- Psycholinguistics of Bilingualism (Instructor: I-Ru Su, Professor)
The course discusses how multiple language systems are represented in the bilingual mind; how the bilingual processes them in comprehension and production; what role the learner’s first language plays in her/his acquisition of a new language; whether the learner’s knowledge of a new language in turn has an impact on his/her competence and use of the mother tongue. We’ll also discuss how the bilingual’s cognition and way of thinking can be different from that of the monolingual as a result of learning an additional language.
- Topics in Language Acquisition (Instructor: Chun-Chieh Hsu, Associate Professor)
This course takes a linguistic and psycholinguistic perspective to look into grammar acquisition by second language learners. Relevant linguistic theories, experimental methods, and empirical evidence will be introduced and discussed. We will focus on various grammatical constructions like noun phrases, relative clauses, wh-questions and more. The students will learn to understand how theories can be useful in L2 acquisition as well as how the theories can be tested empirically. Most importantly, the students will enhance their knowledge of various linguistic structures and be able to explain many grammatical errors observed in their language learning experience. This will help them to develop their own insights into grammar learning and to incorporate theories in their teaching practice.
- Language Processing and Learning (Instructor: Chun-Chieh Hsu, Associate Professor)
Students will learn the theories and the research findings related to L2 sentence comprehension. How various factors such as L2 proficiency, L1 influence, working memory may play a role during online sentence comprehension will be discussed. In particular, we will focus on how L2 learners process and interpret complex sentences differently from native speakers, and discuss relevant implications for language learning. By understanding the L1-L2 similarities and differences during sentence comprehension process, students will be able to identify potential problems they may observe in their teaching/learning experiences. Students will also learn different experimental tasks like grammaticality judgment task and self-paced reading task, which may be useful in their future research.
- Language Learning and Motivation (Instructor: Hung-Tzu Huang, Associate Professor)
This course offers an introduction to theories of motivation which has been applied to understand how motivation functions in second and foreign language settings. The course first defines motivation from a variety of theoretical backgrounds, examines the evolution of motivation theories and then moves into topics related to the application of motivation theories in the second language classroom. A major focus will be on discovering ways in which motivation interacts with language pedagogy.
- Language and Cognition (Instructor: Fang-Pei Gloria Yang, Professor)
We will introduce students to major topics related to language and brain. The course will address some of the myths regarding language learning in the brain and key questions of bilingualism, aging and linguistic deficits. We will also introduce advancement of technology in investigation of neurobiology of language processing.
- Experimental Design in Neurolinguistics (Instructor: Fang-Pei Gloria Yang, Professor)
To introduce students to experimental design and common techniques used in neurolinguistics. Students will gain knowledge about principles and subject tasks used in neurolinguistics research, various prominent topics that are currently investigated in the field, and clinical applications of neurolinguistics.
- Implicit and Explicit Language Learning (Instructor: Tsung-Ying Chen, Associate Professor)
First language acquisition is commonly assumed as "implicit". That is, learners are unaware of the language learning process. Is foreign language learning implicit or explicit, then? Foreign language learners usually receive very explicit instructions, which suggests that they should be highly aware of the learning process. But is explicit foreign language learning more efficient? Or is implicit foreign language learning also helpful? This course discusses different aspects in foreign language learning and the interaction between implicit and explicit learning for students to understand the fundamental mechanism of forieng language learning.
- Childhood Bilingualism (Instructor: I-Ru Su, Professor)
The course discusses how bilingual children acquire the different components of the linguistic system of the second language such as phonology, vocabulary, syntax, literacy; whether or how bilingual children differ from monolingual children in the cognitive development such as metalinguistic knowledge and intelligence; whether or how bilingual children’s acquisition of a new language may have an impact on their development of the mother tongue; etc.
- Pedagogical Grammar
- Teaching Speaking and Listening Skills
- Teaching Reading and Writing Skills
- Identity in Language Teaching and Learning
- Language Learners’ Individuality and Language Teaching (Instructor: Hung-Tzu Huang, Associate Professor)
This course introduces to students individual influences related to differential success in L2 learning. The course reading will cover theory and research of six individual difference variables: anxiety, beliefs, motivation, language learning strategies, language learning styles, and willingness to communicate. We will discuss the utility of the above variables for language learning and teaching and review hands-on course activities related to the individual differences.
- Computer-Assisted Language Learning (Instructor: Huifen Lin, Professor)
This course aims to provide an overview of emerging technologies that could be used alone or integrated into classes to facilitate the learning of a second/foreign language. In this course, we will introduce technologies which have the potential to assist language learning or teaching and their effects by reading empirical research articles. We will then draw pedagogical implications from these research studies and then discuss how specific type of technology can be more effectively and appropriately used in the teaching/learning of certain language skill.
- Computer-Assisted Writing Instruction (Instructor: Huifen Lin, Professor)
The course provides an overview of the roles that computers or technology play in the foreign language writing instruction. We will discuss how computers/technology as a medium will affect the quality and quantity of writing, introduce writing tools/websites that are now available for use and design a writing syllabus that integrate technology in different stage of writing.
- Web-based Language Teaching Tool Design (Instructor: Tsung-Ying Chen, Associate Professor)
There are many different ways to teach and learn a foreign language with a multimedia or computer-assisted paradigm, but it is not necessarily the case that the design of the computer software could accomodate the needs of both teachers and learners. This course trains students to use Web development tools like HTML5, JavaScript, and Meteor to design online language learning tools for their own needs, and use these tools to conduct language learning research.
- Introduction to Statistics (Instructor: Huifen Lin, Professor)
This course deals with data analysis in TESOL, including both general language learning and CALL (computer-assisted language learning) applications. Emphasis is on the use of descriptive and analytical procedures in data analysis, rather than the theoretical derivation of tests. Students will be introduced to the use of computer processing of research data, using a comprehensive, flexible, preprogrammed software package, SPSS. Appropriate amount of time will be devoted to the discussion of data analysis section in journal articles to understand how each statistic procedure is performed to answer designated research questions and test hypotheses. This course is NOT designed to analyze linguistic data.
- Empirical Research of Foreign Language Pronunciation Development (Instructor: Tsung-Ying Chen, Associate Professor)
In foreign language learning, the development of learners' sound production and perception is vital to their foreign language communication, but it would be insufficient to assess the development with subjective judgments. This course introduces different research tools such as Praat, R, and PsychoPy to allow students to know how to track and analyze foreign language learners' sound production and perception in order to correctly focus on the aspects that need to be trained further.
- Discourse analysis & Language teaching (Instructor: Chen-Yu Chester Hsieh, Assistant Professor)
This course is designed to familiarize students with essential methods and tools for discourse analysis, as well as the literature of discourse studies that can inform language teaching practices and policies. A range of topics related to discourse analysis and language teaching will be discussed, including cohesion, coherence, stance, moves, genres, classroom interaction, the use of multimodality and technology, and the applications of discourse analysis in language teacher education. It is hoped that this course will prepare students to not only better describe how the target language is used in real, meaningful contexts but also explore more equitable and effective ways to teach a language at both macro and micro levels.
