Full course title: Text linguistics and applications on language teaching

Objectives of the course:

The course introduces the major concepts and modern trends in text linguistics and aims at students’ understanding of the mechanisms of text construction, and text analysis on linguistic methods and tools. Besides, a main objective of the course is the application of the principles of text linguistics on language teaching, mainly in primary education.

Content of the course:

The course draws the students’ attention to functions of language in language use that creates texts. The structure of texts (including the distinction between spoken and written language) is especially tackled, by the research of the textuality and its factors (according to the models of Beaugrande-Dressler and Halliday-Hasan), the thematic progress, the role of context, the concept of style, the interpretation and decoding of texts. In the second part of the course, some ways of exploration of the principles of text linguistics are critically presented in relation with language teaching practice. Several  teaching applications are proposed in order to combine the text-centered and the communicative approach in language teaching. 

Teaching and learning methods:

Interactive seminars, with students’ individual and in-small-groups participation particularly encouraged. Case studies and practical activities, oral presentations and use of digital material (internet, DVDs). 

Assessment methods:

Final assessment by an open, written exam (80%); ongoing assessment by facultative students’ projects or active participation in class activities (20%).