American University
College of Arts and Sciences
TESOL Program – Department of World Languages and Cultures
SYLLABUS
Principles of Linguistics
TESL 600  3 Credits  Spring 2016
East Quad Building (EQB) rm. 209  Tuesdays 5:30 – 8:00PM
INSTRUCTOR
Rebecca Wilner
 (202) 885-3705
 wilner@american.edu
 Office: MGC 330G
When emailing me, please include “TESL 600” in the subject of the email and include your
name in your message so that it will receive top priority.
OFFICE HOURS
Wednesdays 4:00-5:30pm, and by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION
What do we know when we know how to talk? Normally, using language is an unconscious
activity like walking or chewing gum. This course examines the ways in which the analysis of
language reveals a speaker’s unconscious knowledge, serving as a “window on the mind.” We
will look at data from language use, language learning, and language change in order to discover
the underlying principles of language: structures of words (morphology), sounds (phonology),
sentences (syntax), and meaning (semantics), as well as their use in context (sociolinguistics) and
representation in the mind (psycholinguistics). We will collect, examine, and analyze data from
English and a wide variety of other languages.
OBJECTIVES: By the end of this course, the students will be able to:
 Demonstrate the integration of morphology, phonology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics,
and discourse to produce language through homework problems, journals, quizzes, and
exams.
 Conduct basic linguistic analysis
 Summarize and apply linguistic concepts in language teaching contexts via teaching
demos and reflections
This is an introductory theoretical graduate course that requires commitment, extensive work,
and high level of participation.
REQUIRED COURSE READINGS AND MATERIALS
[FRH] Fromkin, V., Rodman, R., & Hyams, N. (2013). An introduction to language (10th ed.).
Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. ISBN-10: 1133310680; ISBN-13: 978-1133310686
[DC] Crystal, D. (2010). Cambridge encyclopedia of language (3rd ed.). New York, NY:
Cambridge University Press. ISBN-10: 0521736501; ISBN-13: 978-0521736503
Other required and optional readings for this course will be posted on Blackboard with
appropriate lead-time for reading.
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American University
College of Arts and Sciences
TESOL Program – Department of World Languages and Cultures
Materials & Supplies
 All class handouts, readings, homework , and other materials, as specified
 Courses texts
 Something to take notes on, and something to take notes with
TECHNOLOGY AND COMPUTER ACCOUNTS
 We will use the course Blackboard site to share readings, assignments, discussions, and to
give/ receive grades, announcements, and any class communication. NOTE: The final grade
you see on Blackboard may differ slightly from your final grade in the course, which will be
reported to the registrar at the end of the semester.
 Students may acquire computer accounts providing access to the email system and campus
wide network at AU (Eaglenet) through Computer Accounts in the Office of Information
Technology. All students MUST read their AU email, and are strongly encouraged to
forward their AU email to the account they read most frequently. All AU email accounts are
issued free of charge and will expire when you graduate from AU (or shortly thereafter).
COURSE REQUIREMENTS / ASSESSMENTS
Attendance and Participation: You are expected to attend each class punctually, and to remain
in class for its duration. While you are in class you are expected to participate actively. This
includes asking and answering questions, active participation in class and group discussions and
fully engaging in in-class activities. Failure to do so will result in a penalty to your participation
grade for the class in question. There will be a break during each class period, during which time
you can use the bathroom, have a snack, etc. If you are more than 10 minutes late, are absent
from the classroom for more than 10 minutes (not including break), or leave more than 10
minutes early, you will lose points from your attendance grade for that day. If you are sick or are
unable to make it to class for an approved reason (talk to me before class if you think you have
one), I encourage you to Skype in or attend class via Google Hangouts. This can be easily
arranged by contacting me at least an hour before class. Classes you attend virtually will not
count as absences, but may affect your participation grade, depending on the activities scheduled
for that class period. Four late arrivals, early departures, or MIA statuses will count as one
absence. Two absences will reduce your final grade by one step (A- becomes B+), three absences
will reduce your grade by two thirds of a letter grade (A- becomes B), four absences will reduce
your final grade by one full letter grade (A- becomes B-), and so forth. If you are absent for 6 or
more class periods, regardless of the reason, you will not be able to pass the course, and will
receive an F. You are responsible for any material covered in your absence.
Only registered students can attend class. Non-registered students or family, children or guests of
registered students cannot attend class. Additionally, only registered students will get credit for
the course.
