Literature/Language Teaching Subject for BAGCED or BEd

If you enrol on a pre-service or in-service programme to become a secondary teacher of English, you will take five Linguistics courses as part of the Literature/Language component of your programme. These courses cover an introduction to how languages work in general, an overview of languages across the Pacific as well as the structure of English, principles of second language learning and teaching, and the role and status of English in the Pacific. These courses will give you a robust training for a career in English teaching, as well as working in curriculum and assessment units.

NOTE: The information on this page applies to students enrolling on a BAGCED or BEd with Literature/Language in 2022 or later. If you enrolled on this programme in 2021 or earlier, please see the Handbook & Calendar from the year in which you first enrolled on this programme. Also note that the Literature and Education parts of the programme may have changed.

Core Linguistics courses for the Literature/Language teaching subject

LN111 Introduction to Language Studies

This course introduces the key foundations of Linguistics – the scientific study of language and languages. We all use language every day, and yet many people know far less about language and languages than they think they do. This course helps students appreciate the almost infinite variety in language, and shows them how the languages they speak fit into their society and culture. LN111 will appeal to anyone with an interest in language and communication.

LN118 The Languages of the Pacific

This course delves into the immense multilingual complexity of the USP region. We begin with an introduction to the structure of different languages, learning how Pacific linguists work with language data. We then cover a geographical and historical overview of the languages of Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia, examining how so many languages have come to exist in the region, and considering what Linguistics can tell us about migration patterns and early settlers of the different islands. Finally, we look at the language situation across the Pacific today, looking briefly at topics such as language endangerment and official language status.

LN211 The Structure of English

This course focuses on the description and analysis of the structure of English. It looks at the way sounds and words are formed (phonology and morphology), and then examines the way words are joined together as phrases, then clauses, and then sentences (syntax). It aims to reveal the patterns that underlie English, in ways that will be useful for anyone studying, using or teaching the language. LN211 will be of interest to those who use English on a daily basis, but want to know more about how it actually works!

LN213 Second Language Learning and Teaching

This course provides trainee language teachers with the skills required to teach second languages effectively. It examines the principles of second language acquisition, before showing how these principles inform practical approaches to the teaching of reading, writing, listening and speaking. An integrated approach to skills teaching and assessment will be advocated, with a balance between meaning and form, and between fluency and accuracy. Topics and activities will draw on authentic examples, scenarios and materials from classrooms across the Pacific. The focal language will be English, but the principles and approaches can be applied to the teaching of any second language.

LN311 English in the Pacific

This course examines English specifically as it is used in the Pacific. It begins by tracing the spread of English – as a colonial language, a language of globalisation, and an international lingua franca. It considers different varieties of English, and discusses what is meant by ‘Pacific English’. It examines the role that English plays throughout our region, and considers the deep-rooted beliefs and attitudes that are held regarding this language. LN311 gives students from a variety of programmes a valuable opportunity to reflect critically on a language that is afforded such a high role and status in the region.