LINGUISTICS 191/291 - STANFORD UNIVERSITY
Linguistics and the Teaching of English
as a Second/Foreign Language
LINGUISTICS 191/291 - STANFORD UNIVERSITY
Linguistics and the Teaching of English
as a Second/Foreign Language
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Linguistics 191/291: Winter 2009
Instructor: Phil Hubbard
Office: 260-302G: Office Hours Mondays 12:00-1:00 and by arrangement
725-1557;
phubbard@stanford.edu
Website:
www.stanford.edu/~efs/ling291
Mondays & Wednesdays 9:00-10:50, 160-318
Introduction.
This class offers a foundation in approaches and techniques for the teaching of second or foreign languages from the perspective of linguistics and language acquisition research. Though the perspective is theory and research based, this is not a course about research. It is rather about how to use research and generalizations derived from it to inform language teaching practice.
While the focus is on the teaching of English, the principles underlying the approaches and techniques discussed are applicable to the teaching of any language. We concentrate on spoken language development, but reading and writing are also touched on briefly. For those interested in technology, there is a 5th unit option for a section on computer-assisted language learning.
More specifically, this course provides you with the following:
1) a survey of the history of second language teaching methodology and the factors that have influenced it;
2) an overview of selected areas of current second language acquisition research;
3) a look at some contemporary language teaching approaches and their underlying principles;
4) a repertoire of basic teaching techniques in the various skill areas;
5) experience in the task of deciding what to teach and how to teach it in a given situation;
6) the opportunity to sharpen the critical skills necessary to continue in this field independently.
Class time will include a variety of activities: lectures, demonstrations, discussion of readings, and applications of concepts from them. Some background in language teaching, linguistics, and/or cognitive psychology is quite helpful but not absolutely necessary.
Auditors are welcome but are expected to 1) attend regularly, 2) keep up with the readings, and 3) participate actively in class discussions.
Course Requirements.
1. Readings/participation. Because the class is small and heavily discussion-oriented, it is important that you read the assignments before the class in which they are to be covered and be there to discuss them. Your regular attendance and the quality of your class participation will be important considerations in your final grade.
2. Practicum. To get some practical experience with the concepts and techniques you will be learning, you can either tutor or work as a classroom aide. For the former, you will be assigned or will find for yourself two language learners who need tutoring in English or some other language, meeting them for a minimum of 40 minutes each every week (weeks 3-9). For the second option you can work as an aide in one of the English for Foreign Students classes or in some other relevant course. In either case you will be submitting weekly reports of your meetings and a brief final report near the end of the quarter.
3. Graded assignments. You will have three assignments which constitute the majority of the grade for this class. In each case, you will need to review relevant aspects of the readings and relate them to a practical objective. The assignments are as follows:
4. Graduate (Ling 291) Credit. If you are taking the course as Linguistics 291, you will need to give a short presentation on a relevant article. You may select from one of the following journals, all of which are available in Cubberley Library (and probably online as well): TESOL Quarterly, Modern Language Journal, Studies in Second Language Acquisition, Language Learning, or System, or another appropriate source. Look for an article that is relevant to classroom teaching (not purely theoretical) and would be of some interest to the majority of the class. Please do not select something you have already read or are required to read for another course. The presentation should be about 10 minutes long and include a 1-page handout summarizing key points of the content. I would like you to submit a copy of the abstract to me by Wednesday 1/21 so that I can approve and schedule it. This is not directly graded (see (6) below), and students electing the undergraduate number (Ling 191) are not required to do this.
5. CALL course (optional 5th unit) Understanding
how to use computers in language teaching is becoming more and more important:
to accommodate this without compromising the core of the course, I will be
offering a “mini course” in CALL (computer-assisted language learning) for a 5th
unit. We will meet an extra 75-90 minutes a week for 7 or 8 weeks (time & place
TBA) to discuss issues within the field and look at what is happening on the web
and with instructional software (for a course preview, see
www.stanford.edu/~efs/callcourse). To receive credit for the 5th unit you
will need to attend regularly, prepare a few easy weekly assignments, and do a
short project and present it to the group during the last week. Note that this
is open to auditors as well, including those taking the rest of the course for
credit.
6. Grading. There are no graded exams: your final grade will be determined as
follows.
1) Tutoring reports, class participation, and class presentations – 25%
2) Assignment 1 (due 2/13) – 25%
3) Assignment 2 (due 2/27) – 25%
4) Assignment 3 (due 3/18) – 25%
All work is expected by the due date and is subject to a late penalty. For those taking the 5th unit CALL mini course, performance that is either above or below satisfactory in that will lower or raise the overall grade accordingly.
Schedule of Topics and Readings.
The daily topics appear below, and the assigned readings provide the focus for that day. The required texts for the course are
How Languages are Learned, Third Edition by Patsy Lightbown and Nina Spada (HLL)
Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language: Third Edition edited by Marianne Celce-Murcia (TESFL)
Note that there may be a few other supplemental readings
added later, and these are subject to change.
PART I: Introduction to Language Teaching
1/7 Introduction to the Course
1/12 Foundations of the Field: Leading Ideas in 20th Century Language Teaching (TESFL 3-12; 13-28)
1/14 Language teaching methodology (TESFL 55-66); Richards, J. & Rodgers, T. (1982). Method: Approach, design, procedure. TESOL Quarterly 16.2: 153-68.
1/19
HOLIDAY--NO CLASS
PART II: SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING
1/21
"Language Learning in Early Childhood" (HLL 1-27)
"Explaining Second Language Learning" (HLL 29-38)
1/26
"Explaining Second Language Learning" (HLL 38-51)
"Individual Differences in Second Language Learning" (HLL 53-76)
1/28 "Learner Language" (HLL 77-108)
2/2 "Observing Learning and Teaching in the Second Language Classroom” (HLL 109-136)
2/4 "Second Language Learning in the Classroom (HLL 137-160)
2/9
"Second Language Learning in the Classroom (HLL 160-182)
"Popular Ideas about Language Learning: Facts and Opinions" (HLL 183-194)
PART III: Second Language Teaching Practice (by skill)
2/11 Listening (TESFL 87-100); Pronunciation (TESFL 117-137)
2/13 Assignment 1 Due
2/16 HOLIDAY—NO CLASS
2/18 Speaking (TESFL 103-115)
2/23 Grammar (TESFL 251-266)
2/25 Vocabulary (TESFL 285-300)
2/27 Assignment 2 Due
3/2 Reading (TESFL 187-203)
3/4 No Class: instructor away (tentative)
3/9 Writing (TESFL 219-232)
3/11 Last Class--Peer Teaching
3/18 Tutor Assignment Due; Assignment 3 Due
DISABILITY NOTICE: Students who have a disability which may necessitate an academic accommodation or the use of auxiliary aids and services in a class, must initiate the request with the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC), located within the Office of Accessible Education (OAE). The SDRC will evaluate the request with required documentation, recommend appropriate accommodations, and prepare a verification letter dated in the current academic term in which the request is being made. Please contact the SDRC as soon as possible; timely notice is needed to arrange for appropriate accommodations. The Office of Accessible Education is located at 563 Salvatierra Walk (phone: 723-1066; TDD: 725-1067).