Stanford

LINGUISTICS 191/291 - STANFORD UNIVERSITY

Linguistics and the Teaching of English
as a Second/Foreign Language

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Linguistics 191/291
Winter 2020

Website: https://web.stanford.edu/~efs/ling291
MW 3:30-5:20; 260-002

Phil Hubbard                                                               Connie Rylance
Office: 260-302G:                                                       Office: 260-231

725-1557; phubbard@stanford.edu                           723-0365; connie@stanford.edu
Office Hour: By appointment                                     Office Hour: By appointment

Introduction.

This class offers a foundation in approaches and techniques for the teaching of second or foreign languages from the perspective of linguistics and second language acquisition research. Though theory and research-based, this is not a course about research. It is rather about how to use research and generalizations derived from it to inform language teaching practice.

While the focus is on the teaching of English, the principles underlying the approaches and techniques discussed are applicable to the teaching of any language. We concentrate on spoken language development but reading and writing are also touched on briefly. For those interested in technology, there is a 5th unit option for a section on computer-assisted language learning.

More specifically, this course provides you with the following:

1)   a survey of the history of second language teaching methodology and the factors that have influenced it;

2)   an overview of selected areas of current second language acquisition research;

3)   a look at some contemporary language teaching approaches and their underlying principles;

4)   a repertoire of basic teaching techniques in the various skill areas;

5)   experience in the task of deciding what to teach and how to teach it in a given situation;

6)   the opportunity to sharpen the critical skills necessary to continue in this field independently.

Class time will include a variety of activities: lectures, demonstrations, discussion of readings, and applications of concepts from them. Some background in language teaching, linguistics, and/or cognitive psychology is quite helpful but not absolutely necessary. Auditors are welcome but are expected to 1) attend regularly, 2) keep up with the readings, and 3) participate actively in class discussions.

Course Requirements.  

1. Readings/participation. Because the class is small and heavily discussion-oriented, it is important that you read the assignments before the class in which they are to be covered and be there to discuss them. Your regular attendance and the quality of your class participation will be important considerations in your final grade.

2. Practicum. To get some practical experience with the concepts and techniques you will be learning, you can either tutor or work as a classroom aide. For the former, you will be assigned or will find for yourself two language learners who need tutoring in English or some other language, meeting them every week for a minimum of 30 minutes each (weeks 3-9). For the second option, you can work as an aide in one of the English for Foreign Students classes or in some other relevant course (typically one 75-minute class per week). In either case, you will be submitting short weekly reports of your meetings and a brief final report near the end of the quarter.

3. Graded assignments. You will have three assignments which constitute the majority of the grade for this class. In each case, you will need to review relevant aspects of the readings and relate them to a practical objective. The assignments are as follows:

  1. Designing a language course for a specific teaching situation or writing a critical review of a second language acquisition research study
  2. Evaluating a potential textbook for a specific language course
  3. Preparing materials and a lesson plan for a one-hour class

4. Graduate (Ling 291) Credit. If you are taking the course as Linguistics 291, you will need to give a short presentation on a relevant article. You may select from one of the following journals, all of which are available in Cubberley Library (and online as well): TESOL Quarterly, Modern Language Journal, Studies in Second Language Acquisition, Language Learning, or System, or another appropriate source. Look for an article that is relevant to classroom teaching (not purely theoretical) and would be of some interest to the majority of the class. Please do not select something you have already read or are required to read for another course. The presentation should be about 10 minutes long and include a 1-page handout summarizing key points of the content. We would like you to submit a copy of the abstract to us by Wednesday 1/22 so that we can approve and schedule it. This is not directly graded (see (6) below), and students electing the undergraduate number (Ling 191) are not required to do this.

5. CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) course (optional 5th unit) Understanding how to use technology in language teaching is becoming more and more important: to accommodate some depth in this important area without compromising the core of the course, we will be offering a “mini course” in CALL for a 5th unit. We will meet an extra 75-90 minutes a week for 7 or 8 weeks (time & place TBA, but hopefully right after class on Wednesdays) to discuss issues within the field and look at what alternatives exist for using technology effectively in language teaching and learning (for a course preview, see http://www.stanford.edu/~efs/callcourse2). To receive credit for the 5th unit, you will need to attend regularly, prepare some light weekly assignments, and do a short project and present it to the group during the last week. Note that this is open to auditors as well, including those taking the rest of the course for credit.

6. Grading. There are no graded exams, final or otherwise: your final grade will be determined as follows.

1) Tutoring reports, class participation, and class presentations – 25%

2) Assignment 1 (due 2/14) – 25%

3) Assignment 2 (due 3/2) – 25%

4) Assignment 3 (due 3/19*) – 25%

All work is expected by the due date and is subject to a late penalty. For those taking the 5th unit CALL mini course, performance that is either above or below satisfactory in that will lower or raise the overall grade accordingly.

Schedule of Topics and Readings.

The daily topics appear below, and the assigned readings provide the focus for that day. The required texts for the course are

How Languages Are Learned, Fourth Edition by Patsy Lightbown and Nina Spada (HLL) (Retail Price $35.99; $20.69 new on Amazon (10/27/19))

Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language: Fourth Edition edited by Marianne Celce-Murcia (TESFL) (Retail Price $112.55; $55.00 new on Amazon (10/27/19))

Important: Be sure to read all assigned material before the scheduled class discussion. Your ability to contribute to class discussions on them will influence your participation grade. Note that there may be a few other supplemental readings added later.
 

PART I: Introduction to Language Teaching

1/6       Introduction to the Course

1/8       Foundations of the Field: (TESFL 2-14; 15-30)

1/13     Language teaching principles and methodology (TESFL 31-45; 46-62); Richards, J. & Rodgers, T. (1982). Method: Approach, design, procedure. TESOL Quarterly 16.2: 153-68.
 

PART II: SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING

1/15     "Language Learning in Early Childhood" (HLL 5-34)
"Second Language Learning" (HLL 35-74) 

1/20     MARTIN LUTHER KING HOLIDAY—NO CLASS  

1/22     "Individual Differences in Second Language Learning" (HLL 75-101); Motivation (TESFL 518-531)

1/27   Strategies and styles (TESFL 532-549); “Explaining Second Language Learning" (HLL 103-121)

1/29     "Observing Learning and Teaching in the Second Language Classroom” (HLL 123-152)

2/3       Reflective teaching (TESFL 613-629); "Second Language Learning in the Classroom” (HLL 153-170)

2/5       "Second Language Learning in the Classroom” (HLL 171-200) 

 

PART III: Second Language Teaching Practice (by skill)

2/10    Listening (TESFL 72-89)

2/12     Pronunciation (TESFL 136-153)

2/14     Assignment 1 Due

2/17     PRESIDENT’S DAY HOLIDAY—NO CLASS

2/19     Speaking (TESFL 106-120; 121-135)     

2/24     Task-based language learning (TESFL 455-470); Tools and Techniques (TESFL 340-361)

2/26     Grammar (TESFL 256-270)

3/2       Vocabulary (TESFL 288-303)

3/2       Assignment 2 Due 

3/4       Reading (TESFL 170-188)

3/9       Writing (TESFL 222-237)

3/11     Last Class—Peer Teaching and course review

3/19*   (Final exam day) Tutor Assignment Due; Assignment 3 Due

            *Estimated—final exam times have not yet been determined by the Registrar

 

Students with Documented Disabilities: Students who may need an academic accommodation based on the impact of a disability must initiate the request with the Office of Accessible Education (OAE). Professional staff will evaluate the request with required documentation, recommend reasonable accommodations, and prepare an Accommodation Letter for faculty. Unless the student has a temporary disability, Accommodation Letters are issued for the entire academic year. Students should contact the OAE as soon as possible since timely notice is needed to coordinate accommodations. The OAE is located at 563 Salvatierra Walk (phone: 723-1066, URL: https://oae.stanford.edu/.

Last modified: November 4, 2019 by Phil Hubbard