Second Language Acquisition (TESOL 8618)

Mark Sawyer

TUJ Osaka Spring 2009

Instructor: Mark Sawyer

Goals

  1. Familiarization with basic principles and recent developments in the field of second language acquisition.
  2. Skills for evaluating theoretical and empirical claims in SLA.
  3. Clarification and examination of personal beliefs about SLA.
  4. Deeper understanding of the relationship between theory/research and practice.
  5. Facilitation of a positive comprehensive exam experience.

Requirements

  1. Conscientious and strategic reading of course materials.
  2. Active, thoughtful class participation.
  3. Short written preparation for discussions as needed, e.g. in case of absence.
  4. Two tests.
  5. Visually-aided presentation and leadership of discussion on one additional reading.

(maximum 15 minutes for presentation part, except with advance consultation)

  1. Final project (minimum 10 double-spaced pages of main text). Due 5/24 as attached file.

Options:

a. A relevant data-based study (or detailed proposal for a study); good introspective studies are welcomed.

b. An original or state-of-the-art literature review of a delimited area relevant to the course.

c. Something completely different--try me!

Course readings

Text: Ortega, L. (2009). Understanding SLA. London: Hodder.

Reading packet: see other side of this sheet for complete references.

Tentative Course schedule

Cl / Date /

Topic

/

Additional Readings

1 / 1/9 / INTRODUCTION
2 / 1/16 / Introduction /
  1. Doughty & Long (2003)
  2. “Symposium: Theory in TESOL” (2008)

3 / 1/23 / Age /
  1. Abrahamsson & Hyltenstam (2008)

4 / 1/30 / Crosslinguistic influences /
  1. Brown & Gullberg (2008)

5 / 2/6 / The linguistic environment /
  1. Egi (2007)

6 / 2/13 / Cognition /
  1. Leow et al. (2008)

2/20 / No class
7 / 2/27 / Development of learner language /
  1. Churchill (2008)

8 / 3/6 / Foreign language aptitude
Test 1 due by e-mail /
  1. Kormos & Sáfár (2008)

3/13 / No class
9 / 3/20 / Motivation
Project ideas due /
  1. Tseng & Schmitt (2008)

10 / 3/27 / Affect and other individual differences /
  1. Dewaele et al. (2008)

11 / 4/3 / Test 2
Social dimensions of L2 learning 1
12 / 4/10 / Test Review
Social dimensions of L2 learning 2
Project proposals due /
  1. Ellwood (2008)

13 / 4/17 / Conclusion: The Bigger Picture
14 / 4/24 /

Project progress reports

Second Language Language Acquisition (Spring 2009)

Mark Sawyer, Temple University, Japan, Osaka Campus

Additional Readings: Alphabetical

  1. Abrahamsson, N., & Hyltenstam, K. (2008). The robustness of aptitude effects in near-native second language acquisition. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 30(4), 481-509.
  1. Brown, A., & Gullberg, M. (2008). Bidirectional crosslinguistic influence in L1-L2 encoding of manner in speech and gesture: A study of Japanese speakers of English. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 30(2), 225-251.
  1. Churchill, E. (2008). A dynamic systems account of learning a word: From ecology to form relations. Applied Linguistics, 29(3), 339-358.
  1. Cumming, A., Larsen-Freeman, D., Kaplan, R., Davies, A., Silberstein, S., McNamara, T., & Luke, A. (2008). Symposium: Theory in TESOL. TESOL Quarterly, 42(2), 285-313.
  1. Dewaele, J.-M., Petrides, K. V., & Furnham, A. (2008). Effects of trait emotional intelligence and sociobiographical variables on communicative anxiety and foreign language anxiety among adult multilinguals: A review and empirical investigation. Language Learning, 58(4), 911-960.
  1. Doughty, C., & Long, M. H. (2003). The scope of inquiry and goals of SLA. In C. Doughty & M. H. Long (Eds.), Handbook of second language acquisition (pp. 3-16). Oxford: Blackwell.
  1. Egi, T. (2007). Interpreting recasts as linguistic evidence: The roles of linguistic target, length, and degree of change. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 29(04), 511-537.
  1. Ellwood, C. (2008). Questions of classroom identity: What can be learned from codeswitching in classroom peer group talk? Modern Language Journal, 92(4), 538-557.
  1. Kormos, J., & Sáfár, A. (2008). Phonological short-term memory, working memory and foreign language performance in intensive language learning. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 11(02), 261-271.
  1. Leow, R. P., Hsieh, H.-C., & Moreno, N. (2008). Attention to form and meaning revisited. Language Learning, 58(3), 665-695.
  1. Tseng, W.-T., & Schmitt, N. (2008). Toward a model of motivated vocabulary learning: A structural equation modeling approach. Language Learning, 58(2), 357-400.

Published by Routledge © 2009 Lourdes Ortega and Mark Sawyer