Course Syllabus – LING 5304
Course Syllabus
LING 5304: Pedagogical Grammar of English
University of Texas, Arlington
Spring 2009
Course #:22048; Section: 001
Lectures: Tuesday and Thursday 7:00 – 8:20 p.m.; Trimble Hall, Room 216
Instructor: Zdravka Radkova, Hammond Hall 407
Office Hours: Tuesday 4:00 – 6:00 p.m (or by appointment)
Office Phone: (817) 272-3133
Email:
Description of Course Content
From a theoretical linguistic perspective, this course, entitled Pedagogical Grammar, is designed to provide students with an introduction to the discrete structural features of the American English language, primarily relating syntactic form to both semantic meaning and pragmatic/discourse use. It explores issues of grammaticality, acceptability, and variability of such features among different native language speaking communities. Further, from an educational perspective, the course also explores how such features are used and taught in language classrooms, exploring problems in the description of these structures, their means of application, and the adaptation of current pedagogical methods in light of these issues. In particular, students learn about different pedagogical views on grammar, and they apply such views to practice in the area of ESL grammar instruction. Some prior experience in linguistics is necessary for this course (e.g., a basic knowledge of grammatical metalanguage and use of syntactic trees). (Prerequisite: LING 5301)
Objectives of the Course
In this course, students will learn to:
(1)draw syntactic trees analyzing particular structures in English, such as regards the tense/aspect/voice system, question formation, phrase/clause structure, and negation, among others;
(2)explain the forms, meanings, and uses of such structures in native language contexts;
(3)develop strategies and resources for teaching syntactic structures in the English language classroom;
(4)design tasks and activities targeting specific grammatical structures.
Required Course Texts
(available at the UTA Bookstore, 400 S. Pecan St.)
Celce-Murcia, M., and D. Larsen-Freeman. (1999). The grammar book: An ESL/EFL teacher’s
course, Second Edition. New York: Heinle. (ISBN 0838447252)
Requirements for the Course
(See due dates in Course Outline below)
In order to complete this course, each student must successfully fulfill the following requirements:
(1)Attendance & Participation (10%)
See explanation below.
(2)2 Quizzes (20%-10% each)
Each of the quizzes will focus on assigned chapters from the textbooks and will test the students’ knowledge of key concepts and terms as well as their ability to draw tree diagrams and explain syntactic/semantic/pragmatic relationships.
Assessment Criteria: Each part of the quiz will be graded according to: (a) how clearly and accurately does the student provide an example of the term or concept?; (b) how accurately does the tree diagram reflect the underlying structure and/or transformation of the target feature?; and (c) how accurately and comprehensively does the student explain how the target feature varies in everyday American English language meaning and use?
(3)2 Homework Assignments (20%- 10% each)
Each Homework Assignment will ask students to provide linguistic analysis/description of a sample of contemporary English (of student's choice) focusing on one grammatical feature of the language, following the Grammar Book as a guide.
Assessment Criteria: The homework will be graded according to the following criteria: a) how well does the student understand and explain the form/meaning/usage of the grammatical notion/feature in the text under analysis; b) do the examples from the text clearly illustrate the grammatical concept; c) is the assignment well organized and written.
(4)Grammar Lesson (20%)
Each student will be assigned a different grammar featurewe have discussed in class and will designan originalGrammar Lesson that targets acquisition of that feature. All Grammar lessons will be gathered in one Grammar Lessons Resource Book.
Assessment Criteria:
Each student’s submission to the Grammar Lesson Resource Book will be evaluated using the following assessment questions: (a) To what extent does the student understand the “rules” governing the targeted feature?; (b) How well does the student focus the activity or task on a specific aspect of the targeted feature in terms of form, meaning, or use?; (c) How clearly does the student articulate the objective and procedures for the task or activity?
(5)Final Exam (30%)
The in-class final examination will test students’ application of key terms and issues addressed in class and will be semi-comprehensive (i.e., the test will cover mostly the second half of the semester), including information addressed in the course textbook and in class lecture.
