Advanced SLA Theories: Issues in SLA

The course focuses on the latest trends in theories dealing with the acquisition and teaching of a second or foreign language, demonstrating those theories in learners varying in age, mother tongues, the acquired language, and the proficiency in the acquired language. In this course we shall learn how to build a scientific theory in the realm of acquisition, what tools can be used to test different scientific theories in the field, and what conclusions can be drawn based on findings generated by the various tools that are used in research in the field. This knowledge will facilitate the reading and understanding of studies in the field, which should benefit every second/foreign language teacher, as well as provide teachers with the basis for conducting independent research in the field.