Education document

1. Unit 1
Fundamentals of Second Language
Acquisition

2. The brain is key to our existence, but there’s a
long way to go before neuroscience can truly
capture its staggering capacity. For now, we
can explore what we do know about the
brain’s command of six central functions:
language, mood, memory, vision, personality
and motor skills – and what happens when
things go wrong.
We will focus on Language

3. Classify the different theories of
second language acquisition from
a historical and pedagogical
perspective.
Learning Purpose

4. How a second language can boost the brain
Being bilingual benefits children as they learn to speak — and adults as they age

5. Learning Activity
Design a graphic organizer of your preference, in
which you relate the SLA theories to Van Patten’s.
Share it in class and comment on your classmates’
maps. Check the rubric for the parameters.
Read the conditions for presentations in class.

6. Language and the Brain
Read Lightbown and Spada's How Languages Are
Learned (2003) Ch. 1 and take notes (This file will be
shared via TEAMS).

7. Group activity: Questions for
reflection
1. Some research has found that the best predictor of children's vocabulary growth is the
amount of language addressed to them by their parents and other caregivers.What have
you seen in this chapter that is compatible with that finding?
2. Go to the children's section of a library or bookstore and look at the vocabulary used in
books that are published for children between three and six years old. Compare these to
books for young readers, aged six to eight.What does this suggest about the importance
of continuing to read to children after they have begun to learn to read at school? Finally,
look at the language used in textbooks for children at age I or I I .What can you conclude
about the challenge faced by English language learners entering school at this age?
3. lf you are or may be teaching a second language to a group of school aged learners with
different first language backgrounds, can you think of pedagogical tasks/activities in which
children can display and use their L1 knowledge to help them learn the second language?

8. Language and the Brain
In pairs, watch the video "How the Brain Produces
Language and What Can go Wrong" Stapp, I. (2015).
Take notes about the video

9. What brain regions control our language?
And how do we know this?
1. What part of the brain is responsible for language production?
2. How does the brain create language?
3. How does the brain affect language?
4. What parts of the brain affect speech?
5. Language Disorders in Children
6. What does learning a second language do to your brain?
7. How does bilingualism affect the brain?
8. Where is second language stored in the brain?
9. Do bilinguals have different brains?
10. Speech starts with decisions as to what will be said and can involve our current or past perceptions. How does the
brain create speech?
11. Aphasias

10. SLA Acquisition Theories
A. Ellis, R. (2015). Theories in Second Language
Acquisition. Oxford University Press. Ch 1 - 2 (this file
will be shared via TEAMS).
B. Watch Van Patten, B. (2014). What Everyone Should
Know about Second Language Acquisition (parts 1-6).

11. Learning Actions
1. Watch the video "How the Brain Produces Language and What Can go Wrong."Review the
presentation “Aphasias” (Jaramillo, 2020) and share possible cases you may have within your own school setting
during class
1. Watch the presentation “Second Language Acquisition Theories" (Jaramillo, 2020) and reflect
on the questions, which will be discussed in the next synchronous meetings.
1. Watch the presentation "L2 Acquisition Theories According to Van Patten" (Jaramillo, 2020),
in which you will find a characterization of different second language acquisition theories.
Participate in the construction of the document "Van Patten's SLA Theories".

12. ASSIGNMENT #1
Design a graphic organizer of your preference, in which you relate the SLA
theories to Van Patten’s with real class activities. Share it in class and
comment on your classmates’ maps. Check the rubric for the
parameters. Read the conditions for the interaction. (25%)
Share your graphic organizer
on: https://padlet.com/mariaposadav/qax6ahet8zc0wthw