Lecture 1: Introduction to Didactics

and Foreign Language Teaching

1. Reflecting and sharing

2. Didactics and language teaching
1

TESOL Principles 10/14/2022

2
Reflection and discussion

Think of your English study & teaching experiences.

1. What is language teaching?
2. What are the goals of teaching English?
3. What is the relationship between teaching and
learning?
4. Who plays a major role in this relationship?
5. How is English teaching effectively conducted?

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TESOL Principles
3 Didactics
Didactics is the science of teaching-studying-learning
process (Uljens, 1997). Its fundamental questions include
1. What is teaching?
2. What are the goals of teaching? What are the contents of
teaching?
3. Who are actors and stakeholders?
4. How should teaching take place?
5. Under what circumstances does the teaching activity take
place?
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4 Didactic triangle

The structure of teaching 10/14/2022

5 1. What is teaching?

Teaching is primarily a goal-oriented activity in

a society.

Teaching is a vocation (service, identity and

personal satisfaction).

Teaching is a professional, scientific

endeavor/activity.

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6

Teaching as a professional, scientific endeavor

involves multiple components
• Goals/purposes
• Procedures
• Psychological factors/processes
• Economic, social & cultural circumstances

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7 2. Goals of teaching & education

What does Learners’ acquisition of knowledge/skills

Content-oriented teaching
teaching aim at?
Learners’ competence development
What is it that we  Competence-based teaching
teach and Learners’ personal development
educate? Educating qualities and attitudes

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8

21st Century
educational
goals

UNESCO 10/14/2022
9

Relating to Vietnam
What are the core competences of General
Education in Vietnam?
What are the goals of English education in
Vietnam?

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10

Core Competences and Qualities in General Education Curriculum

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 Revised English education goals
11

Đến năm 2025, phổ cập tiếng Anh trong

trường phổ thông các cấp; Đến năm 2020,
60% học sinh trường Trung cấp, 100% sinh
viên trường Cao đẳng và tới năm 2025,
90% học sinh trường Trung cấp đạt trình
độ bậc 3 theo Khung năng lực ngoại ngữ 6
bậc Việt Nam và có thể sử dụng tiếng Anh
trong việc làm; đến năm 2020, 70% sinh
viên Đại học không chuyên ngữ và đến
năm 2025, 100% sinh viên Đại học không
chuyên ngữ đạt chuẩn đầu ra khi tốt nghiệp
(bậc 3 theo Khung năng lực ngoại ngữ 6
bậc dùng cho Việt Nam)
From Trung tam truyen thong giao duc, MOET 10/14/2022
3. Curriculum: Contents, competences & learning
outcomes
Curriculum involves not only what pupils learn, but
how they learn it, how teachers help them learn,
using what supporting materials, styles and methods
of assessment and in what kind of facilities
(Rodgers, 1989, p.26; cited in Richards, 2001)
Levels of curriculum: program curriculum ->
course/subject syllabuses
A course syllabus prescribes the contents to be
covered by a given course (Richards, 2001, p.39
13
3.1. Learning goals/outcomes

Learning outcomes (Mục tiêu/chuẩn đầu ra)

Expected levels of competence (knowledge, skills, and
attitudes) that students can perform after training.
Examples:
1. Students will be able to use English at an C1-equivalent
proficiency level (a program learning outcome)
2. Students will be able to understand long complicated
speech on common academic topics (a listening course
outcome)
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14 3.2. From course goals to lesson objectives

Lesson objectives are statements of specific levels of

knowledge, skills, or attitudes that students are
expected to perform.
-Students will be able to describe a person’s routine in one
paragraph.
-Students will be able to spell a word fluently.
-Students will be able to contribute their parts to group work.

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15 Lesson objectives

-By the end of the lesson, students will be able to identify the main message of
signs.
-By the end of the lesson, students will be able to write a 100-word invitation letter
to friends. 10/14/2022
16 Three domains of Bloom’s Taxonomy (2001)

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Cognitive domain
18 Affective Domain

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19 Psychomotor domain

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 SOLO (Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome)
20
Taxonomy

Adopted from Biggs and Tang (2011); Originally from Biggs & Collis (1982) 10/14/2022
21

Educare 10/14/2022
How to write lesson objectives

List key knowledge/ Decide specific levels of

skills/attitudes performance that you expect

Find suitable verbs

Write: ‘By the end of the lesson,
on Bloom’s
students will be able to …
taxonomy
3.3. Curriculum, teaching, and assessment

Source: Shuan Allison

 Constructive alignment

Intended
outcomes/objectives
(contents, skills…)

Intended assessment
activities Planned teaching and
learning activities
How will learning be
measured? How will learners learn?

