Course description
Course Description
The MA in Language Testing and Programme Evaluation focuses on both quantitative and qualitative approaches to the evaluation of language teaching programmes, and enables students to develop skills in designing and evaluating language tests.
Modules and Options
The lists of modules below represent the range of options available for each year of study. This may not be a complete list of the options you will study, and may be subject to change, so please contact the department for further details.
Stage 1
ACQUISITION OF SECOND LANGUAGE PHONOLOGY
APPROACHES TO SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
BLACK ENGLISHES
CHILDREN'S ENGLISH
Compulsory: ASSIGNMENT WRITING AND DISSERTATION PREPARATION
Compulsory: COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TESTING
Compulsory: FOUNDATIONS OF LANGUAGE FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS
Compulsory: FURTHER QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS IN LANGUAGE STUDY
Compulsory: LANGUAGE PROGRAMME EVALUATION
Compulsory: LANGUAGE TESTING
Compulsory: NON-EXPERIMENTAL QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING
COMPUTATIONAL LINGUISTICS I
COMPUTATIONAL LINGUISTICS II
COMPUTER ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING: THEORY, RESEARCH AND PRACTICE
CONSTRAINT BASED PHONOLOGY
CONVERSATION AND SOCIAL INTERACTION
Core: DISSERTATION: MA
CORPORA IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING
CULTURE IN SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING
DESCRIPTIVE SYNTAX
DESIGN OF LANGUAGE TEACHING PROGRAMMES AND MATERIALS FOR YOUNG LEARNERS
DEVELOPMENT OF LANGUAGE PROCESSING
DEVELOPMENTAL LANGUAGE DISORDERS
DEVELOPMENTAL SECOND LANGUAGE SYNTAX
DISCOURSE AND LANGUAGE TEACHING
ELT PROFESSIONAL CONCERNS
ENGLISH PHONOLOGY
ENGLISH SYNTAX
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN AND ANALYSIS
FOUNDATIONS OF COMPUTER ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING
FOUNDATIONS OF ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES
FOUNDATIONS OF INTERCULTURAL AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION
FOUNDATIONS OF LINGUISTICS
GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT
GRAMMATICAL DEVELOPMENT IN FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD LANGUAGE LEARNERS
INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN L2 LEARNING
INPUT IN LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING
INTERCULTURAL PRAGMATICS
INTRODUCTION TO HEAD-DRIVEN PHRASE STRUCTURE GRAMMAR
INTRODUCTION TO LEXICAL FUNCTIONAL GRAMMAR
LANGUAGE ACQUISITION AND THE CRITICAL PERIOD
LANGUAGE AND GENDER
LANGUAGE DISORDERS IN ADULTS
LANGUAGE LEARNERS IN CLASSROOMS
LANGUAGE TEACHER EDUCATION
LANGUAGE TEACHERS IN CLASSROOMS
LANGUAGE TEACHING
LEARNER AUTONOMY
LEARNER PERSPECTIVES ON VOCABULARY
LEARNER STRATEGIES AND METALINGUISTIC KNOWLEDGE: EXPLICIT ASPECTS OF L2 LEARNING
LEXICAL CHANGE IN THE HISTORY OF ENGLISH
LITERACY DEVELOPMENT AND TEACHING OF READING TO YOUNG LEARNERS
MATERIALS DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
MATERIALS EVALUATION
MINIMALISM SYNTAX II
MINIMALIST SYNTAX I
MORPHOLOGY
MULTILINGUALISM
PEDAGOGICAL GRAMMAR
PHILOSOPHY OF LINGUISTICS
PHONOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND PHONOLOGICAL DISORDERS
PHONOLOGICAL THEORY AND SECOND LANGUAGE PHONOLOGY
PIDGIN AND CREOLE LANGUAGES
PRAGMATICS: DISCOURSE AND RHETORIC
PROLOG I
PROLOG II
QUALITATIVE METHODOLOGY IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING/APPLIED LINGUISITICS RESEARCH
RELEVANCE THEORY
RESEARCH TOPICS IN ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES
RESEARCHING WRITING IN EFL/ESL
SEMANTICS
SENTENCE PROCESSING
SOCIOLINGUISTIC METHODS I
SOCIOLINGUISTIC METHODS II
SOCIOLINGUISTICS I
SOCIOLINGUISTICS II
SOCIOPHONOLOGY
SOCIOPHONOLOGY RESEARCH
SYLLABUS DESIGN
TEACHING PRACTICE I
TEACHING PRACTICE II
TEACHING WRITING IN EFL/ESL
TEACHING, LISTENING AND SPEAKING
THE MENTAL LEXICON
THEORETICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE PHONOLOGY
TOPICS IN HEAD-DRIVEN PHRASE STRUCTURE GRAMMAR
TOPICS IN LEXICAL FUNCITIONAL GRAMMAR
TOPICS IN PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION
VARIATION IN ARABIC 1
VARIATION IN ARABIC II
VARIATION IN ENGLISH I
VARIATION IN ENGLISH II
VERB MEANING AND SENTENCE STRUCTURE
Teaching and Assessment Methods
A: Knowledge and Understanding
Learning Outcomes
A1 : Familiarity with current theories and developments in language testing as well as with major language proficiency tests
A2 : Understanding of both quantitative and qualitative approaches to language programme evaluation as well as familiarity with international case studies
A3 : Practical and theoretical knowledge of major approaches within language testing and language programme evaluation
A4 : Knowledge of key concepts, issues, ideas, theories, competing paradigms and research methods within the fields of language testing and language programme evaluation
A5 : Knowledge of methods and tools employed in contemporary language testing and programme evaluation work to collect, analyse, interpret and present data/information
A6 : Familiarity with recent approaches to the description and the nature of language
Teaching Methods
A1-6 are addressed in lectures, as well as seminar, class and tutorial discussion. Web and instructional course materials, including library and internet materials are used to achieve A1, A2, A3, A4 and A6. There is also office and email consultation with staff, as well as written and oral feedback on work.
