Dr. Reynolds has previously taught the following courses for the University of Macau. The course titles and descriptions are provided below. Intended learning outcomes and other information can be found by searching the university course catalog.
Undergraduate Courses
EDUC1024 Introduction to English Language Teaching
This introductory course for English education majors aims to cover a wide range of concepts, issues, and debates relevant to language teaching and learning. It examines language learning conditions and processes and helps students see how language teaching is influenced by the ultimate goals of language learning, learner variables, and other contextual factors. Pedagogical implications link these topics to the teaching of English in Macao school contexts.
EDUC3022 English Language Activities
The course prepares students to teach English to pre-primary pupils who learn English as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL), emphasising the practice of various language activities: games, songs, nursery rhymes, role plays, story-telling and worksheets, etc. In addition, students learn to design, adopt and adapt different teaching materials and teaching aids when planning an English lesson for pre-primary ESL/EFL pupils. Furthermore, students will have a better understanding of various language teaching approaches and their underlying theories. The course also includes important topics such as classroom English, lesson planning and teaching pronunciation.
EDUC2022 Teaching Reading and Writing
This course will examine the theoretical bases for reading and writing in the light of current perceptions of the processes and strategies involved in these skills and will explore recent developments and models of second language reading and writing as well as the pedagogical impact of these developments. The course will also integrate theory and practice and discuss how to teach English reading and writing lessons in Macao classrooms.
EDUC4995 Supervised Teaching and School Experience (Secondary Education – English)
This course aims at preparing student teachers to become effective teachers. Student teachers will be placed in local schools and receive school-based learning. It provides an opportunity for them to teach independently in a workplace context wherein they could merge theory and practice, get hands-on experience and develop teaching and classroom management skills. There is regular and close supervision from FED supervisors, who will observe student teachers’ classes to see whether they demonstrate competence and efficiency to meet the needs of their students by applying what they have learned over the years. Capable and experienced teachers in practice schools are appointed to help as tutors/mentors and to work in close collaboration with FED supervisors to provide guidance and pastoral care. Through regular meetings, detailed discussions and assessment during the process, student teachers are expected to make observable progress.
EDUC4997 Supervised Teaching and School Experience (Primary Education)
This course aims at preparing student teachers to become effective teachers. Student teachers will be placed in local schools and receive school-based learning. It provides an opportunity for them to teach independently in a workplace context wherein they could merge theory and practice, get hands-on experience and develop teaching and classroom management skills. There is regular and close supervision from FED supervisors, who will observe student teachers’ classes to see whether they demonstrate competence and efficiency to meet the needs of their students by applying what they have learned over the years. Capable and experienced teachers in practice schools are appointed to help as tutors/mentors and to work in close collaboration with FED supervisors to provide guidance and pastoral care. Through regular meetings, detailed discussions and assessment during the process, student teachers are expected to make observable progress.
HONR4000 Honours Project
All students of the Honours College are required to complete a one-year honours project that leads to the development a scholarly product. It takes the form of an undergraduate research thesis/creative project mentored by a faculty member in the student’s field of study.
Postgraduate Courses
EDUC8004 Research Writing
The purpose of this course is to provide PhD students with necessary instruction of advanced research writing skills in their fields. Students will be taken through the process of reviewing literature and writing academic articles. During this course, students will conduct an actual research study in their field, and write up the finding as an academic manuscript. This would be done through lectures, small group discussion, and individual consultation. Students will be fully in charge of their own research project and encouraged to develop their own writing style.
EDUC6102 Curriculum and Pedagogy (Subject Based)
It aims to provide in-service teachers at secondary level with basic concepts and principles of curriculum and instruction. Topics include curriculum development and implementation, teaching principles and strategies, teaching evaluation, and classroom conditions that influence teaching and learning. This course features subject based characteristics. Students will be led to discuss the issues and problems related with these topics in their subjects (such as Chinese, English, mathematics, and science). And the connection between the theories of curriculum and pedagogy and subject based teaching practice will be highlighted.
EDUC7183 Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition and Language Teaching
This course provides opportunities to study about vocabulary in second language learning and teaching, including questions regarding how to select vocabulary for direct instruction, factors that influence incidental acquisition, strategies for deliberate learning and teaching, and assessment of vocabulary knowledge. A survey of pivotal published second language vocabulary acquisition research is provided for the purpose of evaluating the quality of the research and considering its practical implications for teaching.
EDUC7179 Curriculum Design and Materials Development for English Teachers
This course is designed to acquaint students with the strategies and principles of materials development for English language teaching. It aims to help students develop an understanding of the process of second language curriculum development in general, and of second language course design and materials preparation in particular. Theoretical discussions of different language learning models and instructional principles, and various approaches to curriculum design and materials development will provide a basis for analysis. Course participants will have opportunities to engage in critical reflection on both theoretical and practical issues in second language curriculum design and materials development, as well as develop practical experience in designing English language curriculum and materials relevant to specific student populations.
EDCI778 Written and Spoken Discourse for English Language Teaching
Written and Spoken Discourse for ELT examines key issues in discourse analysis such as function, form, context in communication to help students understand basic concepts/issues of discourse analysis in theory and practice. Students will also be provided with opportunities to analyze classroom discourse in second/foreign language classroom contexts. Through analyzing the linguistic and functional characteristics of classroom talk and its sequential structures, students will be able to explore the dynamics and potential of classroom interactions, and their impacts on pedagogical effectiveness in a diversity of classroom contexts.
EDUC6004 Teaching Practice
Though classroom observing, micro-teaching, listening to their supervisors’ guidance on the design of teaching activities before their teaching practice, and discussing thoroughly their performance after teaching practice and how to improve it in the future, etc., the teacher-trainees’ teaching professional standards can be improved continuously.
EDUC7199 Academic Thesis (MEd Curriculum and Instruction – English Language Education)
EDUC7399 Academic Thesis (MEd Early Childhood Education and Child Development)
EDUC899 Doctoral Thesis