PhD in Language Pedagogy

The course provides an overview of the most salient issues in second language acquisition and foreign language learning. The course schedule is divided into three parts: Part One deals with Second Language Acquisition/Foreign Language Learning, Part Two focuses on the characteristics of Learner Language, and Part Three is centred around the Language Learner. The participants will get acquainted with the history and development of SLA theories, the acquisition process, the role of instruction, and the social and pragmatic aspects of acquiring a second or foreign language. The discussion on learner language includes interlanguage, language transfer, bilingualism, error analysis and some aspects of assessment. In the final part of the course various aspects of the language learner are examined, such as individual differences, the social and cultural context of learning, and learner autonomy. The materials selected for the course combine theoretical overviews, basic, most often quoted studies and publications on recent research in the field. The course requires a substantial amount of reading and thorough preparation from class to class. The written assignment entails a literature review on a negotiated topic.

FOCUS ON THE LANGUAGE TEACHER: AN OVERVIEW

Éva ILLÉS

This course complements the “Focus on the language learner” course in that it brings the other key player of the teaching/learning process, the teacher to the fore. The issues concerning the language teacher, and the English language teacher in particular, include, among others, teacher cognition, teacher education as well as the demands the global context of English language use and English as a lingua franca pose for teachers of English. In addition, participants will discuss the role and types of educational research as well as its relevance to classroom practice. Through the critical reading of the literature, the question of how research could better serve language pedagogy will also be addressed. Participants will carry out independent research within the framework of which they will relate the issues raised during the course to their own teaching experiences and contexts. Throughout, the aim is to develop independent and critical thinking which is essential for both teachers and researchers in order for them to function as true professionals.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND STATISTICS SEMINAR

Kata CSIZÉR

The aim of the course is to familiarise students with the basic principles, methods and techniques of research in language pedagogy. The course also provides introduction to basic statistical procedures used in the field of second language acquisition. In the first few lessons students get acquainted with basic notions of research (types of research, formulating research questions, etc.) and with basic research orientations in the field of language pedagogy (e.g. ethnomethodology, discourse analysis, action research). We then go on to discuss various research methods such as questionnaires, interviews, experiments, etc. The second half of the course introduces basic statistical analyses (descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, correlations, Chi-square) to the students, who also learn how to use the statistical programme SPSS at an elementary level. Students are required to do the readings and short assignments during the course, and at the end of the course there is a test which involves answering some theoretical questions related to the readings and solving tasks with the help of the SPSS programme.

RESEARCH SEMINARS

These courses are taught by several of the tutors of the programme.

Research seminars should be taken up in the order designated by their numbers (Research Seminar 1-4). Obtaining credit for one research seminar is a prerequisite for taking up the next one (i.e., for instance, one should obtain a grade for Research Seminar 1 to be able to sign up for Research Seminar 2, etc. ).

RESEARCH SEMINAR 1 - Semester 1

Krisztina KÁROLY

Overall aims:

· provide training in research thinking, the application of research design, and the critical analysis of research studies;

· familiarize students with the conventions of writing and presenting for the academic community;

· create group cohesion and sense of belonging to a broader community of researchers;

· widen students’ horizon and make them aware of broader and other issues than their own research interest.

Requirements:

· attendance and participation at the seminar;

· completion of home reading and home assignments;

· a seminar paper: a critical review of a research article of your own choice.

Seminar paper: critical review

Task: Write a critical analysis of a research article of your own choice in terms of its aim(s), research design, and most important outcomes. The paper may be selected from any English language journal. The review should focus on both the positive and the negative aspects of the paper and relate to its content and form.

The criticism is expected to be based on the review criteria discussed in class and proposed by

Seliger, H. W., & Shohamy, E. (1989). Second language research methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (pp. 80-81), and

Brown, J. D. (1988). Understanding research in second language learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Chapter 5.

Length of the review: between 2,000-2,500 words.

Assessment of seminar paper (critical review): Papers are double-marked by the tutors of Research Seminars 1 and 3, based on the following two main criteria:

(1) Content:

(1a) Identification, summary of research topic + method

(1b) Depth of analysis of merits and weaknesses of study:

Abstract (vs. contents of article: Is it a correct summary?)

Statement of purpose

Review of literature

Selection of participants/materials

Procedures

Analysis (results, discussion, interpretation of findings)

Conclusions

(2) Form:

(2a) Structure of review (presence and adequacy of the following parts):

1. Brief summary of article (topic, purpose, participants/materials, procedures, principal findings).

2. Detailed discussion of merits and weaknesses of the study.

3. Overall evaluation of article.

(2b) Documentation

(2c) Language use (academic style, accuracy)

RESEARCH SEMINAR 2 - Semester 2

Kata CSIZÉR

Overall aims:

The main objective of this course is to acquaint students with the concept of validation and its basic procedures.

Modules and their aims:

Module 1: Resources and Sources: The “Literature”

The aims of this module are

· to identify sources of information relevant to language pedagogy

· to use such sources efficiently

Module 2: Instrumentation and Validity

The aims of this module are:

· to go more deeply into the problems and solutions in designing and validating research instruments

· to allow specialisation in one research technique/ instrument through experience and through accessing the literature

· to meet the expressed need for special interest groups, and student-directed learning

· to gather and analyse real data together

Module 3: Group presentations

The aims of this module are:

· for students to begin (or continue) the process of developing their research ideas

· for students to get feedback on their work

· for students to reflect on the research process in action and practice

· for students to develop presentation skills

Assignments:

Students will be expected to write up a version of their oral presentation from Module Three and to submit a preliminary research plan for Research Seminar 3. The research paper on the validation study should be 12-18 pages long double-spaced. The preliminary research plan should be 3-5 pages long. The validation study is read and marked by the course tutor and another teacher, who is a specialist in the field of the study. The preliminary research plan is read by the course teacher and the teacher of Research Seminar 3.

Assessment:

Assessment is based on the group presentation and the two written papers.

Core readings:

Alderson, C. J. & Banerjee, J. (1996) How might impact study instruments be validated? Unpublished manuscript commissioned by UCLES.

Block, D. (1998). Exploring the interpretation of questionnaire items. System, 26, 403-425.

