AJ32075 Theories of second and foreign langauge acquisition: A language teaching and learning perspective

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2020
Extent and Intensity
0/0/0. 15 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. František Tůma, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. František Tůma, Ph.D.
Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Tomáš Hanzálek
Supplier department: Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Wed 21. 10. 17:00–18:40 VP, Wed 18. 11. 17:00–18:40 VP, Wed 16. 12. 17:00–18:40 VP
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 15 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 3/15, only registered: 0/15
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of this course is to introduce the perspectives, theoretical background, procedures and findings in the research field of second/foreign language acquisition. Special attention will be paid to language teaching (“instructed second language acquisition”) and related didactic/methodological aspects. After reviewing the theories of second and foreign language acquisition the course focuses on detailed analysis of selected theories specifically in relation to language teaching. Foreign Language Didactics will be defined as a fully-fledged scientific discipline, and its relationship to other disciplines, including second/foreign language acquisition theories and applied/educational linguistics, will be discussed. The course will be finished by reviewing selected aspects of foreign language teacher education, while paying special attention to the concept of Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) and possibilities of its development. The students will be encouraged to consider the relationship between the course content (theories in second/foreign language acquisition, foreign language didactics, applied/educational linguistics, teacher education) and their dissertation thesis research.
Learning outcomes
After finishing this course the students will be able to: - Define basic concepts, research areas and disciplines, and discuss the relationships among them, - Introduce the scope of second/foreign language acquisition theories, discuss the implications for language teaching, critically evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of selected theory, - Define foreign language didactics as a scientific discipline, compare its conception with applied/educational linguistics, characterize the development of methods and approaches in foreign/second language teaching with an emphasis on the theoretical underpinnings and implications for language teaching today, define the concept of (intercultural) communicative competence and discuss its importance in relation to foreign/second language learning and teaching, - Discuss the issues related to teacher education: define basic terms and approaches, characterize the professional development of teachers, - Select relevant theories from the fields/disciplines of foreign/second language acquisition, foreign language didactics and applied/educational linguistics; demonstrate on his/her own data excerpts the importance of selected concepts and approaches to the student’s dissertation research.
Syllabus
  • 1 Theories in second/foreign language acquisition – an overview, selected theories that emphasize linguistic, psychological and social/interactional aspects. The relevance and implications for language teaching and learning. 2 The development of perspectives on second/foreign language teaching: the development of methods and approaches, an overview of related educational, psychological and linguistic underpinnings, the concept of (intercultural) communicative competence. 3 Foreign language didactics as a fully-fledged discipline – an overview of conceptions, the Malíř model of foreign language didactics, the relationship between foreign language didactics and other disciplines and fields, the distinction between didactics and applied/educational linguistics. 4 Foreign language teacher education – the stages of professional development, pedagogical content knowledge and the possibilities of its development, an overview of the conceptions of teacher education.
Literature
    required literature
  • ELLIS, Rod. The study of second language acquisition. Second edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008, xxvii, 114. ISBN 9780194422574. info
  • RICHARDS, Jack C. and Theodore S. RODGERS. Approaches and methods in language teaching. Third edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2014, x, 410. ISBN 9781107675964. info
  • SAVILLE-TROIKE, Muriel and Karen BARTO. Introducing second language acquisition. Third edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017, x, 232. ISBN 9781107149526. info
  • Shulman, L. S. (1987). Knowledge and teaching. Foundations of the New Reform. Harvard Educational Review, 57(1), 1–22.
  • Larsen-Freeman, D., & Freeman, D. (2008). Language moves: The place of “foreign” languages in classroom teaching and learning. Review of Research in Education, 32(1), 147–186. https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X07309426
  • PÍŠOVÁ, Michaela, Petr NAJVAR, Tomáš JANÍK, Světlana HANUŠOVÁ, Klára KOSTKOVÁ, Věra JANÍKOVÁ, František TŮMA and Jana ZERZOVÁ. Teorie a výzkum expertnosti v učitelské profesi (Theory and Research of Expertise in the Teaching Profession). 1. vyd. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2011, 154 pp. ISBN 978-80-210-5744-9. info
    recommended literature
  • Bertrand, Y. (2003). Contemporary theories and practice in education (2. vyd.). Madison: Atwood Publishing.
  • Cook, V. (2010). Prolegomena to second language learning. In P. Seedhouse, S. Walsh, & C. Jenks (Ed.), Conceptualising „learning" in applied linguistics (s. 6–22). London: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Schneuwly, B. (2011). Subject didactics: An academic field related to the teacher profession and teacher education. In B. Hudson & M. A. Mexer (Ed.), Beyond fragmentation: Didactics, learning and teaching in Europe. (s. 275–286). Opladen: Barbara Budrich
  • Walsh, S., & Mann, S. (Eds.). (2019). The Routledge handbook of English language teacher education. London , New York: Routledge. (vybrané kapitoly)
  • Ellis, R. (2010). Theoretical pluralism in SLA: Is there a way forward? In P. Seedhouse, S. Walsh, & C. Jenks (Ed.), Conceptualising „learning" in applied linguistics (s. 23–51). London: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Stuchlíková, I., & Janík, T. (Eds.). (2015). Oborové didaktiky: Vývoj—Stav—Perspektivy. Brno: Masarykova univerzita.
  • Malíř, F. (1971). Didaktiky cizích jazyků jako vědní obory. K problematice jejich předmětu. Praha: Academia.
  • CHODĚRA, Radomír. Didaktika cizích jazyků : úvod do vědního oboru. Vyd. 2. Praha: Academia, 2013, 209 s. ISBN 9788020022745. info
  • SKALKOVÁ, Jarmila. Obecná didaktika. 2., rozš. a aktualiz. vyd. Praha: Grada, 2007, 322 s. ISBN 9788024718217. URL info
  • Didaktik and/or curriculum : an international dialogue. Edited by Bjørg B. Gundem - Stefan Hopmann. New York: Peter Lang, 2002, vii, 367. ISBN 0820433853. info
  • BACHMAN, Lyle F. Fundamental considerations in language testing. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1990, xi, 408. ISBN 0194370038. info
  • HENDRICH, Josef. Didaktika cizích jazyků. 1. vyd. Praha: Státní pedagogické nakladatelství, 1988, 498 s. URL info
  • STERN, H. H. Fundamental concepts of language teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1983, 582 s. ISBN 0194370658. info
    not specified
  • Preparing teachers for a changing world : what teachers should learn and be able to do. Edited by Pamela LePage - Karen Hammerness - Helen Duffy - Linda Darling-Hammond. 1st ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2005, xxx, 593. ISBN 0787996343. info
Teaching methods
Study of literature, discussion
Assessment methods
Attendance and active participation in face-to-face meetings, submission of a seminar work that introduces theoretical background relevant to the students’ dissertation thesis and that is related to the areas discussed in the course (second/foreign language acquisition, foreign language didactics, applied/educational linguistics, teacher education). The seminar work will be accompanied by a data excerpt on which the relevance of the theoretical underpinnings will be demonstrated.
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught once in two years.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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