EDUC483/583 Second Language Acquisition (4 Credits)
2014 Spring Semester
Instructor:
Office:
Office Hours:
Phone:
E-mail:
Class:
Classroom:
Hoe Kyeung Kim, Ph.D.
Academic B #230A
Wednesday (2:00-4:00pm)
607-777-4336
hoekim@binghamton.edu
Wednesdays (4:40 pm-7:10 pm)
LN 1404
Course Description
This introductory course examines theories and research in first and second language acquisition in
order to develop an understanding of the way in which second and/or foreign languages are acquired.
This course explores linguistic, cognitive, psychological, affective, sociolinguistic, and sociocultural
foundations of second language (L2) development. The student will read about a variety of issues in
Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research.
Required Texts
1. Brown, H. D. (2014). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. (6th edition). NY: Pearson.
2. Lightbown, P. & Spada, N. (2013). How Languages Are Learned (4th edition). Hong Kong: Oxford
University Press.
Additional readings
Any further readings will be made available online through Blackboard
Course Objectives
The student will be able to
 Discuss the similarities and differences between first and second language acquisition.
 Analyze the different theories and approaches of second language acquisition.
 Identify and understand the various factors affecting the process of second language acquisition.
 Be aware of and sensitive to the needs of ESL/EFL students and diversity existing ESL/EFL
classrooms.
Requirements
Graduate Students
Attendance & Participation (3 questions per week)
Movie reflection paper
Mid-term paper
Project (Interlanguage)
Final reflection paper
30 points
5 points
20 points
35 points
10 points
Undergraduates
Attendance & Participation (2 questions per week)
Movie reflection paper
30 points
5 points
Mid-term paper
Project (Interlanguage)
Final reflection paper
20 points
35 points
10 points
Attendance & Participation (30 points)
Class attendance and participation is mandatory. You will lose one point per class absent. If you are not
able to attend the class due to illness, family emergency, etc., you need to notify the instructor about
your absence in advance. I reserve the right to increase or decrease your grade based on your
participation, efforts and professionalism.
You are expected to participate actively in classroom activities and discussions. You are expected to
have completed the assigned readings before coming to class. Every week, students need to post TWO
(2) questions (for Undergraduates)/THREE (3) questions (for Graduates) raised from their reading
assignments to Blackboard BEFORE class (post questions by midnight on Tuesdays).
Movie Reflection Paper (5 points)
You will watch several video clips in Week 1&2. Briefly summarize the content of the video clips and
discuss your reflection on the films. The reflection paper should not be more than TWO (2) pages in
length.
Grading Criteria
-state key concepts mentioned in the video clips
-briefly discuss your own beliefs about language learning or your experiences
-clearly state what you learn from the videos
Midterm Paper (20 points)
The midterm paper is about your beliefs about language learning and teaching. Take a look at pages
3&4 (the introduction part) of Lightbown and Spada (2013) and complete the survey. What were your
beliefs about language learning before you took this course? Have your opinions about any items
changed after taking this course? State your beliefs about each item if changed and how they have
changed. The mid-term paper should not be more than five (5) pages.
Grading criteria
- clearly state how your beliefs about language teaching have changed
- discuss how course readings influence your beliefs about language learning and teaching
- discuss what you learned from class discussions
Interlanguage Project (35 points)
This project is designed to help you understand a language learner’s interlanguage (IL). For this project,
you need to interview (15-20 minutes) an ESL student and audiotape his/her speech. Please contact
your potential interviewee in advance to arrange an interview. Do not wait until the last minute.
You are strongly recommended to choose a low-intermediate (or intermediate) level learner to have
enough data. The interview should be well designed to have proper data. To understand and analyze
errors and interlanguage features in the data, you will need to investigate your interviewee’s biographic
information, language learning experience, and learning strategies. I recommend transcribing the
ENTIRE interview verbatim. After transcribing the interview, you need to read the transcript several
times to find linguistic errors (interlanguage features) in the data.
2
The project will be graded on the description of collected data and the quality of your analysis. Your
paper should include a description of your interviewee, a brief summary of interlanguage features,
example quotes from the data, and your analysis. The paper should be five (5) pages long (excluding
interview transcripts). You have to submit the transcript of your interview, not an interview tape.
Grading criteria
a. Clearly stated purpose and focus of the interview (5 points)
b. In-depth description of the interviewee’s language background (10points)
c. Detailed analysis of interview data (10points)
d. Understanding of the features of interlanguage (5points)
e. Presentation (5 points)
Rubric
Not acceptable
Acceptable
Exemplary
Purpose and focus of
the interview
The purpose of the interview
is not stated or poorly stated.
The purpose of the interview is
stated but not connected to the
interview procedure.
The purpose of the interview is clearly stated and
well connected to the interview procedure.
Description of the
interviewee’s
language background
No or poor description of the
interviewee’s language
background is provided.