Assessment Criteria: The final examination is graded in terms of the extent to which students understand, analyze, and apply the basic concepts addressed in the course textbooks and in classroom lecture in light of teaching practice.
Grading Scale
A90-100%
B80-89 %
C70-79 %
D60-69 %
F<59%
Final Course Grade
Attendance & Participation………………...………10%
Quizzes…………………………………………….20%
Homework Assignments....………………………..20%
Grammar Lesson …...…………………………..…20%
Final Examination…………………………….…....30%
TOTAL: 100%
Course Policies
Attendance and Participation
Since much of class time will be dedicated to lecture, and class discussion on theories that may be unfamiliar, it is expected that students attend and participate in class every day. However if a student misses a class, he/she should contact the instructor or a fellow student in order to get the assignments from the missed class. Up to two absences will not affect a student's grade. For each subsequent absence, a half a point will be deducted from the student's final grade.
Late Assignments
Late homework assignments will be marked down half a letter grade for each class day of lateness and will not be accepted after one week from the due date. The final examinationand the two quizzes cannot be made up unless previous arrangements have been made at least two weeks in advance of the assigned dates.
Documentation and Language Style for Written Work
For all written work, students should use APA or LSA styles of documentation and other conventions for language use as recommended in the fifth edition of the APA or LSA style manuals. Be consistent. Grades will be affected if written work does not adhere to these standards, including the standards with regard to language use.
Departmental Policies
Finals Review Week
The last two days of classes will be designated as Final Review Week. The purpose of this week is to allow for sufficient time to prepare for the final paper. On the first day of this week, final paper questions can be discussed and students will be allowed to ask and explore questions, problems, and concerns regarding the final examination. No assignments, tests, quizzes, readings, or new material will be scheduled for this week. The second final review day during the final week of classes will be devoted to teacher-study group conferences.
Americans With Disabilities Act
The University of Texas at Arlington is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation (Public Law 93112, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended). With the passage of new federal legislation entitled the “American With Disabilities Act” (ADA), pursuant to section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, there is renewed focus on providing this population with the same opportunities enjoyed by all citizens.
All members of the UTA faculty are required by law to provide “reasonable accommodation” to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of that disability. Student responsibility rests with informing the instructor at the beginning of the semester and in providing authorized documentation through designated administrative channels. For information, contact UTA’s Office of Students with Disabilities in the basement of the University Center.
According to Department of Linguistics and TESOL policy, “unofficial” or “informal” requests for accommodations (i.e., those not recorded by the Office of Students with Disabilities) cannot be honored.
As an instructor, I am required by law to provide "reasonable accommodation" to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate based on that disability. If you have a disability that might influence your performance in this course, you must inform me in writing (e-mail is fine) no later than Tuesday, January 31, 2008, and must officially register at the Office of Students with Disabilities before such accommodations can be considered.
Academic Honesty
At the University of Texas at Arlington, academic dishonesty is a completely unacceptable mode of conduct and will not be tolerated in any form. Students involved in academic dishonesty will be disciplined in accordance with University regulations and procedures. Discipline may include suspension or expulsion from UTA.
According to the UTA System Regents and Regulations, “Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are not attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any act designated to give unfair advantage to a student, or the attempt to commit such acts” (Part One, Chapter VI, Section 3, Subsection 3.2, Subdivision 3.22).
While the Department of Linguistics and TESOL hopes to foster a sense of community in which students can enhance their educational experiences by conferring with each other about the lectures, readings, and assignments, all work submitted must be the product of each student’s own effort. Students are expected to know and honor the standards of academic integrity followed by U.S. universities; ignorance of these standards or even cultural differences concerning how such standards are understood in U.S. university culture are not an excuses for committing an act of academic dishonesty (including plagiarism). If you have questions, please speak with your instructor, your academic advisor, or the department chair.
Student Support Services
The University of Texas at Arlington supports a variety of student access programs to help you connect with the University to achieve academic success. These programs include learning assistance, developmental education, advising and mentoring, admission and transition, and federally funded programs. Students requiring assistance academically, personally, or socially should contact the Office of Student Success Programs at 817-272-6107. Remember that your grade may be affected if you do not produce “graduate quality” written work.
