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79356-01 - Seminar: Longitudinal Research in English Second Language Acquisition (3 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2026 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers | Zeynep Köylü (zeynep.koylu@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This BA/MA seminar focuses on longitudinal approaches in second language acquisition (SLA) research to better understand how L2 performance evolves over time across diverse contexts. We will explore some key theoretical, methodological, and analytical challenges of longitudinal inquiries in the field. Major topics of discussion include notions of change/development, variation, attrition, and learning trajectories in SLA. We will critically engage with a wide range of research designs from both quantitative and qualitative paradigms in SLA as we further discuss issues around data collection intervals (e.g., multiwave data collection), phase shifts (e.g., turning points), and complex dynamic relations among different forms of variables (e.g., individual differences, subdimensions of linguistic performance, context). This seminar is intended for those who have a particular interest in L2 development, learning context effects, bi-/multilingualism, sociocultural approaches, and research methodologies in SLA. |
| Learning objectives | By the end of the course, students will be able to: 1. critically evaluate longitudinal SLA research; 2. design longitudinal studies appropriate to specific SLA questions; 3. identify methodological and ethical challenges in long-term research; 4. analyze developmental patterns and trajectories in learner data; and 5. situate longitudinal inquiry within broader theoretical debates in SLA and applied linguistics. |
| Bibliography | All (core and supplementary) readings will be made available on ADAM. |
| Weblink | ADAM |
| Admission requirements | This course is open to students of English who have passed all three BA introductory modules and to MA students of English and MSG Sprache und Kommunikation. |
| Course application | Please register for this course on services unibas. In order to ensure a good learning environment, we aim at no more than 20 students per linguistics seminar. We ask you to sign up for classes via the ADAM registration surveys, which will open on 1 August 2026, 10am (CEST), and close on 18 September 2026, 2pm (CEST): https://adam.unibas.ch/goto_adam_crs_1623802.html **Please only register for a maximum of TWO seminars and only for more than one if you really intend to take both courses.** Should you have not made it into one of the courses and you are only able to register on the list in a position higher than 20, we guarantee that we will take you in the course with the least student numbers. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | Online, mandatory |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Wednesday | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 16.09.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 23.09.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 30.09.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 07.10.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 14.10.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 21.10.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 28.10.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 04.11.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 11.11.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 18.11.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 25.11.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 02.12.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 09.12.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Wednesday 16.12.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Nadelberg 6, Raum 11 |
| Modules |
Modul: English Linguistics (Master's degree subject: English) Module: Advanced English Linguistics (Bachelor's degree subject: English) Module: Language as Process (Master's degree program: Language and Communication) Module: Research and Extension (Master's degree program: Language and Communication) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | • Data analysis assignments (individual) • Research proposal (could be individual or pair-work) |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| 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 |