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36503-01 - Lecture: Second Language Acquisition (2 CP)
| Semester | spring semester 2025 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers | Heike Behrens (heike.behrens@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | The conditions under which people learn a second (or third and fourth...) language differ considerably. Likewise, the end-state of learning is very variable: most learners do not reach native-speaker like competence, but acquire “multicompetence” in several languages. We will discuss how first and second language learners differ in the cognitive skills they bring to the tasks. While we can assume that some language learning mechanisms that are relevant in first language acquisition may be at work, too, environmental, personality, and processing factors differ. But second language learners also profit from their more mature cognitive skills, and possible also from cognitive advances that are the result of being multilingual. In this lecture I will provide an overview of (a) the different conditions under which second language learning takes place (social and environmental factors), (b) the role of age, motivation, and aptitude (individual factors), and (c) the influence of the first or other languages and processing limitations (cognitive factors). |
| Learning objectives | Students become acquainted with the relevant concepts and milestones of second language acquisition in different learning conditions. This should enable them to develop informed viewpoints on the many debates about becoming and being bi- or multilingual. |
| Bibliography | -Bhatia, Tej K., & Ritchie, William C. (Eds.). (2013). The Handbook of bilingualism and multilingualism (2 ed.). Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. - De Houwer, Annick. (2009). "Bilingual first language acquisition". Bristol: Multilingual Matters. - De Houwer, Annick, & Ortega, Lourdes (Eds.). (2018). The Cambridge Handbook of Bilingualism. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/DOI: 10.1017/9781316831922.001. - Gass, Susan M., & Mackey, Alison. (2012). "The Routledge Handbook of Second Language Acquisition". London and New York: Routledge. - Gass, Susan M., & Selinker, Larry. (2008). "Second language acquisition: An introductory course" (3 ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. - Gass, S.M., Behney, J., & Plonsky, L. (2020). Second Language Acquisition: An lntroductory Course (5 ed.). Routledge. - Koch, N., & Riehl, C. M. (2023). Migrationslinguistik: Eine Einführung. Narr. - Ortega, Lourdes. (2009). "Understanding second language acquisition". London: Hodder. - VanPatten, B., Keating, G. D., & Wulff, S. (Eds.). (2020). Theories in second language acquisition: An introduction (3 ed.). Routledge. |
| Weblink | ADAM |
| Admission requirements | Basic knowledge of linguistic concepts (from a proseminar or lecture) |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Course auditors welcome |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Thursday | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 20.02.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 27.02.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 06.03.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 13.03.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Fasnachstferien |
| Thursday 20.03.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 27.03.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 03.04.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 10.04.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 17.04.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Ostern |
| Thursday 24.04.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 01.05.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Tag der Arbeit |
| Thursday 08.05.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 15.05.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 22.05.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 29.05.2025 | 10.15-12.00 | Auffahrt |
| Modules |
Modul: Advanced English Linguistics (Bachelor's degree subject: English) Modul: English Linguistics (Master's degree subject: English) Modul: Forschungspraxis und Vertiefung (Master's degree program: Language and Communication) Modul: Interphilologie: Sprachwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: English) Modul: Interphilologie: Sprachwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: German Language and Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Sprachwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: French Language and Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Sprachwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Spanish Language and Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Sprachwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Italian Language and Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Sprachwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Nordic Philology (Start of studies before 01.08.2022)) Modul: Interphilologie: Sprachwissenschaft BA (Bachelor's degree subject: Nordic Philology) Modul: Interphilologie: Sprachwissenschaft MA (Master's degree subject: Slavic Studies) Modul: Interphilologie: Sprachwissenschaft MA (Master's degree subject: English) Modul: Interphilologie: Sprachwissenschaft MA (Master's degree subject: German Language and Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Sprachwissenschaft MA (Master's degree subject: French Language and Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Sprachwissenschaft MA (Master's degree subject: Spanish Language and Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Sprachwissenschaft MA (Master's degree subject: Italian Language and Literature) Modul: Interphilologie: Sprachwissenschaft MA (Master's degree subject: Latin Philology) Modul: Interphilologie: Sprachwissenschaft MA (Master's Studies - Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences) Modul: Sprache als Prozess (Master's degree program: Language and Communication) |
| Assessment format | record of achievement |
| Assessment details | written exam |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | one repetition, repetition counts |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Englische Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft |