This module aims to provide students who are native speakers of a language other than English which is taught in the School of Languages, Literature, Culture and Communication (hereafter referred to as LOTE students) with the appropriate training, guidance and support to effectively facilitate optional peer-led discussion groups or one-to-one sessions in the target language for UL language learners of French, German, Irish, Japanese and Spanish. It also aims to provide the LOTE students with transferable knowledge and skills which will be of use to them in their future careers and in their own language learning. This module mainstreams a project which has been very successfully running with AHSS Faculty Development Teaching Fund since September 2012. In AY 2012-13, 19 LOTE students were trained as peer tutors and 133 hours of additional language practice were provided. Substantially more hours are being provided in AY 2013-14 (32 peer tutors have enrolled in the Autumn Semester). Practising the language is paramount in achieving fluency and accuracy, and yet language studies programmes within Higher Education are understandably limited in the amount of focused language practice they can offer. This module aims, therefore, also to address this issue by providing multilingual peer tutoring in a systematic manner, parallel to existing language studies modules. Consequently, the module equally provides additional benefit in supporting all UL language students participating in the discussion groups and/or one-to-one sessions.

This module will prepare LOTE students to facilitate peer-led discussion groups and one-to-one sessions in their native language. It will particularly focus on the following aspects: - The role of a facilitator of a discussion group or one-to-one session - The difference between teaching a language class and facilitating a discussion group or one-to-one session - The skills and techniques necessary to break the ice within a group or in a one-to-one session - The feedback which it is appropriate to give to attendees (grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, register, etc.) - The role of attendees' language-learning background - Relevant topics for the discussion-group sessions and one-to-one sessions - Communication issues which may arise (e.g. cultural differences) - Key communication strategies necessary to encourage participation in a discussion group - The main linguistic pitfalls for language learners - The nature and role of a reflective portfolio.

This module will prepare LOTE students to facilitate peer-led discussion groups and one-to-one sessions in their native language. On completion of the module they will be able to: - Demonstrate an understanding of the role of a facilitator of a discussion group or one-to-one session - Identify and employ the skills and techniques necessary to break the ice within a group or one-to-one session - Decide what feedback is appropriate to give to attendees (grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, register, etc.) and how to give it - Select and prepare adequate topics for the discussion-group sessions - Master and employ key communication strategies to encourage participation in a discussion group.

On completion of the module the LOTE students will be able to: - Differentiate between teaching a language class and facilitating a discussion group or one-to-one session - Appreciate the importance of attendees' language-learning background - Resolve communication issues which may arise (e.g. cultural differences) - Become aware of the main linguistic pitfalls for language learners - Reflect on their experience and develop a reflective portfolio.

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3.1 How the module is taught and assessed The module will be taught through two classes per week. The first hour will include lectures and discussions aiming to provide the LOTE students with the knowledge necessary to facilitate the conversation classes and develop a reflective portfolio. In the second hour each week the students will act as facilitators of a discussion group or one-to-one sessions. Assessment (Pass/Fail) will be by monitoring attendance and by assessing a reflective portfolio submitted by the LOTE students. 3.2 Linking teaching and research This module is in keeping with current developments and best practice in language learning and teaching environments. Visits by UL's Language Resources Area co-ordinator, Catherine Jeanneau, to a number of UK and Irish universities confirm this. The project which has piloted the activities of the module was presented by Catherine Jeanneau at the AHSS Faculty Teaching Day on 5 September 2013 and was very well received. It is intended to present it at an international conference on language learning and teaching in 2014. 3.3 Graduate attributes UL graduate attributes will be encouraged by this module in the following ways: - The LOTE students will become more knowledgeable about the language-learning process and about the most effective ways of facilitating language practice. - They will become more proactive, creative and responsible as they take on the responsibility for planning and facilitating the discussion groups or one-to-one sessions. - As facilitators they will improve their communicative skills and thus become more articulate. - In their discussions with the other students taking the module, and with the UL students in the groups, they will develop their collaborative skills. - As communication in the module is by its nature both international and intercultural, the students taking the module (and also those participating in the sessions) will gain experience of working in an international context. 3.4 Selection criteria The number of students allowed to register for this module will be limited by the number of those opting to participate in the sessions and by the languages required. Selection criteria will be as follows. (i) Students must be native speakers of the language in which they wish to lead sessions. For the purpose of this module, a native speaker is defined as a person who has used the language as an important language of communication in the home or at school during their primary and/or secondary education in a country and/or region where this language is the main language of communication. (ii) Students' schedules must be such as to make them available at the hours when participants are available (this will be organised by the module coordinator). (iii) Suitability will be assessed by a brief application form in which students will describe their course of study and relevant experience. As it will not be clear until the second week of the semester how many places are available on the module, students will only be admitted to the module if it provides credits which are in addition to the number of credits which they require.