This course provides students with a hands-on, project-based experience in running an empirical study. The course will cover all major phases of conducting an experimental study, from conceptualization to design, instrumentation to analysis.

Over the last twenty-five years, there have been major changes to the theory and practice of second language teaching and learning. These changes have been driven by changes in educational theory, changes in the way we think about language and learning, and the development of an active research agenda which has provided important insights and ideas for classroom practitioners. The purpose of this introductory course is to provide an overview of the field of second language teaching and learning, to identify major trends and issues, and to show where they have come from, to illustrate, in practical ways, how you can incorporate these emerging ideas into their own teaching practice, and to provide you with the basic skills and knowledge that will enable you to benefit fully from the rest of the course.


Over the last twenty-five years, there have been major changes to the theory and practice of second language teaching and learning. These changes have been driven by changes in educational theory, changes in the way we think about language and learning, and the development of an active research agenda which has provided important insights and ideas for classroom practitioners. The purpose of this introductory course is to provide an overview of the field of second language teaching and learning, to identify major trends and issues, and to show where they have come from, to illustrate, in practical ways, how you can incorporate these emerging ideas into their own teaching practice, and to provide you with the basic skills and knowledge that will enable you to benefit fully from the rest of the course.


At the Residentials, formal lectures are kept to a minimum. Instead, students work collaboratively, engage in debates, make presentations, and focus on practical assignments and tasks in ways that are limited in an online environment. The Residentials also provide the instructors with an opportunity to model pedagogical practices. By taking part in simulations, debates and other activities, students get to see firsthand how these activities can be incorporated into their own instruction. They complete a series of experiential application tasks that complement the theoretical and empirical input provided through the online courses.