Western New Mexico University School of Education
Syllabus for
BLED 427/527 Linguistics 1 for L2 Teachers
Fall 2012
An Online Course
Philosophy Statements
1.
Educators recognize, accept, value, and promote diverse ideas, languages, and cultures.
o Students will have the opportunity to explore other cultures via readings and
research topics.
2.
Educators stress quality programs aligned with professional and state standards that produce
exemplary results.
o Competencies are aligned with TESOL State standards
3.
Educators integrate theoretical knowledge into the world of practice through field-based
experiences and reflection.
o All activities have practical value and can be used immediately with students in
schools. Reflection pieces allow students to think about practical applications
within academic and professional settings.
4.
Educators possess the skills and knowledge to effectively collaborate with parents,
professionals—both within and across schools and agencies—and other community
stakeholders.
o Please see number 3
5.
Educators advocate for equitable access and model thoughtful, effective, integrated use of
technology resources.
o Please see number 1, and this is a fully online course
Instructor: Alexandra Neves, Ph.D.
Address: Martinez/Fall Bldg. #208
Office Hours: Mondays and Tuesdays10:0012:30
Work Phone: 538 6332
Email: nevesa@wnmu.edu
Meeting Dates, Times, and Location:
This course is entirely online starting August 20
Course Description:
Linguistics 1for L2 Teachers is a review of the components of language and how these relate to
teaching and testing the second language learner. Required for the Bilingual and TESOL teachers
to work in ESL instruction with children, youth and adults endorsements. Recommended for all
educators.
Extended Course Description:
This course is designed to assist future teachers in gaining knowledge about linguistics that will
help them better understand language problems that are common with ESOL students. This
course also examines the relevance of linguistics to educational settings, or what teachers will
most need from the discipline. Undergraduate students are enrolled in BLED 427. Graduate
students are enrolled in BLED 527.
Objectives:
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provide prospective and practicing bilingual/ESOL teachers a foundation in general
linguistics: phonetics, phonology, syntax and grammar
provide a basic understanding of language change and variation, a background on English
orthography, and sociolinguistics
provide a brief exposure to language disorders and impairment
Student Competencies:
Instructional Goals (New Mexico State Department of Education Competencies for Bilingual
Education and TESOL):
C. English Language Development
(1) The teacher recognizes and accepts the standard and dialectal language variety as valid
systems of communication, each with its own legitimate functions.
(2) The teacher demonstrates knowledge of the basic nature of language, language acquisition,
language acquisition, language variation, language change, and the relations of language to
society and culture.
(3) The teacher demonstrates knowledge of the nature of bilingualism and the process of
becoming bilingual.
(4) The teacher identifies structural and semantic differences between the student’s first and
second language, recognizing areas of potential influences of the first language and utilizes this
information for instructional purposes.
(5) The teacher uses methods for teaching English as a Second Language for the English
language development of students in all content areas, including the language arts.
D. Instructional Methodology
(3) The teacher demonstrates knowledge of theories of first and second language acquisition by
utilizing teaching methods appropriate to various language groups, distinct learning styles,
different developmental levels.
F. Assessment
(1) The teacher recognizes potential linguistic and cultural biases of assessment instruments and
procedures when prescribing a program for the second language learner.
(2) The teacher assesses oral and written language proficiency in academic areas in both
languages utilizing the results for instructional placement, prescription and evaluation.
(3) The teacher evaluates growth of learner’s first and second language in the context of the
curriculum.
(4) The teacher continuously assesses and adjusts instructional language to maximize student
comprehension and verbal participation.
Textbooks and supplies:
Textbook: Linguistic Perspectives on Language and Education (Anita K. Barry, 2008)
Pearson and Merrill/Prentice Hall Allyn and Bacon, ISBN 13: 978-0-13-158928-5
Readings in the Course Unit Activities
Requirements:
Projects include short essays, tutoring, journal, linguistic biography, and journal article reviews.
In addition you must participate in the discussions of the biweekly Units.

Journal Article Reviews (20 points) You will visit the WNMU library link (Find
Articles) provided on your homepage and find two journal articles to review. Once you
get to the article search page, choose the “by subject” link and then “Education”. Good
options to find articles are: Academic Search Premier, Education Abstracts, ERIC,
etc. You will then write a review for each article based on the concepts and ideas
discussed in this course. Please provide the link to your article.

Tutoring & Journal - 20 points you must arrange to tutor someone in a second language
and meet with this person once a week for an hour each time. You must meet at least 6
times during the course of the semester. You may meet with a child or adult learner,
according to your own interests. If you do not already have a tutee in mind, please check
with your instructor for suggestions. After each meeting, you need to make an entry in
your tutoring journal discussing your meeting. At the end of all of your meetings, you
will turn in a compilation of your journals as an assignment.