Brown, J. D. (2001). Using surveys in language programs. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 33-70, 71-92, 171-184.

Csölle, A., Kontra, E., & Kormos, J. (2001). Mire használja az egyetemista nyelvtanuló az idegen nyelvet? A kérdőívkészítés tanulságai. Nyelvi Mérce I/1-2. 66-71.

Petrić, B., & Czárl, B. (2003). Validation of a writing strategy questionnaire. System, 31, 187-215.

Sakui, K, & Gaies, S. J. (1999). Investigating Japanese learners’ beliefs about language learning. System, 27, 473-492.

RESEARCH SEMINAR 3 - Semester 3

Dorottya HOLLÓ

Overall aims:

The general aim of this research seminar is to assist students in thinking about their dissertation research project and in preparing and writing up their formal research proposal, which is the written assignment for this course.

Modules and their aims:

Module 1: Identifying the elements of research proposals; reading and analysing proposals

Participants will read and discuss a number of formal research proposals, and they will examine comments on these made by course tutors and reviewers. Particular emphasis will be put on the feasibility of the proposal as well as the clarity of its presentation and the co-ordination of the research questions and the methods chosen to investigate these.

Module 2: Designing the steps of the doctoral research

Participants will start to turn their research ideas into a feasible research design. The methods and the process of the project will have to be matched to the research focus. Everybody’s research plan will be discussed and, if necessary, modifications will be suggested.

Module 3: Reading the literature on the participants’ research topics and related methods

Participants will be asked to read and report on articles or other relevant texts of approximately 50 pages in the area of their proposed research every week. These readings aim to deepen the participants’ knowledge of their research area and to refine the methods to be used in their research project.

Module 4: Joint seminar with 1^st year students – Giving presentations

This module aims to involve the participants in listening to and evaluating first year students’ formal presentations on their research. Participants are expected to help the presenters by asking questions and making useful comments related to the issues discussed.

Procedure:

In this seminar participants will work towards designing their doctoral research and writing up the research proposal, which is the main assignment of the course. After reading and analysing research plans everyone will design their research and present it to the others. Feedback will be provided by the group and the tutor to help the presenter re-think and refine their research plan. Further considerations to improve the research plan will come from the participants’ readings, which they will have to report on weekly. At the end of the term participants will present the outline of their research proposal. It will also be an important task this term for the participants to find a supervisor for their dissertation.

Requirements:

Attendance and the completion of all assignments are compulsory. Participants will have to give an outline of their planned research proposal in the form of a twenty-minute conference type presentation accompanied by a handout. This presentation must detail and justify the focus and the steps of the presenter’s doctoral research. The presentations will be followed by a group discussion and feedback from the tutor.

Assignment:

The major assignment is to write the research proposal. The research proposal is a summary of the contents of the planned dissertation; it allows the dissertation proposal committee to examine the contents of the intended dissertation in order to give feedback and then to pass formal judgement on the research topic and the intended approach.

The research proposal should

- state the problem or area being researched and why it is of interest

- present the research question(s)

- present a brief overview of the relevant literature

- present the implications for the research from the literature review, and design either some procedure for preliminary data analysis based on the literature, or a design for a pilot study

- (where already conducted) report on the pilot study or a preliminary analysis

- draw conclusions for the main study or the full analysis on the basis of the experience of the pilot work

- present the detailed design of the research/ subsequent analysis

- present a detailed schedule of work to be done, with milestones and a timetable

- indicate what the likely content of the final dissertation will look like

It has to

- be related to language pedagogy

- be connected to and drawing upon current theory or issues of a theoretical nature

- be written in a suitable academic style

- be feasible in terms of scale, time-schedule, instrumentation, access to data sources, and

time for analysis and writing up

- show evidence of having been piloted and revised where appropriate

- show evidence of awareness of the need for believable, valid results in whatever research

paradigm is used

- show evidence of having received supervision, and of having heeded advice.

The proposal should be between 8,000 and 14,000 words in length (depending on the type of study proposed), and should be prepared in consultation with the supervisor. (Experience shows that proposals tend to be 12-14,000 words long.).

An application for research ethics permission (available on the langped.elte.hu site) must be attached to the proposal. Since the proposal is to be handed in electronically, please use single or 1.5 spaced pages.

Please note that the smallest instance of plagiarism will automatically lead to immediate suspension, a fail mark and disciplinary measures.

The research proposal must be submitted electronically (in doc or docx format) to the tutor of Research Seminar 3 and must be endorsed by the supervisor. The submission deadline is in the middle of January - the exact date is agreed upon in the seminar.

Assessment:

The fully developed proposal will be read by the Dissertation Proposal committee. This committee is appointed by the Head of the Programme to provide feedback on and to take a formal decision about your dissertation proposal. It consists of the Dissertation Proposal Committee, consisting of the tutor of Research Seminar 3, the Head of the Programme and the Director of Studies. If there is an overlap in these positions or if one of these tutors is the supervisor, a suitably qualified member of the teaching staff of the Programme is called in to act as third reader. The members of the committee give written feedback on the proposal and accept the proposal or return it for re-writing. The supervisor is also invited to give feedback. The committee can take up to a month to assess the proposal. The process therefore continues during RS4, when the decision is announced. If a paper is to be re-written, it has to be submitted again by the end of the second month of Research Seminar 4 if the author wishes to earn credit for RS4 in the same term. On approval, the participant can go on to carry out their research. Research seminars 3 & 4 form a unit in the sense that they both lead directly to the participants’ dissertation research. (Research seminar 4 will offer the opportunity to carry out a part of the planned research either as a pilot or a fully-fledged version.)

To earn a credit for RS3, participants have to:

- prepare for and participate in classes,

- prepare and present the detailed outline of their dissertation proposal during the term in the form of a fifteen to twenty-minute conference type presentation accompanied by a handout. This presentation must detail and justify the focus and the steps of the presenter’s doctoral research. The presentations will be followed by a group discussion and feedback from the tutor.

- submit the detailed outline of their dissertation proposal in writing on the day of their oral presentation.

