KOTESOL International Conference 2016
(Concurrent Session)
Nick Clements, Seoul National University
Lessons Learned in the Content-Based Classroom
Abstract
Students love great content; instructors love to teach it. Few would deny the inherent appeal of authentic content-based courses in fields such film, literature, philosophy, or political science. For EFL professionals, the challenge in creating a strong content-based class lies in not only selecting the right kind of authentic materials, but in packaging and organizing them in such a way as to maximize the skill development of EFL learners. This workshop will overview a number of content-based courses taught in the College English Program at Seoul National University in film, political science, and non-fiction prose. The workshop will examine optimal strategies for course design and instruction, potential pitfalls to avoid, and essential lessons the content-based classroom has to offer for students and teachers alike.
Biographicals
Nick Clements is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the College English Program at Seoul National University (SNU) in Seoul, South Korea. He primarily focuses on advanced content-based courses in film, literature, and non-fiction prose, using authentic materials as the platform for strengthening formal academic skills in critical thinking, writing, and speaking. He also teaches a writing course for science and engineering majors in which students develop an original, data-driven research paper. In addition to his regular teaching duties, he has designed and taught graduate workshops in persuasive writing, research paper design, and professional communication; he also served as an editor for the Asian Journal of Peacebuilding, an SNU publication. Prior to SNU, he taught at Yonsei University, also located in Seoul.
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