Source: Biggs, 2013

25 Example

Ss can talk about a

routine

How will learning be What learning activities?

measured? 1. Order routine activities
Task: Talk about a person’s 2. Listen to a person’s routine
routine 3. Describe a person’s routine

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26 Teaching and assessing: what and how?

How to
Curriculum
teach/assess?

What to
Assessment
teach/assess

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Specific learning/assessment activities for each level
28 4. What are the roles of teachers & learners?

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29 Think of a metaphor for ‘teacher’

Go to the link sent to you: https://www.menti.com/h5yen1u2wj 10/14/2022

30 4.1. Teachers’ pedagogical roles: Agree?

Teachers should present knowledge explicitly to

students. Learners are to receive knowledge passively
without questioning.
Teachers should help learners construct their own
knowledge. Learners should actively construct their
understanding.
Teachers should organize instruction in ways that
help learners train learning and thinking skills

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31 4.2. Teachers’ professional roles

Transformative intellectual
Technician Reflective
- Reflect and connect with
-Imitate/follow Practitioner
social issues
models without - apply and reflect
- change themselves and
questions on models
learners 10/14/2022
 5. How is teaching English conducted?

32
What methods can be used for teaching English?

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 Didactic triangle (Tam giác luận dạy học)
Content-based approach/competence-based
approach

Learning-centred approach

Teacher-centred approach

Learner-centred
The basic structure of teaching activity approach
 A brief background on language
34
teaching methods and approaches

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35 1986, 2000 (2nd ed.)

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 Notes from Richards and Rodgers
36

• The history of language teaching methods attempted to

invent a best method.
• BUT ‘Method’ implies the idea of rigid prescribed
teaching, while there is no one-size-fits-all method.
• There should be a break away with ‘method’, moving
beyond methods.
• How?
-By selectively drawing on methods & techniques workable
for specific contexts (eclecticism)
-Operating from principles

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Post-method pedagogy
38 Stern’s (1983) note

Since the sixties a number of attempts have

been made to develop a broad conceptual
framework for language teaching and thereby
to break away from the narrowness and
partisanship implicit in the method nation.
(p.482)

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39

By the end of 20th century, the idea that

there exists a newer and better approach
or method of language teaching was no
longer practical.

(Richards & Rodgers, 2001)

Call for going beyond approaches and methods

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40 Questions

How to conduct language (English) teaching

in the post-methods era?

What is the role of teaching methods?

What is the theory for foreign language
teaching?

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 First edition 1980
41

Principles are theoretical foundations (Brown, 2000) 10/14/2022

42
Brown’s approach (1980, 2000, 2007)

A principled approach to
language teaching is
grounded on basic
principles.
Basic teaching principles
should be derived from an
understanding of learning,
language, learners, and
context.
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43 Stern’s (1983) approach:
A theory of language teaching

 Concepts of Language
 Concepts of Language
Learning
 Concepts of Society (Context)
 Concepts of Language
Teaching as an educational
discipline
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 Larsen-Freeman’s eclectic approach
44 (1986, 2000)

 Techniques = actions
 Principles = thoughts, ideas
 Method = a coherent link of
thoughts and actions.
Principles guide thought-in-
action teaching: you know what
you are doing is for what
purpose.
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 Larsen-Freeman’s view
Benefits of studying methods View
 No universal solution, but practice
 A ‘foil’ for teachers’ reflection on localization is needed.
their beliefs and actions
 Methods empower teachers’
 A wide choice of alternatives for professional growth.
their practice
 Methods offer models for integrating
 Professional discourse, identity, theory and practice.
community engagement
 It’s not a matter of what methods but
 Expanding teachers’ repertoire of how methods are used.
techniques
 We should not be blinded by criticisms
of methods; instead we should ‘move
beyond ideology to inquiry.’
 Larsen-Freeman’s view
(1986, 2000)
Teachers and context (p.13) Methods

Knowledge of methods
and approaches is
essential for teachers to
build confidence.
Larsen-freeman’s view (p.11)
Example of Audiolingualism
 Example of Audiolingual Method

Principles Techniques
 Teachers’ role is to help Ss form language
habits.
 Dialogue memorization

