Department of English & Modern Languages

MA in Applied Linguistics and ELT

MA in Applied Linguistics and English Language Teaching (ELT) is designed for training professionals to teach students who are learning English as ESL/EFL. It stresses on the practical application of the theories to the classroom. The programme requires the completion of 39, 48 and 60 credits respectively for the students coming from three different backgrounds. In addition, the students are required to do a practical course of three credits and a written thesis of six credits. An alternative to the thesis is taking two mandatory courses after the completion of their course works.


Duration

a. Four (4 ) semesters for the students with 4-year BA in English
b. Five (5) semesters for the students with 4-year bachelor’s degree in subjects other than English
c. Seven (7) semesters for the students with 3-year bachelor’s degree (Pass)


Grading Policy

Letter grades indicating the quality of academic performance is interpreted as follows:
Numerical Scores Letter Grades Qualitative Interpretation Grade Points
90-100 A Excellent 4.0
88-89 A- Excellent 3.7
85-87 B+ Good 3.5
80-84 B Good 3.0
78-79 B- Good 2.7
75-77 C+ Passing 2.5
70-74 C Passing 2.0
68-69 C- Passing 1.7
65-67 D+ Deficient Passing 1.5
50-64 D Deficient Passing 1.0
Below 50 F Fail Nil

Programme Structure

1) For students with Bachelor’s degree (Hons) in English: 39 credits
2) For students with Bachelor’s degree (Hons) in subjects other than English: 48 credits
3) For students with Bachelor’s degree (Pass): 60 credits


Degree Completion Requirements

To obtain an MA degree in Applied Linguistics and ELT, students must complete credits as follows:
A. Core courses

i) For students with Bachelor’s degree (Hons) in English: 24 credits
ii) For students with Bachelor’s degree (Hons) in subjects other than English or Bachelor’s degree (Pass): 33 credits

B. Optional courses

i) For students with Bachelor’s degree (Hons) in subjects other than English: 06 credits
ii) For students with Bachelor’s degree (Pass): 18 credits

C. For all

i) Teaching Practicum: 03 credits
ii) Thesis/Two mandatory courses: 06 credits


Course Numbers and Course Titles


A. Core Courses
i) Common for all
ELT 501: The History of English Language Teaching
ELT 502: Linguistics and Language Teaching
ELT 503: English Phonetics and Phonology
ELT 504: Current Issues in English Language Teaching
ELT 505: Syllabus Design, Materials Development, Testing and Evaluation
ELT 506: Second Language Learning and Acquisition Theories
ELT 507: Psycholinguistics and Language Teaching
ELT 508: ELT Research Methodology
ii) Additional courses for students with Bachelor’s degree (Hons) in subjects
other than English or with Bachelor’s degree (Pass)
ELT 509: English Grammar in Use
ELT 510: English Morphology and Syntax
ELT 511: Theories and Practices of ELT


B. Optional Courses
ELT 512: Teaching English through Literature
ELT 513: Discourse Analysis
ELT 514: Sociolinguistics
ELT 515: Translation Studies
ELT 516: Language Planning in Education
ELT 517: Semantics and Pragmatics
ELT 518: ELT in a Post Colonial World
ELT 519: English for Specific Purposes (ESP)
ELT 520: English Teaching in Bangladesh
ELT 521: Technology Assisted Language Teaching and Learning


C. Compulsory for all
ELT 522: Teaching Practicum
ELT 523: English for the Media
ELT 524: Gender and Language
Or
ELT 525: Thesis

Course Descriptions

Core Courses

ELT 501: The History of English Language Teaching

This course traces the history of ELT all the way from the 14th century to the present day, offering a grand sweep through the major trends and events in English language description and teaching, as well as an impressive level of detail on some of the individuals that have shaped this history, and their methods and materials. It presents how approaches emphasizing oral skills or structures have become folded into the repertoire of modern English language teachers.

