General Studies 104
Learning Foreign Languages: An Introduction

Jeanette Owen
Office Hours: Monday 10-12;
Tuesday 4-5 & by appointment
 

Students registered for this course can find additional course information on blackboard.

Course objectives:  This interdisciplinary course introduces students to major issues in foreign language learning. Drawing on theories from the fields of linguistics, psychology, sociology and pedagogy, discussions will address topics such as language universals, language learning processes, and the role of native language in second language acquisition. Discussions will also address questions of intercultural communication, multilingualism and identity.

Course requirements and grading
Discussions and attendance 20%
In class reports, homework 20%
Oral and written project        
      (20 minutes; 7-10 pgs.) 30%
Self-scheduled final exam     30%


Students who think they may need accommodations in this course because of the impact of a disability are encouraged to meet with me privately early in the semester. Students should also contact Stephanie Bell, Coordinator of Access Services, at 610-526-7351 in Canwyll House, as soon as possible, to verify their eligibility for reasonable accommodations. Early contact will help to avoid unnecessary inconvenience and delays.

Readings (Bookstore)

Gass, S. & Selinker, L. Second Language Acquisition: An Introductory Course. 2nd ed.

Secondary readings on Reserve:           

Bialystok, Ellen (1983). “Some factors in the selection and implementation of communication strategies,” in
Strategies in Interlanguage Communication, Eds. Faerch and Kasper, p. 100-118.

Cook, V. (1988). Chapter 7:  “Uses of the Theory” Second Language Learning,” in Chomsky’s Universal Grammar, Pub: Basil Blackwell, Ltd..  p. 170-189

Dulay, H., & Burt, M.  (1974).  Natural sequences in child second language acquisition. Language Learning, 24, 37-53.

Edwards, J.R.  (1996).  Multilingualism.  Viking Penguin.

Ellis, R.  (1992).  Understanding second language acquisition.  Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Kramsch, Claire (2000). (1) “Second Language Acquisition, Applied Linguistics, and the Teaching of Foreign
Languages,” The Modern Language Journal, 84 (3) pp. 311-326.

Kramsch, Claire (2000). (2) “Social Discursive Constructions of Self in L2 Learning,” in Sociocultural Theory and Second Language Learning, Oxford UP. pp. 133-153.

Leaver, Betty Lou. (1993). Learning Strategies: A Manual for Students. AGSI Press.

Leaver, Betty Lou. (1992). Teaching the Whole Class. AGSI Press.

O’Malley and Chamot (1990). Learning Strategies in Second Language Acquisition. Cambridge UP.

Pavlenko, Anna and James Lantolf. (2000) “Second Language Learning as Participation and the (Re)construction of  Selves,” in Sociocultural Theory and Second Language Learning, Oxford UP. pp.155-177.

Syllabus

Week Date Reading, Homework Topic
1 1/23 Introduction
2 1/30 Gass & Selinker Ch. 1, 3;
Homework: Write up personal second language learning experience(s).		 Native language acquisition Child first language acquisition, models for acquisition
3 2/6 G&S Ch. 4, 5;Dulay and Burt Interlanguage and the natural route
of language developmentLanguage transfer
4 2/13 G&S Ch. 6, 7;Cook Ch. 7 Language Universals
5 2/20 G&S Ch. 8, 9;
Bialystok		 SLA Models
Interlanguage in context, Communication strategies
6 2/27 G&S Ch. 10
Homework:  Assess personal language learning experience		 Putting language knowledge to useInput, interaction, output; instruction in language learning
7 3/6 G&S, Ch. 11
Ellis, Ch. 9;
Kramsch (1);
ACTFL guidelines		 Methodology and assessment
Communicative competence, OPI
Bring in for in-class work
8 3/20 G&S, Ch. 12;
O’Malley and Chamot
Homework: Assess strategies you use, sort into metacog., cog. and social.		 Individual learner differencesAge, aptitude, motivation, personality, social and cognitive factors
9 3/27 Leaver: Teaching the Whole Class; Learning Strategies: A Manual for Students  
Homework: Assess your learning style (on-line)		 Individual differences (cont.)
Learner strategies
10 4/3 Edwards: Ch. 1, 2 Bilingualism, multilingualism
11 4/10 Pavlenko
Kramsch (2)
Presentations 		Language Learning and Identity
12 4/17 Reading: TBA
Presentations 		Interlanguage pragmatics
Social and communicative competence
13 4/24 Presentations Video: Acquiring the Human Language, part II  (from “The Human Language Series”)
14 5/1 Presentations, Review G&S, Ch. 14