120153 UE English Speaking Countries in the Context of ELT (2007W)

In this course we will have a look at various countries where English is spoken as a first or as an official language. We will try to take cultural studies as a starting point to look at some aspects of life and culture in the respective countries. The choice of specific topics will be made by the participants themselves with a focus on their possible use in the context of English language teaching.
We will look at the materials included in Austrian course books for Unter-and Oberstufe and then try to develop our own material collections as well as try to come up with various ways of how to use and exploit them in class.
Finally we will also try to justify and reflect upon our selections of topics, materials and suggested activities and procedures from the point of view of CLT.
Assessment will be based on participants' own projects (oral presentation and written version) and regular participation in class discussions and debates.