- submit their fully developed research proposal by mid-January as specified below. (Because of the lengthy assessment process of the proposals, the mark earned for the proposal will count towards the mark for RS4.)

Core readings:

Blaikie, N. (2010). Designing social research – The logic of anticipation. (2^nded.) Cambridge: Polity

Press.

Creswell, J.W. (2009). Research design – Qualitative, quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches

(3^rd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Hopkins, C. & Antes, R. (1990). Educational research. 3rd ed. Itasca, ILL: Peacock Publishers.

Research proposals from our programme with the authors’permission:

Csépes Ildikó, Divéki Rita, Dóczi Brigitta, Elekes Katalin, Godó Ágnes, Esther Gutierrez Eugenio, Lázár Ildikó, Juliana Llanes, Menyhárt Adrienn, Bojana Petrić, Szabó Péter, Szatzker Orsolya, Szerencsi Katalin

Research proposals from the University of California at Berkley with the authors’permission:

Meg Gebhard, Julie Kerekes, Wan Shun Eva Lam, Margaret Perrow

Other readings on content and methodology will be tailored to the participants’ needs as their project unfolds.

RESEARCH SEMINAR 4 - Semester 4

Dorottya HOLLÓ

Overall aims:

· to provide training in research thinking, the application of research design, and the critical analysis of research studies

· to give students the opportunity to conduct, present and write up research, in preparation for the dissertation proper

· to provide the opportunity to deal with the practicalities of research

· to provide feedback on the students' progress in preparing for their dissertation proposal

Modules and their aims:

Module 1: Identifying research aims, methods and expected problems of a research project

Participants will design a pilot study, which is to help them to try out research approaches and methods they intend to use later for their doctoral research project. Issues that are likely to arise are: Focusing the research topic, establishing research questions, choosing and co-ordinating methods, developing a database, finding appropriate literature, etc.

Module 2: Reading literature on research approaches and methods

Research methods and the various stages of research will be discussed on the basis of the readings. Most of the readings will be selected based on the participants’ research interest.

Module 3: Conducting and analysing a pilot study

The participants will conduct a pilot study and report on difficulties. Group discussions will try to solve these or suggest modifications to the plan.

Module 4: Joint seminar with 1^st year students – Listening to and evaluating presentations

Procedure:

In the course of the seminar, participants will be designing and conducting a (small-scale pilot) research project to see a project unfold. Participants will be working alone on their projects but everyone will also serve as a consultant to somebody else in the group to provide a less involved peer’s views on the projects. Readings during the course will mostly depend on the participants’ research interests and needs. Participants will be required to give an account of their ongoing research work and readings concerning research methods. The focus of the research to be carried out is to experience the practicalities of research and to find solutions to emerging problems in the process. It is advised that course participants plan and conduct research that can serve as a pilot or final study for their dissertation research. In order to deal with the practicalities of the project, it is important to focus on applying appropriate research methods in a careful and well justified manner.

Assessment:

Getting a seminar mark for the term’s work is subject to having an accepted research proposal. Lacking this, no credit can be awarded. The mark for the seminar will reflect the quality of the research proposal and the research work during the term.

Initial readings:

Brown, J. D. (2001). Using surveys in language programs. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (selected chapters)

Brown, J. D., Rodgers, T. S.(2002). Doing second language research. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (selected chapters)

Creswell, J.W. (2009). Research design – Qualitative, quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches

(3^rd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Delamont, S, Atkinson, P and Parry, O (1999). Supervising the PhD. A guide to success. The Society for Research into Higher Education & Open University Press. (Chapter 5)

Denzin, N. & Lincoln, Y. (1994, 2000). Handbook of qualitative research. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Holló D., & Németh N. (2009). Ten years on: Applying the lessons of a research project in

thinking about the practicalities of research design. WoPaLP 3. (Working Papers in

Language Pedagogy) http://langped.elte.hu/Wopalpindex.htm

Maykut, P. & Morehouse, R. (1994). Beginning qualitative research. A philosophic and practical guide. London: The Falmer Press. (selected chapters)

McDonough, J. & McDonough, S. (1997). Research methods for English language teachers. London: Arnold. (selected chapters)

Pollard, A (1985). Opportunities and difficulties of a teacher-ethnographer: A personal account. In: Burgess, RG (Ed.), Field methods in the study of education. London: The Falmer Press.

and articles relevant to the participants’ research interest.

2 Elective Courses

ADVANCED STATISTICS

Kata CSIZÉR

The aim of this course is to acquaint students with the most frequently used statistical procedures in second language acquisition research. The course is meant to help students to be able to carry out the quantitative analysis of the data they might collect in future studies and for their dissertation. Explanations of the procedures are given in an easily accessible manner, and each statistical method is illustrated with a number of examples. Students will do some basic readings about the procedures, next they will be explained the tests in class, which will be followed by a number of practice tasks. Students can also bring their own data to work on. The course covers most non-parametric statistical tests, partial correlations, simple and multiple regression, multiple and repeated analysis of variance, factor analysis and reliability analysis. Assessment is done in the form of an exam, but students who have available data can also write a paper in which they demonstrate the use of the procedures learnt in class.

ASPECTS OF VOCABULARY ACQUISITION AND TEACHING

Brigitta DÓCZI

This course is intended to provide insights into various aspects of vocabulary knowledge, acquisition and teaching, and to give impetus for independent research in the following areas:

1. The mental lexicon and the bilingual mental lexicon

2. The role of formulaic language in lexical acquisition

3. First language and second language lexical acquisition

4. Cross-linguistic influences in second language lexical acquisition

5. The role of vocabulary knowledge in L2 reading and the role of reading in

vocabulary acquisition; incidental learning vs. teaching of vocabulary

6. Vocabulary in LSP teaching; problems of terminology and subtechnical vocabulary

7. Lexical problems in translation.

The course presupposes some knowledge of current issues in semantics, second language acquisition and language testing. Accordingly, the list of readings does not include general introductions to the above areas. The main focus is on issues specifically related to the problems of vocabulary knowledge, acquisition and teaching.

