new horizons - Institute of Technology Blanchardstown

Previous Page BAck to Contents Next Page ➧
BAck to Contents
42 Part-time Prospectus 2009 | 2010
Language Courses 43
MASTER OF ARTS IN
LANGUAGE EDUCATION
(ENGLISH AS A SECOND
LANGUAGE) (2 years)
Certificate in
Language Education
(English as a second
Language) (1 year)
Programme Code: BN516
Programme Title: Master of Arts in
Language Education (English as a
Second Language)
Award Type: Major
Award Title: Master of Arts
NFQ Level of Award: 9
ECTS Credits in Award: 90
Minimum entry requirements:
Second class honours grade 2 (GPA
2.5) or equivalent in a Bachelor
of Education, Bachelor of Arts,
Postgraduate Diploma in education or
other relevant primary degree at NFQ
level 8, and a minimum of one year’s
teaching experience. Where English
is not a subject taken to degree level,
a level of C1 on the Council of Europe
Framework should be demonstrable.
Schedule: Year 1: Monday 4pm – 7pm
Year 2: Tuesday 5pm – 8pm
Fee: Year 1: €2,650, Year 2: €3,200
Duration: Year 1: 12 months part-time
Year 2: 18 months part-time
COURSE AIM YEAR 1
The aim of the first year of the programme
is to provide teachers with the opportunity
to develop knowledge, skills and
competence in the areas of language
pedagogy (English as a Second Language)
and intercultural competence for dealing
with diversity in an educational setting. The
programme aims to provide theoretical
components and practical applications
providing teachers with the opportunity to
acquire new knowledge and reflect on their
own educational contexts.
Year 1 Modules
Language Awareness
The Development of Communicative
Competence and Literacy Skills
Cultural Awareness and
Intercultural Competence
The Language Awareness module will
consider the function of language in
general and the features of the English
language in particular which make it
difficult for learners to acquire in terms of
phonology, grammar and lexis.
The Development of Communicative
Competence and Literacy Skills module
will look more specifically at how language
is acquired, the role of instruction in
facilitating the learning of English as a
Second Language and issues relating to the
development of the four skills of reading,
writing, speaking and listening.
The Cultural Awareness and
Intercultural Competence module will
trace the development of diversity in the
Irish context and current government
policy and legislation; explore the
concepts of culture and values in
relation to ethnic identity; consider the
issue of diversity in the classroom and
Department of Education approaches and
guidelines currently in place.
Duration
The Year 1 programme is run in blended
learning mode with three hours per week
class contact and an equivalent workload of
reading and research on a weekly
basis supported by on-line resources
through Moodle.
Exit to Achieve Certificate in
Arts in Language Education
(English as a Second Language)
An award with the title Certificate in
Language Education (English as a
Second Language) may be granted if
learners leave this programme after
successfully completing the first year
modules (36 ECTS credits).
COURSE AIM YEAR 2
The aim of Year 2 of the programme is to
build on skills acquired in year 1 and to
develop more specialised knowledge and
competencies in the areas of language,
culture and society, and language learning.
Year 2 Modules
(2 Mandatory Modules + 1 Elective)
Mandatory modules:
Second Language Acquisition:
Theory and Practice
Research Project (14,000 words)
Elective modules:
Race and Ethnicity: Theory and Practice
Computers in Language Teaching
and Learning (CALL)
Basic knowledge of computing
skills required.
Note: elective modules will run subject to
sufficient numbers
The SLA: Theory and Practice module
is designed to provide teachers with
expertise in the area of applied linguistics
and develop language teacher awareness
through the analysis of learner language,
teaching and learning processes, and
engagement in action research in the
context of the language classroom.
The Race and Ethnicity: Theory and
Practice module aims to critically
theorise and contextualise the concepts
of ‘race’ and ‘ethnicity’, with a view
to providing teachers with a greater
understanding of the problems relating
to such categorisation and how this may
impact on professional practice and
contemporary Irish society at large.
The Computers in Language Teaching
and Learning (CALL) module introduces
participants to the theoretical basis for
and practical use of computer assisted
language learning in the language
classroom. It will focus on both using and
critically evaluating available products, and
designing and developing their own learning
materials using authoring software.
The Research Project module aims
to produce competent researchers
through the development of participants’
powers of critical analysis, the ability
to apply theory to practice and relate
their learning to the field of education
in a coherent and logical manner. The
research project will be linked to one of
the thematic areas of the course.
Duration
Year 2 of the programme will comprise
two taught modules with a course
contact time of three hours per week in
semesters 1 and 2. Students normally
complete the research project in
the semester immediately following
completion of the two taught modules.
Students will need to attend the college
for three research methodology seminars
and individual meetings with the
supervisor assigned to them in the course
of this semester.
An award with the title Post Graduate
Diploma in Arts in Language Education
(English as a Second Language) may
be granted if learners leave this
programme after successfully
completing 60 ECTS credits.
APPLICATION
For further details and an application
form please contact the marketing team
on 01 885 1000 or e-mail: info@itb.ie.