Linguistics: Foreign Language Aptitude

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3 hours of LING at the 2000 level; Special Topics sections cannot have CC designations PACE students by permission and override

This course is presented in a seminar modality, and it provides a comprehensive overview of foreign language aptitude (FLA), a construct usually referred to as a “talent” for language learning. The course will explore FLA research, examining efforts to identify and select exceptional language learners and trying to understand this construct’s relationship to perennial issues in language acquisition such as: nature vs. nurture, innateness, language-learning savants, among others. We will delve into the theoretical components of FLA, including language analytic ability, phonetic coding, memory, and implicit learning capacities. The course will critically analyze major FLA assessment instruments and their psychometric properties. Special attention will be paid to how FLA interacts with age, working memory, anxiety, and motivation. Finally, we will discuss the pedagogical implications of FLA research and its potential application to improve language teaching and learning practices.

Attendance and Participation: Regular attendance and active engagement in class discussions are crucial, particularly due to the seminar modality of this class. Quizzes: These quizzes will be based on readings assigned in advance and they will include multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blanks, and true/false kind of questions. Midterm Exam Research Paper/Project: Students will write a research paper that justifies the creation or modification of a specific FLA test. The paper will provide the theoretical justification for the proposed test the students have designed/modified. Presentations: Students will be in charge of leading the discussion of a research paper, and they will also present the outcome of their research paper/project to the rest of the class.