Enrollment and Withdrawal
Students are responsible for making all decisions regarding their enrollment status in UTA courses. Should a student decide to withdraw from this course, s/he must either (1) drop via the internet/SAM system or (2) complete and official “add/drop” and file it in the Linguistics and TESOL department office; unless s/he officially withdraws, s/he will receive a grade of F. (Note: Students enrolled in graduate courses may not “replace” a grade; all grades are permanent). A student dropping his/her last (only) course cannot withdraw as above. Rather, s/he must go in person to the UTA Registrar’s Office (Davis Hall, First Floor) and complete a request to resign from the university.
Auditing
The Department of Linguistics and TESOL has a “no audit” policy. Students attending LING classes must be officially enrolled in those courses. Exception: Students who have already fulfilled degree requirements and would like to sit in on a comparable course to prepare for their comprehensive/ diagnostic examinations may do so (with the permission of the professor).
Gifts to Faculty
The Department of Linguistics and TESOL has a strict “no gift” policy: instructors may not accept gifts of any kind from students, including meals, food, or flowers. All linguistics instructors have been instructed to refuse gifts. Students can avoid placing their instructors in an awkward position by not offering them any gifts. Students wishing to honor their professors may make a contribution to the LING-TESOL Scholarship Fund; visit the department office (Hammond Hall 403) and ask for a : “Gift Giving Guide.”
Course Outline
(CL=Celce-Murcia & Larsen-Freeman)
Readings and assignments should be completed before the date on which they appear below
WK / Date / Topic / Reading / DUE1 / T
1/20 / Introduction to Course; Why Grammar?
Th
1/22 / Grammar in Context - Form, Meaning, & Use / (CL) Ch. 1 & 2
2 / T
1/27 / The Lexicon / (CL) Ch. 3
Th
1/29 / Copula & Subject-Verb Agreement / (CL) Ch. 4
3 / T
2/3 / Phrase Structure Rules / (CL) Ch. 5
Th
2/5 / More Phrase Structure Rules / (CL) Ch. 6
4 / T
2/10 / QUIZ 1
Th
2/12 / Tense & Aspect System / (CL) Ch. 7
5 / T
2/17 / Modal Auxillaries / (CL) Ch. 8
Th
2/19 / The Tense-Aspect-Modality System in Discourse / (CL) Ch. 9
6 / T
2/18 / Negation / (CL) Ch. 10 / HW#1
Th
2/24 / Yes/No Questions and Imperatives / (CL) Ch. 11 & 12
7 / T
2/26 / WH- Questions / (CL) Ch. 13
Th
2/27 / Other Structures that Look Like Questions / (CL) Ch. 14
8 / T
3/3 / Articles / (CL) Ch. 15
Th
3/5 / Reference and Possession / (CL) Ch. 16
9 / T
3/10 / Passive Voice / (CL) Ch. 18
Th
3/12 / QUIZ 2
T
3/17 / SPRING BREAK
NO CLASS
Th
3/19
10 / T
3/24 / Indirect Objects and Adjectives / (CL) Ch. 19&20
Th
3/26 / Planning Grammar Lessons and Activities / To be assigned
11 / T
3/31 / Prepositions / (CL) Ch. 21
Th
4/2[1] / Coordinating Conjunctions / (CL) Ch. 24
12 / T
4/7 / Adverbials / (CL) Ch. 25 / HW#2
Th
4/9 / Conditional Sentences / (CL) Ch. 27
13 / T
4/14 / Relative Clauses / (CL) Ch. 28 & 29
Th
4/16 / Complementation / (CL) Ch. 31
14 / T
4/21 /
Reported Speech & Writing
/ (CL) Ch. 33 / Grammar Lesson DueTh
4/23 /
Comparatives & Equatives
/ (CL) Ch. 3415 / T
4/28 / Final Review Week
Th
4/30 / NO CLASS: Individual Conferences (as needed)
16 / TBA
(Week of 5/5) / Final Exam
1
[1] Friday 4/3 is the last day to drop classes.