Good journals should include the following:
o the nature of the tutoring session (i.e., are you focusing on conversation,
grammar, or writing, etc?)
o background or personal biography of your tutee
o how your relationship with your tutee is developing
o what tutoring strategies seem to be working or not working
o concerns about your tutee’s progress
o how class readings or discussions relate to your tutoring
o etc…
After you feel you have a good rapport established with your tutee, ask her/his
permission to tape record your session. You will use this recording as your data for the
transcript analysis section of the Linguistic Biography.

Transcript Analysis & Linguistic Biography - 25 points for BLED 427 and 20
points for BLED 527
You will use the recording from one of your tutoring sessions for this project. While you
only need to transcribe approximately 30 minutes of your tutoring, you may wish to
record more. During your analysis, you will be looking for ways to relate your data to
concepts and theories we have covered in this course. The purpose of this analysis is twofold: you will use the data to create a snapshot in your overall linguistic biography of
your tutee and you will also be looking introspectively at your own participation in your
tutee’s progress. You will turn in your written Linguistic Biography (about 3-5 doublespaced pages for undergraduate and 5-8 doubled-spaced pages for graduates). I ask that
you consult the APA manual for consistent referencing. You will receive more details
and a grading rubric to help you focus your final project.

Online Discussions/Readings- 25 points for BLED 427 and 20 points for BLED 527
Please review the discussions schedule so that you may begin participating in a timely
manner to allow classmates to interact. Do not wait until near the closing date as this will
prevent meaningful dialogue. The discussions are spread out (biweekly) so that you may
do the readings and still have time to participate. You must stay in tune with the student
threaded discussions by ensuring that you have read the material so that you may have
meaningful dialogue, input and critique. Focus on specific issues and ideas that are
presented and support your online discussions with author references. You will be scored
according to the following: 1. Addressing the question posted. 2. Providing textbook
citation (reference with page number). 3. Interaction with two team member on the topic
at least once. I will respond to the unit the day after the deadline.
PLEASE follow your schedule to be up-to-date with the discussions! The schedule
will show the last date of the unit discussion, that means you will have to post your
answer and interact with others at least a week before the scheduled deadline. That
is why our class is divided into biweekly units, so you will have time to interact with
other students. I will respond to your discussion right after the due date.

Graduate research project- BLED 527 students only – 20 points
Research a topic, citing in at least 5 sources, 2 of which must be journals. List of possible
journals to consult listed below. You may need to use the WNMU’s library system to
access these journals. Internet sources should have a designated author or be publications
of widely-recognized organizations or a well-known agency (e.g.,the U. S. Department of
Education).
Follow American Psychological Association (APA) publication manual guidelines.
The paper should consist of a title page, abstract, at least 4 pages of text (and no more
than 6 pages please), and a reference page. Use double spacing and 12 point font
throughout the paper. Times New Roman is a suggested font. Be cautious of bibliography
help sources on the Internet. All of them do not give accurate APA guidelines even when
such a claim is made.
Sample topics:
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Analyze the language of a favorite author or lyricist
The grammar or advertising
The vocabulary of cartoons
Writing systems around the world
Nonverbal communication
Recent research in the teaching of writing for K-12 students
The language of advertising
Use the Internet to compare particular types of language used for the same purpose in
various English speaking locations. (e.g., language used to denote death on Obituary
pages in newspapers in various parts of the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, for
example)--or for weddings, sports headlines, etc.--or to reporting world news events.
Analyze the grammar of e-mail, using several samples (without names) sent to you by
friends, family, and colleagues.
Compare the grammar of trade books and textbooks regarding the same story or topic
(suggest focusing on particular grade clusters, elementary, middle, or high school).
Analyze the acquisition of particular forms in the writing of a group of ELLs with similar
L2 acquisition histories. E.g. pronouns, inflectional morphemes, & fluency.
Assessment/Evaluation:
Requirement
Journal Article review
Tutoring & Journal
Transcript Analysis &
Linguistic Biography
Online Discussions
Research project
Total Points Possible
Points
BLED 427
30
20
25
Points
BLED 527
20
20
20
25
20
20
100
100
Grading Scale:
A = 91-100
B = 81 - 90
C = 71 - 80
D = 61 - 70
F = 60
Course Expectations and WNMU Policies for Students:
Attendance:
All students will participate in the course on Blackboard Vista by reading the Unit activity
assignments, and reading and replying to Discussions. Assigned readings, projects, and lectures
will be discussed in the appropriate topic of "Discussion". This is an online course, not a
correspondence course. Please stay on schedule and in touch with your group. You may attend
the help sessions or contact the instructor or members of your group.
