Fachbereich 05: Sprache, Literatur, Kultur - Anglistik - Lehramtsstudiengang L 1

This introductory lecture aims to familiarize participants with the field of Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). It addresses a wide variety of issues and questions, ranging from ‘what does it mean to ‘become’ a professional English language teacher?’ to ‘what competencies and skills will I have to acquire?’ In conjunction with the lecture, (mandatory) weekly tutorials will be made available.

Prerequisites:
None. This course is accompanied by the obligatory Tutorium ("Übung") TEFL I A2.

Required Reading:
A digital reader will be available at the beginning of the semester.

Credit:
Graded: Regular attendance, active participation in class, homework assignments and written exam (Klausur).

Exam period:
Written exam: tba

Registration: Flex-Now

This seminar explores the pedagogical integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into English language teaching. Designed for future English teachers, it provides both a theoretical foundation and practical applications of AI-supported tools and strategies. Drawing upon the Hessian framework for media education, participants will critically engage with all six competence areas — from searching and collaborating to protecting and reflecting — within the context of AI.
Students will experience AI as a writing partner, content generator, analysis tool, and conversation facilitator. Through guided tool exploration, collaborative lesson planning, and critical media reflection, they will learn to navigate both the opportunities and challenges that AI brings to language education.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of module TEFL I

Required Reading: readings will be made available via StudIP

Credit: Regular attendance, active participation, submission of a term paper.

Exam Period: The term paper has to be handed in by March 15, 2026.

Registration: via Flex-now.

What do teachers want at the end of the day? To do their jobs and go back home with a little bit of their sanity intact. In this seminar we will try to explore ways to manage and create a classroom environment that is ideal, or, maybe, just allows for students and teachers to co- exist and work well with each other. We will be investigating topics such as language, behavior, discipline, challenging students, anger, rules and social forms and focus on providing solutions or just insight into some pressing classroom issues. Just be aware: there is no single magic solution. Establishing yourself as a teacher is something that comes with experience, self-reflection and developing a thicker skin. Students will be expected to actively participate, read the texts, reflect and share their thoughts and ideas. Throughout the seminar they will also be expected to work together to complete mini projects that would complement practically the deeper understanding of the different topics. The participants will have to use the knowledge acquired in the first sessions to create their own instruction processes and a manual to be used alongside these, for all the tasks and activities. Finally, to further benefit from that experience students would record their impressions and learning journey on a log that would be reviewed by the lecturer.

Prerequisites:
Successful completion of Module TEFL I.

Required Reading:
A comprehensive course bibliography will be made available on Stud.IP.

Credit:
Regular attendance, active participation in class; term paper

Expectations: Regular attendance, active participation, presentation/micro teaching unit and submission of a term paper.

Credit: The term paper has to be handed in by March 15, 2026.

Registration: via Flex-now.

Discover how to bring poetry vividly to life in your EFL classroom! This lecture offers a journey through a wide range of poetic forms - from nursery rhymes and tongue twisters designed for younger learners to sonnets and more experimental contemporary expressions for advanced pupils - across the Anglophone world. Together, we will explore how to convey to your pupils the power of words, the rhythm of language, and the imaginative potential of poetry to open up new horizons. By engaging with authentic lyrical texts, both classic and contemporary ones, the lecture aims to reveal poetry’s broad potential for language learning from linguistic-communicative, intercultural, and critical-interpretative perspectives. Particular emphasis will be placed on teaching methodologies that combine cognitive, personal, and creative approaches. We will explore practical strategies for classroom implementation, always guided by the belief that poetry should not only be read, but also experienced and lived.


Prerequisite: Successful completion of module TEFL I

Expectations: Regular attendance, active participation, presentation/micro teaching unit and submission of a term paper.

Credit: The term paper has to be handed in by March 15, 2026.

Registration: via Flex-now.

This seminar focuses on exploring working and teaching in inclusive settings. Both theoretical and practical examples of inclusive and differentiated material and practices will be investigated.
Students will be expected to actively participate, read the texts, reflect and share their thoughts and ideas. Throughout the seminar they will also be expected to work together to complete mini projects that would complement practically the deeper understanding of the different topics. The participants will have to use the knowledge acquired in the first sessions to create their own instruction processes and a manual to be used alongside these, for all the tasks and activities. Finally, to further benefit from that experience students would record their impressions and learning journey on a log that would be reviewed by the lecturer.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of module TEFL I

Expectations: Regular attendance, active participation, presentation/micro teaching unit and submission of a term paper.

Credit: The term paper has to be handed in by March 15, 2026.

Registration: via Flex-now.

Writing practices in language education are currently in turmoil due to the ongoing proliferation and refinement of generative AI tools. In this seminar students develop knowledge and strategies of fostering writing competencies in the EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classroom. Some basic approaches to writing are introduced, such as genre writing, process writing, and creative writing. We discuss possible adjustments to various learner groups and levels of proficiency. Written feedback in conjunction with teacher workload is another focus area. Crucially, all is viewed through the lens of the current AI revolution as we explore potential threats and benefits of the latest technological advancements.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of module TEFL I

Expectations: Regular attendance, active participation, presentation/micro teaching unit and submission of a term paper.

Credit: The term paper has to be handed in by March 15, 2026.

Registration: via Flex-now.

Technology is “material culture” (Don Ihde), i.e. the human-made objects, both tangible and virtual, which surround as and which accompany our everyday procedures. Language teachers and learners have always used various technologies, with the EFL textbook being but one prominent example. As technologies become increasingly digitalized and fleeting, the question is to what extent language learning and, more importantly for us, language teaching (!) can benefit from the latest technological advancements, whereas some of these tools look promising at first glance but provide very little in the way of enriching actual learning processes. In this seminar, we broach some of these overarching issues and discuss the intricate challenges in trying to extract pedagogical value from various technological applications.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of module TEFL I

Expectations: Regular attendance, active participation, presentation/micro teaching unit and submission of a term paper.

Credit: The term paper has to be handed in by March 15, 2026.

Registration: via Flex-now.

Pointing out the importance of working on teaching skills is the purpose of most seminars, as instruction is the focus of the learning experience. One of the most challenging but also interesting skills to teach is Speaking. Throughout the seminar, students will work in understanding the main principles and implications of working on Speaking with primary school students. Our focus will be on working with tasks and picture books. We will, thus, explore some of their most significant aspects, namely the fundamental principles of teaching Speaking, classrooms strategies and techniques, speaking tasks as well as practical classroom examples. Both the elements of instruction and assessment will be explored in both their theoretical and practical dimensions. The participants will have to use the knowledge acquired in the first sessions to create their own instruction and assessment processes and a manual to be used alongside these, for all the tasks and activities.


Prerequisites:
Successful completion of Module TEFL I.

Required Reading:
A comprehensive course bibliography will be made available on Stud.IP.

Credit:
Regular attendance, active participation in class; term paper


Expectations: Regular attendance, active participation, presentation/micro teaching unit and submission of a term paper.

Credit: The term paper has to be handed in by March 15, 2026.

Registration: via Flex-now.

This seminar explores the pedagogical integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into English language teaching. Designed for future English teachers, it provides both a theoretical foundation and practical applications of AI-supported tools and strategies. Drawing upon the Hessian framework for media education, participants will critically engage with all six competence areas — from searching and collaborating to protecting and reflecting — within the context of AI.
Students will experience AI as a writing partner, content generator, analysis tool, and conversation facilitator. Through guided tool exploration, collaborative lesson planning, and critical media reflection, they will learn to navigate both the opportunities and challenges that AI brings to language education.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of module TEFL I

Required Reading: readings will be made available via StudIP

Credit: Regular attendance, active participation, submission of a term paper.

Exam Period: The term paper has to be handed in by March 15, 2026.

Registration: via Flex-now.

What do teachers want at the end of the day? To do their jobs and go back home with a little bit of their sanity intact. In this seminar we will try to explore ways to manage and create a classroom environment that is ideal, or, maybe, just allows for students and teachers to co- exist and work well with each other. We will be investigating topics such as language, behavior, discipline, challenging students, anger, rules and social forms and focus on providing solutions or just insight into some pressing classroom issues. Just be aware: there is no single magic solution. Establishing yourself as a teacher is something that comes with experience, self-reflection and developing a thicker skin. Students will be expected to actively participate, read the texts, reflect and share their thoughts and ideas. Throughout the seminar they will also be expected to work together to complete mini projects that would complement practically the deeper understanding of the different topics. The participants will have to use the knowledge acquired in the first sessions to create their own instruction processes and a manual to be used alongside these, for all the tasks and activities. Finally, to further benefit from that experience students would record their impressions and learning journey on a log that would be reviewed by the lecturer.

Prerequisites:
Successful completion of Module TEFL I.

Required Reading:
A comprehensive course bibliography will be made available on Stud.IP.

Credit:
Regular attendance, active participation in class; term paper

Expectations: Regular attendance, active participation, presentation/micro teaching unit and submission of a term paper.

Credit: The term paper has to be handed in by March 15, 2026.

Registration: via Flex-now.

Discover how to bring poetry vividly to life in your EFL classroom! This lecture offers a journey through a wide range of poetic forms - from nursery rhymes and tongue twisters designed for younger learners to sonnets and more experimental contemporary expressions for advanced pupils - across the Anglophone world. Together, we will explore how to convey to your pupils the power of words, the rhythm of language, and the imaginative potential of poetry to open up new horizons. By engaging with authentic lyrical texts, both classic and contemporary ones, the lecture aims to reveal poetry’s broad potential for language learning from linguistic-communicative, intercultural, and critical-interpretative perspectives. Particular emphasis will be placed on teaching methodologies that combine cognitive, personal, and creative approaches. We will explore practical strategies for classroom implementation, always guided by the belief that poetry should not only be read, but also experienced and lived.


Prerequisite: Successful completion of module TEFL I

Expectations: Regular attendance, active participation, presentation/micro teaching unit and submission of a term paper.

Credit: The term paper has to be handed in by March 15, 2026.

Registration: via Flex-now.

This seminar focuses on exploring working and teaching in inclusive settings. Both theoretical and practical examples of inclusive and differentiated material and practices will be investigated.
Students will be expected to actively participate, read the texts, reflect and share their thoughts and ideas. Throughout the seminar they will also be expected to work together to complete mini projects that would complement practically the deeper understanding of the different topics. The participants will have to use the knowledge acquired in the first sessions to create their own instruction processes and a manual to be used alongside these, for all the tasks and activities. Finally, to further benefit from that experience students would record their impressions and learning journey on a log that would be reviewed by the lecturer.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of module TEFL I

Expectations: Regular attendance, active participation, presentation/micro teaching unit and submission of a term paper.

Credit: The term paper has to be handed in by March 15, 2026.

Registration: via Flex-now.

Writing practices in language education are currently in turmoil due to the ongoing proliferation and refinement of generative AI tools. In this seminar students develop knowledge and strategies of fostering writing competencies in the EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classroom. Some basic approaches to writing are introduced, such as genre writing, process writing, and creative writing. We discuss possible adjustments to various learner groups and levels of proficiency. Written feedback in conjunction with teacher workload is another focus area. Crucially, all is viewed through the lens of the current AI revolution as we explore potential threats and benefits of the latest technological advancements.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of module TEFL I

Expectations: Regular attendance, active participation, presentation/micro teaching unit and submission of a term paper.

Credit: The term paper has to be handed in by March 15, 2026.

Registration: via Flex-now.

Technology is “material culture” (Don Ihde), i.e. the human-made objects, both tangible and virtual, which surround as and which accompany our everyday procedures. Language teachers and learners have always used various technologies, with the EFL textbook being but one prominent example. As technologies become increasingly digitalized and fleeting, the question is to what extent language learning and, more importantly for us, language teaching (!) can benefit from the latest technological advancements, whereas some of these tools look promising at first glance but provide very little in the way of enriching actual learning processes. In this seminar, we broach some of these overarching issues and discuss the intricate challenges in trying to extract pedagogical value from various technological applications.

Prerequisite: Successful completion of module TEFL I

Expectations: Regular attendance, active participation, presentation/micro teaching unit and submission of a term paper.

Credit: The term paper has to be handed in by March 15, 2026.

Registration: via Flex-now.

Pointing out the importance of working on teaching skills is the purpose of most seminars, as instruction is the focus of the learning experience. One of the most challenging but also interesting skills to teach is Speaking. Throughout the seminar, students will work in understanding the main principles and implications of working on Speaking with primary school students. Our focus will be on working with tasks and picture books. We will, thus, explore some of their most significant aspects, namely the fundamental principles of teaching Speaking, classrooms strategies and techniques, speaking tasks as well as practical classroom examples. Both the elements of instruction and assessment will be explored in both their theoretical and practical dimensions. The participants will have to use the knowledge acquired in the first sessions to create their own instruction and assessment processes and a manual to be used alongside these, for all the tasks and activities.


Prerequisites:
Successful completion of Module TEFL I.

Required Reading:
A comprehensive course bibliography will be made available on Stud.IP.

Credit:
Regular attendance, active participation in class; term paper


Expectations: Regular attendance, active participation, presentation/micro teaching unit and submission of a term paper.

Credit: The term paper has to be handed in by March 15, 2026.

Registration: via Flex-now.

This course is designed to introduce first-year students to the study of English and American literature and cultural studies by covering key concepts and theoretical approaches. Through close reading of texts, we will develop strategies of analyzing and interpreting poetry, drama, prose texts, and film as well as how to engage with (popular) cultural phenomena. Furthermore, this course also serves as an introduction to doing research, finding secondary literature, citing sources correctly, and compiling a bibliography.

Welcome! When Todorov coined the French term 'narratologie' in 1969, he used the word in analogy to disciplines such as biology and sociology to convey the idea of a science of narrative. This lecture begins by zooming in on the development of classical structuralist narratology, which was, for instance, influenced by Russian formalism. In a second step, we will then focus on recent debates within the field of postclassical narratology. Among other things, we will look at new developments in the area of ethical and postcolonial narratology (compared to the 'older' rhetorical theory of narrative); crucial differences between first- and second-generation cognitive narratologists; the role of cognitive parameters vis-à-vis unnatural narratives; new approaches in the areas of feminist, queer, and transmedial narratologies; recent work on oral storytelling, small stories, and online storytelling; the narrativity of music, paintings, and dance performances; as well as the role of empirical studies. We will also discuss the question of what to do with these approaches, i.e., how to apply the theoretical frameworks to literary texts.

