APLNG 491 Second Language Acquisition

Meet objectives: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7

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This course introduced five major themes in SLA research chronically from “SLA in the head (cognitive approach, Monitor theory),” “instructed SLA (Input Process Theory),” “social approach SLA,” “SLA as socialization,” and “SCT and SLA.” Each theme covered at least five key concepts and researchers. Instead of lecturing, the instructor followed the inquiry-based approach: students in a group of three were assigned one theme and taught all the key concepts in three sections of class. In addition, students chose another theme aside from the assigned theme to write a short research paper discussing its possible educational application.

My individual project was “SLA in the head” (please refer to file named SLA in the head—first project). Through doing the project, I found many concepts (such as input hypothesis, negotiation for meaning) were consistent with the theoretical foundation of many materials I had used before. I then understood the rationales of the sequences, followed Krashen’s comprehensible input hypothesis, as well as the activities (e.g., giving output), which helped me become able to give critiques.

In group teaching: I was giving an introduction course about language socialization

       The group project was more challenging in choosing assigned articles for the three class sections (they should be research which can explain the key concepts thoroughly). Additionally, we could not just lecture, but had to create at least two to three activities for our classmates to engage them to play around with the key concepts (for the material we developed please refer to the series files starting with “second project”). After designing the tasks, these concepts and theories became clearer than just reading through the materials. I not only internalized the knowledge, but also used the knowledge in teaching.

    

        What about I like this course particularly is how it brought me this major SLA research in one semester, and I became able to transform the knowledge in other courses (please refer to the final exam—concept, definition, and implication). This outcome reveals the power of inquiry-based teaching as well as SCT: the mode of learning, through doing inquiries, affects what learners will learn.