Problem Sets / Homework will be assigned almost every week. Usually it will include
problems from the book. Problem sets and homework will be graded based on completion and
timely submission more than correctness, though accuracy will also be taken into account.
Working through these problems is the most effective way to understand the concepts covered in
the book and discussed in class. We will go through some of the homework problems together in
class, and you are always welcome to work with a group or come to office hours if you have
trouble with any of them. Homework will be collected at the end of class, and must include your
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American University
College of Arts and Sciences
TESOL Program – Department of World Languages and Cultures
own original work (with your name on each page). Late homework will be docked 10%;
assignments submitted more than one week late will not be accepted or graded.
Quizzes will be given during some (but not all) classes. Some will be announced, and others will
be a surprise. These will generally be the basis of class discussion, and serve to give both you
and me a sense of what you have understood, and what still requires clarification and
explanation. If you are unhappy with your quiz grade, you may submit an explanation of why
you chose the answer you did, what the correct answer is, why it is the correct answer, and how
you will remember it in the future for any questions you missed. Doing so will earn you some
points back on your quiz grade, though it will not restore your grade to 100%. If you miss an inclass quiz, you may make it up in office hours before the next class period. No make-up quizzes
will be given past the one-week mark.
Exams: There will be three exams in this course. They will cover the content from readings,
class discussions, and classmates’ presentations. There will be a review before each exam, and I
encourage you to make use of office hours BEFORE the exam if you are confused about
anything, and to let me know if you have a legitimate and acceptable reason you are unable to
take an exam because there will be NO MAKE-UP EXAMS.
Language Journals will be graded using a rubric that you will receive before the first entry is
due. The individual assignments are described below. Late assignments will be penalized 5% of
the assignment grade per day it is late. That is, an assignment submitted one day late will receive
a maximum score of 95%, an assignment turned in two days late will receive a maximum score
of 90%, and so forth for a maximum of 7 days (maximum score of 65%). Assignments more than
one week late will not be accepted, and will receive a score of 20% (F).
LJ 1.
Thinking about the material we have covered during weeks 1-4 and discussions that have been
going on, please discuss the role of morphology and syntax in learning and teaching a foreign
language. Support your discussion with at least three (3) explicit examples of morphological,
syntactic, and semantic use in a language class. Please make sure to use linguistic terms
appropriately and reference readings and additional materials according to the APA format. Your
journal entry should be 3-4 pages long, typed up in Times New Roman 12 font, double-spaced.
LJ 2
Thinking about the material we have covered during weeks 8-10 and discussions that have been
going on, please discuss the importance of phonetics and phonology in learning and teaching a
foreign language. Support your discussion with three (3) explicit examples of
phonetic/phonological features of the target language (I encourage you to use English) that can
be challenging to language learners. Please explain why they can be challenging, relying on the
content of the readings. Make sure to use linguistic terms appropriately and reference readings
and additional materials in APA format. Your journal entry should be 3-4 pages long, typed up in
Times New Roman 12 font, double-spaced.
LJ 3
Please discuss how the knowledge you gained in the Principles of Linguistics class will inform
and impact your language learning and teaching. Please support your statements with clear
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American University
College of Arts and Sciences
TESOL Program – Department of World Languages and Cultures
examples, readings, and additional materials in APA format, and make sure to use linguistic
terms appropriately. Your journal entry should be 3-4 pages long, typed up in Times New
Roman 12 font, double-spaced.
Linguistics in Context (LiC) Project: This research project will be conducted in groups of 2 or
3 people (unless you have a valid and reasonable argument for why it should be otherwise). In it,
you will explore an aspect of linguistics that is of interest to you (collectively). Together, you
will write a review of the literature relevant to your chosen topic, collect your own data, explain
your research design and instruments, report and analyze the data, and make conclusions and
suggestions for future research. This project will be carried out in several steps, which you can
see below in the course plan, and include: topic brainstorming and discussion; a project proposal
(including: a tentative topic/title of the project, a goal of the project and a brief rationale,
research question(s), and an annotated bibliography of at least 10 sources (the list of references
should be more extensive, at least 15, when the project is complete); the final paper (5-7 pages
double spaced, times new roman font, that includes the sections mentioned above: lit review,
research design, data, analysis, and conclusion); and a presentation of your project and findings.
Teaching Demonstrations: This assignment will give those graduate students in TESOL the
opportunity to apply the content of this course to a real teaching context. After each of several
topic areas, one student will design a short lesson or activity (10-15 minutes) that illustrates how
it can be used or applied in a language classroom. During these teaching demos, the rest of the
class will act as foreign-language-learning students, and then reflect on the effectiveness and
usefulness of the activity/lesson. These will be graded using a rubric, which will be provided
before the first teaching demo takes place.
