<\/p>\n
Rationale for Assignment<\/strong><\/p>\n The assignment will test students\u2019 knowledge regarding language acquisition from several potential perspectives. By giving students choice in their essay topic, as well as providing them with a \u2018default\u2019 option, students are also being offered the chance to sharpen their critical thinking skills by engaging with a topic that they find most interesting. Students will be expected to engage with the relevant theory(ies) regarding their topic and in doing so, this will allow them to demonstrate a deep understanding of the topic that they have chosen.<\/p>\n Assignment<\/strong><\/p>\n For this essay you will be marked on the way in which you discuss the relevant theory(ies) connected with your choice of topic related to the broad application of \u2018language acquisition\u2019. You will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the topic\u2019s foundations and from here, go further in terms of then interpreting the relevant data as the means to build your own unique perspective on the matter. This does not mean having something brand new to say, but merely that you attempt to show your own understanding of the topic you have chosen to write about. To do this, it is crucial (and this applies to all assignments of course) that you do not merely repeat the material from lecture handouts \u2013 use this sparingly.<\/p>\n Be advised that whatever subject you choose to focus on for your essay \u2013 to include coming up with your own subject \u2013 you will be expected to demonstrate the following, all of which are standard within university assessment as well as reflecting the learning outcomes for this course unit:<\/p>\n \u2022 Discuss the relevant theory(ies) for your chosen essay in requisite analytical depth;\u2022 Demonstrate adequate understanding of such, in part by providing your own original illustrations and explanations for the theories, and not over-relying on content from classroom lecture or handouts \u2013 in other words, proving your understanding of the subject matter;\u2022 Where possible, and tied to the second bullet point, providing original insights on the subject; such content is often part of the higher scores.<\/p>\n Potential Essay Topics<\/strong><\/p>\n 1. The \u2018default\u2019 option \u2013 Discuss child language acquisition in terms of the two dominant theories. You will be expected to discuss what these theories refer to and provide examples of each. Beyond this, show the arguments in favour, and against, both theories. Finally, you should arrive with your own conclusion on the matter \u2013 which theory do you find most compelling?2. Discuss the implications for speakers who acquire two languages (they do not have to be joint first languages). Consider this in terms of acquiring two identities via the act of code-switching. Explain some of the reasons for code-switching, but be prepared to focus on the ways in which identities are constructed when speakers switch from one language to the other. This will involve a discussion of identity in terms of how we ascribe it to ourselves and how others ascribe it to us.3. Discuss child language acquisition by focusing on one specific aspect of language development (e.g. syntax, phonology, pragmatic awareness). The purpose here is to explain how one of these skills usually develops, and provide sufficient illustration, and then arrive at a summary in terms of what this suggests overall about acquisition of this said skill.4. Discuss the ways in which adults acquire a second language in terms of the various teaching methods used to help them learn. Be prepared to briefly discuss a variety of teaching methods, but ultimately argue for one teaching method in particular. Explain why you have chosen this method in terms of why it is the most effective in helping adults acquire a second language.5. Discuss any one, or more than one, of the relevant issues we have discussed in class regarding the teaching and learning of a dominant language for students \u2013 children or adults \u2013 whose native language is different. For example, you could consider the political issues reflected in the teaching and learning of English in the United States for Spanish-speaking children, and the English Only movement.<\/p>\n READING LIST<\/strong><\/p>\n Clark, E. 2003. First language acquisition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.<\/p>\n Ellis, R. 1997. Second language acquisition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.