2 Arak University

Faculty of Literature and Foreign Languages

PhD in TESOL

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

Discourse Analysis

Arak- Iran

Autumn 2019

H.R. Dowlatabadi. Ph.D

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Aim
This course aims to inform participants of the range of interdisciplinary approaches to
discourse analysis and discourse theory which are relevant to language education. It will
equip participants with the skills to evaluate research in discourse analysis and discourse
theory critically. It also provides the opportunity for them to engage in a small-scale original
research study relating to language education, which draws to techniques of discourse
analysis and theories of discourse. Participants will disseminate the results in an appropriate
format, both written and oral.

Learning outcomes

The course specific skills

A knowledge and understanding of:

a. The ways in which discourse analysis has informed pedagogic practice;

b. Different theories of discourse, and the ways in which they have been used to critique
pedagogic discourse.

The ability to:

a. Use techniques of discourse analysis to reflect upon participants' professional

practice;
b. Use techniques of discourse analysis to critically assess pedagogic materials and
policy documents.

Discipline specific skills

A knowledge and understanding of:

a. A range of interdisciplinary approaches to discourse analysis;

b. The relationship between: discourse and text, discourse and mind, discourse and
society

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The ability to:

a. Carry out a small-scale piece of original research and disseminate the results
appropriately

b. Employ discourse theory to identify and critique the discursive practices which
emerge from participants' research;

c. Analyse critically theoretical and empirical research literature

d. To collect and analyse data

e. To select and organise ideas to produce a logical and coherent argument both orally
and in writing.

Personal and key skills

Independent study, co-operative study, the analysis and presentation of ideas and issues
through group discussion, group dynamics, critical thinking, problem solving, self
management, and regulation of learning, time management, setting of personal goals and
plans and evaluation of these, stress management, library and information retrieval skills,
communication of ideas through different media.

Learning/ Teaching Methods

Contexts of learning

Lectures, seminars, tutorials, workshops, group discussion, independent study, student presentation,
online delivery online resources

Approaches to learning

The topics outlined in the syllabus plan below will be presented and discussed with reference to
applications of discourse analysis and theory to specific contexts of learning and teaching, as well as
pedagogic discourse. Participants will be required to contextualise techniques and theories with
reference to their own experience of classroom and institutions in their reading, seminar discussion
and in their course assignment.

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Syllabus
This is an overview of the topics which I will cover on the course.

Discourse and context

a. the interdisciplinary basis of discourse analysis;

b. the relationship between discourse and social context; the relationship between
discourse analysis and discourse theory;

c. the implications of discourse analysis for learning and teaching , as well as pedagogic
discourse;

d. the relevance of discourse analysis to language classrooms specific to the participants’

context of teaching and learning.

Discourse and text

a. conversational analysis;

b. classroom discourse ( the Birmingham School);

c. genre analysis.

Discourse and mind

a. discursive psychology;

b. Macrostructures.

Discourse and society

a. critical discourse analysis

b. pedagogic discourse

c. poststructuralist approaches.

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Course delivery

This is the way the topics are organised into units for delivery.

1. Definitions of discourse

2. Different approaches towards discourse

3. conversation analysis and discourse strategies

4. methodology for discourse analysis

5. a class workshop on discourse analysis

6. Sinclair and Coulthard’s approach

7. Critical discourse analysis ( CDA) in detail

8. political discourse analysis

9. Media discourse

Assignments

There are two types of assignment which can be submitted on this module:

1- One lecture on any subject of discourse and discourse analysis which should be done
during the term by each student

2- A 6000 word review of a major writer or analyst in the field of discourse analysis or a
6000 word report of an empirical investigation in an area of discourse analysis,
including a critical discussion of the literature in this area.

3- A final exam reviewing the topics covered in the class.

Empirical investigation

This 6000-word assignment will analyse one of the following areas of pedagogic practice
relating to their special field of study:

a. classroom interaction ;

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 b. Pedagogical implications of social or service interactions; institutional documents
relating to policy or professional practice. A key criterion of assessment will be the
students’ ability to gather empirical data and relate it to a critical theoretical
framework which displays knowledge of recent literature in the field.

Critical review

This 6000 -word assignment will review the work of a major writer or analyst in the field of
discourse analysis and/ or critical theory. These will normally be writers or analysts referred
to on the course, but additional theorists might be chosen in consultation with your
supervisor.

A critical review will address the following:

a. A comprehensive review of the major texts of the writer in question

b. A comprehensive review of commentaries on the writer in question

c. A comprehensive review of the applications of the writer in the field of TESOL and
Applied Linguistics

d. A review of the potential applications of the writer in the field of TESOL and
Applied Linguistics.

A critical review must demonstrate the following criteria:

a. criticality: the review should not just be a paraphrase of the writer’s work, but must
critically assess it.

b. comprehensiveness: an awareness of the range of the literature by and about the writer in
question

c. Contemporaneity: knowledge of the most recent literature by, about and derived from the
writer in question.

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Priority Reading List

Two books are recommended as priority reading. These are selected as entrees for the two
extremes of the intellectual menu of the course.

1. Cameron, D. ( 2001). working with spoken Discourse. London: sage.

2. Martin, J.R and Rose, D. (2007). Working with Discourses: Meaning beyond
the Clause. London : Continuum.

This book is a review of the latest developments in critical discourse analysis by two

writers who work closely to our field of applied linguistics.

3. Gee, J.P. (2005). An Introduction to Discourse Analysis: Theory and Method.

London: Routledge:

This is an accessible hands-on book relating mainly to the basic concepts of

Discourse close to all our hearts and minds.

Key books

1. Wetherell, Margaret and Potter, Jonathan (2002). Discourse and social psychology:
beyond attitudes and Behaviour. London: Sage. ( units 4-6)

2. Wodak, R. and Meyer, M. (2001). Methods of critical discourse analysis. London:

Sage. ( units 4-5)

3. Richards, K. and Seedhouse, P. (2005). Applying conversation analysis. New York:

Palgrave Macmillan. ( unit 2)

4. Johnstone, B. (2008). Discourse Analysis. London: Blackwell.