APG5348 Second language acquisition

In this unit, you will learn how we acquire a second language, what shapes that process, and what implications emerge for second language teaching and learning. You will gain a thorough understanding of the concepts, methods and debates that define the field, including themes such as input and interaction, memory, motivation, and learner identity, and you will build the skills to evaluate research claims through practical examples in every assessment task.

Throughout the unit you will have the opportunity to relate theory and research to the practical issues that confront learners and teachers in different contexts, and around the world. Because much of that learning now happens through and with technology, you will examine how digital environments and tools impact the input learners encounter, the interaction they engage in, and the data now generated as they learn.

You will leave the unit able to understand the necessary principles that support effective second language acquisition, to work critically with theory and classroom evidence, and to apply these to language teaching and curriculum design, as well as to policy development, learning technology and learning analytics.