LING3120

Second Language Acquisition

Faculty of Education and Arts School of Humanities and Social Science

10 Units 3000 Level Course

Available in 2014

Callaghan Campus	Semester 1
WebLearn GradSchool	Semester 1

Previously offered in 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004

Linguistic, psychological and social perspectives on the acquisition of a second language, with particular emphasis on English as a Second Language. Topics include the concept of "interlanguage", error analysis, "transfer" from first language, and natural order of acquisition.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate:
1. awareness of factors influencing "successful" outcomes in second language acquisition
2. an understanding of competing theories of language acquisition as applied to the acquisition of a second language
3. the ability to analyse learner output and to identify possible sources of "error"
4. advanced presentational skills relevant to specialist studies in Linguistics
5. advanced research and general information literacy skills

Content

Investigation of the process of second language acquisition from the perspective of the learner, with particular emphasis on the following areas:
1. The role of L1: Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis; Creative Construction Hypothesis; markedness.
2. Error Analysis: classification, explanation and evaluation of errors.
3. Interlanguage: systematic nature of interlanguages; order of acquisition; variability within interlanguage.
4. Individual learner differences: age, aptitude, motivation, personality factors.
5. Learner strategies and communication strategies.
6. Instructed second language acquisition: SLA in the classroom; Pienemann's (1985) Learnability/Teachability Hypothesis; effective modes of instruction.
7. Major theories in SLA: Krashen's Monitor Theory; Schumann's Acculturation Model; Pienemann's Multidimensional Model

Replacing Course(s)

N/A

Transition

N/A

Industrial Experience

Assumed Knowledge

LING1110, LING1120

Modes of Delivery

Internal Mode

Teaching Methods

Lecture

Assessment Items

Essays / Written Assignments	Analysis of learner English (equivalent to approx. 1000 words)- 20% Essay (2000 words)- 40%
Quiz - Class	Four multiple choice quizzes - 10% each

Contact Hours

Lecture: for 2 hour(s) per Week for Full Term

Timetables