In my term paper I will try to investigate a unit of an English course book for German learners of English as their second language. For this aim I will use the “English G2000 B1 for the fifth grade Realschule”. I decided for the “Realschule” version as I’m studying on teaching profession for this type of school.
Considering the extent of this paper I will not be able to investigate this course book completely. Instead of this I will concentrate on a small unit – topic 4 in the end of unit four, which deals with money and shopping. In G2000 every unit closes with such a short topic-unit and it has – just like the larger units – a focus on a language skill. In case of topic 4 it is speaking.
In order not to write too much I will put emphasize on the methodological and theoretical background of the exercises and tasks of this unit: Which methods are used? What about the role of the learner/teacher? Which competences are demanded and supported? Is it sufficient to teach English only with the help of a course book?
Therefore I will give a short glimpse on the historical background of language teaching and learning at first, so that the reader deserves basic information about methods and their theoretical background.
For a better entrance to my topic I will also involve the teacher’s manual. It includes information about new vocabulary, materials and methods. Furthermore it offers the teacher instructions for the exercises in the student’s course book.
Therefore it is in a way essential, because it is in fact a manual for the student’s book.
Topic 4 consists of four main exercises. Some of them are slightly complemented by parallel tasks from the pupil’s workbook, which is also available as additional support to the course book. Furthermore there is a Vocabulary Action Sheet in the end of the teacher’s manual including some vocabulary exercises for each unit.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Language teaching / Language learning - A glimpse on history
- Analysis of topic 4 from the course book G2000
- Stage of language learning
- Topic 4 Methods, activities and exercises
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This term paper aims to investigate a unit of an English course book for German learners of English as their second language. The focus is on topic 4 from the “English G2000 B1” course book, specifically its methods, activities, and exercises. The paper will examine the theoretical background of these elements, including the role of the learner and teacher, and the competencies demanded and supported. It will also delve into the history of language teaching and learning, highlighting the shift from teacher-centered approaches to learner-centered approaches.
- Methods of language teaching and learning
- Role of the learner and teacher in language acquisition
- Competencies demanded and supported by the course book unit
- Historical evolution of language teaching approaches
- Effectiveness of using a course book for English instruction
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter introduces the topic and outlines the research scope. It focuses on the “English G2000 B1” course book and specifically analyzes topic 4, which deals with money and shopping. The chapter outlines the paper's objective to examine the methodological and theoretical underpinnings of the exercises in this unit.
- Language teaching / Language learning – A glimpse on history: This chapter provides a brief overview of the history of language teaching, contrasting the audio-lingual method with the communicative language teaching approach. It examines the theoretical underpinnings of each approach, including the role of the learner and teacher, and the emphasis on different skills and competencies. The chapter also introduces the concept of task-based language teaching and its relationship to communicative language teaching.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper focuses on English language teaching, specifically for German learners, utilizing the “English G2000 B1” course book as a case study. Key terms include audio-lingual method, communicative language teaching, task-based language teaching, learner-centered approach, teacher-centered approach, competencies, and sociocultural competence. The paper investigates the methods, activities, and exercises within a specific unit of the course book, analyzing their theoretical foundations and their contribution to language acquisition.
- Quote paper
- Jens Goldschmidt (Author), 2008, Language teaching and language learning - Methods in a course book for German learners of English, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/200679