Final Grade Breakdown
Assignment
Attendance and Participation
Problem Sets / Homework
Quizzes
Exams
Journals
Linguistics in Context Project
Teaching Demonstrations (Grad Only)
TOTAL
Weight – Undergrad
10%
15%
10%
30%
15%
20%
---100%
Weight – Graduate
10%
15%
5%
30%
10%
20%
10%
100%
Your final course grade will be calculated based on the total number of points earned on all
assignments, exams, etc. described above, and determined as follows:
A: 95% - 100%
B+: 87% - 89%
B-: 80% - 82%
C: 73% - 76%
D:66% - 69%
A-: 90% - 94%
B: 83% - 86%
C+: 77% - 79%
C-: 70% - 72%
F: 65% or less
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American University
College of Arts and Sciences
TESOL Program – Department of World Languages and Cultures
Course Schedule
Date
Jan 12
Jan 19
Jan 26
Feb 2
Feb 9
Feb 16
Feb 23
Mar 1
Mar 8
In Class
Course Introduction
TOPIC: What is Language?
 Video: “Colorless Green
Ideas”
 Additional Articles
TOPIC: Language and the
brain
 Article discussion and
teaching implications
 Form groups for the
Linguistics in Context
Project
TOPIC: Morphology
 Discussion of problems
and example analysis
TOPIC: Syntax
 Teaching Demo 1
 Guest Prof. Robin Barr
 Example analysis
TOPIC: Syntax (cont.)
 Teaching Demo 2
 Article discussion and
teaching implications
 Review for Exam I
EXAM I
 Introduction to
Experimental Design
 Work on LiC Project
TOPIC: Semantics
 Example Analysis
 Article discussion and
teaching implications
 Intro to Phonetics
TOPIC: Phonetics
 Teaching Demo 3
 Example Analysis
 Group work
 Intro to Phonology (RB)
NO CLASS – Spring
Break
Readings
Homework
 FRH Ch. 1
 Deutscher (2010):
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/29/magazine/29language-t.html?_r=0
 Labov (1987): http://www.ling.upenn.edu/~wlabov/HowIgot.html
FRH Ch. 10
DC Part I: Ch. 1-5
Part VIII: Ch. 45, 46
Part XI: Ch. 64, 65
BB: Fierz (2000)
Brody (2011)
1 additional article assigned in class
FRH Ch. 2 (pp. 33-75)
DC Part III: Ch. 13-15
FRH Ch. 3 (pp. 115-138)
DC Part III: Ch. 16
Videos assigned in class
FRH Ch. 3. Syntax (re-read)
BB: Bauer (2007)
Grant Brown (1971)
 FRH Ch. 10: 2, 8, 9, 14
 Read additional article and answer
questions – be ready to share your
answers with the class
 Teaching demo sign-up
 FRH Ch. 2: 2-10, 12, 16, 17, 19
 Brainstorm and discuss topics and
ideas for the LiC project.
 FRH Ch. 3: 1, 2, 3, 10, 12
 TD 1: Morphology (Veronica)
 Brainstorm and discuss topics and
ideas for the LiC project.
 Journal 1 due
 FRH Ch. 4: 6, 7 (a-l), 8, 14, 18
 TD 2: Syntax (Dom)
 Brainstorm and discuss topics and
ideas for the LiC project.
Review FRH., Chapters 1-3, 10;
videos; class notes and discussions
 Review for Exam I
 Submit topic for LiC Project (at
the end of class)
FRH Ch. 4
DC Part III: Ch. 17-21
BB: Cohen (2010)
Marsden & Chen (2011)
Zyzik (2009)
 FRH Ch. 4: 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11-14,
16, 25
FRH Ch. 5
DC Part IV: Ch. 22-27
 FRH Ch 5: 1-13, 16
 LiC Project Proposal due
 TD 3: Semantics (Emine)
VIDEO: “American Tongues”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF
 Phonetics Practice Worksheet
cNC2WoFbo and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk
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American University
College of Arts and Sciences
TESOL Program – Department of World Languages and Cultures
zAqlJR11Y or DVD 2771)
Date
In Class
TOPIC: Phonology
 Teaching Demo 4
 Example Analysis
Mar 15  Article & video
discussion and teaching
implications
 Combined class with
TESL-542 (Robin Barr)
Course Schedule Continued
Readings
Homework
FRH Ch. 6
DC: Part IV: Ch. 28-30
 FRH Ch 6: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 18
BB: McDonald, Yule, & Powers (1994)
 TD 4: Phonetics (Maya)
Picard (2007)
Smith (2011)
Mar 22 Exam II
 LiC Project group work
Review FRH Chapters 5-6; videos,
class notes and discussions
 Review for Exam II
 LiC Project group work prep.
