This course gives an overview of the field of second language acquisition research. The study of second language acquisition started out as a primarily pedagogical enterprise and now has taken a distinctly cognitive slant. This course will trace the factors leading to this development, in particular theory formation and the analysis of observational data. A number of approaches to the explanation of language acquisition will be reviewed and evaluated against the background of empirical data.

As part of the course students will undertake a pilot project in preparation for a following small-scale guided empirical project on the acquisition of English as a second language. They will furthermore undertake a small, guided research project in an area of their own interest within the larger field of Second Language Acquisition and write it up in ways appropriate to the discipline. In lieu of the two smaller projects, students may elect, subject to permission of the course convenor, to undertake a more substantial project or theoretical essay in an area of their own interest, related to the field of Second Language Acquisition.

Students will have gained insight into the complex nature of learning a second language. They will be able to identify aspects of learning which are shared by all learners as well as many areas of difference between them. Students will have gained an initial understanding of specific language acquisition theories and be able to assess their suitability for describing and/or explaining different dimensions of language learning.

Students will furthermore be able to elicit oral learner language data on English as a second language and conduct a simple interlanguage analysis based on principles taught in the course. Students will also have developed an ability to apply Processability Theory in analysing oral learner data on English as a second language, determine what stage the learner has reached with respect to word order as well as morphology, and write a research report which represents the data and findings in ways appropriate to the discipline. Students will also have developed an ability to conduct small-scale research on a topic of their interest related to the field of Second Language Acquisition and write up the results of their research in ways appropriate to the discipline. Specific learning outcomes for a possible, alternative larger project will vary with the nature of the project.

2 assignments (30%), 1 pilot project (1,000 words) 20%, 1 empirical project (2000 words), 1 small-scale research project (3,000 words).

In addition to the contact hours, students will be expected to spend an average of 6 hours per week reading and completing assignments.

General reading brick (Available on Wattle);

Graduate reading list (Available from Chifley Short Loan);

Further background reading (Available from Chifley Short Loan);