Course description (English version)

Additional language learning in socio-cognitive and socio-cultural perspectives

Overview:

This course examines recent and on-going directions in second language acquisition or additional language development (SLA) research, with a focus on socio-cultural and socio-cognitive approaches. Since the turn of the 21st century, the fields of SLA and Applied Linguistics have been reshaped by a ‘Social turn’ and a more recent ‘Multilingual turn’.  We will consider how the field of SLA has expanded both theoretically and methodologically from a focus on language and cognition to include a wider variety of social and cultural factors. The methodological approaches which are in use in the field today will be reviewed and exemplified.  We will critically reflect on some of the debates within the field, including proposals for integrating linguistic, cognitive and social factors in SLA, and calls for greater cross-disciplinary collaboration. Additionally, throughout the course we will discuss the relevance of these new directions in international SLA scholarship for the Norwegian context and the application of SLA research to the teaching of Norwegian as an additional language.   

What will you learn?

After completing the course the students will be able to:

• Describe a range of socio-cultural and socio-cognitive theories and methods in SLA
• Explain the arguments behind the Social turn and the Multilingual turn in SLA
• Critically debate the roles of social, cognitive and linguistic factors in additional language teaching and learning
• Apply socio-cultural and socio-cognitive perspectives on SLA to problems that they encounter in additional language teaching and learning

The final grade will show to what degree the students have achieved these learning outcomes.

Teaching will go throughout the semester, consisting of 14 2-hour sessions (28 hours total).

Lectures will be primarily in English in spring 2021 course. Students are welcome to ask questions and make comments in Scandinavian languages. Group discussions may be in Scandinavian, English, or other languages if desired.

Completion of a qualifying assignment is necessary in order to take the final examination. The assignment will be an oral presentation to be completed on dates arranged at the beginning of the semester. The presentation may be in English or a Scandinavian language.

The final exam will be a 3-day home exam which may be written in English or a Scandinavian language.

Background knowledge:

Students are expected to have taken an introduction to SLA theory and research, such as LING 1107 or NOAS 4101. Students who do not have this background may still participate, but should read Ortega, Lourdes (2009). Understanding second language acquisition. Routledge. Ch. 1-10 (253 s.) or Mitchell, Rosamond, Florence Myles & Emma Marsden (2013): Second Language Learning Theories, Fourth Edition. London: Routledge.