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Classroom assessment in language education

Ildikó LÁZÁR

This course aims to familiarize participants with the theoretical background, the variety of methods and tools and the researchable aspects of classroom assessment from traditional to alternative forms and tools as well as research results in these fields. We will read and discuss research results on the perceived role and current practices of assessment in language teaching. Participants will get guidance in selecting and working on a research topic according to their interests within the field of classroom assessment and related areas. The final assignment will be a paper reviewing the literature discussed or a study describing the participants’ empirical research carried out during the semester.

CORPORATE LANGUAGE TEACHING AND LEARNING

Csaba KÁLMÁN

The course familiarises students with the fundamentals and peculiarities of corporate language training. After a brief historical overview of the evolution of corporate language education, the course focuses on current issues in corporate language training by laying emphasis both on research and practice in the field. Major areas of study for the course include the following:

- historical overview of the evolution of corporate language training

- peculiarities of current corporate language training practices

- corporate expectations of L2 training providers

- adult L2 acquisition

- the role of the teacher in corporate contexts

- recent changes in corporate language training policies

The readings will include samples of theoretical and empirical research papers with task sheets. As an assignment, participants will be asked to conduct research in a corporate environment and present the findings at the end of the course.

DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

Krisztina KÁROLY

The aim of this course to is to familiarise students with the most prevailing theories and methods of Discourse Analysis (DA). The orientation of the course is dominantly theoretical and the topics covered involve the basic concepts and main issues in DA, a brief history of the field, the special features of analysing texts and the study of textual variables (i.e., the components of the science of text, larger patterns in discourse, text typologies, genres, cohesion and coherence, etc.), interaction and conversation analysis (e.g., conversational structure, conversation strategies, speech acts), institutional discourse and critical DA, multimodal analysis, and the relationship between DA and language teaching and translation as well as translator training. In addition, the course covers the discussion of research methods and potential problems related to the study of discourse (choice of data, means of data collection, methods of analysis, principal focuses of research, etc.). Students are required to do home reading and attend classes on a regular basis, give a short presentation on a particular topic of their choice, and write an essay on one of the topics discussed in the course. For the essay they are encouraged to conduct analyses related to their PhD research.

EDUCATIONAL POLICY

Éva MAJOR

The course has a dual focus: to familiarize participants with the fundamentals of educational policy research methodology through the discussion of current issues in education and to examine the Hungarian educational policy scene with special regard to language education. It is the intention of this course to bring together policy research and practice.

Major areas of study for the course include the following:

- basic terminology and methodology of educational policy

- interpreting European data on language education

- the political influence of CEF

- teachers: training, compensation, professionalization;

- recent changes in the system of Hungarian secondary and higher education and their effect on language education

The readings will include samples of theoretical and practical policy analyses. As an assignment, participants will be asked to present a case study, a small scale policy analysis of a problem connected to their own teaching environment.

ENGLISH AS A LINGUA FRANCA AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

Éva ILLÉS

The aim of the course is to address issues arising from the global spread of English, its many varieties and its dominant use as a global lingua franca (ELF). Models of the spread of English will be discussed together with the different perceptions of ELF which emerged as a result of the constantly growing field of ELF research. The relationship between ELF and World Englishes will also be investigated and the similarities and differences will be highlighted. In addition, the question of how the concept of ELF challenges conventional thinking and terminology will also be addressed. Issues of language, power and identity will be discussed, and the Hungarian context will be examined. Throughout, the main concern is the pedagogic implications and applications of English as a lingua franca in English language teaching, including teacher education. The approach taken is descriptive rather than prescriptive, and there will be ample examples and analysis of linguistic data to facilitate the understanding of this fast evolving field within applied linguistics.

ENGLISH-HUNGARIAN INTERLANGUAGE

Gergely DÁVID

This course is meant to explore the ways in which interlanguage, the foreign language produced by language learners in any language use context, can be put to good use in language education. Learners create their own interlanguage, e.g. Hunglish, which is there for the researcher to learn from and use it as a source for their work. Participants will have a chance to understand interlanguage more deeply as a consistent system on its own, will collect and analyse samples of learner language, identify their level (intermediate, advanced etc.) and will also explore how a teacher might use the information as a resource for teaching. They will also learn about and edit (moderate samples for) an internet-based bank of student errors and how the bank may be further developed. Requirements include the reading of literature, active participation in class, regular tasks for homework such as the collection of interlanguage samples, etc. At the end of the course, students will submit what they have done for homework in the form of a portfolio. Assessment will be made on the basis of an analytical set of criteria.

FINDING YOUR VOICE: EFFECTIVE CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

Anna ZÓLYOMI

The aim of this course is to develop PhD students’ academic presentation skills. Becoming an effective public speaker is a vital life skill in the 21st century. How you deliver your message and how you present yourself in front of others is essential both professionally and personally. In this course, you will discover your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to academic presentations in English. We will start by discovering and building on your strengths and then try to either mitigate your weaknesses or use them to your advantage. The course intends to cover presentation skills from A to Z with practical tips concerning, for example, how to find conferences that are suitable for you and your topic, how to write a good abstract that is likely to be accepted, how to create and build up presentations, how to alleviate your anxiety, and how to answer tricky (or even nitpicking) questions. We will try to achieve all of these through the three Ps: preparation, practice, and perseverance.

GROUP FACILITATION

Margit SZESZTAY

The aim of this course is for participants to arrive at a better understanding of the dynamics of facilitating learning groups. We will be exploring this area with a wide-angle approach, looking at group dynamics, individual learning styles, patterns of group interaction, types of groupwork tasks, small group and whole class discussions, roles of a discussion leader, facilitation skills, and types of discussion questions. In addition to building knowledge, the course also aims to raise awareness and develop skills of group facilitation. In order to do this, participants will be asked to reflect on their past and on-going experiences both in the role of group members and group leaders.

HOW TO GIVE LECTURES (IN ENGLISH)?

Péter MEDGYES

This course is open for all students currently doing their doctoral studies in the social sciences. It is based on the assumption that many young teachers and researchers are poor lecturers. While preparing for their presentation, they tend to focus on content, overlooking the fact that formal criteria are equally important. The course aims to develop the participants' presentation skills. By analysing video-recorded lectures, we attempt to observe features which make these lectures successful. The course is structured around justifications for lecturing mode, stages of planning and preparation, the organisation of lectures, as well as preconditions for and elements of good delivery.

