Second Language Asquisition

Course title: SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
Instructors: Asst. Prof. Renata Geld
ECTS credits: 4
Status: mandatory for MEd in English students; elective for other graduate English Studies students
Semester: VII
Enrollment requirements
: none
Course description: SLA as an interdisciplinary field; a historical overview of research in the field; theories of SLA; models of language processing (with special focus on models of bilingual and multilingual processing); interlanguage; cross-linguistic interaction; role of age in language acquisition; role of cognition in second language acquisition; role of individual variables in second language acquisition; role of interaction and social context in second language acquisition; SLA research methodology.
Objectives: Students will gain an insight into the complexity of the process of second language acquisition, language processing and language use. They will be able to develop a critical approach to SLA theories and motivation for carrying out independent research in SLA.
Course requirements Students will be expected to read the literature assigned by the course instructor. High level of participation, especially in seminars, is expected. Students who pass the three revision tests do not have to sit for the final oral exam.
Week by week schedule:

week topics
1 Introduction Scope of inquiry and goals of second language acquisition as a discipline
2 Theories of second language acquisition (part I)
3 Theories of second language acquisition (part II)
4 Language processing capacity – monolingual and bilingual models
Language processing capacity – multilingual models
5 Learner language and cross-linguistic influences
6 REVISION
Test 1
7 Age factor in second language acquisition
8 Individual factors in second language acquisition (cognitive factors)
9 Individual factors in second language acquisition (affective factors)
10 Social contexts
Input and interaction
11 REVISION
Test 2
12 Instruction and L2 acquisition
13 Research methods in second language acquisition (defining and measuring SLA)
14 Research methods in second language acquisition (data collection in SLA research)
15 REVISION
Test 3

Required reading:
– Doughty, C. J. & Long, M. H. (eds.) (2003). The Handbook of Second Language Acquisition. Malden, MA, Oxford, Melbourne, Berlin: Blackwell Publishing. [selected chapters]
– Ellis, R. (1997). Second Language Acquisition: An Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [selected chapters]
– Kaplan, R. B. (ed.) (2002). The Oxford Handbook of Applied Linguistics. Oxford : OUP.
– Larsen-Freeman, D. & Long, M. H. (ed.) (1991). An Introduction to SLA Research. London: Longman. [selected chapters]
– Medved Krajnović, M. (2010). Od jednojezičnosti do višejezičnosti: Uvod u istraživanje procesa ovladavanja inim jezikom. Zagreb: Leykam International d.o.o.

Recommended reading:
– Cook, V. (ed.) (2002). Portraits of the L2 User. Clevedon, Buffalo, Toronto, Sydney: Multilingual Matters Ltd.
– Cook, V. (ed.) (2003). Effects of the Second Language on the First. Clevedon, Buffalo, Torontom, Sydney: Multilingual Matters Ltd.
– Ellis, R. (1994). The Study of Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: OUP.
– Mihaljević Djigunović, J. (1998). Uloga afektivnih faktora u učenju stranoga jezika. Zagreb: Filozofski fakultet.
– Gleason, J. B. & Ratner, N.B. (1998). Psycholinguistics. 2nd ed. Wadsworth: Thomson Learning.
– Singleton, D. & Ryan, L. (2004). Language Acquisition: The Age Factor. Clevdeon, Buffalo, Toronto, Sydney: Multilingual Matters Ltd.
– Journals: Applied Linguistics; Language Learning; Studies in Second Language Acquisition; TESOL Quarterly.

Practicum 1 (7th sem)

Course title: PRACTICUM 1
Instructors: Asst. Prof. Renata Geld, Mihajla Ćavar Portolan
ECTS credits: 2
Status: mandatory
Semester: VII
Enrollment requirements: none
Course description: Classroom observation. Roles of the observer. Observation difficulties. Observation foci. Observation instruments. Recording teaching events. Reflection on observed classrooms. Designing teacher profiles.
Objectives: Students will develop skills of focused and reflective classroom observation. They will also develop an understanding of the teaching competence components and the need for its development. They will be able to connect theoretical knowledge developed during the relevant university courses with the concrete examples of teaching events observed in real classrooms.
Course requirements: During practicums student will get prepared for focused classroom observation in the institutions where their mentors work. During visits to these institutions they will keep a teaching practice diary. After a mentor’s lesson, a detailed analysis of the observed teaching will be carried out. During these analyses students will have to connect and implement knowledge and skills they will be developing during other ELT methodology courses. The diary and the analyses of the observed lessons will be assessed as part of the portfolio that students are required to keep during their graduate studies.
Week by week schedule:

Week Topics
1 Introduction; Main concepts
2 Classroom observation foci (I)
3 Classroom observation foci (II)
4 Observation instruments (I)
5 Observation instruments (II)
6 Classroom observation in lower primary schools
7 Classroom observation in lower primary schools
8 Classroom observation in upper primary schools
9 Classroom observation in upper primary schools
10 Classroom observation in secondary schools
11 Classroom observation in secondary schools
12 Classroom observation in LSP courses
13 Classroom observation in adult courses
14 Teacher profiles based on classroom observation
15 Issues in classroom observation

Required reading:
– Crookes, G. (2003). A Practicum in TESOL: professional development through teaching practice. Cambridge: CUP. [selected chapters]
– Newby, D. et al (2008). European portfolio for student teachers of languages. Graz: ECML. [selected chapters]
– Wajnryb, R. (1992). Classroom observation tasks. Cambridge: CUP. [selected chapters]

Recommended reading:
– Allwright, D. (1988). Observation in the language classroom. New York: Longman. [selected chapters]
– Costas i Costa et al. (eds) (2001). Student teaching in Europe. Freiburg im Breisgau: Fillibach-Verl. [selected chapters]
– Gebhard, J.G. and Oprandy, R. (1999). Language teaching awareness. Cambridge: CUP. [selected chapters]


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Glottodidactics

Course title: GLOTTODIDACTICS
Instructors: Asst. Prof. Renata Geld; Dr Stela Letica Krevelj
ECTS credits: 5
Status: mandatory for MEd in English students; elective for other graduate English Studies students
Semester: VII
Enrollment requirements: none
Course description: FLT as an interdisciplinary field; FLT as applied linguistics; impact of insights from other disciplines (linguistics, psychology, psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, educational sciences) on FLT; historical overview of FLT methods; contemporary approach to FLT; the concept of communicative competence; measuring communicative competence; FLT goals; teaching language skills; the concept of language awareness; learner autonomy; assessment and self-assessment; language portfolio; use of media in FLT; language errors and error correction; classroom discourse; syllabus design (grammatical, situational, functional-notional, procedural); language for specific purposes (LSP); role of authentic materials; needs analysis; development of intercultural competence; language teacher roles; research methodology in FLT (action research, scientific research).
Objectives: Students should gain an insight into the basic tenets of the foreign language teaching theory, taking into consideration both the diacronic and syncronic perspectives. They will develop an understanding of the basic concepts of the foreign language teaching process and be able to make informed choices among different teaching strategies.
Course requirements: Students will be expected to read the literature assigned by the course instructor. High level of participation, especially in seminars, is expected. Students who pass the two revision tests do not have to sit for the final oral exam.
Week by week schedule:

Week Topics
1 Introduction; Language teaching methodology as a discipline; Fundamental concepts
2 Aims and goals in FLT; Observing learning and teaching
3 Historical overview of FL teaching methods I
4 Historical overview of FL teaching methods II; Contemporary approach to teaching
5 Curriculum design; FL needs analysis
6 Focus on the FL teacher; FL teacher roles; Classroom management
7 Teaching language skills
8 REVISION: Test 1
9 Communicative competence; Common European Framework of Reference
10 Learner autonomy; Assessment and self-assessment; Language learning portfolio
11 Language teaching materials
12 Learner language and error analysis
13 Language for specific purposes
14 Researching FLT
15 REVISION: Test 2

Required reading:
– Larsen-Freeman, D. (2000). Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
– Lightbown, P. M. & Spada, N. (2006). How Languages are Learned. Revised ed. Oxford: OUP.
– Nunan, D. (1991). Language Teaching Methodology. London: Pretice Hall.
– Petrović, E. (1998). Teorija nastave stranih jezika. Zagreb: Školska knjiga.
– Vilke, M. (1977). Uvod u glotodidaktiku. Školska knjiga: Zagreb. (new edition in preparation)

Recommended reading:
– Council of Europe Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, teaching, assessment
. (2001). Cambridge: CUP.
– Čurković-Kalebić, S. (2003). Jezik i društvena situacija – istraživanje govora u nastavi. Zagreb: Školska knjiga.
– Čurković-Kalebić, S. (2008). Teacher Talk in Foreign Language Teaching. Split: Redak.
– Mihaljević Djigunović, J. (1998). Uloga afektivnih faktora u učenju stranoga jezika. Zagreb: Filozofski fakultet.
– Richards, J. C. (2001). Curriculum Development in Language Teaching,. Cambridge: CUP.
– Vrhovac, Y. et al. (1999). Strani jezik u osnovnoj školi. Zagreb: Naklada Ljevak.
– Vrhovac, Y. (2000). Govorna komunikacija i interakcija na satu stranoga jezika. Zagreb: Naklada Ljevak.


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