Class hours: Thursday 5:30pm – 8:00pm Classroom: DI - 122

Instructor: Dr. Longxing Wei Office: DI 118 Phone: (973) 655-7501

Office hours: Monday 9:30pm-10:00pm, Thursday 10:00pm-11:00pm

Thursday 4:00pm-5:00pm Or by appointment

E-mail: Weil@mail.montclair.edu

Webpage: http://chss.montclair.edu/linguistics/lingpage/faculty/wei/wei.htm

Gass, Susan M. and Larry Selinker. 2001. Second Language Acquisition, An Introductory Course (Second edition). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers. (MSU Bookstore)

Selected readings: (provided by the instructor)

Course description:

Current Theories of Second Language Acquisition is an introduction to the current theories and research in second language acquisition (SLA) as an independent and autonomous discipline. It focuses on current theoretical issues, examines research methods and techniques used in applied linguistics and explores the nature of SLA from multiple perspectives. It offers an in-depth analysis of SLA processes, language acquisition mechanisms, and social, psychological and cognitive factors. It also discusses the implications of the current SLA theories for the teaching and learning of second languages. The course work includes class discussion of the textbook chapters and the selected readings (provided by the instructor), exercise assignments, tests, and a final take-home exam.

Upon completing the course, students should

1. Understand essential current theories of SLA.

2. Be familiar with SLA methods and techniques used in applied linguistics.

3. Understand the implications of the most important SLA theories for teaching and learning second languages.

4. Be able to explain SLA processes and mechanisms.

5. Be able to identify and explain social, psychological and cognitive factors in SLA.

6. Understand the nature and role of culture in SLA.

1. Students are required to complete 5 specially designed assignments for them to demonstrate their understanding of the essential current theories of SLA and the relevant issues. Each exercise assignment is due on the class day of the following week. Late assignments are penalized one letter grade for each weekday elapsed after the due date. All assignments must be submitted as a condition for passing the course, even if too many days have elapsed for the assignment to receive a passing grade.

2. Students are required to take 2 tests specially designed for critical thinking. Students must be responsible for the assigned readings. The tests may cover the main points/arguments as presented in the selected readings. Students must be responsible for each test to be given on the announced date. There is no make-up for the missing or deficient test. Any missing test is assigned a grade of F and counts toward the test average.

3. Students are required to do the final exam in the form of a term paper based on the most relevant topics and critical issues regarding the nature and process of SLA. Students must submit the term paper as a condition for completing the course.

4. Students must be responsible for their absences and the sequential course work.

The exercise assignment average, the test average, and the final exam count toward the final course grade. The evaluation and grading include the student’s class participation (in-class discussion and group activities).

5 Exercise assignments 50%

2 Tests 20%

Final exam 20%

Class participation 10%

Each assignment, each test, and the final exam are graded based on the following letter scale:

A 100-93, A- 92-90, B+ 89-86, B 85-83, B- 82-80, C+ 79-76, C 75-73, C- 72-70,

D+ 69-66, D 65-60, F 59 -

Tentative Weekly Syllabus

Note:

1. The instructor reserves the right to change the following plans as class needs dictate.

2. Each assignment will be given one week before the due date to be announced.

Week 1 (Sept. 2) Introduction to the course

Chapter 1: Introduction

Week 2 (Sept. 9) Chapter 1: Introduction (continued)

Week 3 (Sept. 16) Chapter 3: The Role of the Native Language: An Historical Overview

Week 4 (Sept. 23) Chapter 4: Child Language Acquisition: First and Second

Selected reading: ‘The Critical Period Hypothesis: Where Are We Now?’

Week 5 (Sept. 30) Selected reading: ‘Portrait of the Bilingual Child’

Chapter 5: Recent Perspectives on the Role of Previously Known Languages

Week 6 (Oct. 7) Selected reading: ‘Unequal Election of Morphemes in Adult Second Language Acquisition’

Chapter 6: SLA and Linguistics

Week 7 (Oct. 14) Chapter 7: Universal Grammar

Week 8 (Oct. 21) Chapter 7: Universal Grammar (continued)

Week 9 (Oct. 28) Chapter 8: Looking at Interlanguage Processes

Week 10 (Nov. 4) Chapter 8: Looking at Interlanguage Processes (continued)

Week 11 (Nov. 11) Chapter 9: Interlanguage in Context

Selected reading: ‘Second Language Learners’ Rights’

Week 12 (Nov. 18) Chapter 10: Input, Interaction, and Output

Nov. 25 – 28 Thanksgiving Holiday (no classes)

Week 13 (Dec. 2) Chapter 12: Nonlanguage Influences

Chapter 13: The Lexicon

Selected reading: ‘The Bilingual Mental Lexicon and Speech Production Process’

Week 14 (Dec. 9) Chapter 13: The Lexicon (continued)

Chapter 14: An Integrated View of Second Language Acquisition

Week 15 Final exam due by 5:30pm, Dec. 16