HOW TO WRITE AND PUBLISH A RESEARCH PAPER?

Krisztina KÁROLY

Aims and focus: this course intends to aid PhD students in mastering the skills necessary for getting their work published in English. The main topics to be covered include what scientific writing is, the characteristics and the critical evaluation of research papers, preparing a manuscript for submission, the publication process, ethical issues, journals in the field of language pedagogy and applied linguistics (or in other fields related to the students’ interest), journals’ guidelines, responding to reviews. During the course of the seminar participants will be expected to present and write up part of their PhD research and prepare it for publication in English.

Requirements: students are required to

- do home reading and attend classes on a regular basis,

- present and write up their research,

- give feedback on their peers’ work, and

- prepare their paper (manuscript) for submission.

Assessment: the course mark will be based on the quality of the presentation, the paper to be submitted for publication, classroom participation and overall improvement. Without the presentation and/or the paper, no mark (credit) may be obtained for the course.

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING

Katalin BRÓZIK-PINIEL

Aims and objectives: Participants of this course are introduced to the complexity of individual differences (IDs) and get first hand experience in investigating them. They explore various aspects of IDs, such as age, aptitude, beliefs, motivation, learning styles and strategies, and personality. After gaining some understanding of previous research, the students familiarize themselves with research methods suitable for investigating IDs, and design and conduct original research into IDs. During the course, each participant is responsible for reading a cross section of the literature relevant to their chosen topic and for giving an in-class oral report on it. The second half of the semester is spent on designing and conducting a small-scale research project into IDs and reporting its results orally in class. Participants write up the whole research project as the final course assignment.

List of topics:

1. Areas of individual differences

2. Learner beliefs about language learning

3. Learning Strategies

4. Learning Styles

5. The influence of age, sex and culture on language learning

6. Aptitude

7. Research methods, research design

INTEGRATED LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT

Gyula TANKÓ

The first aim of the course is to provide PhD students an introduction to the most recent assessment theory (Bachman & Palmer, 2010; Bachman & Damböck, 2018) designed for both large-scale and classroom assessment. The second aim is to explore issues in integrated language assessment, the most current assessment trend. The course should be of interest primarily for language assessment users, language assessment developers (including researchers who need to measure language skills as part of their research and therefore have to develop a measurement instrument for this purpose), and language assessment evaluators.

INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLINGUISTICS

Tamás EITLER

This introductory course aims to familiarise students with the core theoretical strands, the versatile research agenda and the methodology of the rapidly evolving field of sociolinguistics. Besides the insights given by analytical frameworks such as interactional sociolinguistics, the variationist paradigm, communication accommodation theory, audience design, acts of identity, we are going to discuss the practical implications of some recent trends which could be relevant to language (teaching) professionals in their daily practices in various institutional and business settings.

Topics to be covered include: language variation and change in present-day English; problematisation of gender, social class, age and ethnicity; language contacts, multilingualism and the role of English in cross-cultural communication; individual agency and strategies in social and linguistic practices; units of analysis: speech community, discourse community, social network, community of practice, on-line community; language and power; language in the media; prestige and standard; language planning; applications (business, computer-mediated communication, forensic).

Investigating individual differences in language learning from a dynamic systems perspective

Katalin BRÓZIK-PINIEL

A current approach to understanding the role of individual differences in language learning involves investigating the dynamic interrelationship of these variables rather than merely looking at them in isolation. The aim of the course is for students to become acquainted with this approach, namely the dynamic systems theory (DST) and its relevance in applied linguistics and to enable students to conduct research on individual variables in this vein. The course will involve reading both theoretical and empirical articles on DST and on the diversity and interconnectedness of individual differences in language learning. We will particularly focus on language learning aptitude, motivation, language learning beliefs, language anxiety, learner autonomy, self-efficacy, willingness to communicate. Students will be required to read academic articles on prevailing theoretical issues and empirical research in the field. Furthermore, students will have the opportunity to conduct a small scale empirical investigation from a DST perspective on individual differences. Finally, course participants will be asked to present their findings to the group and write up their results in form of a term paper. Assessment will be based on course participation, completion of reading assignments, and the research project.

IRT APPLICATIONS

Gergely DÁVID

This course is meant to be an introduction to Item Response Theory (IRT). In an initial phase the reasons for analysing test performance are discussed, in addition to the notions of language competence and performance, the notion of facets of performance, measurement error, the centrality of validity. An effort is made to help participants understand how language tests work (or fail to work). In much of the course, however, learning is achieved through “replaying” specific measurement scenarios, focussing on what techniques are available and how they may be used. The course covers both the two-facet measurement model, typically used for the testing of receptive skills and linguistic competences, and the many-faceted model, typically used to analyse tests of productive skills. Assessment in the course is based on course work in the sessions and the quality of individual assignments.

LANGUAGE EDUCATION FOR INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT

Ildikó LÁZÁR

This course aims to familiarize participants with the theoretical background and the researchable aspects of the development of intercultural competence through education. We will read and discuss research results on the perceived role and current practice of developing and assessing intercultural competence especially as regards language teaching and language teacher education. Participants will get guidance in selecting and working on a research topic according to their interests within the field of intercultural competence development and related areas such as education in diversity for inclusive schools, and education for the prevention of discrimination and violence. The final assignment will be a paper describing the participants’ research carried out during the semester.

LANGUAGE LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING: RESEARCH RESULTS AND CLASSROOM PRACTICE

Kata CSIZÉR

The aim of this course is to familiarize students with research concerning language learners with special needs and to work out the classroom-related implications of those research results. Students will be asked to review articles on different groups with special needs as well as to discuss the most relevant language learning theories. Throughout the course emphasis will be placed on classroom-related issues. Students will get a chance to try their hands at carrying out a research project. Students will be asked to give a presentation on their project and write up their results in a journal paper.

