ALM4250 - Second Language Acquisition

Leader: Dr Robyn Spence-Brown - Day

Offered

Clayton Second semester 2007 (Day)
Clayton Second semester 2007 (Off-campus)

Synopsis

This unit introduces students to the study of second language acquisition and attrition. The relation between first and second language acquisition; learning/acquisition contexts; foreign language learning vs second language acquisition; contrastive and error analysis; interlanguage; learner variability - age, aptitude, cognitive styles, attitude and motivation; theories of second language acquisition; learning strategies; classroom interaction analysis; implications for curriculum content; and attrition as the inverse of acquisition. Students work on problems in a language of interest to them.

Assessment

Minor assignment (2500 words): 25%
Major assignment (4500 words): 50%
Open-book test (2 hours): 25%