Graduate Courses
Graduate courses
(Syllabi are available via the GU website)
LING-501/502 GRADUATE PROFESSIONALIZATION SEMINAR (Taught in Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 by Professor Mackey)
This course is offered in two semesters. The Fall semester usually focuses on teaching, and the Spring semester on other concerns. The course is designed to provide first year graduate students with helpful information about the professionalization process in linguistics research and teaching. Students will think critically about the Ph.D. process and graduate student experiences, including getting to know the department’s processes, developing relationships with faculty, understanding what is important in being an effective TA or TS, trouble-shooting with student concerns, attending and benefitting from conferences, developing a web presence, applying for grants, IRBs, thinking about publications and what to expect from the job market and what you can be doing from Day 1. Students enrolled in this class will: (1) be introduced to the Linguistics graduate program and be generally informed about various resources in the department and on campus; (2) start developing and sharing key teaching skills, and (3) start to develop professional skills. Classes will involve various hands-on tasks, including seeking information in students' specific area of interest (e.g. in relation to other programs’ web presence) and share with the group. Readings will typically be assigned after the class discussions. Guest speakers will come to most classes, and classes will be held in the Poulton large conference room, round-table style, unless indicated otherwise.
This foundational course covers both quantitative and qualitative applied linguistics research methods through a combination of readings and critical analysis of research articles. Once the essential components of a range of different methods are grasped, students prepare a detailed research design for an applied linguistics study, including piloting some aspects of the design with a view to improving the final version. Class participants are likely to be at different stages in their graduate study, and the course (and assessment) aims to accommodate differing goals. Where possible, participants are encouraged to select a method of research not yet attempted. Both small-scale replication studies and original work are encouraged. More advanced students who intend to use a particular methodology for their doctoral research may design and carry out a pilot study, if sufficiently prepared to do so.
LING-755 SEMINAR on SLA RESEARCH
This graduate seminar changes depending on the current research interests of participants. Last time, for example, we focused on qualitative research methods in the area of second language studies through a combination of readings, critical analysis of research articles and experience with data. The first half of the seminar emphasized discussion of readings and preparation for empirical work. In the second half of the semester, students gained hands-on experience with three different qualitative techniques for data gathering. Students read and discussed a wide range of literature concerning qualitative research in second language studies, including theoretical and methodological overviews and data-based qualitative work. We discussed qualitative second language research in interlanguage systems, L2 writing, L2 reading, oral interaction, the linguistic environment, classroom ethnography, and individual differences in L2 learning. Strict pre-requisite: Ling-681 and additional SLA class or special, written permission of instructor.
This course provides a general introduction to theories and approaches in second language acquisition (SLA) and bilingualism. In the first part of the course, cognitive-interactionist, sociocultural, frequency-based, input-processing and psycholinguistic perspectives of SLA are discussed together with factors that influence the L2 learning process, including individual differences. The application of SLA theory to understanding L2 learners' interlanguage production will be explored, including work on classroom/instructed L2 learning. The second part of the course focuses on bilingualism; key topics include research and theory on the dimensions and assessment of bilingualism; the ontogenesis of bilingualism; bilinguality and cognitive development, as well as social, cultural, and educational perspectives on bilingualism. This course emphasizes the central role of both cognition and social interaction in language learning; UG approaches to child/first language acquisition are not covered in detail in this class.