Beijing Normal University: The School of Foreign Languages and Literature

M.A. in Applied Linguistics

Applied Linguistics
Luo Shaoqian Office: 909, Office Building Email: sqluosheila@bnu.edu.cn Class time: Class Locations: 1:00 3:00 p.m. Thursdays (4) 405

Office hours: 1:00 3:00 p.m. Thursdays Course Summary Applied linguistics is the branch of linguistics concerned with using linguistic theory to address real-world problems. Applied Linguistics encompasses all applications of linguistic theory and is a cross-disciplinary mix of departments primarily from linguistics, anthropology, psychology, and education. Course Aims and Learning Outcomes The most general aim of the course is to enable you to understand different Branches of Applied Linguistics include Psycholinguistics, Sociolinguistics, Discourse Analysis, Critical Applied Linguistics, Second Language Acquisition, Intercultural Studies, as well as areas of language material development, and teacher education. Certain branches of Applied Linguistics are criticised by traditionalists for being overtly political in their research of the connection between society, language and political influence. Conversely, researchers in these areas argue that only through such analysis can the interactional nature of discourse and its influences on societies and cultures be fully understood. In more detail, the course aims:

to enable you to acquire current knowledge of the sub-field of applied linguistics in written work, to develop your ability to write cogently and analytically on theoretical and empirical material; and to be able to write critical reports on AEL research in class, to develop your ability to participate effectively in discussion in presentation work, to develop your ability to read applied linguistics materials, and make presentations about it which are clear, concise, and helpful to other students, as well as fair representations of any data involved

As a result of following this course, you should be able to demonstrate achievement of the following learning outcomes. You should be able to:

discuss contemporary theories and findings in applied linguistics read journal articles critically and effectively understand research techniques used in applied linguistics assess the relevance of applied linguistics research for practical settings

Table of Contents 1. Language Acquisition and Language Teaching 2. Communicative and task-based language teaching in East Asia classrooms 3. Curriculum Design and Challenges 4. Effectiveness of L2 instruction
5. Focus-on-form instruction 6. Vocabulary learning +Word frequency

7. Teaching grammar 8. Listening and reading 9. COGNITIVE APPROACHES TO SLA 10. Research on Lang Teach, learning and policy 11. Authentic Materials and Authenticity in Foreign Language Learning
12. The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers and teacher knowledge

Textbooks Davies, Alan. (1999). An introduction to applied linguistics: From practice to theory. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. McCarthy, Michael (2001). Issues in applied linguistics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Schmitt, Norbert. (Ed.). (2002). An introduction to applied linguistics. London: Arnold.

Learning Activities In each session, there will be input on the topic concerned. This will be a mix of lecture presentation and seminar/ discussion activity. Each week there will be a presentation by one or more members of the group. For your presentation, try to limit things to 20 minutes. Remember, you do not have to say everything that is in the article you have chosen. What you need to do is to communicate to others what is in the article and what significance it has. Assessment There are two pieces of assessment for this course, and they are weighted 50:50. One is a conventional essay. The other piece of assessment is the in class presentation.

Outline of Sessions 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Applied linguistics: An overview Doing applied linguistic research Cognitive aspect of second language learning Sociocultural influences on language learning Research seminar Second language curriculum Listening and Reading Speaking and Writing Grammar and vocabulary

10 Language assessment 11 Reading week 12 Language materials 13 Language teacher education and development 14 Education technology and second language pedagogy 15 Pragmatics and SLA 16 Motivation Strategies, Core readings: 1 Un-applied linguistics and communicative language teaching: A reaction to Keith Johnsons review of Notional Syllabuses. Henry Widdowson. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, Volume 17, Number 2, 214-220 (7)
20074 2174-7

The Future of Research Synthesis in Applied Linguistics: Beyond Art or Science.

