Overview

This Master’s course aims to provide specialist professional development for English Language Teaching (ELT). It draws on innovative research carried out on the English language by members of the School of Humanities (English language specialists) and focuses on the theory and practice of teaching English in a variety of contexts.

The course includes the opportunity to take part in study trips.. * In recent years (e.g. 2018 and 2019) we have ran free trips to the London Museums to design language learning tasks based on the artefacts viewed, and to Stratford-upon-Avon to study the impact that Shakespeare’s language has had on modern English. During the optional study trip to Valencia, Spain, we observe English classes taught in three different universities and discuss intercultural and context-specific issues relating to English Language Teaching with our international partners.

*Study trips may be subject to additional fees, application processes and/or be subject to availability.

The course also engages with Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) exchanges, with the partners the students may visit during their international study trip*, and engagement with Massive Open Online Learning Courses (MOOCs). Research carried out by staff on the course in 2017 shows that this enhances participating students’ digital fluency and intercultural awareness, refer for example to the English Language Teaching Research Award (ELTRA) study published by the British Council in 2018: BMELTT (Blending MOOCs for English Language Teacher Training).

Course information

This course gives you the opportunity to reflect on your own professional development as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language in a stimulating, interactive and innovative way. It discusses how different settings and teaching scenarios can affect your teaching approach.

A diagnostic task is administered at the start the course to support your academic development and this task is discussed with your allocated personal tutor, who can support your learning journey and provide sign-posting for your pastoral needs. At Coventry University we also offer the support of a School-based employment tutor, as well as the support of a central Career Office (please check the Employability section of this course webpage for further details on this).

Students on the course can apply for internal part-time job opportunities, both voluntary and paid, and these have included over the years: Pre-sessional English Teacher and/or Conversational Assistant; Academic Tutor at the Centre for Academic Writing; Linguae Mundi teacher (teaching their native language for the Centre for Global Engagement); Volunteer for English classes for refugees; Volunteer for English classes for members of the public; Academic English tutor for modules on degree courses; Language module tutor on the Add+Vantage university-wide provision and Student Ambassador.

Students are also invited to take part in the community of English Language Teaching research practice in the School of Humanities, for example the CLAC (Corpus Linguistics at Coventry) monthly seminars and the occasional visiting lectures by famous linguists (e.g. Prof David Crystal in 2018).

According to our External Examiners, employers, alumni and our current students, the distinctive features of this course are:

• The stress on the links between theory and practice;
• The emphasis on the integration of new technologies in language learning and teaching;
• Its task-based/problem-based approach to language learning and teaching;
• Its varied and innovative assessment tasks;
• The quality of both the pastoral and academic support offered to students;
• Its innovative approach to the internationalisation of the curriculum through Online International Learning, Massive Open Online Courses and ELT study trips, both national and international;
• The opportunity to obtain job placements (this is selective);
• The possibility of obtaining the Teaching Knowledge Test (TKT) vocational qualification.

Students who have DELTA (Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults) will be given Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) for up to 30 credits of the programme.