Course Information

Course Information
Course Title Code Semester L+U Hour Credits ECTS
Language Acquisition İÖZ204 4. Semester 3 + 0 3.0 3.0
Prerequisites None
Language of Instruction English
Course Level Undergraduate
Course Type
Mode of delivery face to face
Course Coordinator Assist. Prof. Dr. Ammar TEKİN
Instructors Ammar TEKİN
Assistants
Goals The objective of this course is to introduce and define basic principles of language acquisition, to compare first and second acquisition theories and to relate these theories to second language teaching and learning.
Course Content Theories of first and second language acquisition (e.g.:behaviorism, innatism, information processing, connectionism, the interactionist position) and developmental stages and sequences of first and target language acquisition; case studies, comparative analysis of the use of native and target languages in corpus data (e.g.: CHILDES database), recordings and/or transcriptions of real second language classroom interaction will be employed for the analysis of first and second language acquisition; comparison of second language acquisition in children and in adults; identifying developmental sequences in first language acquisition; stages in second language morpho-syntactic development; processes in second language acquisition; learner characteristics and individual variation in ultimate attainment in second language acquisition (e.g.: role of personality, language aptitude, intelligence, age of acquisition, motivation and attitudes, learner preferences and beliefs); differences between second language acquisition and foreign language learning contexts (e.g.: natural vs. instructional settings).
Learning Outcomes - Students will define and describe the concepts of "first language”, “second language” and “foreign language”.
- Students will explain first and language acquisition processes
- Students will explain and examplify phonological, morphological, lexical and syntactic developmental stages of young children.
- Students will compare and contrast the basic concepts of second/foreign language acquisition/learning.
- Students will explain and argue the variables that affects the process of second/foreign language acquisition/learning.
- Students will analyze and interpret the observations of second/foreign language acquisition/learning classes.
Weekly Topics (Content)
Week Topics Learning Methods
1. Week Acquisition vs. learning Other Activities Verbal Expression Visual Presentation Course Hours Research Practice Preparation, After Class Study
2. Week Basic concepts and theories of first language acquisition Research Verbal Expression Practice Visual Presentation Course Hours Preparation, After Class Study Other Activities
3. Week Behaviourist models Research Other Activities Verbal Expression Visual Presentation Preparation, After Class Study Practice Course Hours
4. Week Naturalistic models (innatism) Practice Research Verbal Expression Visual Presentation Other Activities Course Hours Preparation, After Class Study
5. Week Cognitive and connectionist models Practice Course Hours Preparation, After Class Study Visual Presentation Other Activities Research Verbal Expression
6. Week Phonological and morphological development of children Preparation, After Class Study Research Other Activities Practice Visual Presentation Verbal Expression Course Hours
7. Week Lexical, semantic and syntactic development of children Preparation, After Class Study Research Other Activities Visual Presentation Verbal Expression Practice Course Hours
8. Week Midterm 1 Practice Course Hours Preparation, After Class Study Research Visual Presentation Verbal Expression Other Activities
9. Week Basic concepts and theories of second language acquisition/learning Verbal Expression Research Preparation, After Class Study Practice Other Activities Course Hours Visual Presentation
10. Week Simultaneous bilingualism Preparation, After Class Study Practice Course Hours Visual Presentation Research Verbal Expression Other Activities
11. Week Sequential bilingualism Research Other Activities Preparation, After Class Study Course Hours Practice Visual Presentation Verbal Expression
12. Week Mid-term exam 2 Research Visual Presentation Other Activities Verbal Expression Course Hours Preparation, After Class Study Practice
13. Week Factors affecting second language acquisition/learning Research Other Activities Verbal Expression Visual Presentation Practice Course Hours Preparation, After Class Study
14. Week Final Preparation, After Class Study Research Course Hours Practice Verbal Expression Other Activities Visual Presentation
Recommended Sources
Lightbown, P.M. &Spada N. (2009). How languages are learned. OUP. Clark, E. V. (2009). First language acquisition. Cambridge: CUP. Ellis, R. (2007). Second language acquisition. Oxford : OUP Fromkin, V. (et al) ( 2000). Linguistics. Oxford: Blackwell. Hudson, G. (2000). Essential introductory linguistics. Oxford: Blackwell. O’Grady. W. (et. al) (1987). Contemporary linguistics. London: Longman. Yule, G. (1996). The study of language. Cambridge: CUP.
Relations with Education Attainment Program Course Competencies
Program Requirements Contribution Level DK1 DK2 DK3 DK4 DK5 DK6 Measurement Method
PY1 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 60
PY2 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 60
PY3 4 3 5 2 2 4 5 60
PY4 5 5 4 5 4 5 5 60
PY5 5 5 4 5 4 5 5 60
PY6 4 3 4 5 4 4 5 60
PY7 4 5 4 2 4 5 5 60
PY8 3 3 2 2 2 4 5 60
PY9 4 3 4 2 4 4 5 60
*DK = Course's Contrubution.
0 1 2 3 4 5
Course's Level of contribution None Very Low Low Fair High Very High
Method of assessment/evaluation Written exam Oral Exams Assignment/Project Laboratory work Presentation/Seminar
ECTS credits and course workload
Event Quantity Duration (Hour) Total Workload (Hour)
Course Hours 13 3 39
Research 5 5 25
Practice 4 3 12
Midterm 1 1 1 1
Midterm 2 1 1 1
Final 1 1 1
Total Workload 79
ECTS Credit of the Course 3.0