21st Century Learning and Teaching: 
Advanced Learning Theory in Practice 

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In this blended course (2 months online and 2 weeks face-to-face) course teachers will confront and delve into the reality that the traditional role of teacher as informants, disciplinarian and information managers, while still part of a teachers’ job, are no longer sufficient for learning in the 21st century.  We will consider complexity theory, current theories about second language acquisition, and learning in general that include but are not limited to constructive-developmental theory, situated learning theory, learning through experience, and transformative learning theory.  We will discuss and use a variety of forms of technology in both our teaching and our reflecting. We will work on how planning, teaching and reflection with particular attention to these theories can significantly impact learning in the English language classroom.

This course is appropriate for all experienced teachers who have a firm understanding of how to plan, teach and reflect on lessons based on second language acquisition theory and who are ready to incorporate more complex theoretical concepts and more technology into their teaching practice. Teachers who take this course need to have taken the SIT TESOL Certificate course or its equivalent OR demonstrate the ability to design, teach and reflect on productive and receptive skills lessons using ECRIF or PPU frameworks (for productive skills) and PDP framework for receptive skills.

The course provides practical training through online discussion and tasks, reading, classroom discussions, teaching demonstrations, lesson planning and analysis, and practice teaching and feedback. Participants refine skills in teaching, speaking, listening, reading, writing, grammar and culture and develop skills in implementing situated learning theory, learning through experience, constructive developmental theory and transformative learning theory.  The course begins with a brief review of  second language acquisition and its application in the classroom and then focuses on how current learning theories can support language learning and teaching. Participants examine specific teaching areas each day, which they apply in their daily practice teaching of adult ESOL learners. Participants gain skills in analysis through examining their lessons with trainers. There is a maximum trainer-participant ratio of 7 to 1.