Innovation in Language Learning

In academia, English for non-native speakers is understood as a way of disseminating the knowledge produced and of linking scholars to scientific communities, and to other cultures. To a certain extent, English has also become a needed element of the intellectuals’ thought processes, insights, and self-expressions; and as such it is considered to be at the core of transcultural competence. With the mediation of ICT, the possibilities of keeping constant contact with communities of practice have multiplied exponentially. This session deals with theories and practices that attempt to support the teaching of academic English to undergraduate non-native speakers of English to prepare them to read up to date literature in the field of education, and to draft a research proposal.  The discussion of a syllabus for a course in academic English in a Teaching English as a Foreign Language preparation program illustrates the issues. This paper tries to respond this broad question: What needs to be taught and how in a rapidly changing interconnected world? To answer it, the author discusses a spiraling syllabus in which participants in an English for academic purposes course strengthen the identification of authorized works and sources, come to understand and write in academic genres and subgenres, and learn to use multimodal channels. These elements has allowed them to narrow down their inquiries, to determine the scope, and to build the state of the art of an issue while allowing them construct knowledge.

The papers first presents the context, the theory, the rationale and the background of the development of a course for a teacher preparation program in English Language Teaching in Colombia. Next, the spiraling syllabus is discussed and illustrated with instances of multimodality, and with samples tasks and artifacts.  Reference is made to the live interaction of the undergraduates in conferences and symposia that proved useful to challenge them to present and communicate with far-reaching audiences. This paper hopes to contribute to the considerations on the integration of modes, channels, and texts that can both support and boost language development, argumentation, and the critical and inquiring mind that university circles demand.