This course aims at familiarizing students with approaches to the study of human language in general and to the study of the English language in particular. Attention will be paid to important concepts and terminology from the core areas of theoretical linguistics (phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics) and to their relevance to the fields of applied linguistics, such as language acquisition, sociolinguistics and cognitive linguistics.

Exam / Modulabschlussprüfung (MAP): To be announced at the beginning of the semester

This course aims at familiarizing students with approaches to the study of human language in general and to the study of the English language in particular. Attention will be paid to important concepts and terminology from the core areas of theoretical linguistics (phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics) and to their relevance to the fields of applied linguistics, such as language acquisition, sociolinguistics and cognitive linguistics.

Exam / Modulabschlussprüfung (MAP): To be announced at the beginning of the semester

This course aims at familiarizing students with approaches to the study of human language in general and to English in particular. Attention will be paid to important concepts and terms of core areas of theoretical linguistics (phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics) and to their relevance to the fields of applied linguistics, such as language acquisition, sociolinguistics and computational linguistics.

Reading: Bernd Kortmann, English Linguistics: Essentials (Berlin: Cornelsen, 2020).
Registration: FlexNow
Graded credit: Regular attendance, active participation, a mini presentation and a pass in the Modulabschlussprüfung at the end of the lecture period.

This course aims at familiarizing students with approaches to the study of human language in general and to English in particular. Attention will be paid to important concepts and terms of core areas of theoretical linguistics (phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics) and to their relevance to the fields of applied linguistics, such as language acquisition, sociolinguistics and computational linguistics.

Reading: Bernd Kortmann, English Linguistics: Essentials (Berlin: Cornelsen, 2020).
Registration: FlexNow
Graded credit: Regular attendance, active participation, a mini presentation and a pass in the Modulabschlussprüfung at the end of the lecture period.

Focusing on the grammar of the English verb phrase (tense and aspect, modality, non-finite constructions), this course is designed to help students solidify and extend their grasp of core areas of English grammar and make the transition from upper intermediate level to lower advanced level (B2 to C1). Making this transition not only involves getting a firm grip on the essentials (structures already covered at school but all too often either forgotten or never properly mastered in the first place), it also involves adding some of those finer points that need to be mastered on the steep and thorny way to advanced language competence.

.Focusing on the grammar of the English verb phrase (tense and aspect, modality, non-finite constructions), this course is designed to help students solidify and extend their grasp of core areas of English grammar and make the transition from upper intermediate level to lower advanced level (B2 to C1). Making this transition not only involves getting a firm grip on the essentials (structures already covered at school but all too often either forgotten or never properly mastered in the first place), it also involves adding some of those finer points that need to be mastered on the steep and thorny way to advanced language competence.

.Focusing on the grammar of the English verb phrase (tense and aspect, modality, non-finite constructions), this course is designed to help students solidify and extend their grasp of core areas of English grammar and make the transition from upper intermediate level to lower advanced level (B2 to C1). Making this transition not only involves getting a firm grip on the essentials (structures already covered at school but all too often either forgotten or never properly mastered in the first place), it also involves adding some of those finer points that need to be mastered on the steep and thorny way to advanced language competence.

Focusing on the grammar of the English verb phrase (tense and aspect, modality, non-finite constructions), this course is designed to help students solidify and extend their grasp of core areas of English grammar and make the transition from upper intermediate level to lower advanced level (B2 to C1). Making this transition not only involves getting a firm grip on the essentials (structures already covered at school but all too often either forgotten or never properly mastered in the first place), it also involves adding some of those finer points that need to be mastered on the steep and thorny way to advanced language competence.

.Focusing on the grammar of the English verb phrase (tense and aspect, modality, non-finite constructions), this course is designed to help students solidify and extend their grasp of core areas of English grammar and make the transition from upper intermediate level to lower advanced level (B2 to C1). Making this transition not only involves getting a firm grip on the essentials (structures already covered at school but all too often either forgotten or never properly mastered in the first place), it also involves adding some of those finer points that need to be mastered on the steep and thorny way to advanced language competence.

This class will cover key concepts and methods devoted to the study of morphology, i.e. the study of words and their internal structure. We will pursue fundamental questions concerning what counts as a word, how are words formed, how are words processed in terms of their structure, etc. We will also take a look a prominent studies that have contributed significantly to the field of morphology.

Exam Date: Feb. 11, 2026
or Term Paper: March 31, 2026