<\/p>\n Weekly Discussions<\/strong><\/p>\n Week One \u2013 How do we acquire our first language? The Nature Argument [Chapter 1, Clark]<\/p>\n Week Two \u2013 How do we acquire our first language? The Nurture Argument<\/p>\n Week Three \u2013 Child-directed speech, and early perception [Chapters 2 and 3, Clark]<\/p>\n Week Four \u2013 Sign Language\/dyslexia and writing based on a child\u2019s L1<\/p>\n Week Five \u2013 Early production [Chapters 4 and 5, Clark]<\/p>\n Week Six \u2013 Developing pragmatic skills [Chapter 13, Clark] <\/p>\n Week Seven \u2013 Bilingual acquisition in children [Chapter 14, Clark]<\/p>\n Week Eight \u2013 Adult second language acquisition, Part I [Chapters 1-3, Ellis], to include EMI instruction<\/p>\n Week Nine \u2013 Adult second language acquisition, Part II [Chapters 4-6, Ellis]<\/p>\n Week Ten \u2013 Issues in child second language learning: home and school perspectives<\/p>\n Week Eleven \u2013 The politics of second-language learning<\/p>\n AIMS of course<\/strong><\/p>\n This unit aims to: <\/p>\n Cover the development of language in terms of the early acquisition of one\u2019s first language and the acquisition and learning of a second language. This course will enable students to better appreciate the remarkable fact that we all acquire our first language in particular with comparatively little learning input \u2013 how is this possible? How do we acquire meaning, morphology and syntax, for example? The course will cover babbling and gesturing to the development of words and sentences, and then progress to adult language acquisition and relevant issues regarding bilingualism. Likewise, the course will focus on the pedagogical implications for learning a second language, as opposed to acquiring it, discussing relevant topics such as teaching and learning theories (e.g. Krashen\u2019s comprehensible input), as well as the political aspects of language (e.g. using speakers\u2019 first language as a means to discriminate if they are not native speakers of the dominant language). <\/p>\n BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE UNIT’S CONTENT<\/strong><\/p>\n Child language acquisition and second language acquisition, covering relevant areas such as the poverty of the stimulus, Language Acquisition Device (LAD), the critical period and sensitive period, Universal Grammar (UG) and the stages involved in language learning. Adult language acquisition will also be covered, thus focusing on the acquisition of a second language later in life and how this differs from acquiring language as a child, but also including of course a prominent focus on children learning a second or foreign language, and the linguistic, cultural and sometimes political implications of this.<\/p>\n INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES<\/strong><\/p>\n Category of outcome<\/strong><\/p>\n Upon completion of the unit, students should be able to:<\/p>\n Knowledge and understanding <\/p>\n \u2022 Have a solid understanding of the theoretical frameworks and relevant topics in the study of language acquisition, both child language acquisition and that of second language acquisition\u2022 Be more aware of the psycholinguistic aspects involved with language acquisition and the relationship of the brain to language learning<\/p>\n Intellectual skills <\/p>\n \u2022 Have developed skills relevant to close reading of texts in order to evaluate hypotheses and data\u2022 Apply psycholinguistic theories to future studies of language and within a future work setting with children, be it L1 acquisition or L2 learning<\/p>\n Practical skills <\/p>\n \u2022 Close read texts better and have developed improved critical thinking skills\u2022 Engage with scholarly texts more and critique theories where necessary<\/p>\n Transferable skills and personal qualities <\/p>\n \u2022 Have developed skills relevant to a career in teaching children\u2022 Have developed skills that can be transferred to other branches of linguistics, such as syntax and pragmatics<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Rationale for Assignment The assignment will test students\u2019 knowledge regarding language acquisition from several potential perspectives. By giving students choice in their essay topic, as well as providing them with a \u2018default\u2019 option, students are also being offered the chance to sharpen their critical thinking skills by engaging with a topic that they find most […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"disciplines":[154],"paper_types":[],"tagged":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writemyessays.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/questions\/41042"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writemyessays.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/questions"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writemyessays.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/questions"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writemyessays.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writemyessays.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41042"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.writemyessays.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/questions\/41042\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.writemyessays.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41042"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"disciplines","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writemyessays.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/disciplines?post=41042"},{"taxonomy":"paper_types","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writemyessays.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper_types?post=41042"},{"taxonomy":"tagged","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.writemyessays.app\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tagged?post=41042"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}