175-201 Second Language Learning and Teaching

Note

Available as 175-301 at 3rd-year level.

Credit Points

Coordinator

Prerequisites

Normally at least 12.5 points of Linguistics at first-year level, or 37.5 points of modern language study at first-year level.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

This subject will provide an introduction to the study of second language learning and teaching. Some early second language acquisition research into morpheme acquisition orders and developmental sequences will be studied, as well as variability and individual differences in second language acquisition. In the course, a range of theoretical models of second language acquisition will be examined and evaluated in relation to recent empirical findings, including those relating to language learning strategies. Next, this subject will examine the contribution of applied linguistics in the field of second language teaching; in particular, the evolution of different approaches to language curriculum over the past fifty years, focusing on developments in communicative approaches over the past twenty years, recent developments in teaching methodology, the place of grammar teaching, and reading and writing as cognitive processes and literacy as a social issue. Part of the assessment for this course will involve students writing about their own language learning experiences. As well, students will have the opportunity to observe language teaching in action, applying their knowledge of language acquisition theory to the results of these observations.

Assessment

Six pieces of homework and one essay, totalling not more than 5000 words.