CASE STUDY ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES AND SELECTING YOUR LEARNER
Brian Knight

CASE STUDY ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES
Here is a summary of the Case Study Guidelines.
Note in particular how the 4,000-4,500 word limit is broken down into the various sections of the Case Study.
This makes the assignment far less daunting.

The Timetable explains how the Case Study will be programmed for the 2003-2004 academic year.
It is built around the input sessions that have a direct impact on the Case Study, as well as providing a schedule that, if adhered to, will hopefully help to prevent writer's block, absence of test samples and last minute panic.

This example Case Study is only a draft, but a good one.
In the session, we look at this draft with the main headings removed and try to insert them, in the same way as you might do with a reading task for your students, the idea in our case being to familiarise ourselves with the format and content of the Case Study.

SELECTING YOUR LEARNER
One good way to start thinking about your ideal learner is to imagine the opposite.
What would you consider the Case Study learner from hell?
For example, a learner who disappears before you have managed to test her in all skills, or who either appears to have no strengths, only weaknesses (including an apparent absence of any motivation), or, on the other hand, seems to have no identifiable - or rectifiable - errors in her skills.

Also, take into consideration whether there is literature available on the L1 interference you can expect to find in your learner's English.

Having established the kind of learner that you do not want to select, you can use your list to choose one that does not fit any of these features.