TOPIC: Language in
Society
Mar 29  Teaching Demo 5
 Article & video
discussion and teaching
implications
FRH Ch. 7
DC Part II: Ch. 6-11
BB: Okamoto (1995)
“Tannen: Who Does the Talking
Here?” (2007)
VIDEO: “She Said, He Said” (VHS
2802 or DVD 9456)
 Journal 2 Due
 FRH Ch. 7: 1, 2b, 3, 7, 8, 10, 11,
17, 24
 TD 5: Phonology (Layla)
TOPIC: Language
Acquisition
 Article & video
discussion and teaching
implications
FRH Ch. 9
DC: Part IV: Ch-28-30
BB: Dreifus (2010)
Bhattacharjee (2012)
 FRH Ch. 9: 1, 2, 4-11
 BB: Language Observation Report
TOPIC: Language Change
 Teaching Demo 6
 Article discussion and
teaching implications
 Review for Exam III
FRH Ch. 8.
DC Part IX: 47 - 55
BB: LaFond & Aktuna (2009)
VIDEO: “In Search of the First
Language” (VHS 3090 or DVD 9469)
 FRH Ch. 8: 1, 2, 6, 11
 TD 6: Lg. Acquisition (Jaime)
EXAM III
 Work on LiC Projects
Review FRH Chapters 8-,11; videos,
class notes and discussions
Apr 5
Apr 12
Apr 19
 Review for Exam III
Monday, April 25 - LiC Projects due by 12:00pm (noon)
No Class – Study Day
Apr 26
May 3
LiC Project Presentations
 Journal 3 Due
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American University
College of Arts and Sciences
TESOL Program – Department of World Languages and Cultures
General Information for American University Courses
Information about the University
There are three University publications you will need to refer to for various academic issues:
The University Catalog
http://www.american.edu/provost/registrar/universitycatalog.cfm
The Academic Regulations
Undergraduate:
http://www.american.edu/provost/undergrad/undergrad-rules-and-regulations-toc.cfm
Graduate:
http://www.american.edu/provost/grad/grad-rules-and-regulations-toc.cfm
The Student Handbook
http://www.american.edu/ocl/studentguide/
Registration
Faculty members are expected to deny a place in the class to any person who has not
been formally registered, unless that student is attending a portion of a course for valid
academic reasons with the permission of the instructor and the dean or teaching unit
head. Discontinuation of attendance at class or notification to the instructor does not
constitute an official withdrawal. This means only formally registered students can attend
classes. Children and other family members of students are not permitted in class. Formal
registration can be verified through the "Academics" section on the student's
<myAU.american.edu> portal account. Class participation on Blackboard (without
formal enrollment in the course) does NOT equal formal registration.
Incomplete Grades - Undergraduate
http://www.american.edu/provost/undergrad/undergrad-rules-and-regulations.cfm#3.5
Incomplete Grades - Graduate
http://www.american.edu/provost/grad/grad-rules-and-regulations-toc.cfm
Academic Integrity Code
http://www.american.edu/academics/integrity/
Students are expected to conform to the regulations of the University in regard to academic
integrity, especially in regard to plagiarism, inappropriate collaboration, dishonesty in
examinations, dishonesty in papers, work for one course and submitted to another,
deliberate falsification of data, interference with other students' work, and copyright
violation.
Services for Students with Disabilities
http://www.american.edu/ocl/sccrs/Services-for-Students-504.cfm
Appropriate modifications to academic requirements may be necessary on a case-by-case
basis to ensure educational opportunity for students with disabilities, and individual faculty
members may need to modify specific course requirements to permit equal participation by
students with disabilities.
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American University
College of Arts and Sciences
TESOL Program – Department of World Languages and Cultures
Protection of Human Subjects
http://www.american.edu/irb
Any research involving interviewing, surveying, or observing human beings is subject to
review and approval by the University Institutional Review Board (IRB) and information
about he university’s IRB process is outlined at http://american.edu/irb The university IRB
liaison is Matthew Zembrzuski and his email is irb@american.edu
Using Appropriate Documentation Formats
The School of Education, Teaching & Health permits the use of two formats for research
citations, footnotes, list of references, and layout, and all written work must adhere to
those guidelines:
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Sixth Edition,
Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association, 2009. Online guide at
http://www.apastyle.org/manual/index.aspx
Failure to use the selected format appropriately and accurately will result in a grade penalty.