LANGUAGE LEARNING AUTONOMY AND SELF-REGULATION

Kata CSIZÉR

The aim of this course is to familiarize students with current issues in both self-regulation and autonomy research. The most important theories will be discussed and classroom-related issues will be explored. In addition, the main research tools and methods used in the field will be dealt with. Subtopics within the major directions of these two related field will be selected according to students’ interest. Students will be asked to read assigned articles and to give critical presentations on them. Relevant research methods and tools will be tried out both in class and as a part of students’ assignments.

LANGUAGE PLANNING AND THE ELT CURRICULUM

Péter MEDGYES

Proportionately divided into four parts, the course aims at analysing the ELT curriculum. After clarifying the concept of the curriculum in general, the first three meetings are devoted to presenting a few contemporary approaches to ELT curriculum design. In the second quarter of the semester, the influence of politics and ideology on curriculum design is examined, with special focus on critical pedagogy. The third part is concerned with a study of three curricular reforms of the past 30 years. The course ends with the students’ reports on a particular curriculum designed and implemented either in their own country or elsewhere. This report forms the basis of your end-of-semester paper with a length of 3,000–5,000 words.

LANGUAGE TEST VALIDATION

Gergely DÁVID

This course is meant to be an introduction to the methodology of validating language tests. It is designed to include five successive phases. In phases 1 and 2, participants will first be given an overview of basic concepts and the present state of the art, followed by the treatment of the necessary requisites for successful validation. In phase 3, the emphasis will be on a selection of available techniques and the requirements of good validation (research) designs. In this phase course participants will start thinking about their own validation studies in their work contexts (or contexts that they have access to) so that in phase 4 they can branch out in pairs or groups (of three) to run their own analyses. This most important phase will consist of trying out both quantitative and qualitative approaches to validation, using – wherever possible – real test data. The course tutor will be offering extra consultation sessions to make sure individual studies are reportable by the time phase 5 (presentation of results in class plenary, critical reflection, suggestions for improvement, discussion) begins. Course participants will be evaluated on the basis of the design of their validation study and the professional quality of its write-up. The report will be submitted after the end of the course.

ORAL AND WRITTEN SCIENTIFIC ARGUMENTATION

Gyula TANKÓ

The aim of the course is to give an introduction to dialectical oral and written argumentation defined as a situated verbal activity whose aim is the establishment of the acceptability of a standpoint by means of direct or indirect and explicit or implicit reasoning between participants engaged in academic interaction. Through practice, the course aims to facilitate the putting forward and defence of a position in an academic debate, for example, during a seminar discussion or a research proposal/dissertation defence. It also aims to explore the argumentation processes and goals underlying a research article, research proposal, or dissertation; the review and critical evaluation of a research article; or the writing of a defensible response to reviewer feedback. The course should be of interest to those who would like to analyse the soundness of academic arguments or formulate (a chain of) knowledge claims and proceed to establish them cogently and systematically through the observation of field-dependent rules.

Multilingualism in the European Union

Márta FISCHER

The course aims to analyse EU involvement at two levels: the EU institutions and the EU as a whole. First, tracing the legal basis of an EU language policy, it will be shown that the EU developed a unique linguistic regime with a varying degree of competence at various communication levels. Second, the translation activity of the EU will be explored, with special regard to its impact on language planning and the MSs’ official languages. Finally, turning to multilingualism in the EU as a whole, the limits of EU involvement in education policy will be discussed, along with efforts to promote linguistic diversity. Indicating the prevalent confusion, special focus is laid on the definition of terms related to multilingualism: treaty / official / working languages, minority and lesser used languages, lesser taught languages, etc.

MULTIMODAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

Tamás EITLER

Multimodal discourse analysis deploys a full-on, synergetic approach to textual, visual, audio, colour, typographical, 3D, etc. meaning-making, which synergy enhances the effects of the purely linguistic while it also creates novel, emergent meanings in disparate pieces of communication. Sampling key perspectives and tenets from multimodality theory, we will be analysing a wide range of multimodal documents, concentrating on visual design. Topics include: print and broadcast advertisements, flash animations in banners, website architecture, homepages, game interfaces, course books, information systems and even architecture. By the end of the course, ideally students will have understood the ways in which both simple and more complex meanings can be made synergetically.

PSYCHOLINGUISTICS

Ágnes ALBERT

The aim of this course is to give in-depth treatment to various topics of psycholinguistics. Besides familiarizing students with the theoretical aspects of this field, the course also attempts to acquaint them with the main research methods and tools applied. Major topics to be discussed include various aspects of language acquisition, language loss, language production and comprehension. During the discussions, special emphasis will be placed on L2 and FL besides L1. Students will be assigned a theoretical reading on each topic, and besides discussing these in class, they will also be required to give a critical presentation on one empirical article. The major assignment for the course is a paper on a small-scale psycholinguistic study carried out by the participant.

Qualitative Research Design

Ágnes ALBERT

This course is recommended to be taken in the 2^nd semester. The aim of this seminar is to provide further training in research thinking with special emphasis on naturalistic inquiries. The course should get the participants closer to defining the research topic, research focus, and method of inquiry for their future dissertation.

Objectives:

- To give an overview of the basic features and philosophical underpinnings of qualitative studies;

- To introduce a number of research strategies and methods of data collection and analysis;

- To assist the participants in drafting the proposal for their dissertation and help them design their research.

Target audience: This course is designed with the beginner researcher in mind who, having completed the core course on “Research design and statistics” (RDS) and Research Seminar (RS) 1, would like to know more about the alternatives to the positivist approach to social science, and whose views of reality make it easier for them to work within the framework of naturalistic inquiries. The course content will build on the material of the RDS course and on RS1 and can be taken parallel to RS2.

RESEARCH MODELS IN DISCOURSE AND TRANSLATION STUDIES

Krisztina KÁROLY

This course builds on the Discourse Analysis course and aims at familiarising students with the most prevailing theories and analytical models applied for the in-depth study of discourse and translation. It intends to (1) provide a thorough theoretical background to analysis by reviewing various analytical models which may provide insights into the different aspects and levels of texts, (2) offer hands-on experience in investigating texts/translations to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches from both a theoretical and a research methodological perspective, and (3) point to the practical implications the analyses may yield for language pedagogy and/or translator training. Therefore some of the main topics to be included in the course involve a discussion of the key concepts and issues in the study of discourse and translation, an overview of the principal advances of text and translation research (ranging from linguistic to social and cognitive approaches and touching upon several language combinations and generic domains), a thorough discussion of several research models and their applicability in or revision for the study of particular text/translation types, the relationship between discourse analysis and translation studies, approaches to the study of translation as a special kind of discourse (re)production, etc. Students are required to do home reading and attend classes on a regular basis, give a short presentation on a topic of their choice, and write an essay on one of the topics discussed in the course. For the essay they are encouraged to conduct analyses related to their PhD research.

