Spanish Second Language Acquisition

Catalog description

This course presents a panoramic view of the major questions, research methods, and findings in the study of the acquisition of Spanish as a second, additional, or foreign language. The first part of the course explores fundamental concepts in the field of second language acquisition -- such as interlanguage, language transfer, language universals, error analysis, and stages of development -- and traces the development of the field from early behaviorist theories to contemporary approaches to learner language. The second part of the course delves into contemporary research on the acquisition of Spanish. Students will examine and analyze samples of learner language using tools typically employed in the field and will explore structures from all levels of grammar that present challenges to Spanish language learners. Prerequisite(s): A SPN 303 or permission of instructor. May not be offered in 2024-2025.