Informed Consent:
Some individuals may choose to disclose personal information during class. Therefore, it is
important that all classmates agree not to discuss or write about what others have discussed in
class.
Professionalism:
Students are learning professional skills and are expected to engage in classroom discussions,
complete reading assignments and turn in assignments in a timely fashion as befitting
professional behavior. Clothing and mannerisms in the classroom must model professional
behavior.
Scholarly Writing:
Use clear college level writing with correct spelling and grammar for all assignments. If you
need help in writing, check in with the Writing Center at the Library.
Disability Services at WNMU:
Services for students with disabilities are provided through the Student Health Center’s Disability Support
Services Office in the Juan Chacon Building, Room 221. Some examples of the assistance provided are:
audio materials for the blind or dyslexic, note takers, readers, campus guides, audio recorders, and a quiet
testing area. In order to qualify for these services, documentation must be provided by certified health
care professionals. Disability Support Services forms are available in the First Year Experience Office
located in the Juan Chacon Building and in the Student Health Services Office in Muir Heights 111. The
Disability Support Services Office serves as Western New Mexico University’s liaison for students with
disabilities. The Disability Support Services Office can be contacted by phone at (575) 538-6400 or email at dss@wnmu.edu.
Integrated Use of Technology:
You will need connection to the internet, and a browser that will handle Blackboard Vista. You
will create documents in a word processing program and paste into Blackboard Vista
Discussions. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader or other reader that will read .pdf files.
Need Help?
1. Post a question to Discussions. There is no such thing as a dumb question.
2. Post a question as a Blackboard Vista email to your instructor.
3. If the Blackboard Vista system goes down or you have other technical questions, contact the
WNMU Help Desk: helpdesk@wnmu.edu or (505) 574-4357.
4. Go to the Blackboard Vista Student Resources page:
http://www.wnmu.edu/webct/StudentResources/StudentResources.html
Academic Integrity Policy and Procedures:
Each student shall observe standards of honesty and integrity in academic work as defined in the
WNMU catalog. Violations of academic integrity include “any behavior that misrepresents or falsifies a
student’s knowledge, skills or ability with the goal of unjustified or illegitimate evaluation or gain”
(WNMU Faculty Handbook, 2008). Generally violations of the academic integrity include cheating and
plagiarism. Cheating includes, but is not limited to, using or attempting to use unauthorized materials
such as notes, texts, images, electronic devices, and unauthorized copies of test materials. Cheating is
also understood to mean unauthorized collaboration with others to misrepresent the student’s
knowledge, skills or ability. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the intentional or unintentional
representation of another’s work as one’s own without proper acknowledgement of the original author
or creator of the work, failure to quote and/or cite sources, providing or receiving unauthorized
assistance in the preparation of any academic work, the fabrication of sources or information, or
submitting the same work for more than one course/instructor without the permission of the current
course instructor. Infractions will result in a hearing conducted by the Academic Integrity Panel at which
both the student and the faculty member will present their respective cases. (See WNMU 2008 catalog
p.370).
Caveats: The schedule and procedures in this course are subject to change in the event of
extenuating circumstances.
BLED 427/527 Fall 2012 SCHEDULE
Unit
Unit 1:
Assignment due
Due Date
Syllabus form
08/27/12
Syllabus and introductions
Introductions
Unit 2:
1. Chapter 1: The Linguistic Perspective
Discussions + activities
09/04/12
2. Linguistics and Education in multilingual America
(article by Baugh, J.) The link to this article is
under RESOURCES on the Home page.
Unit 3:
Discussions + activities
09/18/12
1. Chapter 2: Foundations of linguistics: phonetics
2. Chapter 3: Foundations of linguistics: phonology
and morphology
1st Journal Article
Review
09/19/12
Unit 4:
Discussions + activities 10/02/12
1. Chapter 4: Syntax and grammar teaching
2. Chapter 5: Language change and variation
Unit 5:
Discussions+ activities
1. Chapter 6: The written word
2nd Journal Article
Review
10/16/12
10/22/12
2. Chapter 7: Using language in context
Discussions
Unit 6:
10/30/12
1. Chapter 8: Child Language acquisition
2. Chapter 9: Language disorders and impairment
Unit 7:
Discussions
11/13/12
1. Chapter 10: Language planning and policy
Tutoring journal
11/15/12
Final paper
11/29/12
Research paper
11/30/12
2. Chapter 11: Linguistics and Literacy
Unit 8:
1. Transcript Analysis & Linguistic Biography Paper
2. Course evaluation
3. Other business
Review of assignments:
Requirement
Journal Article Reviews
Points
BLED 427
20
Points
BLED 527
10
Tutoring & Journal
Transcript Analysis &
Linguistic Biography
Online Discussions
Research project
Total Points Possible
15
25
15
20
20
20
25
100
100
CODE OF CIVILITY
In order to promote a positive, professional atmosphere among students, faculty and staff, the
following Code of Civility has been developed:
Respect: Treat all students, faculty, staff and property with respect and in a courteous and
professional manner. This includes all communications, whether verbal or written. Let your
actions reflect pride in yourself, your university, and your profession.