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John Norris & Loudes Ortega. TESOL Quaterly, Vol. 41, No. 4, December 2007. 2 Replication studies in language learning and teaching: Questions and answers. Language Teaching Review Panel. Language Teaching (2008), 41:1, 114. 3 Annual Research Review: Review of research on language teaching, learning and policy published in 2006. Richard Johnstone (2008). Language Teaching, 41:4, 509542
: 2004318026-28

Language Emergence: A Sociocultural Perspective. Lantolf, James P. Applied Linguistics, Volume 27, Number 4, December 2006 , pp. 717-728(12) Academic clusters: text patterning in published and postgraduate writing. Hyland, Ken. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, Vol. 18, No. 1, 2008. 41-62. Communicative and task-based language teaching in East Asian classrooms. William Littlewood. Language Teaching, 40, 243249. 2007 CUP. State-of-the-art article: Recent developments in second and foreign language listening comprehension research. Larry Vandergrift. Language Teaching, 40, 191210. 2007 Cambridge University Press. The Emergence of Complexity, Fluency, and Accuracy. Larsen-Freeman, Diane (2006). Applied Linguistics, Volume 27, Number 4, 590-619(30). Judging the Frequency of English Words. J. Charles Alderson. Applied Linguistics 28/3: 383409 _ Oxford University Press 2007.

10 Testing-Context Analysis: Assessment is Just Another Part of Language Curriculum Development. Brown, J. D. (2008). LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT QUARTERLY, 5(4), 275312. 11 Reading week 12 A step forward: investigating expertise in materials evaluation. Keith Johnson, Mija Kim, Liu Ya-Fang, Andrea Nava, Dawn Perkins, Anne Margaret Smith, Oscar Soler-Canela, and Wang Lu. ELT Journal Volume 62/2 April 2008. 157-163. 13 The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers. Borg, Simon1. (2006). Language Teaching Research, Volume 10, Number 1, 3-31(29)

A cross-linguistic functional analysis of teacher talk. Kim, Sun Hee Ok1; Elder,
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Catherine2. (2005). Language Teaching Research, Volume 9, Number 4, 355380(26) Teachers' knowledge and experience in the discourse of FL classrooms. Lacorte, Manel1 (2005). Language Teaching Research, Volume 9, Number 4, 381-402(22)

14 Technology and second language acquisition. Carol A. Chapelle. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics (2007) 27, 98114. 15 Pragmatics and SLA. Gabriele Kasper and Kenneth R. Rose. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics (1999) 19, 81-104. 16 Teacher Motivation Strategies, Student Perceptions, Student Motivation, and English Achievement. BERNAUS, MERC`E., & GARDNER, ROBERT C. (2007). The Modern Language Journal, 92, 387401.

