Application of cognitive linguistics in learning and teaching L2 (arch.)

Course title: Application of cognitive linguistics in learning and teaching L2
Instructors: Renata Geld, PhD
ECTS credits: 5
Status: elective
Semester: III
Enrollment requirements: recommended for students with basic knowledge of cognitive linguistics

Course description and objectives: The course offers fundamental aspects of the cognitive linguistic theoretical framework that are relevant for current trends in SLA and TEFL. Upon completing the course the students will be able to do the following: recognize relevant elements from the cognitive linguistic framework and apply them in practice; adjust teaching material and their approach to teaching lexicon and grammar by paying attention to the idea of cognitive motivation in language and its symbolic nature; and consolidate previous knowledge about language, language acquisition, and language teaching in terms of what they have learnt from the cognitive linguistic description of language.

Week by week schedule:

week Topics
1 Fundamental concepts
Introduction
2 Fundamental concepts: the nature of language and language vis-à-vis other cognitive processes
3 Fundamental concepts: aspects of conceptual structure and construal
4 Fundamental concepts: cognitive motivation in language / the nature of grammar/lexicon
5 REVISION
Test 1
6 Language as an experiential phenomenon: L1 vis-à-vis L2
7 Strategic construal (L2 construal): cognitive learning strategies vis-à-vis general cognitive processes
8 Strategic construal (L2 construal): from specificity to schematicity / from idiomaticity to grammar
9 Learning L2 by insight: grammar as conceptual structure/meaningfulness of grammar/”making sense” of grammar
10 REVISION
Test 2
11 Ways of testing theory in practice
12 Ways of testing theory in practice: microproject I – plans and drafts
13 Consolidation
14 Ways of testing theory in practice: microproject II – reports
15 Ways of testing theory in practice: microproject II – reports

 

Required reading:
1) Achard, M. and Niemeier, S. (eds.) 2004. Cognitive Linguistics, Second Language Acquisition, and Foreign Languge Teaching. Walter de Gruyter Inc. (selected chapters)

2) Geld, R. and Đurđek, S. 2009. Gradience in L2 procesing: the importance of the non-protoypical, u Brdar, M., Omazić, M. i Pavičić-Takač V. (ed.) Cognitive Approaches to English: Some Fundamental Interdisciplinary and Applied Aspects, Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
3) Geld, R. 2006. Konceptualizacija i vidovi konstruiranja značenja: temeljne postavke i pojmovi kognitivnolingvističkog teorijskog okvira, Suvremena lingvistika, 62, pp. 183-211.
4) Geld, R. 2006. Strateško konstruiranje značenja engleskih fraznih glagola, Jezikoslovlje, 7.1-2, str. 67-111.
5) Putz M., Niemeier S., Dirven R. (ed..) 2001. Applied Cognitive Linguistics I: Theory and Language Acquisition.Berlin/ New York: Mouton de Gruyter (selected chapters).
6) Putz, M., Niemeier, S., Dirven, R. (ed.) 2001. Applied Cognitive Linguistics II: Language Pedagogy. Berlin/New York: Mouton de Gruyter (selected chapters).

7) Radden, G. i Dirven, R. 2007. Cognitive English Grammar. Amsterdam/ Philadelphia: John Benjamins (odabrana poglavlja).

Recommended reading:
1) Aarts, B., Denison, D., Keizer, E., Popova, G. (ed.) 2003. Fuzzy Grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press

2) Dirven, R. and Verspoor, M. 2004. Cognitive Exploration of Language and Linguistics. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins
3) Rudzka-Ostyn, B. 2003. Word Power: Phrasal Verbs and Compounds, A Cognitive Approach. Berlin/New York: Mouton de Gruyter