Partial description of the
interviewee’s language
background is provided.
Detailed description of the interviewee’s
language background is provided.
Data analysis
The analysis of the interview
data is not or poorly stated.
The analysis of the interview data
is stated with no examples.
The analysis of the interview data is clearly
stated with examples.
Students are not aware of
theories and research that
explain how L1 influences on
L2 learning
Students can explain theories and
research that explain how L1
influences L2 learning.
Students use and apply theories and research
that explain how L1 influences L2 learning.
The features of interlangauge
are not or poorly stated.
The features of interlangauges are
stated with no examples.
The features of interlanguage are clearly stated
with examples.
Students are not aware of the
role of individual learner
variables in the process of
learning English.
Students understand that
individual variables can have
important effects on the process
and level of L2 learner.
Students use their understanding of learner
variables to consistently provided individualized
language-and content- learning goals and
appropriate instructional environments for L2
learners.
Understanding of
Inter-language
features
Final Reflection Paper (10 points)
As a final paper, you will submit a 2-page final reflection which demonstrates your learning experience
throughout this course. The format is a narrative essay type and the APA format (6th edition) is required
for this paper. For the APA format, see the BU library website
(http://libraryguides.binghamton.edu/content.php?pid=425921&sid=3482933)
Late Assignment Policy
Late assignments will receive a one point deduction for every day it is late (with a maximum of seven
days/points). Any assignments turned in a week after the due date will not be accepted, unless you got
approval prior to the due date and/or under extreme circumstances.
3
Final Grades
94-100 = A
90-93 = A87-89 = B+
84-86 = B
80-83 = B77-79 = C+
74-76 = C
70-73 = C69 & below=F
Academic Honesty Policy
All members of the University community are responsible for maintaining and fostering an atmosphere
of academic integrity. Specifically, this requires that all classroom, laboratory, and written work for
which you claim credit is in fact your own work. The annual University Student Handbook provides
detailed information on academic integrity. Binghamton University has obtained a license with
Turnitin.com to facilitate faculty review of papers and projects in their courses for potential plagiarism; I
may use this tool.
You and all students assume responsibility of the content and integrity of the academic work you submit.
You violate academic honesty if you incorporate into your written or oral reports any unacknowledged
published or unpublished or oral material from the work of another (plagiarism) or if you use, request,
or give unauthorized assistance in any academic work (cheating). Neither plagiarism nor cheating will be
tolerated. Incidents of either will result in a failing grade for the assignment in question, which will most
likely have a negative effect on the final grade. If you have any questions about what constitutes
plagiarism or cheating, ask me.
Classroom Environment
Faculty and staff in the Graduate School of Education are committed to serving all enrolled students. We
intend to create an intellectually stimulating, safe, and respectful class atmosphere. In return, I expect
each of you to honor and respect the opinions and feelings of others; in particular, be mindful of your
tone (in online discussions as well) in comments, questions, and discussions. Please silence your cell
phone. No texting or emailing in class.
Accommodations
If you are a student with a disability and wish to request accommodations, please notify me by the
second week of class. You are also encouraged to contact the Office of Services for Students with
Disabilities (SSD) at 607.777.2868. The SSD office makes formal recommendations regarding necessary
and appropriate accommodations based on your specifically diagnosed disability. Information regarding
your disability will be confidential.
Date
Jan. 29
Feb. 5
Topics/ Activities
Introduction to the course
Surveys
Videos
First Language Acquisition
Acquiring Human Language
Tentative Class Schedule
Readings
Brown (ch.2)
L&S (ch.1)
Assignments
Questions on readings
4
Feb. 12
Feb. 19
Second Language Acquisition
The Critical Period for Language Acquisition
Human Learning
Brown (ch.3)
L&S (ch.3)
Brown (ch.4)
L&S (ch.4)
Questions on readings
Questions on readings
Brown (ch.5&6)
Mar.5
Individual Differences
Affective Factors
Language, Culture and Identify
Movie reflection paper due
Questions on readings
Brown(ch.7)
Questions on readings
Mar.12
Communicative Competence
Brown (ch.8)
Questions on the readings
Mar. 19
Interlanguage
Brown (ch.9)
Questions on the readings
Mar. 26
Language Transfer
Significance of Learners’ Errors
Discussion on interlanguage projects
(Blackboard)
Theories of SLA
Issues Krashen’s the Monitor Model
Spring Break
Input, Output and Interaction
L&S(ch.2 &5)
Midterm paper due
Questions on the readings
Feb. 26
April 2
April 9
April 16
April 23
Brown (ch.10)
Articles
Questions on the readings
L&S (ch. 6)
Questions on the readings
April 30
Recent L2 research and some language teaching Brown (ch.1)
principles
L&S(ch.7)
Questions on the readings
May 7
Presentation of Interlanguage Project
Interlanguage Project paper due
Final reflection paper due
5