SNE 403 - Foreign Language Instruction in Primary School

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the theories and practices needed to teach English to early language learners and to provide students with experience in teaching English to children.

Comparison of Turkish and English teaching, approaches, methods, techniques and applications used in teaching English at primary level, related topics, achievements and examples of activities in primary school foreign language courses 2, 3 and 4.

Çakır, İ. (2020). İlkokulda Yabancı Dil Öğretimi. Nobel Akademi Yayıncılık

Tomak, B. (2022). İlkokulda Yabancı Dil Öğretimi. Pegem Akademi Yayıncılık

The components for evaluating course success are generally as follows:

Presentation: 25%
Midterm Exam: 25%
Final Exam: 50%

### Group Presentations

Starting in the third week of the course, students will deliver presentations in groups of four or five according to the announced schedule. The presentations aim to develop students’ ability to research topics related to foreign language teaching in primary school, explain them through brief examples, and evaluate their implications for teaching.

Presentations will be delivered in Turkish. English will be limited to short, basic examples of words, expressions, and dialogues used to illustrate the topic. Students are not expected to demonstrate advanced English proficiency, deliver memorised performances, or produce AI-assisted songs and dances.

Each student will research the subtopic assigned to them in the group list and present it for **10 minutes**. Presentations will last 40 minutes for groups of four and 50 minutes for groups of five. Each member’s contribution to research, example analysis, and reasoned interpretation must be evident. Designing slides, introducing the presentation, or preparing the reference list alone does not fulfil the individual presentation requirement.

Each student must consult at least two reliable sources. One must be the relevant section of the course’s required or supplementary textbook. Sources in Turkish are acceptable, and group members may consult the same sources. Each student will prepare 3–4 slides bearing their name and a research note of no more than one page. The research note must include the key information, the example analysed, the student’s reasoned interpretation, and the page numbers or links for the sources used. Group members will combine their sections into a single presentation and remove unnecessary repetition.

Presentations will focus on topic research and example analysis. Listening, speaking, and other classroom activities led by the instructor will take place after the relevant topics have been taught.

Presentations will be assessed out of 100 using the rubric below and will contribute 25% to the final course grade. Of the 100 points, 80 will be awarded for the student’s individual work and 20 for the coherence of the group’s overall presentation. Students in the same group may therefore receive different presentation grades.

The midterm and final exams will include multiple-choice and open-ended questions.

Attendance is essential for the class.

The student is obligated to conduct a presentation.