124091 VK BEd 09.2: VK Linguistics for Language Teachers (2020W)

This course offers an overview and introduction to research on foreign language (LX) users (Dewaele, 2018). Together, we will explore the mechanisms and influences underlying the state of living with two (or more) languages (Cook, 2016). Students will develop an understanding of how foreign languages are learned and will be introduced to some of the key questions in SLA research: Which neurological, cognitive and sociopsychological aspects influence a learner's acquisition of an LX? Can all subsystems (e.g., morphosyntax & pronunciation) be acquired with the same ease/difficulty? Why do so many LX users sound foreign/speak with a foreign accent? How close to L1 (first language) users' way of using a language can we really get? Does "the sooner the better" hold true in any case (Pfenninger & Singleton, 2017) and how do children differ from adults in these processes? This way students will gain knowledge on how additional languages are acquired and how language competence is developed and maintained.

After an initial input and discussion phase, in which students are familiarised with a range of theoretical and methodological approaches to SLA research and how to apply them to data from LX users of English, they will explore specific areas in more detail. For the bachelor thesis, students will choose a specific theoretical and methodological perspective and will undertake an analysis of data collected from LX users/learners of English (topic suggestions will be provided). BEd students who are not writing their bachelor thesis in this course will work on individual final assignments.

This course combines mini-lectures, on- & offline assignments, reading-based group work and discussion, and individual research work leading to a presentation and final written paper (either project paper or bachelor thesis).