Course Design and Material Development for the Spanish Linguistics BA

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Course Design and Material Development for the
Spanish Linguistics BA

• Edwin M. Lamboy and Greg L. Thompson
• Modern Languages and Literatures

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Rationale for Project

• The purpose of this project is to develop
  materials for three of the courses of a new
  Spanish Linguistics concentration
• SPN 3850 (Structure of the Spanish Language)
• SPN 4713 (Spanish Second Language Acquisition)
• SPN 4822 (Sociolinguistics of the
  Spanish-Speaking World).

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Objectives for Project

• Develop the curriculum for SPN 3850, SPN 4713,
  and SPN 4822.
• Create syllabi that will serve as a model for the
  teaching of these courses.
• Develop assessment tools, including rubrics that
  will be used in the courses.
• Evaluate commercially available textbooks that
  may be used for the three courses.
• Craft a list of readings (articles, book
  chapters, etc.) and other materials that may be
  used in the courses.

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SPN 4713 Spanish Second Language Acquisition
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Course description

• Overview of second language acquisition theory
  with discussion of empirical studies on the
  acquisition of Spanish. Emphasis on research
  design and the analysis of oral or written
  production of learners of Spanish.

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Course goals

• Study the complex pragmatic interactions between
  learners, and between learners and native
  speakers
• Examine how non-native language ability develops,
  stabilizes, and undergoes attrition
• Carry out a detailed analysis and interpretation
  of all aspects of learner language with the help
  of current linguistic theory
• Develop theories that are specific to the field
  of SLA that aim to account for the many facets of
  non-native behavior
• Test hypotheses to explain second language
  behavior
• Develop ability to apply linguistic principles
  already learned to new problems and situations.
• Learn techniques and methods used to collect and
  analyze data from a sociolinguistic perspective.
• Develop an informed concern about how social,
  pedagogical, and linguistic issues affect
  language acquisition and use.

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Course objectives

• This course seeks to
• provide an in-depth introduction to the field of
  second language acquisition from an American and
  international perspective.
• develop effective communication skills.
• develop independence and creativity by developing
  the ability to identify and address problems and
  come up with creative solutions.
• facilitate social and cultural understanding
  through knowledge of other languages and
  cultures.
• help students understand the principles and
  processes that govern second language learning
  and use. SLA will be examined from three vantage
  points.
• as linguistic knowledge
• as a cognitive skill
• as a socially and personality-meditated process
• help students learn to read, understand, and
  evaluate research published in the major journals
  in our field

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Potential textbooks

• Gass, S. M., Selinker, L. Second language
  acquisition An introductory course. 2nd ed.
  Mahwah, NJ Erlbaum, 2001.
• Gass, S., Sorace, A., Selinker, L. Second
  language learning Data analysis. 2nd ed. Mahwah,
  NJ Erlbaum, 1999.
• Lighbown, P. Spada, N. (2006). How Languages
  are Learned. (3rd Edition). Oxford Oxford
  University Press. (LS)
• Brown, H. Douglas and Susan Gonzo, eds. Readings
  on Second Language Acquisition. Englewood Cliffs
  Prentice Hall, 1994.
• Carter, R. and Nunan, D. (2001). The Cambridge
  Guide to Teaching English to Speakers of Other
  Languages. Cambridge Cambridge University Press,
  2001.
• Ellis, R. (1994). The Study of Second Language
  Acquisition. Oxford Oxford University Press.

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SPN 4822 Sociolinguistics of the
Spanish-Speaking World
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Course description

• General overview of sociolinguistic issues of the
  contemporary Spanish-speaking world language
  variation, language contact, discourse analysis,
  language attitudes, policy and planning, and
  social factors in language acquisition and use.

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Course goals

• Develop ability to apply linguistic principles
  already learned to new problems and situations.
• Improve analytical skills.
• Learn concepts and theories used in the
  sociolinguistic field.
• Learn techniques and methods used to collect and
  analyze data from a sociolinguistic perspective.
• Develop an informed concern about how social
  issues affect language acquisition and use.
• Develop a commitment to accurate work.
• Develop respect for others and how they use
  language.

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Course objectives

• This course seeks to
• foster the use of specific terminology to explain
  sociolinguistic phenomena such as language,
  dialect, language variety, language variation,
  language contact, language prestige, language
  change, language domains, diglossia,
  bilingualism, language attitudes, ethnography,
  ethnolinguistics, code switching, and variables.
• develop the ability to explain how gender,
  economic status, and educational level, among
  other factors, affect language use in the
  Spanish-speaking world.
• promote drawing conclusions about linguistic
  communities based on speech samples.
• provide the opportunity to design a
  sociolinguistic research project, collect data,
  and analyze it.
• provide the opportunity to implement qualitative
  and quantitative research practices.

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Potential textbooks

• Fishman, Joshua. Sociología del lenguaje. 4th ed.
  Madrid Cátedra, 1995.
• López Morales, Humberto. Sociolingüística.
  Madrid Gredos, 1989.
• Silva-Corvalán, Carmen. Sociolingüística Teoría
  y análisis. Madrid Alhambra, 1989.
• Silva-Corvalán, Carmen. Sociolingüística y
  pragmática del español. Washington, DC
  Georgetown University Press, 2001.

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SPN 3850 Structure of the Spanish Language
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Course description

• Linguistic theory applied to analysis of Spanish
  language. Includes systematic study of sound
  patterns, semantics, word formations, and
  socializations.

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Course goals

• Acquire an appreciation of the importance of
  linguistic study and how it relates to the study
  of grammar and literature.
• Develop and understanding of the importance of
  scientific investigation in linguistics.
• Improve analytical skills.
• Develop an appreciation of variation in
  languages.
• Develop a commitment to accurate work.
• Develop respect for others and how they use
  language.

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Course objectives

• This course seeks to
• help students learn what linguistics is
• teach how language study can be categorized in
  four major areas phonology, morphology, syntax,
  and semantics.
• present terminology utilized in the linguistics
  field.
• explain theories developed to account for
  language acquisition and processing.
• help students learn how to design a research
  project, including working with human subjects
  (IRB process) and demonstrate the ability to
  collect linguistic data and analyze it.
• help students draw conclusions based on
  linguistic data.
• help students implement qualitative and
  quantitative research practices.

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Potential textbooks

• Hualde, José Ignacio, Antxon Olarrea, and Anna
  María Escobar. Introducción a la lingüística
  hispánica. Cambridge Cambridge University Press,
  2001.
• Azevedo, Milton M. Introducción a la lingüística
  española. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle, NJ Prentice
  Hall, 2005.
• Morales, H. López. Métodos de investigación
  lingüística. Salamanca, Spain Ediciones Colegio
  de España, 1994.