Language Learning

Center for Linguistics, JNU, New Delhi-India

Course: B.A. Optional C. Code: LE328L

C. In-Charge: Dr. Hari Madhab Ray C. Teachers: Mr. Asad & Hafizur Rahman
Semester: Winter, 2015 Credit: 3 (Room No 04.)
Timing: Tuesday & Thursday 2.00 to 3.30 PM Venue: SLL&CS
Email Id: asadthomas@gmail.com Email Id: hafizansary@gmail.com
Phone No: +91-8800771844 Phone No: +91-8130588835

Brief Course Description:

Language learning is actually an important domain that fascinates scholars & researchers for centuries
to explore how the language is acquired, learnt and taught. It primarily deals with the different theories
of language learning by adults, language acquisition by a child, and also language teaching methods. It
practically focuses and emphasizes on almost all the basic knowledge of language learning, language
teaching methods, influence of L1 on L2, differences between L1 & L2, interlanguage and so on.
Aims & Objectives:
The proposed course, by the end of the winter semester, makes the students:
1. to know about the basic concepts of language learning and its history.
2. to cognize the several theories of language learning and language teaching methods.
3. to differentiate between L1, L2 and LF languages (mother tongue & other tongue).
4. to explore the facts and experiences of L2 language learning by learners at B. A level.
5. to discover how a child acquires a language and adult learns a language.
6. to know how mother tongue (L1) affects the L2 in language learning and teaching.
7. Finally, to be a junior linguist.

TENTATIVE COURSE CONTENTS

Mr. Hafizur Rahman Mr. Asad
Unit: 01- Basic Theories/Schools of Language Learning
Introduction: Basic concepts of language learning, Three major schools of language learning:
and its history. Importance of language learning Behaviorist, Cognitivist and Interactionist. How &
and language teaching. why paradigm shifted.
Unit: 02- Approaches to Language Teaching & Language Acquisition
Goal & conditions of language learning. Several Language acquisition, critical period, the models
approaches to language teaching and learning. & periods of language acquisition, LAD. Innate
Interface between L1 & L2. Influence of L1 on L2 Hypothesis.
Unit: 03- The Concept of Mother Tongue and Other Tongues
The concepts of Mother Tongue, L1 and L2 and Difference between mother tongue (MT) and other
LF. The relation between the first language and tongues (OT): MT, OT, L1, L2 and LF. Difference
critical period. Intra/er language and Motherese between language acquisition and learning.
 Unit: 04- The Concepts of Error and Mistakes in Language Learning
Concepts: Error and Mistakes made by learners. Different types of Error and Contrastive Analysis
Difference between errors and mistakes. Error and based on linguistic category, structural and lexical
Contrastive Analysis. errors.
Unit: 05- The Psychology of Language Learning
Psychology of language learning and its role in Memory factors in language learning, types of
learning a second language. memory i.e. short/long term Memory.

Evaluation & Assessment: % Marks Tentative Dates

First Mid Semester Exam 25% 03-03-2015
Second Mid Semester Exam: 25% 09-04-2015
End Semester Exam 50% In May

Suggested & Helpful Texts:

1. R. R. van Oirsouw. 1984. Applied Linguistics and the Learning and Teaching of Foreign
Languages. Edward Arnold.

2. Susan M. Gass and Larry Selinker. 2008. Second Language Learning: An Introductory Course.
Taylor & Francis Group

3. Muriel Saville-Troike. 2006. Introducing Second Language Acquisition. New York: Cambridge
University Press.

Plagiarism: It is an academic crime or offense. Another way of putting it, is an academic stealing or
academic dishonesty. Students are strictly requested and advised to avoid it. It includes....
• to take resources from the original texts or works without giving a proper reference to author.
• to copy matters from someone's original works (i.e. books, texts, newspaper, magazine), or from
online resources without referring to a complete reference to the original author.
• to copy answers from someone's copy or answer sheet in exam.
• to submit the assignment as one's own, copied from the classmate's assignment or another book.

How to avoid it: You can fairly take materials or helps from the original resources or texts but write it
in your own language style and strictly refer to the original author or complete resources.
Moral duty: As a being an instructor, it is my moral or ethical responsibility to make students aware of
plagiarism, so called moral or ethical offense or academic misconduct at the initial stage of his/her
higher education (at B.A level).