English Linguistics: the Acquisition of English

6 ECTS credits
150 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 4020124FNR for all students in the 1st semester at a (F) Master - specialised level.

Semester

1st semester

Enrollment based on exam contract

Impossible

Grading method

Grading (scale from 0 to 20)

Can retake in second session

Yes

Taught in

English

Faculty

Faculty of Languages & Humanities

Department

Linguistics and Literary Studies

Educational team

Alexis Housen
Eva Marie Koch (course titular)

Activities and contact hours

6 contact hours Lecture
7 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
25 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study

Course Content

This course introduces research on the development of English as a first and, particularly, as a second/foreign language, paying special attention to the cognitive, psycholinguistic and affective variables that account for relative success in learning English as a second/foreign language.

Course material

Course text (Recommended) : Reader, A reader to the course English Language Studies - The Acquisition of English, Alex Housen

Additional info

Not applicable

Learning Outcomes

Algemene competenties

Leerresultaat    AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
At the end of the course, students should:
•    be familiar with the essential properties of (English) learner language and with scientific methods for independently collecting and analysing (English) learner data.
•    be able to discuss how linguistic, learner-internal and contextual factors can affect the acquisition of English (esp. as a second/foreign language).
•    be familiar with a range of theories of (second) language acquisition and discuss them critically.
•    be able to discuss issues in the acquisition of English in a well- informed, nuanced and critical way, using the technical jargon of the field.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 65% of the final mark.
PRAC Presentation determines 35% of the final mark.

Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Oral exam with a relative weight of 65 which comprises 65% of the final mark.

Within the PRAC Presentation category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Oral presentation with a relative weight of 35 which comprises 35% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

Working in groups, students will present a selected topic in the study of second language acquisition. The first part of the presentation consists of a general introduction to the selected topic, in which students identify and summarize the major issues, the main theories or models in which they are couched (if any), key arguments and key research findings related to the topic. In the second part, students will zoom in on at least one specific, empirical study related to the topic: summarizing the research question(s), the method used, and the main findings. The goal is to place the empirical study within the larger SLA context, and to show how it complements or contradicts existing theories or findings. The oral presentations should have a duration of 20 to 30 minutes. Students make use of a slide show and may also provide a handout in addition to the slides.
Active participation in the classroom discussions of the presentation is required.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark

The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context