Recommended references Bygate M., Skehan P. and Swain M. (2001) (Eds.), Researching Pedagogic Tasks, London: Longman. Cook, Guy (2003). 'Applied Linguistics' (in the series Oxford Introduction to Language Study) Oxford: Oxford University Press. Cook, Guy, and Seidlhofer, Barbara (eds.) (1995). 'Principle and Practice in Applied Linguistics' Oxford: Oxford University Press. Cook, V. (2001). Second Language Learning and Language Teaching. London: Hodder Arnold. Corder, S. P. (1973). 'Introducing Applied Linguistics'. Harmondsworth: Penguin. Cummins, J. & C. Davison (Eds.) (2007), International handbook of English language teaching. New York: Springer. Dornyei Z. (2001), Teaching and Research Motivation, London: Longman Dornyei Z. (2001), Motivational Strategies: Creating and maintaining student motivation in the foreign language classroom, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Dornyei Z. (2005), The Psychology of the Language Learner, Mahwah, N.J.: Erlbaum Dornyei Z. and Schmidt R. (2001), Motivation and Second Language Acquisition,
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Hawaii: University of Hawaai Press Doughty C. and Williams J. (1998a), Focus on Form in Classroom Second Language Acquisition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Ellis, R. (Ed.) (2001). Form-focused instruction and second language learning, Malden, Ma: Blackwell. Ellis, R. (2003), Task-based Language Learning and Teaching, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Ellis, R. & Barkhuizen, G. (2005), Analysing Learner Language, Oxford: Oxford University Press Lantolf, J. (Ed.) (2000). Sociocultural Theory and Second Language Acquisition, Oxford: Oxford University Press Lightbown P. and Spada N. (1999), How Languages are Learned, Oxford: Oxford University Press Mitchell R. and Miles F. (2004) Second Language Learning Theories (2nd Ed.), London: Hodder Arnold Pennycook, Alastair (2001). Critical applied linguistics: A critical introduction. London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Robinson, P. (2002). Individual differences and instructed language learning, Amsterdam: John Benjamins Seidlehofer, B. (2002). Controversies in Applied Linguistics, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Skehan, P. (1989). Individual Differences in Second Language Learning, London: Arnold. Skehan, P. (1998). A Cognitive Approach to Language Learning. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Spolsky, B. (1989), Conditions for Second Language Learning, Oxford: Oxford University Press Widdowson, H.G. (1979). 'Explorations in Applied Linguistics' Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Widdowson, H.G. (1984). 'Explorations in Applied Linguistics 2' Oxford: Oxford University Press. Widdowson, H. G. (2003). 'Defining Issues in English Language Teaching' Oxford: Oxford University Press. Journal articles 1 Widdowson, H. (1984). Applied linguistics: the pursuit of relevance. Chap. 1 in Explorations in Applied Linguistics 2 (pp. 7-28). OUP. 2 Widdowson, H. (2007). Un-applied linguistics and communicative language teaching: A reaction to Keith Johnsons review of Notional Syllabuses. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, Volume 17, Number 2, 214-220(7). 3 Larsen-Freeman, D (2006). The Emergence of Complexity, Fluency, and Accuracy in the Oral and Written Production of Five Chinese Learners of English. Applied Linguistics, Volume 27, Number 4, December, pp. 590-619(30). 4 Lantolf, J. P. (2006). Language Emergence: Implications for Applied Linguistics A Sociocultural Perspective. Applied Linguistics, Volume 27, Number 4, December. 717-728(12). 5 Ellis, R. (2006). Modelling Learning Difficulty and Second Language Proficiency: The Differential Contributions of Implicit and Explicit Knowledge. Applied Linguistics, Volume 27, Number 3, September, 431-463(33). 6 Skehan, P.(1996). A Framework for the Implementation of Task-based Instruction. Applied Linguistics, Vol 17, No 1 C Oxford University Press, 38-62(25). 7 Swan, M. (2005). Legislation by Hypothesis: The Case of Task-Based Instruction. Applied Linguistics, Volume 26, Number 3, September, 376-401(26). 8 Elder, C., & Davies, A. (2006).Assessing English as a lingua franca. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 26, 282-301. 9 Ortega, L., & Iberri-Shea, G. (2005). Longitudinal research in second language acquisition: Recent trends and future directions. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 25, 2645. 10 Wigglesworth, G. (2005).Current approaches to researching second language learner processes. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 25, 98111. 11 Chamot, A. U. (2005). Language learning strategy instruction: Current issues and research. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 25, 112130.
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12 Wu, Z. (2006). Understanding practitioner research as a form of life: An Eastern

interpretation of Exploratory Practice. Language Teaching Research, Volume 10, Number 3, July, 331-350(20). 13 Borg, S. (2006). The distinctive characteristics of foreign language teachers. Language Teaching Research, Volume 10, Number 1, January, 3-31(29). 14 Kim, S. H. O., & Elder, C. (2005). Language choices and pedagogic functions in the foreign language classroom: a cross-linguistic functional analysis of teacher talk. Language Teaching Research, Volume 9, Number 4, October, 355-380(26). 15 Lacorte, M. (2005). Teachers' knowledge and experience in the discourse of foreign-language classrooms. Language Teaching Research, Volume 9, Number 4, October, 381-402(22).