​Professor Wynne Wong

Autumn 2016, WF 9:35-10:55 AM

Do you like languages? Are you currently learning a language and wish to understand how to learn it better? Do you hope to teach languages one day? Second Language Acquisition (SLA) is a field that is devoted to understanding and explaining the processes that underlie the learning of another language after one has already acquired a first language. How does second langauge acquisition happen? How do we create a brand new linguistic system in our heads?

This course introduces undergraduate students to the exciting field of second langauge acquisition. This course is ideal for langauge learners who wish to reflect on and improve their own langauge learning experience, for those who desire to become language instructors, and for anyone who simply has an interest in languages. The questions we will explore include:

• Is second language acquisition like first language acquisition?
• Does the first language gelp or get in the of SLA?
• Why do children become universally native-like but second language learners seem not to?
• Why do we make errors in a second language (or at least appear to)?
• Is there a best way to teach languages?
• I took 4 years of Spanish and got all As so why am I not fluent?
• What's the difference between learning two languages from birth as opposed to learning a second language later in life?
• What about individual differences like motivation and aptitude?
• Why do I still have an accent?