Sociocultural Contexts of TEFL

Catalog description

This course is an introduction to the socio-cultural principles, cultural contexts, and issues related to teaching English as a foreign language. Topics include cultural typology and its relationship to teacher and learner roles; learner differences in terms of individual identity, socio-economic factors, and cultural and group identity; and the impact of such issues on the acquisition of English. Coursework emphasizes an analysis of the applicability of Western teaching methodologies and practices to intercultural teaching in a variety of human cultures. Much of the course content relates to how these issues impact the choice of methods, the design of curriculum and lesson planning, and emphasizes the development of best practices with application to delivering course content cross- culturally.