RESEARCHING ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES

Gyula TANKÓ

The aim of the course is to provide PhD students an introduction to the core EAP concepts, the theories underlying EAP research, and their practical aspects. The participants will discuss definitions of EAP, key issues with which EAP is concerned, as well as the pedagogical and assessment implications of EAP research. Special attention is dedicated to integrated assessment in EAP. The course should be of interest primarily for EAP teachers and researchers, as well as present or future tertiary education programme evaluators and curriculum designers.

RESEARCHING ESP DISCOURSE

Krisztina KÁROLY

The principal aim of this course is to familiarize students with the most prevailing theories and analytical tools in the study of language for specific/occupational purposes. The topics to be covered include

· the multidisciplinary nature of the field,

· the study of English for academic, educational, legal, medical, political and business purposes,

· issues of research within ESP,

· the implications of research for skills development, course and materials design, assessment,

· and/or any other topics of the course participants’ interest.

The course will encourage the design and writing up of a research project that may be published on the long run.

Requirements:

The requirements include (1) a formal presentation based on one of the readings, accompanied by a detailed handout, (2) the analysis of particular discourse types characteristic of the occupational area that the participants are interested/involved in, (3) home reading, (4) a seminar paper based on discourse analysis or a literature review of one of the topics discussed in class.

RESEARCHING INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Dorottya HOLLÓ

This course is intended for those who have already taken at least one of our courses investigating the role of culture in language teaching or intercultural communication, and are thinking of carrying out research in this area. The course will help identify relevant research topics and design a research project which can be incorporated in the participants’ dissertation research. Locating the research niche for the project with the help of the literature will be followed by determining the appropriate research methods and processes. The project is to be carried out during the semester, and the participants will be encouraged to write it up to for publication as well.

SECOND LANGUAGE MOTIVATION: THEORIES AND THE CLASSROOM

Kata CSIZÉR

The aim of this course is to familiarise students with current issues in L2 motivation research. The most important L2 motivation theories will be discussed and classroom-related issues will be explored. In addition, the main research tools and methods used in the field will be dealt with. Subtopics within the major directions of L2 motivation research (socio-psychological, cognitive-situated and process-oriented) will be selected according to students’ interest. Students will be asked to read assigned articles and to give critical presentations on them. Relevant research methods ands tools will be tried out both in class and as a part of students’ assignments.

SOCIOLINGUISTICS

Andrea Ágnes REMÉNYI

The course will provide an introduction to the basic concepts and current theoretical frameworks of sociolinguistics (the study of language in its social context). It will survey the problems of language variation (language/dialect/speech community, multilingualism, code-choice, language change, attitudes), interactional (talk-in-interaction, language and gender, address, internet), cultural (ethnography of communication, L1 acquisition and literacy) and political aspects (language planning, critical approaches). Attention will be given to both social (from individual to national, global and virtual levels) and linguistic dimensions (from phonology and grammar to conversation and discourse structures). Most areas will be examined with a special emphasis on language education, as language professionals, classroom teachers and local or national policy makers alike, must face the dilemma of respecting diversity in language and, at the same time, advancing common standards. The course will concentrate on English, but a brief mention of Hungarian studies will also be made.

An understanding of sociolinguistic research methods will be supported by the discussion of problems of data collection and analysis. Students will be required to read textbook chapters and articles, give one or two class presentations of assigned readings, participate actively in class discussions, and write a final paper presenting original research in an area of sociolinguistics and language teaching.

SPOKEN INTERACTION

Andrea Ágnes REMÉNYI

The course offers an introduction to the theories and practices of studying spoken interaction, a branch of linguistic discourse analysis. We will discuss data collection, transcription and analytic methods, and also related ethical issues. We will examine first and second language interaction, in and out of the classroom, the former from two aspects: both as the medium of the classroom communication and also as an L1/L2 skill to develop and test (pragmatic competence, oracy development, fluency practice, accuracy, etc.). The philosophical question how far spoken interaction describes or also shapes reality will get some attention. Apart from literature reading and participation in classroom discussions, students will expected to collect tape/video recorded data of L1 or L2 classroom or exam interaction and write up their analysis in a paper.

START WRITING YOUR DISSERTATION

Anna ZÓLYOMI

This course is designed to aid PhD students in preparing to write up their dissertations. Writing a dissertation is not at all easy, and many students are frustrated by the thought of writing a 200-300-page-long academic paper based on an empirical endeavour. Therefore, in this course, students will hear pieces of advice on, for example, the writing process itself (e.g., APA, style, punctuation, paragraphing, structure), reporting practices (JARS; APA, 2020), overall planning, strategies for compiling a thorough review of literature, and how to deal with a tendency to procrastinate. These general tips intend to motivate PhD students to plan ahead and start working on their dissertations in time. Participants are also encouraged to bring their questions to class on a weekly basis.

STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELLING: A MULTIVARIATE TOOL TO ANALYSE QUANTITATIVE DATA

Kata CSIZÉR

The aim of this course is to acquaint students with a multivariate tool for data analysis, namely structural equation modelling (SEM). SEM is a statistical technique that is, similarly to factor analysis, employed to interpret the relationship among several variables within a single framework. We will be using the AMOS Graphics programme of AMOS 4.0, a state-of-the art, user-friendly statistical software testing graphically specified models in terms of model-data fit. During the course two publications will be used extensively: Amos 4.0 User’s Guide (Arbuckle & Wothke, 1999) and Structural Equation Modeling with AMOS (Byrne, 2001). Students attending the course will have to have a working knowledge of the main aspects of correlation, regression and factor analysis. Students will be given several datasets for study purposes but the use of their own data, collected prior to the course, will be encouraged.

