CONT938: Language Fundamentals

Course Schedule

Registration will remain open until 4pm EST on the posted registration deadline date.

Course Description

What does it mean to be a language-sensitive teacher? Language plays a fundamental role in academic learning and literacy development in K-12 classrooms. How might educators’ knowledge of the English language system contribute to effective instruction for diverse learners? 

This course will explore the essential components of language and linguistics that are most relevant for teaching reading, writing, oral communication, and supporting learning within and across academic disciplines. In addition, you will acquire knowledge of instructional strategies that you can implement to enhance your students’ linguistic competence and academic success. 

By the end of the course, you will have gained confidence in your own knowledge of how English works to plan learning experiences that effectively support your students in their language and literacy development. In addition, you will have increased your expertise to enhance your students’ ability to process and communicate academic language at the word, sentence and discourse levels within and across disciplinary contexts.   

In this course, you will have the opportunity to

• understand how language-sensitive teachers adapt disciplinary-specific teaching to enhance its effectiveness
• uncover how language is a social and cultural tool that reflects one’s identity
• learn key concepts in phonetics, phonology, morphology, grammar, syntax, semantics, orthography, discourse, and sociolinguistics
• explore ways in which components of the language system influence language and literacy development
• know how language “works” within the subjects you teach
• identify ways the components of language may be addressed through intentional and explicit instruction in oral language and literacy development
• plan for incorporating a language lens into disciplinary teaching and learning
• plan for language and literacy development with attention to linguistic form and function
• design and maximize opportunities for students to engage in productive and effective classroom discussions that empower learning and improve the quality of student discourse
• strengthen confidence and competence in explaining how English “works” to students

Application Requirements

Courses and Post-Graduate Certificates are approved by TQS for Category Upgrade. If you would like these courses to be used towards Category Upgrading, you must have a valid BC Teacher Certificate.

ECEs, EAs, and other education professionals are welcome to take the courses without Certification.

Course Materials

Accommodations

Applicants who require accommodations for a specific learning need (e.g., learning disability) within their AQ/ABQ course, should click here for further information and support.

Have a question? Contact us!

Refund Schedule

If you drop a course:

1. by the midpoint of the course, you will receive 100% of your course fee.
2. after the midpoint, before the end of the course, you will receive 50% of your course fee.

For more about our refund policies, visit our Fees & Refunds page.