and come up with concrete ideas for their future teaching practice.

Examination: - Assessment activities designed to produce an evaluation of student performance will be used in formative ways. Self-assessment, peer-assessment and instructor assessment will be practiced in the course. - Summative: A journal is kept with insights from literature and class discussions, talks with experts, case study research, a school portrait and descriptions of con-crete ideas, models and materials for their occupational practice in this context.

Structure of the module: The in-depth study module focuses on trends in education and learning and teach-ing in the 21st century. Pre-service teachers in this course speculate about the fu-ture of schooling from a historical perspective. They understand current trends as longer developments in schooling and education in the context of both the na-tional and global culture of schooling. Students address the questions which inter-national trends and developments in education can be perceived and are experi-enced at schools. How do schools and teachers respond to these locally? As soon to be in-service teachers, students have the opportunity to learn more about the school they applied for/ might apply for and further schools in this context. Students familiarize themselves with current trends and find their professional un-derstanding of them. In choosing one or two trends in education, they conduct an in-depth study on this topic. They discuss the answers the school(s) and teachers give to some select educational developments of today including: an ever-growing amount of information through technology, ethnic and cultural diversity through globalization, lifelong learning and diffent kinds of learning environments, individ-ualization and participation in community as new social challenges. Particular attention will be given to understand today’s challenges and have tools and activities for meeting these. Students collect materials, ideas, and tools which assist them as inspirations and concrete preparation for their classes in the future. The course explores issues students may face in their first year as in-service teach-ers. Students actively participate in class and contribute to being a learner and teacher in the 21st century to prepare themselves as teachers in the 21st century. They explore current developments and innovation in education by reading texts, speaking to educational experts and exploring educational materials. The in-depth module is in English only. Students are expected to communicate in English.


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No.: EN N510

Name: Children's Literature

ECTS: 2

Degree: Secondary I

Goals: Students read and discuss a number of seminal texts both from the classical canon of children's literature in English and from modern representatives of the genre. They also discover which texts are suitable for classes at the level they will teach after graduating.

Content: Attempts at defining the genre will be followed by a brief history of children's literature in the English-speaking world. The next step involves getting to know the classics by means of excerpts: e.g. Treasure Island, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Peter Pan, The Wind in the Willows, The Secret Garden and Win-nie-the-Pooh. More recent and contemporary texts by authors such as Rosemary Sutcliff, Roald Dahl, Gary Blackwood, J. K. Rowling and Carl Hiaasen will also be intro-duced and considered. Nursery rhymes and picture books as well as some documentary material or screen adaptations available on VHS/DVD will also be taken into account in the course.

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Module descriptions Modules taught in English - PH Zürich · Course description [email protected] Page 1 of 14 Module descriptions – Modules taught in English No.: MU A720