Course Content (Syllabus)
Τhis course introduces students to the field of second language acquisition theory. After a brief overview of first language acquisition data and theories, as well as types of bilingualism, the course focuses mainly on the following.
1. First language acquisition theories (Behaviourism, Universal Grammar, Interactionism)
2. Second language acquisition theories (Behaviourism, Universal Grammar, Monitor Model, Interactionism, Ιnformation processing, Connectionism).
3. Factors affecting second language learning (e.g. intelligence, aptitude, personality, learning styles, motivation and attitudes, beliefs).
4. Age of acquisition and the critical period hypothesis.
5. Interlanguage (contrastive analysis, error analysis, developmental sequences, first language influence, fossilization, avoidance, vocabulary, pragmatics, phonology).
6. Learning contexts (natural vs. instructional environment, traditional vs. communicative instruction)
7. Types and effect of corrective feedback.
Keywords
second language acquisition theories, developmental stages, cognitive and affective factors, types of errors, interlanguage, corrective feedback
Additional bibliography for study
Lightbown, Ρ.Μ. and Spada Ν. 2006. How languages are learned. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Dulay, H., Burt, M. and Krashen, S. 1982. Language two. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Chapter 3: Internal processing, Chapter 4: Effects of personality & age, Chapter 5: The role of the first language)
Gass, S. and Selinker, L. 2008. Second language acquisition: An introductory course. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum. (Chapter 4: The role of the native language: an historical overview)
Krashen, S. D. 1985. The input hypothesis: Issues and implications. New York: Longman. (Chapters 1 & 2).
Selinker, L. 1992. Rediscovering interlanguage. London: Longman. (Chapter 1: Beginnings: Fries, Lado, Chapter 2: Towards Interlanguage: Uriel Weinreich)