Fall

This course is an introduction to language in all its aspects as studied in the field of linguistics, including a focused concentration on how this approach relates to language education. It explores biological, historical, and socio-cultural aspects of language, and addresses the system of language looking at phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, and discourse analysis. The course covers most areas of linguistics at the introductory level, familiarizing students with general principles and key vocabulary in these areas and also exploring the relationship between the study of linguistics and language teaching.

This course explores the various theories that scholars and researchers have put forward concerning second language acquisition, or how people learn languages.  Since it is language learning that is being examined, it is important to understand what language is.  Linguistics explores this question, and hence, this course draws to some extent on insights from linguistics.  In addition, as people and learning have both social and psychological dimensions, the course also draws on insights from sociology and psychology.  In other words, SLA is an inter-disciplinary subject that draws on all three disciplines, as well as the sub-disciplines and research areas that inter-relate them. Three hours of instructor-led discussion per week.

Students enrolled in TEFL 393 prepare for Comprehensive Exams, one of the capstone options available for MA TEFL students. Comprehensive Exams consist of two 3-hour examination sessions administered over two days. They take place on campus and are scheduled in the students’ last term of study at AUA. Students attend an initial orientation session, receive detailed exam guidelines, including dates, times, and location of the comprehensive exams, a reading list, and sample exam questions. This course does not meet face-to-face on a regular basis, but will include an initial meeting and additional sessions as needed. Students are strongly encouraged to form study groups and use all the materials provided to them to prepare for the comprehensive exams.