NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Department of Teaching and Learning
Multilingual Multicultural Studies
LANED-GE 2206-002 ---SPRING 2015
SECOND LANGUAGE: THEORY & RESEARCH
Professor: K. Philip Choong
Class time: Tuesday 6:45 – 8:25 PM
Room: 25 West 4th Street, Room C18
Office Hours: TBA and by appointment
Email: [email protected]
Course Description:
This course provides an introduction to second language acquisition (SLA) issues, theories, and
research. The primary objectives are (a) to enable students to develop a basic understanding of
the mechanisms driving, and factors influencing, second language learning, and (b) where and
when appropriate, to provoke critical thinking about aspects of second language teaching. The
secondary objectives are to help students develop an ability (a) to read and critically evaluate the
SLA literature, (b) to learn how to develop a research proposal, and (c) to engage in on-line and
off-line academic discussion.
Objectives:
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Demonstrate an understanding of the major research paradigms in the field of SLA.
Critically read and review an original research article.
Locate and synthesize the research literature in SLA in order to write a literature review.
Select an appropriate research design for a proposed study.
Develop a research proposal for a study focusing on one aspect of SLA.
Write and present a research proposal to the class.
Course Requirements
Attendance and Participation
Includes regular attendance in class sessions; active participation in class discussions and
activities, including pair and group work; and completion of all reading and other assignments on
time in the manner specified. Attendance is very important. More than two unexcused absences
will lower your grade. You are expected to be in class on time. If you are absent or late, please
make arrangements with another student to get class handouts and to help you with the
information you missed.
Required text:
Saville-Troike, M. (2012). Introducing second language acquisition, 2nd ed. Cambridge: CUP.
Recommended:
Gass, S. & Selinker, L. (2013). Second Language Acquisition: An Introductory Course. 4th. Ed.
New York: Routledge.
Mackey, A., & Gass, S. (2005). Second language research: Methodology and design.
Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
NYU Classes (NYUCLS):
Each week, you are expected to read and respond to assigned textbook chapters and/or articles
posted on NYU Classes (NYUCLS). The articles can be found under “Resources” in the
“Readings” folders (labeled by class week or date). You are required to post your responses as a
message for the whole class to see in “Forums” under a relevant topic thread (you can either start
a new thread with your post or respond to another post). Please post your responses at least 24
hours before class time, so that your peers and I have a chance to read and respond to
them. Postings should be substantive, showing a clear understanding of course topics, raising
pertinent questions, sharing new insights, and making connections to readings and classroom
examples. You are strongly encouraged to respond to each other’s postings. Each week, an
assigned discussion leader will be required to start at least one new post. The discussion
leader must start a forum discussion by midnight the day after class.
Students are encouraged to post every week, but are required to post at least once eight (8)
times during the semester.
Students with disabilities
Services for students with disabilities include: classroom/testing accommodations, tuition aid
programs, funding for readers, note-takers, transportation and wheelchair repair service; training
for Kurzweil and adaptive computer equipment; life-skills programs and workshops; specialized
library assistance; advisement; and access to learning for students with learning disabilities. The
Center for Students with Disabilities is located at 31 West 4th Street, 4th Floor, 998-4980
Evaluation:
Consistent attendance and participation
NYUCLS Postings
Presentation of research proposal
Article review (midterm)
Research Proposal
10%
15%
15%
25%
35%
Grades: A: 95-100
C+: 70-74
A-: 90-94
C: 65-69
B: 80-84
Key:
Approximate Schedule
S-T = Saville-Troike
Topic
Week 1 1/27
What is SLA?
B+: 85-89
F: Below 65
Schedule for
Background Reading
S-T, Chapter 1
Selinker (1972)
Week 2 2/3
Related Disciplines,
L2 data
Week 3 2/10
Empirical research,
reading articles
Week 4 2/17
Role of NL, CAH,
EA, CCH, ILH
Week 5 2/24
Monitor Model, UG,
Lit review tutorial
Week 6 3/3
Markedness, Formal
Approaches
Week 7 3/10
Psychotypology,
Information
Processing,
Week 8 3/17
S-T, Chapter 2
Pica (2005)
Week 9 3/24
Connectionism,
Complexity Theory,
O’Grady (2007)
Larsen-Freeman (1997)
Sawyer & Ranta (2001)
B-: 75-79
Online discussion
leaders
Notes
Deadline for online
postings: Monday
noon
Mackey & Gass, Chapter
1
S-T, Chapter 3
Corder (1967)
Schacter (1974)
Krashen (1982) p.9-30
Gregg (1984)
White (2007)
Eckman (1977)
Keenan & Comrie (1977)
- optional
S-T, Chapter 4
Schmidt (2001)
Spring Break – No Class
Midterm article review
due
Individual
differences, Critical
Period
Week 10 3/31
Social contexts of SL,
IL Variation
Week 11 4/7
Input and Interaction
Week 12 4/14
Instructed SLA
Johnson & Newport
(1989)
Week 13 4/21
Knowledge and Use,
Lexicon
S-T, Chapter 6
Dekeyser (2007)
Schmitt & Zimmerman
(2002)
Week 14 4/28
Presentations
Week 15 5/5
Wrap-Up
S-T, Chapter 5
Tarone & Liu (1995)
Larsen-Freeman (2007)
Foster & Ohta (2005)
Swain (2005)
Doughty & Varela (1998)
Norris & Ortega (2000)
S-T, Chapter 7
No online
discussion
Presentation of
proposals
Research proposals
due to
[email protected]
Academic Integrity Statement (from Shondel Nero’s syllabus):
You are expected to read and adhere to NYU’s policy on academic integrity.
(http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/policies/academic_integrity)
Students are expected to produce work of their own doing and credit any secondary sources used in their
papers appropriately. Any use of others’ words/phrases or ideas without proper credit and documentation
and claiming it as one’s own constitutes plagiarism; it is a serious offense with severe consequences.
MMS’ policy with regard to academic honesty is meant to supplement NYU’s policy. Our policy
is as follows:
When cheating, plagiarism, and/or other forms of academic dishonesty are detected in a student’s
work, the following disciplinary actions will be taken:
First offense: redo paper, receive lower grade
Second offense: Receive F for work in question
Third offense: receive F for the course
If offense occurs in more than one class: Recommended Dismissal
Copies of all plagiarized (or partially plagiarized) papers go into the student’s file
RESOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDY
A. Books
Bialystok, E. & Hakuta, K. (1994). In Other Words: The Science and Psychology of SecondLanguage Acquisition. New York: Basic Books.
Brown, H.D. & Gonzo, S. (1994). Readings on Second Language Acquisition. N.J. Prentice Hall
Cook, V. (2008). Second Language Learning and Language Teaching. London: Arnold.
Cook, V., & Newson, M. (2007). Chomsky's Universal Grammar: An Introduction. Oxford: Blackwell.
Cook, V., & Wei, L. (Eds.). (2009). Contemporary Applied Linguistics: Language Teaching and
Learning (Vol. I). New York: Continuum.
Doughty, C. & Long, M. (2003). Handbook of Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Blackwell.
Ellis, R. (2008). The Study of Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ellis, R. (1997). Second Language Acquisition Research and Language Teaching. Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
Gass, S. (1997). Input, Interaction, and the Second Language Learner. Mahwah, N.J.:
Han, Z-H. (2004). Fossilization in Adult Second Language Acquisition. Clevedon: Multilingual
Matters.
Han, Z-H., & Cadierno, T. (Eds.) (2010). Linguistic Relativity in Second Language Acquisition.
Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
James, C. (1998). Errors in Language Learning and Use. London: Longman.
Jordan, G. (2004). Theory Construction in Second Language Acquisition. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Kohnert, K. (2008). Language Disorders in Bilingual Children and Adults. Abingdon, UK: Plural
Publishing.
Larsen Freeman, D. & Long, M. (1991). An Introduction to Second Language Acquisition.
London: Longman
Mitchell, R. & Myles, F. (2004). Theories of Second Language Learning. 2nd ed. London: Arnold
Montrul, S. (2008). Incomplete Acquisition in Bilingualism: Re-examining the Age Factor. Amsterdam:
Benjamins.
Ortega, L. (2009). Understanding Second Language Acquisition. London: Hodder Education.
Pienemann, M. (1998). Language Processing and Second Language Development: Processability Theory.
Amsterdam: Benjamins.
Ritchie, W. C., & Bhatia, T. K. (Eds.)(1996). Handbook of Second Language Acquisition. New York:
Academic Press.
Ritchie, W. C., & Bhatia, T. K. (Eds.). (2009). The New Handbook of Second Language Acquisition. UK:
Emerald Group Publishing Ltd.
Robinson, P., & Ellis, N. C. (2008). Handbook of Cognitive Linguistics and Second Language
Acquisition. London: Routledge.
Selinker, L. (1992). Rediscovering Interlanguage. London: Longman
Sharwood Smith, M. (1994). Second Language Acquisition: Theoretical Foundations. London,
Longman
Skehan, P. (1998). A Cognitive Approach to Language Learning. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Towell, R. & Hawkins, R. (1994). Approaches to Second Language Acquisition Clevedon:
Multilingual Matters
VanPatten, B. (2010). Key Terms in Second Language Acquisition. New York: Continuum.
VanPatten, B & Williams, J. (2007). Theories in Second Language Acquisition. Mahwah, NJ:
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
White, L. (2003). Second Language Acquisition and Universal Grammar. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
B. Journals
Applied Linguistics
Applied Psycholinguistics
Bilingualism: Language and Cognition
Foreign Language Annals
International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism
International Journal of Applied Linguistics
International Review of Applied Linguistics (IRAL)
ITL Review of Applied Linguistics
Language Awareness
Language Learning
Language Teaching Research
The RELC Journal
The Modern Language Journal
Second Language Research
Studies in Second Language Acquisition
TESOL Quarterly