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EDPY 416/516 Lecture Notes Review

Week 5 Updates from Jennifer A. Foote, EDPY 416/516, Fall 2025, University of Alberta

Housekeeping

  • Discussion Board 2 is now closed; grades will be released soon.

  • Discussion Board 3 is due in week 7. Students will receive an extra day to submit it by midnight on the class day since the instructor will be at a conference during that week.

  • Week 7 instruction will not be in-person, but the instructor will provide narrated PowerPoints for self-paced study.

Midterm Examination Details

  • The midterm exam is scheduled for October 23rd during class time.

  • Content Coverage: The exam will consist of material from weeks 1-6, excluding week 7.

  • Students will have the full class duration to complete the exam. Although it is spacious, the exam is designed to be completed in a shorter time frame to reduce stress.

  • There will be a 1.5 time modifier to support students.

  • After submitting the exam, students may leave.

Exam Format

  • Types of questions may include:

    • Matching (e.g., terms, acronyms)

    • Definitions

    • Short answers

    • Medium answers

    • Long answers

  • Materials for study include readings and class notes, both of which will provide exam content.

Key Areas to Understand for the Exam

  • Relationships between concepts:

    • Example: The difference between development error and inter-lingual error.

  • Important Terms/Acronyms:

    • Universal grammar

    • English as a Lingua Franca (ELF)

    • Communicative competence.

  • Application of learnt material in real-world contexts:

    • Example: Interviewing a new elementary student from China.

  • Concept Explanation Ability:

    • Example: Defining needs analysis and its components.

Reading and PPT Review

  • Emphasis on a balanced mix of questions:

    • Tricky, medium-difficulty, and easier questions are included.

  • It is crucial to have reviewed both readings and PowerPoints to prepare adequately.

Today's Agenda

  • Complete discussion on needs analysis.

  • Introduce the topic of individual differences in learning.

Follow-Up from Last Week

  • Discussions may have included the need for review or clarification on individual differences and prerequisite knowledge for effective teaching practices.

Discussion Questions

  1. What are two types of speech samples you might want to collect to assess a learner’s pronunciation? Why is it essential to gather two samples?

  2. What is a graded dictation, and what insights can it provide regarding a student's language proficiency?

Understanding Learner Needs

  • Learner Knowledge:

    • Oftentimes, students may lack precise awareness of their educational needs to achieve goals.

    • For instance, a new Grade 9 student may not be completely aware of what skills are necessary for high school success.

    • An EAP (English for Academic Purposes) student might know they want to excel in university-level English but may not have defined what specific skills are required.

    • Many assess their own abilities inaccurately, leading to potential frustration or misalignment in learning pathways.

EAP Context Example

  • Situation: You are teaching EAP without a pre-defined curriculum. The central challenge lies in assessing what content to deliver based on:

    • The specific communicative needs of a student cohort in academic contexts.

    • Anticipated skills essential for success in an EAP environment.

Needs Assessment Example for EAP

  • Student Questionnaire: Conducted with university instructors to assess teaching requirements in relation to students' vital needs regarding participation and peer collaboration in an academic setting.

    • Checkmarks reflecting:

    • Frequency of oral participation in grading.

    • Class discussion patterns and group exercises.

    • Project work collaborations outside class.

Quantitative Data from Research Study

  • Survey Data: Collected from 234 professors across 4 U.S. universities comparing classes' focus on business vs. science disciplines.

    • Class Size: Small-medium vs. predominantly large classes.

    • Participation: Required from students, measured on a frequency scale from always to never.

    • Peer Collaboration: Varied between often and never across different subject areas.

Pedagogical Goals vs. Identified Needs

  • Examples of how to achieve pedagogical goals:

    • Lecture Comprehension: Introduce differing presentation styles and note-taking strategies to students.

    • Peer Interaction: Develop student confidence in collaborating with native speakers.

  • Encourage capability in expressing academic knowledge and developing interpersonal engagement skills through hands-on practice.

Essentials of Needs Analysis (From Nation)

  • What Learner Knows:

    • Assessment of existing knowledge levels.

  • What Learner Needs:

    • Identification of skills required for future success.

  • What Learner Wants:

    • Consideration of student preferences and goals.

  • Learner Learning Preference (From Jenn):

    • Preferences for learning methodologies.

  • Possibility of Learning:

    • Clarification on what content mastery is achievable.

Understanding Learner Goals

  • Inquire about immediate and long-term practical English skills needed for personal use (e.g., shopping, communication, academic assistance).

  • Sample questions during needs analysis might include:

    • What contexts might necessitate proficient English skills?

    • Should correction of mistakes be pursued, or a focus on fluency be favored?

Detailed Topics for Language Needs Analysis (Table 2.1)

  • Personal Information: Conversations about family, names, and backgrounds.

  • Descriptive Skills: Ability to communicate characteristics of home and work environments.

  • Social Skills: Engaging in common social interactions such as greetings or time-telling.

  • Practical Scenarios: Shopping, engaging with services, obtaining directions, and healthcare concerns.

  • Job Seeking: Knowledge on job opportunities and necessary interactions/follow-ups.

Alignment of Student Preferences and Teaching

  • In specialized settings (K-12 ESL or EAP), integration of students’ desires with curricular expectations presents challenges.

    • Example: Aligning desired social media presence within educational assignments.

Survey Instrumentation

  • Importance of tailored surveys at the course onset to ascertain student interests within subjects while maintaining relevance to course focus (speaking vs. writing).

Conflicts Between Learner Preferences and Teaching Methods

  • Authentic language use is prioritized, but many learners come from contexts focused on rule mastery which poses challenges.

Learner Preferences Survey Insights

  • Preferences for Teaching Activities:

    • High scores indicate desired focus areas (e.g., pronunciation practice, teacher explanations).

    • Notable discrepancies between student expectations vs. instructor perceptions.

Addressing Learning Divergences

  • When conflict arises between teaching and learning preferences, practical considerations include:

    • Reasonableness of requests.

    • Effects on long-term learning outcomes.

    • Practical limitations of accommodating student preferences.

The Needs of Learning Pace and Style

  • Understanding expectations around speed of learning:

    • BICS (Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills) vs. CALP (Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency) dynamics influence learner advancement.

Learning Requirement Insights

  • Table 2.2: Breaking down specific language and skills necessary for daily activities and academic exposition, referencing vocabulary range requirements for reading and conversational contexts.

Environmental Analysis

  • Contextual factors impacting instructional methodology:

    • Resource availability, time constraints, and motivation.

Managing Expectations in Language Learning

  • Examples from previous classes underline the importance of clarifying realistic outcomes in pronunciation courses, especially for advanced learners.

Instructor’s Course Preparation Queries

  • Creating awareness surrounding motivations affecting pronunciation focus, facilitating structured activities based on student responses.

Questions for Learner Reflection

  1. Is achieving a native-like accent feasible with motivation and good instruction?

  2. Can improvement in pronunciation occur after prolonged exposure to a second language?

  3. Should some sounds take precedence in pronunciation learning due to their communicative significance?

Approach to Teaching Pronunciation

  • Evidence-based methods are favored, applying tested research strategies with achievable goals aligned with learners’ realities.

Summary of the Learner Context

  • Learner considerations encapsulate:

    • Present knowledge, necessary knowledge, wanted knowledge, preferred learning styles, and learning feasibility.