ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on some of the more practical elements which students may need to engage with as part of their MA TESOL/Applied Linguistics. Teaching observation and practice probably represent the most common manifestations of these, although a small number of MA programmes worldwide may also sometimes include internships and work placements.
This chapter opens by considering the relationship between theory and practice and suggests that students will gain more from their studies if they can try to make the connections between these two areas explicit. It then looks at teaching observation and discusses some of the tools and mechanisms which are typically used for this. Next, it examines the traditional stages of a classroom observation cycle before turning its attention to some different dimensions of lesson planning.
The closing sections of this chapter discuss common approaches to teaching practice on Masters’ programmes and also consider the importance of critical reflection.
