Bridging Theory and Practice: Pedagogical Issues in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language

This course introduces students to the principles of second language acquisition (SLA), a field of study that investigates how people learn a second language (The term second includes "foreign" and "third", "fourth", etc.) and provides a basis for understanding the SLA research related to learning and teaching Chinese as a second language. Theoretical issues to be covered include what it means to know a language and how one becomes proficient in a foreign language, factors that affect the learning process, and the role of one’s native language in the process of second language acquisition. We will also examine what SLA research has discovered about teaching grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary and writing. The goal of this course is to explore ways in which SLA theories can be applied to facilitate acquisition of Chinese as a second language both in terms of classroom teaching and syllabus design. Readings will be in both English and Chinese; classes will be conducted in Chinese.

Format: lecture/discussion. Evaluation will be based on class participation, short papers (3-5 pages), oral presentations, and a final research project.