ELT 502: Linguistics and Language Teaching

This course aims to provide students with knowledge of core linguistic concepts, including a survey of phonetics and phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics. The emphasis will be on developing the students’ knowledge of the different areas of linguistics to enable learners to develop their knowledge and skills and also to help the trainee teachers to apply linguistic knowledge in language teaching. The course will also cover structural, functional, contextual and socio-cultural theory of language. It will discuss theories of Saussure, Sapir-Whorf, Halliday, Jespersen, Bloomfield and Chomsky.

ELT 503: English Phonetics and Phonology

This course focuses on the physical and linguistic aspects of speech sounds. The sounds will be examined from articulatory, acoustic, and perceptual points of view. In the first part, the aim of the course is to describe the consonant and vowel sounds of English in articulatory terms. It also includes allomorphic variations of sounds. In the next part of the course, the focus is on the supra-segmental phonetics, elision, assimilation, stress and intonation. The course also emphasizes the interdependence of the sound structure of physical and linguistic speech sounds. The course will also include transcription of English texts into IPA symbols and vice versa. The course is designed to enable students not only to handle the challenges in teaching pronunciation in ELT but also to identify and pursue research questions in the area of phonetics and phonology.

ELT 504: Current Issues in English Language Teaching and Learning

The course reflects on the knowledge and practice of the current issues in English language teaching and learning. Since the 1970’s with the advent of the communicative methods and the strong reaction against the structuralist approaches, ELT has gone through multiple changes resulting from a combination of factors and variables of different nature: sociological, economic and pedagogical among others. The course presents how current problems in many areas of ELT are explored and different solutions are proposed by the researchers and scholars. It mainly includes Post Communicative Developments: Task-based Approach, Appropriate Methodology, Context and Culture Sensitive Approach, Post-method Pedagogy, Critical Pedagogy etc.

ELT 505: Syllabus Design, Materials Development, Testing and Evaluation

This course examines a wide range of issues related to syllabus design, materials development, testing and evaluation. It involves detailed discussion on different types of syllabuses such as structural syllabus, notional-functional syllabus, task-based syllabus, communicative syllabus etc. and examines various stages of syllabus design. The course also discusses the principles of materials selection, adaptation, adoption and design. It also considers the purposes and types language tests, reliability and validity of language tests, principles of test constructions, test techniques and test formats, their advantages and disadvantages. The course will also include practical tasks of evaluation and design of units of syllabus, materials and texts.

ELT 506: Second Language Learning and Acquisition Theories

This course focuses on the theoretical perspectives of second language acquisition. It studies the difference between language acquisition and learning and compares and contrasts second language with first language and foreign language acquisition. The course also covers factors that influence second language acquisition: learner variability (age, aptitude, motivation etc.), language instruction, language literacy, oral tradition, acquisition of sounds, vocabulary and syntax. Among other aspects the course will include stages of child development and Behaviourist theory, Cognitive code learning, Mentalist theory, Nativist theory, Monitor Model theory, Acculturation theory and Accommodation theory of language learning and acquisition

ELT 507: Psycholinguistics and Language Teaching

This course provides students with an introduction to the relationship between linguistics and psychology. It emphasizes the psychological and neurological factors that are involved in language processing and learning. Students will be exposed to the studies of mental lexicon, bilingualism and the cognitive processes that are responsible for language production and comprehension.

ELT 508: ELT Research Methodology

The course introduces students to methods, analysis, interpretation and presentation of original research in language teaching. It covers topics like selection of research topic, focusing contextualizing and narrowing down of research topic, steps of research, types of research, research questions, research objectives, research design, methods of data collection, designing instruments of data collection, administering field study, coding of data, plan for data analysis, presentation of results, writing the thesis, thesis structure, documentation style, MLA/APA/ Chicago styles of documentation.

ELT 509: English Grammar in Use

This course aims to strengthen students’ knowledge of traditional grammar and introduce them to current ways of looking at grammar. The course will look at language and meaning, linguistic forms, clause structures, tense, modality and syntactic functions.

