Multilingualism in the Mind
Code: 42294 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4313157 Advanced English Studies | OT | 0 | 0 |
Contact
- Name:
- Susagna Tubau Muntaña
- Email:
- Susagna.Tubau@uab.cat
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- english (eng)
Prerequisites
A basic knowledge of linguistics is necessary to successfully follow this course.
Objectives and Contextualisation
The aim of this course is to explore what it means for speakers to be considered bilingual or multilingual by deepening into the different existing definitions of these phenomena, as well as into the theoretical models that have been put forward to explain how more than one language is acquired/learnt by a speaker, and stored in their mind.
Competences
- Analyse and synthesise information at an advanced level.
- Analyse the relationship between factors, processes or phenomena in the acquisition of English as a second language, its learning and teaching methods, and its literature, history and culture.
- Apply methodological knowledge of statistical analysis and data generation, treatment and codification of multilingual databases, analysis of literary texts, etc. to research.
- Communicate the knowledge acquired and the contributions of one’s research correctly, accurately and clearly both orally and in writing.
- Critically argue, issue judgements and present ideas on the basis of the analysis of information originating from scientific production in these areas.
- Develop autonomous learning skills applicable to the research process.
- Distinguish and contrast between the different methodological and theoretical models applied to the academic study of the acquisition, teaching and use of English as a second language in multilingual and multicultural contexts, literary studies and cultural studies.
- Show respect towards the opinions, values, behaviours and/or practices of others.
- Use the English language for academic and professional purposes related to research into the acquisition, teaching and use of English as a second language in multilingual and multicultural contexts, literary studies and cultural studies.
Learning Outcomes
- Analyse and synthesise information at an advanced level.
- Apply the concepts acquired to the reality of linguistic production by multilingual individuals.
- Communicate the knowledge acquired and the contributions of one’s research correctly, accurately and clearly both orally and in writing.
- Critically read articles on multilingualism.
- Design experiments and data collection methods with multilingual speakers.
- Develop autonomous learning skills applicable to the research process.
- Differentiate the most recent theoretical concepts of use for explaining multilingualism from the individual's point of view.
- Explain the advantages and disadvantages of the different models of linguistic production.
- Explain the relationship between the language and thinking of multilingual individuals.
- Recognise and question the bases of monolingualism.
- Recognise the most important cognitive characteristics of multilingual individuals.
- Show respect towards the opinions, values, behaviours and/or practices of others.
- Write advanced level texts on multilingualism.
Content
|
1. Bilingualism and multilingualism: definitions and tools of analysis 2. Acquiring a second language and a third language 3. Organising and processing linguistic knowledge in the multilingual mind |
Methodology
This course includes the following activities:
-Revision and exercises (Autonomous)
-Lectures at the beginning of each topic to introduce basic concepts and class discussion of topics introduced in the lectures and readings (Directed)
-Individual work and preparation of class discussion (Supervised)
VERY IMPORTANT: Total or partial plagiary of any of the exercises will automatically be considered “fail” (0) for the plagiarized item. Plagiary is copying one or more sentences from unidentified sources, presenting it as original work (THIS INCLUDES COPYING PHRASES OR FRAGMENTS FROM THE INTERNET AND ADDING THEM WITHOUT MODIFICATION TO A TEXT WHICH IS PRESENTED AS ORIGINAL). Plagiarism is a serious offense. Students must learn to respect the intellectual property of others, identifying any source they may use, and take responsibility for the originality and authenticity of the texts they produce.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Class discussion on topics introduced in the lectures and readings | 10 | 0.4 | 1, 2, 3, 12, 7, 8, 9, 4, 10, 11 |
| Lectures at the beginning of each topic to introduce the basic concepts | 20 | 0.8 | 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Individual work and preparation for class discussion | 45 | 1.8 | 1, 2, 3, 12, 6, 7, 5, 13, 8, 9, 10, 11 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Revision and exercises | 50 | 2 | 1, 2, 3, 12, 6, 7, 5, 13, 8, 9, 4, 10, 11 |
Assessment
|
Assessment items Mid-term 1 - 30% Mid-term 2 - 30% Term paper - 40% Students are required to employ non-sexist language in their written and oral productions. For guidelines on how to do this, they are advised to check the website of the Linguistic Society of America (LSA):https://www.linguisticsociety.org/resource/lsa-guidelines-nonsexist-usage. Appropriate use of language will be part of the assessment criteria.
Estimated calendar Mid-term 1: October 28 Mid-term 2: November 25 Term paper: January 10 (deadline)
Procedure for Reviewing Grades Awarded On carrying out each evaluation activity, lecturers will inform students (on Moodle) of the procedures to be followed for reviewing all grades awarded, and the date on which such a review will take place.
Reassessment Either Mid-term 1 or Mid-term 2 can be reassessed by means of a final summative test provided the final course grade is, at least, 3.5/10.
Evaluation Activities Excluded from Reassessment The following activities are not eligible for reassessment: -Term paper.
|
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-term 1 | 30% | 6.5 | 0.26 | 1, 2, 3, 12, 6, 7, 13, 8, 9, 4, 10, 11 |
| Mid-term 2 | 30% | 6.5 | 0.26 | 1, 2, 3, 12, 6, 7, 5, 13, 8, 9, 4, 10, 11 |
| Term paper | 40% | 12 | 0.48 | 1, 2, 3, 12, 6, 7, 5, 13, 8, 9, 4, 10, 11 |
Bibliography
Bhatia, Tej k. & William C. Richtie. 2013. The Handbook of Bilingualism and Multilingualism. 2nd edition. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
Chaudhary, Shreesh. 1998. Knowledge of Language and the Multilingual Mind. Language Sciences 20(2): 201-220.
Dijkstra, Ton. 2003. Lexical processing in bilinguals and multilinguals: the word selection problem. In Cenoz, Jasone, Britta Hufeisen & Ulrike Jessner (eds.). The Multilingual Lexicon. Dordrecht/Boston/ London: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 11-26.
Flynn, Suzanne, Claire Foley & Inna Vinnitskaya. 2004. The Cumulative-Enhancement Model for language acquisition: Comparing adults’ and children’s patterns in first, second and third language acquisition of relative clauses. International Journal of Multilingualism 1: 3-16.
García-Mayo, María Pilar & Jason Rothman. 2012. L3 morphosyntax in the generative tradition: The initial stages and beyond. In Cabrelli Amaro, Jennifer, Suzanne Flynn & Jason Rothman (eds.). Third Language Acquisition in Adulthood. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, 9-32.
Grosjean, François. 2010. Bilingual Life and Reality. Cambridge, MA and London: Harvard University Press.
Pladevall-Ballester, Elisabet. 2007. Child and Adult Non-Native Subject Development: A Bi-directional Study of English and Spanish as L2s. PhD dissertation, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
Rothman, Jason. 2011. L3 syntactic transfer selectivity and typological determinacy: The typological primacy model. Second Language Research 27: 107-127.
Sharwood Smith, Michael & John Truscott. 2014. The Multilingual Mind. A Modular Processing Perspective. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Slabakova, Roumyana. 2016. The Scalpel Model of Third Language Acquisition. International Journal of Bilingualism. DOI: 10.1177/1367006916655413.
White, Lydia. 2003. Second language acquisition and Universal Grammar. Cambridge University Press.