Descripción y contextualización de la asignatura

This course provides students with a foundation in second language acquisition (SLA). One of the aims of the course is to address three questions recurrent in second language acquisition:



1. What exactly does the L2 learner come to know?

2. How does the learner acquire this knowledge?

3. Why are some learners more successful than others?



In order to answer these questions, we will engage in the description and analysis of language, proceeding from the basis to the discipline to more advanced topics relating to second language acquisition research. The practical section will deal with the assumption that an understanding of how languages are acquired and learned will lead to more effective teaching practices. This knowledge will further lead us to set realistic goals for language acquisition.

Convocatoria ordinaria: orientaciones y renuncia

METHODOLOGY



The course will have the following format:



A. Lectures. Lectures will be reasonably informal, with participation by the students.

B. Selected exercise material: the classes will also involve working through selected exercises.

C. Readings: Readings will be expected and required to consolidate the understanding of the material provided during the lectures.

D. Group work: Students will be asked to perform several activities in groups.

E. Oral presentations: an oral presentation in pairs will be a requirement of the course.



ASSESSMENT



The final grade for the course will take into account grades awarded on all assignments in the following proportions:



Attendance and participation 10%

Classroom presentation 20%

Final assignment 70%



Information on the use of resources and materials in exams and assignments:



Home-assignments: the work submitted by the students must be their own work and must have been written completely by themselves. The students must identify and include the source of all facts, ideas, opinions and viewpoints of others through in-text referencing and the relevant sources should all be included in the list of references at the end of their work. Direct quotations from books, journal articles, internet sources or any other source must be acknowledged and the sources cited must be identified in the list of references.

Temario

1. Course description



This course provides students with a foundation in second language acquisition (SLA). One of the aims of the course is to address three questions recurrent in second language acquisition:

1. What exactly does the L2 learner come to know?

2. How does the learner acquire this knowledge?

3. Why are some learners more successful than others?

In order to answer these questions, we will engage in the description and analysis of language, proceeding from the basis to the discipline to more advanced topics relating to second language acquisition research. The practical section will deal with the assumption that an understanding of how languages are acquired and learned will lead to more effective teaching practices. This knowledge will further lead us to set realistic goals for language acquisition.



2. Objectives



The aims of this course are:

1. To provide an overview of SLA theory.

2. To provide the necessary background to stimulate interest in SLA and guidance for further research.

3. To offer practical help to understand and assess SLA.



3. Competencies



- To foster an understanding of the basic principles and processes that govern second language acquisition.

- To be able to carry out an interpretation of different aspects of second language acquisition with the help of current linguistic theory.

- To explain the theories in SLA that account for the many facets of non-native language.

- To interpret relevant second language research in ways that benefit the language learner.

- To develop the ability to think critically about research findings in the field and to analyse information clearly.

- To be able to analyse and explain the main ideas of a research paper in second language acquisition.

- To be able to work autonomously and in groups, using the necessary techniques and tools learned.



4. Course outline



1. What is second language acquisition?

2. L1 versus L2 learning

2.1. The logical problem of language learning

2.2. The role of the native language

3. SLA and related disciplines

4. Frameworks for second language acquisition

4.1. Linguistic framework

4.2. Psychological framework

4.3. Sociolinguistic framework

5. The linguistic framework for second language acquisition

5.1. Early approaches to SLA

5.2. Recent perspectives on SLA

6. The psycholinguistic perspective to language acquisition

6.1. Individual differences in SLA

6.2. Effects on multilingualism

7. SLA and the teaching component



5. Methodology



The course will have the following format:



A. Lectures. Lectures will be reasonably informal, with participation by the students.

B. Selected exercise material: the classes will also involve working through selected exercises.

C. Readings: Readings will be expected and required to consolidate the understanding of the material provided during the lectures.

D. Group work: Students will be asked to perform several activities in groups.

E. Oral presentations: an oral presentation in pairs will be a requirement of the course.



6. Assessment



The final grade for the course will take into account grades awarded on all assignments in the following proportions:

Attendance and participation 10%

Classroom presentation 20%

Final assignment 70%





Attendance and participation



You are expected to attend class regularly and to participate in the class discussions and activities. An attendance sheet will be circulated during the class hours.

Classroom presentation

This is a classroom presentation assignment. Groups of two students will be responsible for presenting and summarising a reading from the class packet. The discussion should last no longer than thirty minutes. Each presentation will be evaluated by the teacher and by the group¿s peers. Some tips will be available for the groups to facilitate the presentation.

Final individual assignment

At the end of the course students will be given a set of discussion questions related to topics covered in the course. Students will have several weeks to write an individual argumentative essay on one of the questions provided. The assessment must be handed in before the due date, unless an extension by the teacher is provided. More information about these assignments will be provided during the course.

Bibliografía

Bibliografía básica

Bathia, T. & Ritchie, W.C. (Eds.) (2012) The Handbook of Bilingualism and Multilingualism. 2nd ed. Oxford: Blackwell.

Brown, J.D. & Rodgers, T. (2002) Doing Second Language Research: Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Cook, V.J. (2008) Second Language Learning and Language Teaching, Arnold. 4th edition.

Doughty, C. & Long, M.H.. (Eds.) (2005) The Handbook of Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Blackwell.

Ellis, R. (2015) Understanding Second Language Acquisition, 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Ellis, R. & Barkhuizen, G. (2006) Analysing Learner Language. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Gass, M., Behney, J. & Plonsky, L. (2013) Second Language Acquisition: An Introductory Course. 4th ed. London: Routledge.

Larsen-Freeman, D. & Long, M. (1991) An Introduction to Second Language Acquisition Research. London: Longman.

Lightbown, P. and Spada, N. (2013) How Languages are Learned. 4th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Lowie, W., Versppor, M. & de Bot, K. (Eds.) (2005) Second Language Acquisition. London: Routledge.

Mitchell, R. & Myles, F. (1998) Second Language Learning Theories. London: Arnold.

Ortega, L. (2009) Understanding Second Language Acquisition. London: Hodder Education.

Ortega, L. (Ed.) (2011) Second Language Acquisition. Abingdon, Oxford: Routledge

Saville-Troike, M. & Barto, K. (2017) Introducing Second Language Acquisition. 3rd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Schmitt, N. (2010) An Introduction to Applied Linguistics. 2nd ed. London: Arnold.

VanPatten, W. & Williams, J. (2006), Theories in Second Language Acquisition, Lawrence Erlbaum

Revistas

NATIONAL JOURNALS



• Revista de la Asociación Española de Lingüística Aplicada



• Atlantis



• Miscelánea



• Revista Alicantina de Estudios Ingleses



• Estudios de Filología Inglesa







INTERNATIONAL JOURNALS



• AILA Review



• Applied Linguistics



• Applied Psycholinguistics



• International Journal of Multilingualism



• International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching (IRAL)



• Language Learning



• Language Teaching Research



• English Language Teaching



• Modern Language Journal



• Second Language Research



• Studies in Second Language Acquisition

Enlaces

WEBSITES







The Linguist List website:



http://www.linguistlist.org



Vivian Cook’s SLA Bibliography:



http://www.viviancook.uk/SLA/SLABIB/index.htm



International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism:



http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rbeb20



The Modern Language Journal:



http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1540-4781



International Journal of Multilingualism:



http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rmjm20/current



American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL):



http://www.aaal.org/



Asociación Española de Lingüística Aplicada (AESLA):



http://www.aesla.org.es/es



International Association of Applied Linguistics (AILA):



http://www.aila.info/en/