ELT 510: English Morphology and Syntax

The course examines the internal structure of words, types of morphemes, types of words and rules through which complex and compound word formation takes place. In fact, the course provides an introductory study of English syntax. Students are introduced to the history and evolution of word boundaries, inflexions, IC rules, PS rules, clause and sentence elements.

ELT 511: Theories and Practices of ELT

This course presents the principles, history, recent developments and contemporary concerns in language teaching. It focuses on the ideas of appropriate methodology, task-based teaching and learning, task design, lesson planning, classroom management, theories and practices of teaching different skills and other areas like vocabulary and pronunciation.

Optional Courses

ELT 512: Teaching English through Literature

This course gives rationale for introducing literature in ELT classroom. It covers planning lessons and activities integrating different aspects of vocabulary and the different skills by using interesting literary texts of various genre- short fictions, extracts from fiction, prose, drama and poetry. Activities will include the role of stories (preferably authentic, written by authors from English speaking countries) in teaching English at different levels of education; the role of poems: reading/comprehension/discussion; expressing personal opinions about the topic, content and artistic merit of the poems ; the importance of short stories and extracts from novels as means of introducing a particular problem ; problem-solving and expressing opinions which contributes to developing both linguistic and communicative competence as well as shaping general world view. At the same time they will develop students’ awareness of the use of language in its imaginative function and their aesthetic sense.

ELT 513: Discourse Analysis

This course offers theoretical insights into how human discourses are constructed and how to analyze spoken and written discourse in different domains of language use. Students are exposed to different perspectives of language use through the analysis of context, registers, style, coherence and cohesion in texts or different types of dialogues, presupposition, ambiguity and misunderstanding, deixis, referencing and various linguistic strategies based on social hierarchy.

ELT 514: Sociolinguistics

The course will introduce the students to the social dynamics of language use as opposed to usage. It will cover the study of sociolinguistic diversity and variation of language in societies such as dialect, sociolet, register, isomorph, pidgin, creole etc. This course will introduce students to the following concepts: world Englishes, language planning, language policy, bilingualism/multilingualism, code switching, code mixing, language and gender, language and power, language and social class, minority languages, language decline and language death etc. The course will examine the implications of these concepts in language teaching.

ELT 515: Translation Studies

The course traces the history of translation from the seventeenth century to the present day. It addresses the need for a systematic approach to training in translation studies by drawing on key areas in modern linguistic theory and relating them systematically to a number of translation problems and strategies. The strategies are identified by an examination of authentic examples of translated texts in a variety of languages. By a balance between theory and practice, the course provides a sound basis for training professional translators. It also analyzes every aspect of translation, from fundamental conditions of interpretation to the most intricate of linguistic constructions. In addition, it explores specific problems of literary translation through a close, practical analysis of texts.

ELT 516: Language Policy and Planning

This course provides an overview of language policies and planning within and across nationally as well as socially defined borders. The course draws on the work of applied linguists, language educators, and ethnographers/researchers who argue for examining the political and social meanings of language policies. The course, in particular, explores the intersection of policy as intended by governmental, political and economic interests; implemented at institutional levels and experienced by individuals and groups. Students will draw on their interests and concerns to engage in locally situated and the regional and global factors related to language policy research and/or planning intended to foster linguistic, socio-cultural, and educational equity as well as national development, progress and prosperity.

ELT 517: Semantics and Pragmatics

This course considers the nature and scope of semantics and pragmatics and their place within linguistics. The topics include referencial meaning, associated meaning, the nature and analysis of lexical meanings, the relationship between meaning and cognition, the relationship between semantics and grammar, and semantic change. The types of meaning are homonyms, homophones, hyponymy, metonymy etc. It also deals with speech acts, theories of meaning- field theory, distributional theory, contextual, functional and socio-cultural theories of meaning. Students will be given plenty of practice in performing semantic analysis using a variety of frameworks such as componential analysis, prototype theory and cognitive semantics. Topics in pragmatics include speech act theory, politeness theory, implicature, presupposition and Grice's Maxims.