Assessment Methods
A1-6 are assessed by written coursework in the form of essays (usually a 3000 word essay per course) and exercises. The dissertation is instrumental in the achievement of A3 and A5, being the most significant form of assessment with respect to the knowledge and understanding acquired in the taught part of the course.
B: Intellectual/Cognitive Skills
Learning Outcomes
B1 : Critically evaluate contrasting theories/ accounts/explanations/approaches to language testing and language programme evaluation
B2 : Abstract and synthesise information from a range of sources (lectures/seminars/classes, journals, books, internet, etc.) identifying central concepts and findings
B3 : Make relevant observations and generalisations about language proficiency (or language programme effectiveness) and analyse and interpret relevant types of behaviour, qualitative and quantitative data, (including language tests and programme materials) using appropriate methodologies
B4 : Critically evaluate a variety of language testing formats and language programme evaluation procedures
B5 : Relate professional experience and knowledge of concepts and procedures in language description, language testing and programme evaluation to the solution of real-world problems in language testing and programme evaluation
Teaching Methods
B1-5 are developed in seminars, classes and tutorials. B2 is developed in directed reading of library and internet materials, as well as printed instructional course materials. There is also office and email consultation with staff, as well as written and oral feedback on work.
Assessment Methods
B1-5 are assessed by written coursework in the form of essays (usually a 3000 word essay per course) and exercises. In its development of advanced intellectual and cognitive skills, the dissertation is central in assessing B2 and B5.
C: Practical Skills
Learning Outcomes
C1 : retrieve and collate information from a variety of sources (e.g. library, WWW, informants)
C2 : utilise techniques and tools relevant to the collection, analysis, interpretation and presentation of information/data on the effectiveness of language programmes and the assessment of an individual's language ability
C3 : design a test to elicit and rate effectively a sample of language ability
C4 : apply an evaluation framework to evaluate a language programme or innovation
C5 : propose, plan, undertake, write up and present an independent survey or report (e.g. on research undertaken individually or in collaboration with others, or on a case study), with a minimum of guidance
Teaching Methods
Throughout the scheme practical skills C1-5 are developed through independent learning in preparation for classes, seminars, essays and presentations. In particular, these skills are mobilised in preparation for tutorials for the dissertation. Office and email consultation with staff, as well as written/oral feedback on work is provided through both the coursework and dissertation phases of the degree.
Assessment Methods
Coursework and essays play an important part in the assessment of all skills C1-5. It is in the marking of the dissertation, however, that these skills - in particular C3 and C5 -become particularly salient.
D: Key Skills
Learning Outcomes
D1 : Communicating complex ideas effectively in writing, writing essays, reports and reviews using the appropriate register and style.
D2 : Using advanced computational tools and software packages to obtain, store and process information stored in electronic form (e.g. from the Library, WWW or CD-rom), and (where appropriate) to analyse data and results
D3 : Under guidance, interpreting complex statistical information presented in the form of diagrams, tables and graphs
D4 : Analysing and interpreting complex data-sets or behaviour, abstracting insightful generalisations and proposing solutions or assisting decision making
D6 : Under guidance, working independently, demonstrating initiative, self-organisation and time-management in tackling and solving complex problems
Teaching Methods
The key skills, D1, D2, D4 and D6 are taught throughout the scheme in preparation for lectures, sminars, tutorials and coursework assignments. Oral presentations in class may also be sued to develop skills of oral communication in parallel with D1; students are also encouraged to collaborate with others to achieve common goals, e.g. in project planning, management and presentation. Seminars and tutorials are used to develop D3 and D4. There is also office and email consultation with staff, as well as written/oral feedback on work.
Assessment Methods
Coursework essays are used in the development of all key skills D1 to D4 and D6. Coursework exercises specifically develop D3 and D4. The dissertation constitutes and overall assessment of these skills in judging communication, problem solving and independent learning.