Out of courtesy to your colleagues, please turn off and put away your cell phones
during our time together so that you can fully commit to the work before us. If you use
laptops in class, it should be exclusively for note-taking and other activities directly
related to this course. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in a penalty in that
day’s attendance and participation grade, and/or confiscation of your device for
the remainder of class.
ATTENTION GRADUATE STUDENTS
Academic Standing
Admission to a graduate program at American University signifies the University’s belief that
each student admitted has the ability to succeed academically and be awarded a graduate degree.
Each year, however, some students who appear to have the ability to succeed, encounter
academic problems which affect performance and lead to grades which do not meet minimum
university standards.
In the interest of candor and clarity, this is a succinct summary of the current Graduate
Regulations:
 Graduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 for all courses taken
 If a graduate student’s cumulative GPA falls below 3.0, this results in the student being
placed on probation for the following semester.
 If a graduate student remains on probation after one semester, that student will be
automatically dismissed from the university. There is virtually no possibility of
exceptions to this policy, or for appealing this decision.
Example
A graduate student who receives grades of B, B, and C+ in a semester will be placed on
Probation because the cumulative GPA is less than 3.0. Even if a student receives
grades of B, B, B in the following semester, the cumulative GPA will be less than 3.0,
and the student will be dismissed from the university.
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American University
College of Arts and Sciences
TESOL Program – Department of World Languages and Cultures
A student cannot voluntarily withdraw from the university during a semester while on probation
in order to avoid dismissal. Dismissal from the university is permanent, and a dismissed student
cannot re-apply to AU.
Comprehensive Examinations
It is University policy that all master’s degree students must complete a comprehensive
examination. The term “comprehensive examination” is broad and can be satisfied in a variety of
ways such as a portfolio, oral or written examinations, a thesis or project, or completion of a
seminar or sequence of courses. Comprehensive examinations are based on the contents of the
entire program, with the content of specific courses demonstrated cumulatively in the particular
format used. Students should consult with the program director or the graduate student advisor
for details and timetables.
Faculty Expectations of Student Performance
WLC faculty members expect students to attend all classes, complete assigned readings before
the class period in which they are to be discussed, participate actively and thoughtfully in class
discussions, complete required writing assignments on time, submit completed work that is
proofread and free from error, treat class members and the faculty with respect, and comply with
University regulations.
Protection of Human Subjects
http://www.american.edu/irb
Any research involving interviewing, surveying, or observing human beings is subject to
review and approval by the University Institutional Review Board (IRB) and information
about the university’s IRB process is outlined at http://american.edu/irb The university
IRB liaison can be contacted at irb@american.edu.
Ethical Principles Related to Conducting Research
Students are expected to familiar with the guidelines and criteria that ensure all research
activities they undertake conform to ethical standards related to the protection human
subjects. Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in and complete the free tutorial,
Protecting Human Research Participants, offered by the National Institutes of Health
(NIH) Office of Extramural Research. In some courses, completing this training is
required.
The NIH online training program consists of seven modules addressing the principles used to
define ethical research using humans and the regulations, policies, and guidance that describe the
implementation of those principles. Four of these modules are followed by a quiz. The online
training program takes approximately 3 hours to complete. To access the NIH website, go to:
https://pphi.nihtraining.com
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9
American University
College of Arts and Sciences
TESOL Program – Department of World Languages and Cultures
Other Recommended Course Readings
American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American psychological
association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. ISBN-10:
1-4338-0562-6; ISBN-13: 978-1-4338-0561-5
(http://www.apastyle.org/manual/index.aspx) [APA]
Bauer, Laurie and Peter Trudgill, eds. Language Myths (1998). Penguin. [Myths]
Clark, Eschholz, and Rosa. Language: Introductory Readings ...(1998+). 6th or later ed.[CER]
King, Kendall and Alison Mackey (2007). The Bilingual Edge. Collins.
Pinker, S. (2000). The language instinct: How the mind creates language. New York, NY:
Harper Perennial. ISBN-10: 0061336467; ISBN-13: 978-0061336461 [Pinker]
Trudgill, Peter. Sociolinguistics (1995). 3rd or 4th ed. Penguin
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