Task based language teaching

Ágnes ALBERT

The aim of this course is to familiarize students with the task types used and the performance measures applied in task-based research, and to enable them to design and conduct research in this area. After a brief introduction to the theory of TBLT, the course will focus on the different task types used in task-based research, and the performance measures applied for analysing tasks will also be discussed in detail. Besides reading and discussing the assigned theoretical articles, students will also be required to critically present one of the empirical articles included in the syllable. Moreover, students will be required to design and conduct mini-research on a task-type and write it up in the form of a seminar paper.

TEACHING AND ASSESSING LANGUAGE MEDIATION SKILLS

Gyula TANKÓ

The aim of this course is to give PhD students an introduction to the teaching and assessment of language mediation skills, which constitute part of the most pronounced component of the CEFR companion volume (2019). The primary focus shall be on the summarisation and restatement of source text content, but the course may also cover the discussion of and hands-on practice with propositional analysis as a tool for the evaluation of the quality of translation or interpretation as products.

TEACHING CULTURE THROUGH LANGUAGE

Dorottya HOLLÓ

This course aims to get participants engaged in a wide range of topics related to the function of culture in learning and teaching a foreign language. We will investigate the nature of culture and cultural awareness and then we will go on to develop and discuss theories for the role of culture in language education. The area of verbal and non-verbal culture will be followed by different applications, such as teacher roles and education, culture and literature through language and testing cultural learning.

The intended routine for classes comprises discussion of set readings, discussion of individual presentations based on readings and presentations of individual projects (these are to be written up in the major assignment).

The course assignment is a publishable quality paper on a project or case-study. This can involve syllabus or materials design and analysis or the planning of a programme where cultural and language instruction are co-ordinated. Another alternative is a paper analysing existing educational policies or theories concerning the teaching of culture and language.

Terminology in translation and research

Márta FISCHER

The course provides an overview of the theoretical and practical questions language teachers, translators and researchers may be confronted with while coming across terms in texts. The following key concepts and topics are planned to be discussed and practiced (in an interactive way): divergent interpretations of key concepts in terminology theory and their implications for practice; the notion of term (narrow versus broad approach and the role terms play in text cohesion); the notion of equivalence (translation strategies in the case of partial equivalence: domesticating versus foreignising). Special emphasis in laid on terminology in research (domain-specific issues, description of phenomena, use of terminology in scientific papers).

THE AGE FACTOR IN LANGUAGE LEARNING

Csaba KÁLMÁN

The course familiarises students with the characteristics of language learning in different stages of life from birth to senior age. After a brief historical overview of what age has been considered ideal to start learning an L2, the course focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of learning foreign languages in different stages of life. Major areas of study for the course include the following:

- current views of the critical period hypothesis

- the characteristics of early second language acquisition

- the peculiarities of late second language acquisition

- the particularities of adult language acquisition

- andragogy

- lifelong learning

- the idiosyncrasies of senior language acquisition

- language learner beliefs in different stages of life

The readings will include samples of theoretical and empirical research papers with task sheets. As an assignment, participants will be asked to conduct research pertinent to the age factor in with adult language learners and present the findings at the end of the course.

THE PRAGMATICS OF LANGUAGE USE AND TEACHING

Éva ILLÉS

The course aims to provide an overview of this fast developing field of applied linguistics. It also intends to address issues arising from the practical application of pragmatic theory. The first topic area comprises the investigation of the scope of semantics and pragmatics. In addition, the terminology and key concepts (e.g. deixis, cohesion/coherence, etc.) will be clarified and examined. Participants will also investigate the relationship between language and context, and familiarise themselves with the most influential pragmatic theories. Theoretical study will be combined with practical application and participants will explore the implementation of pragmatic analysis in various fields, such as academic discourse, business and translation. The pragmatic implications for English as a lingua franca will also be investigated. Participants will also take part in data collection and the analysis of a wide range of texts, as well as carry out their own research. The question of how different theories have filtered through to language pedagogy and the practice of English language teaching will be the concern of the discussions in the second half of the course.

THE TEACHER'S ROLE IN L2 MOTIVATION

Csaba KÁLMÁN

The course familiarises students with the theory and practice of the teacher’s role in motivating language learners. After a historical overview of the teacher’s role in L2 motivation, the course focuses on current theories and practices of the teacher’s role in L2 motivation in different contexts. Major areas of study for the course include the following:

- the teacher’s role in L2 motivation in the social-psychological period

- the teacher’s role in L2 motivation in the cognitive-situated period

- the teacher’s role in L2 motivation in the process-oriented period

- the teacher’s role in L2 motivation in the sociodynamic period

- the teacher’s role in L2 motivation today

- the teacher’s role in L2 motivation different contexts (higher education, corporate contexts, language schools)

- applying current L2 motivation theories in practice

The readings will include samples of theoretical and empirical research papers with task sheets. As an assignment, participants will be asked to conduct research on the teacher’s role in L2 motivation and present the findings at the end of the course.

THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF PEDAGOGIC RESEARCH

Éva ILLÉS

The course aims to provide an overview of some major theories which have informed language teaching, and communicative language teaching in particular. The programme will include influential pragmatic theories such as Speech Acts (functions in ELT) Grice’s Co-operative Principle, Genre Theory as well as relevant language learning, psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic theories. Participants will read and discuss primary and secondary sources, and will also engage in the clarification of key notions and the discussion and analysis of the selected applied linguistic theories. The overall purpose is to develop participants’ ability to grapple with theory and make it relevant to their own research. In so doing, it intends to assist participants with writing literature reviews for both their dissertations and scholarly articles.

TRAINING THE TRAINER

Uwe POHL

Many experienced language teachers also take up training roles, for example, as school-based mentors, in staff development activities or local/regional in-service training. Such educators are often asked to pass their expertise on to others without any formal training in this area but appreciate greatly when structured support is provided. This course is for educational professionals who would like to learn about the theory and practice of such training. It will focus on the shift from teacher to trainer, approaches to teacher education and mentoring, teacher training course design and methodology as well as trainer roles and competences.

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