 Teachers model, direct and control behaviors.  Backward build-up Drill

 Learning is by imitation and repetition.  Repetition drill
 Grammar is induced from examples.  Chain drill
 Reading and writing are based on oral work.  Substitution drill
 Interaction is initiated and directed by teachers.  Transformation
 Language is a structural system. Culture  Question-answer drill
consists of daily behavior and lifestyle.
 Minimal pairs
 No mother tongue is used but the target
language.  Dialogue completion
 Students’ errors are to be avoided.
50
Comment

An eclectic approach (selective

methods and techniques are
employed) is still restricted to the
concept of method

(Kumaravadivelu, 2003)
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 Kumaravadivelu’s beyond-methods principles
51

Strategies are guidelines.

Macro-strategies allow
teachers to move beyond a
specific fixed method.
Macro-strategies can be
subdivided into micro ones.

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52 Macro-strategies

 maximize learning  foster language awareness

opportunities  contextualize linguistic
 facilitate negotiated input
interaction  integrate language skills
 minimize perceptual  promote learner autonomy
mismatches
 raise cultural consciousness
 activate intuitive heuristics
 ensure social relevance

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53
Farrell & Jacobs’ (2010) approach

Essential elements are similar to

macro-strategies or principles.
Assumption:

If ELT integrates these essentials, it

will be successful.
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54

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 55 Theory-Teacher-Classroom practice

Practical/personal
theory
Professional

Technician Reflective Practitioner Transformative intellectual

-Adopt models without - Apply & reflect on theory -reflect on ideology
questions - Consider practice dilemmas, -connect theory & practice to wider
-constrained to received contextual influences social issues
professional expertise, with - Question their own beliefs 10/14/2022
-transform themselves and learners
little self-initation
56 Teacher- Teaching – Learning
Relationship
Teaching does Who are my learners? Learning can
not necessarily What hinders/facilitates occur without
their learning?
result in teaching.
learning.How can I
How is a language
facilitate their most effectively
learning? learned?

What external factors

should I address? How?
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The term ‘principle’

- A fundamental truth, law, doctrine, or

motivating force upon which others are based
- An essential element or constituent of a
process (Webster ‘s New World Dictionary of the American language)
- Thoughts or ideas that guide actions (Larsen-freeman,
1986)

- Theoretical foundations or rationales (Brown, 2000)

58 6. Learning

Teaching, studying and assessment all aim at

learning.
Learning can be generally understood as gaining
knowledge, skills or attitudes in a particular
subject/field

Q: Can teaching lead to learning? What are the

roles of teachers and learners in this relationship?
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59 Teaching –Teacher- Learning Relationship

Teaching does not Who are my learners? Learning can occur

necessarily result in What hinders/facilitates without teaching.
learning. their learning?

How can I
How is a language most
facilitate their
effectively learned?
learning?

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60 Components of Theory of Foreign Language
Teaching and Learning
• How to facilitate second
• Language Curriculum language learning?
• Skills/competences • What teaching and
learning methods,
principles, activities?

WHAT HOW

WHERE-
WHO
• Learner WHEN
differences in • Under what
needs, motivation, conditions?
styles,…. • In what context?

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61
Summary notes

Language didactics studies the theory of

language pedagogy.
Teaching involves an implementation of
interrelated pedagogical elements: (1)
curriculum <=> (2) teaching & learning
activities/methodology (teachers and learners’
roles) <=> (3) assessment

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62
Summary notes
The theory of foreign language teaching &
learning not only relies on existing methods.
Principles and teachers’ practice guide their design
and actions
The term ‘principle’ indicates guidelines for
different operational levels (Curriculum, teaching
methodology, and assessment)

Focus: Principles of Teaching English

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63 References
Armstrong, P. (2010). Bloom’s Taxonomy. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching.
Retrieved from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/.
Biggs, J., & Tang, C. (2011). Teaching for Quality Learning at University. Maidenhead,
UK: Open University Press.
Richards, J. (2001). Curriculum development in language teaching. CPU.
Harjanne, P., & Tella, S. 2007. Foreign Language Didactics, Foreign Language Teaching
and
Transdisciplinary Affordances. In Koskensalo, A., Smeds, J., Kaikkonen, P. & Kohonen,
V. (eds.)
Foreign languages and multicultural perspectives in the European context;
Fremdsprachen und
multikulturelle Perspektiven im europäischen Kontext. Dichtung – Wahrheit – Sprache.
Berlin: LITVerlag, 197–225.
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