The Pedagogic Discourse of ELT
It is an elective course in our undergraduate program offered to 6th semester students of our Faculty. Students need a certain maturity and knowledge of psychological and learning principles as well as high motivation in working in the field of learning disabilities. It is intended to provide students with knowledge and skills that enable them to understand what learning is: Is it a change in behavior or understanding? Is it a product or process? The latter takes us into the field of learning theories, ideas about how learning may happen. The aim is to analyze them and be in a position to distinguish between learning as a process- task conscious or acquisition learning and learning conscious or formalized learning. Furthermore we proceed with an analysis of what learning disabilities are? How are they diagnosed? Which are the common characteristics of learning disabilities: Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia,Dyspraxia, Dysnomia, Dysphasia, ADHD…. and general issues to consider when working with children with learning disabilities.
The course syllabus is covered by: a) three hours weekly sessions, b) the course book and suggested further reading, c) the extra handouts distributed in class, on which practical work is held, d) oral presentations and written projects and e) extra seminars on learning disabilities, offered by visiting experts in the field.
The issues presented during the weekly class sessions are based on the course book and handouts. The overall aim of the course is to provide students with a critical awareness to develop theoretical and practical insight and to prepare students as future educators to help learners and parents to understand the characteristics of learning disabilities and deal with them successfully.
The course is evaluated by the instructor based on the performance and involvement of students in class. It is also evaluated by students at the end of the semester on the basis of: the content of the course, the organization of the course,curricular and extra curricular activities, seminars, the course book, hand outs provided, the course instructor’s teaching performance.