Introduction to Second Language Acquisition

Overview

This course will satisfy students’ curiosity through interactive and animated PPT presentations, various reading materials, and online and offline discussions on key issues involved in different stages of second language development.
This course will also help students gain hands-on experience in conducting empirical studies through engaging in real data collection and analysis, and by exploring different research designs used in the second language acquisition field.
Key words:Second language acquisition, age effects, transfer, cross-linguistic influence, vocabulary, cognition, language aptitude

Syllabus

Course Outline

Course Introduction

Unit 1: Introduction

Key Concept 1: Field of SLA: A complex picture
Key Concept 2: Scope of SLA & its related fields
Key Concept 3: First Language Acquisition

Unit 2: Age Effects

Key Concept 1: Age Effects and Their Related Key Issues
Key Concept 2: Studies on the Critical/Sensitive Period Hypothesis from Different Fields
Key Concept 3: Studies on Learning Rate and Ultimate Attainment of Different Age Groups
Key Concept 4: Evidence from Cognitive- Neurological Studies

Unit 3: Methodology

Key Concept 1 (part 1): Basic Concepts
Key Concept 1 (part 2): Basic Concepts
Key Concept 2: Data Analysis & Interpretation
Key Concept 3: Data Collection
Key Concept 4: Related Issues

Unit 4: The Role of Native Language

Key Concept 1 (Part 1): Three Periods of SLA Research
Key Concept 1 (Part 2): Three Periods of SLA Research
Key Concept 2 (Part 1): Contrastive Analysis
Key Concept 2 (Part 2): Contrastive Analysis
Key Concept 3 (Part 1): Error Analysis
Key Concept 3 (Part 2): Error Analysis

Unit 5: Cross-linguistic Influence

Key Concept 1: A Mentalist View: Creative Construction Theory (CC)
Key Concept 2: Morpheme Order Studies Under Creative Construction Theory: From Child to Adult
Key Concept 3 (part 1): New Perspectives on the Role of Native Language (NL)
Key Concept 3 (part 2): New Perspectives on the Role of Native Language (NL)