Kindness: A kind word and gentle voice go a long way. Refrain from using profanity, insulting
slang remarks, or making disparaging comments. Consider another person's feelings. Be nice.
Truth: Exhibit honesty and integrity in your dealings with fellow students, faculty and staff
members. Don't lie, don't cheat, and don't steal.
Responsibility: Take responsibility for your actions. This includes gracefully accepting the
consequences of your behavior.
Cooperation: Exhibit a cooperative manner when dealing with students, faculty and staff so we
may all work towards our common goals and mission.
Acceptance: Accept differences in others, as they accept differences in you. This includes
diversity in opinions, beliefs and ideas and everything else that makes us unique individuals.
Professionalism: Always conduct yourself in a manner that will bring pride to your profession,
to the School of Education, to Western New Mexico University, and, most importantly, to
yourself.
Bibliography/Resources:
Web files from a number of professional sources.
For each web source that you read, please comment on the WebCt "Discussions" and share with
us the web address. Here are a few examples.Schutz, R. (2000) Stephen Krashen's Theory of
Second Language Acquisition. http://www.viavale.com.br/english/sk-krash.html
The Prevention Of Language Disadvantage During Second Language Acquisition Of The Child
[On-line], Available: http://home.earthlink.net/~psychron/preventi.htmSign Language
Cindy's Homepage on ASL and Deaf Culture: About ASL http://www.aslinfo.com/aboutasl.html
2000
Wilcox, Sherman: American Sign Language as a Foreign Language; Dept. of Linguistics University of New Mexico http://www.unm.edu/~wilcox/ASLFL/asl_fl.html
Sign Language http://www.handspeak.com Endangered Languages
Krauss, Michael. 1992a. The world's languages in crisis.
Language, 68, 6-10.
http://www.ncbe.gwu.edu/miscpubs/stabilize/intro.htm
http://www.ncbe.gwu.edu/miscpubs/nabe/brj/v19n1/19_1_crawford.htm
http://www.ncbe.gwu.edu/miscpubs/nabe/brj/v19n1/19_1_mccarty.htm
http://www.ncbe.gwu.edu/miscpubs/stabilize/i-needs/status.htm
http://www.ncbe.gwu.edu/miscpubs/stabilize/i-needs/rationale.htm
Bernard, H. R. (1992). Preserving language diversity. Human
Organization, 51(1), 82-89.Language Politics
http://www.cal.org/ericcll/digest/lewell01.html
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/JWCRAWFORD/LL.htm
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/JWCRAWFORD/question.htm
http://supct.lawcornell.edu/supct/html/95-974.ZS.html
http://www.cal.org/ncle/digests/ENGLISH_PLUS.HTML
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/JWCRAWFORD/engplus.htm
http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed406849.htmlAnimal Language
http://www.cages.org/research/pepperberg/harvard.html
http://www.cages.org/research/pepperberg/subisalx.htmlLanguage Pathology
http://www.casafuturatech.com/Book?faq.html#phypsy
http://www.dfluency.com/
http://www.stuttering.com/child.html
"Academic Interventions for Children with Dyslexia Who Have Phonological Core Deficits."
Eric Digest E539: http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed385095.html (Accessed 9-2400)
"Beginning Reading and Phonological Awareness for Students with Learning Disabilities." Eric
Digest E540: http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed392197.html (Accessed 0-24-00)
"Semantic Pragmatic Disorder" http://www.hyperlexia.org/sp1.html Accessed 9-24-00
"Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, and Semantic-Pragmatic Disorder."
http://www.mugsy.org/bishop.htm Accessed 9-24-00
Teaching and Learning
http://www.prainbow.com/cld/cldp.html
http://www.stemnet.nf.ca/~elmurphy/emurphy/cle2b.html
Rationale for learning additional languages: http://www.adfl.org/bulletin/index.htm
Code Switching
http://www.ncbe.gwu.edu/miscpubs/jeilms/vol14/duran.htm
http://www.aitech.ac.jp/~iteslj/Articles/Skiba-CodeSwitching.htmlF.
Conceptual Framework:
Refer to the separate document Conceptual Framework for the vision statements, philosophy
statements, and mission statements associated with this course.
[ Instructor | Course Description | Objectives | Competencies | Text | Requirements | Evaluation ]
[ Expectations | Schedule | Civility Code | Bibliography | Conceptual Framework ]