Introduction to Applied Linguistics and TESOL

Explore the field of applied linguistics through real-world case studies

This online course introduces the field of applied linguistics and how it relates to disciplines including linguistics and language teaching.

You’ll explore real-world examples of applied linguistics, such as forensic linguistics and language assessment. You’ll look at the field’s impact on important issues - for example, reducing gender bias in language use and simplifying legal language.

You’ll find out what applied linguists do through a series of case studies. Specialists will work through problems and show you applied linguistic research methods to solve them.

This course is designed for:

• anyone interested in linguistics and language teaching, and thinking of a career in these fields
• people considering a postgraduate degree in applied linguistics or Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
• professionals already working in applied linguistics or related fields, who want an update on current thinking and practice.

• Have you ever met an applied linguist?
• Introduction
• Have you ever met an applied linguist?
• What do applied linguists do?
• The impact of applied linguistics in broader society
• The impact of applied linguistics on second language teaching, learning and assessment
• Summary of the week
• Language and the big decisions in life
• Introduction
• Making the big decisions in life
• International mobility
• The kind of world we live in
• Impact
• Assessment design and research
• Summary of the week
• Inspiring Language Learning
• Introduction
• Engagement in language learning
• Learner autonomy and its significance in terms of enhancing language learning
• Foreign language anxiety
• Summary of the week
• The social role of pronunciation
• Introduction
• Accent
• Globalization and intelligibility
• Pronunciation and public image
• Teaching and learning the social roles of pronunciation
• Summary of the week
• Investigating and analysing language in use
• Introduction
• Modal verbs
• Corpus methods in applied linguistics
• Hands-on exploration of obligation and necessity in COCA
• Summary of the week
• Joining the Applied linguistics and TESOL community at Leicester
• Introduction
• Applied Linguistics and TESOL at Leicester - staff research
• Applied Linguistics and TESOL at Leicester - student research
• The Future of Applied Linguistics and TESOL – some current issues and developments
• Summary of the course