Span/Ling 726 Bilingualism & Cognition

Sanz

W 4:15-6:45

Does bilingualism affect cognition? The focus of this course is the interaction among internal and external variables in relation to enhanced ability to acquire a non-primary language. The internal variables are degree and type of bilingualism (amount of prior experience with an L2), age of acquisition of the L2 and cognitive capacity. External variables refer to types of input, including simple exposure, task essentialness, implicit and explicit feedback, and grammatical explanation.

Requirements: Readings, presentations, and completion of an empirical study to be presented in an open forum.

MA students please request permission from instructor at sanzc@georgetown.edu.

The following topics will be covered, with approximately two weeks devoted to each topic.

Defining bilingual: language use vs. language knowledge; context of acquisition, literacy, age of L2 acquisition,
Experienced vs. novice learners (general),
Experienced vs. novice learners in lg learning,

i. metalinguistic awareness,

ii. cognitive flexibility,

iii. motivation,

iv. aptitude, (gral)

Explicit vs. implicit input and processing
Working memory: construct and operationalizations
Measuring ‘acquisition’: Interpretation, production (both at sentence level), reaction time, accuracy.

Empirical studies will implement computerized treatments and testing, already developed and pilot-tested, of the Latin Project. Everyone involved will gather data for everyone else, contributing to a common database, but each individual will take care of one variable for review of lit, write up purposes.

Suggested variables to investigate (others are welcome):

Acquisition of Lexicon vs morphology/syntax
Different L1/L2s
Different aptitude/WM tests
Motivation: (manipulate by offering incentives)
Think alouds, Reaction time, accuracy as dependent variables
explicitness in treatment

feedback 1: presence vs absence; 2. type
exposure vs practice
rule prsentation +/-

degree of bilingualism