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LING 411: Second Language Acquisition

Course Aims and Objectives

Aims: The aim of this course is to introduce participants to second language acquisition research.

Objectives: Participants will become familiar with contemporary theory, methodology, and empirical research in the field of second language acquisition.

Course content

This course provides a general introduction to theories and approaches in second language acquisition (SLA). Various theoretical and empirical issues in the field are discussed together with learner-internal and learner-external factors that influence the course of second language development. In particular, the course provides students with an understanding of UG, cognitive-interactionist, sociocultural, and frequency-based perspectives of SLA; and the roles of learner factors such as age, first language, and other individual difference variables. The application of SLA theory and research to aspects of second language teaching is also explored.

Assessment

A 5,000 word written assignment.

Recommended Reading

Dörnyei, Z. (2005). The psychology of the language learner: Individual differences in second language acquisition. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Ellis, R. (2008). The study of second language acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Ch 1)

Gass, S., & Selinker, L. (2008 ). Second language acquisition: An introductory course (3rd ed.). Routledge. [The library also has copies of earlier editions.] Chapters 1-3.

Lightbown, P., & Spada, N. (2006). How languages are learned (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. (Chapter 4)

Long, M., & Doughty, C. (eds.) (2003). The handbook of second language acquisition. Malden, MA: Blackwell.

Mitchell, R., & Myles, F. (2004). Second language learning theories (2nd ed.). London: Arnold. (Chapter 1)

Ortega, L. (2009). Understanding second language acquisition. Hodder Arnold. (Chapter 5)

Randall, M. (2007). Memory, psychology, and second language learning. John Benjamins.

Robinson, P. (ed.) (2001). Cognition and second language instruction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Robinson, P., & Ellis, N, (2008). Handbook of cognitive linguistics and second language acquisition. New York and London: Routledge.

VanPatten, B., & Williams, J. (2007). Theories in second language acquisition: An introduction. Lawrence Erlbaum. (Chapter 1)

Additional Information

This course is taught in Term 1