ELT 518: ELT in a Post Colonial World

This course studies the rapid cultural and economic changes worldwide which have led to the exponential growth and change in ELT around the world. This course explores the underlying forces of ELT in the post colonial world.

ELT 518: ELT in a Post Colonial World

This course studies the rapid cultural and economic changes worldwide which have led to the exponential growth and change in ELT around the world. This course explores the underlying forces of ELT in the post colonial world.

ELT 519: English for Specific Purposes (ESP)

This course examines the history, need and application of English for Specific Purposes (ESP). Students will learn the theoretical aspects of teaching and learning ESP and couple this knowledge with their analyses of discourses and their genres present in the society. They will learn to conduct needs analyses, understand and locate their roles as ESP practitioners, design teaching material, need-based ESP courses and practice assessment methods for ESP. The learning in this course will be used by students to practically concentrate on how English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and English for Occupational Purposes (EOP) can be taught. Thus, students will learn about the current practices in EAP and EOP to decide how to design courses and materials to teach required skills. They will study what it means to be learner-centered. Developing material and evaluation techniques revolving around critical thinking will be a challenge that students in this course will learn to deal with.

ELT 520: English Teaching in Bangladesh

The course offers a summary of the present state of English Language Teaching (ELT) in Bangladesh. It covers the history of English teaching in the region highlighting the policy and planning of language education. It inspects the curriculum, the teaching methodology, testing and evaluation principles, materials preparation and evaluation in the primary, secondary and tertiary levels to improve the students' proficiency in English. In addition, the course addresses the existing challenges of ELT in Bangladesh with a view to finding out solutions.

ELT 521: Technology Assisted Language Teaching and Learning

The course examines the evolution in approaches to language teaching and learning influenced by new technologies. It describes empirical studies involving different innovative technologies and state-of-the-art tools and offers pedagogical ideas, effective strategies, and useful suggestions on how these technologies could be applied to enhance language teaching and learning. It introduces user-friendly and flexible ways to incorporate technology into the language learning process and provides both the theoretical and practical basis for CALL applications across a broad spectrum of teaching styles, textbooks and courses. This course further examines the promise and limitations for computer-assisted language learning of emerging speech technologies: speech recognition, text-to-speech synthesis, and acoustic visualization.

Compulsory for all

ELT 525: Thesis

A written report of around 10,000 words based upon investigation on a subject. Or The following two courses-

ELT 523: English for the Media

This course examines the study of theoretical basis and pedagogical implications for creating and using materials through media in a language classroom. Students analyze the use of media and technology in their classes and use this knowledge to design media-based instructions. The course rationalizes the role of teacher in a technology driven classroom, the role of students in a digitized classroom, and the techniques of assessment as part of digitally interactive teaching. Student-centeredness being the key factor behind exploiting digital resources (multimedia, e-whiteboards, youtube, facebook, podcasting, wikis, blogs etc.) students taking this course will be challenged with the role of digital media in both stunting and nurturing critical language learning.

ELT 524: Gender and Language

This course examines the interaction between gender and language and the impact of gender differences in English Language Teaching. Facts, theory, and analytic tools will be provided with which to consider issues related to gender and sexuality, and their relation to language. The course will look at various theoretical frameworks through which this relationship has been studied. It will look at the language structures and usage patterns exhibited by women and men, and how language treats the sexes differently. Topics will include the gender binary, the discursive construction of gender, gender markings in language, stylistic practice, sexism in language, heterosexist and racist language, names and forms of address, politeness, schoolroom discourse and shifts in word meaning.


Contact Us

Department of English
Room No: 7001
Phone: +88-02-8431645-53
Ext: 2415
Email: english@iub.edu.bd