The acquisition of morphology and syntax (i.e., morpho-syntax) has been at the heart of the field of second language acquisition since its modern inception in the 1970s. The reason for this focus is simple: Acquiring these aspects of a foreign language is extremely difficult for most adult foreign language learners given the complexity and abstractness of many morpho-syntactic forms. This course has three main goals. The first goal is to become more familiar with basic aspects of English morpho-syntax (e.g., the syntax of declarative statements, question formation, negation, and embedding) in order to better understand some of the key morpho-syntactic mechanisms used in the English language. The second goal is to become conversant with a wide variety of empirical research into the acquisition of English morpho-syntax. This body of research includes theoretical investigations of the cognitive mechanisms held responsible for the acquisition of morpho-syntax as well as classroom applications of various pedagogical approaches used to teach particular aspects of English grammar. The third goal is to give course participants an opportunity to conduct a hands-on teaching project in which they use a pedagogical approach that is new to them for teaching one aspect of English morpho-syntax. In this way, the participants can expand the pedagogical techniques available to them. Other course assignments include weekly readings, sentence-diagramming tasks, leading and participating in small group discussions, and a final examination. Participants should read Chapters 1-7 in The Grammar Book before the first class meeting.

Required Textbook:

• Larsen-Freeman, D., & Celce-Murcia, M. (2016). The grammar book: Form, meaning, and use for English language teachers. (3rd ed.). Heinle Cengage Learning. (Buy on Amazon.co.jp New Tab / Buy on Amazon.com New Tab)
• American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American psychological association. (7th ed.). Author. (A Kindle edition is also available) (Buy on Amazon.co.jp New Tab / Buy on Amazon.com New Tab)

While virtually all people comprehend and speak a language, this is not the case with the literacy skills of reading and writing. That millions of people in the world are illiterate or semi-literate has powerful implications for their ability to function successfully in modern technological societies which increasingly require sophisticated literacy skills.

In the course, we will first consider the fundamental questions of "what:" What are reading and writing? What are the component parts of these skills, and how does our understanding of those component parts influence our teaching of the skills? A critical aspect of this will be to consider how first-language (L1) literacy differs from second language (L2) literacy. Then, we will turn to the question of "which:" Which types of reading and writing tasks and activities are available to teachers? In this portion of the course, we will examine a wide variety of tasks that have been developed for teaching these two skills and their probable effectiveness in the light of our understanding of reading and writing processes. Finally, we will consider “how:” How can we synthesize our knowledge of reading and writing with the available tasks to create an effective and coherent reading or writing courses? This will allow participants to design reading/writing courses, modify existing materials to make them more effective, and create classroom tasks which encourage literacy development.

Students will participate in and lead discussions, reflect on the readings, review existing materials, take a midterm, and complete a course project.

Students are consulted the course Canvas site to obtain the syllabus and prepare for Session 1. The syllabus and readings for each of the class sessions will be available from Monday, September 5.

As the first class meeting for this course is on Thursday, September 15 after the add/drop period ends, the office will accept drops only for this course until 21:30 on Thursday, September 15, after the first class meeting ends.

Required Textbook:

• Grabe, W., & Stoller, F. L. (2020). Teaching and researching reading. (3rd ed.). Routledge. (Buy on Amazon.co.jp New Tab / Buy on Amazon.com New Tab)
• Hyland, K. (2021). Teaching and researching writing. (4th ed.). Routledge. (Buy on Amazon.co.jp New Tab / Buy on Amazon.com New Tab)

Recommended Textbook:

• American Psychological Association. (2020). Concise guide to APA style. (7th ed.). Author. (Buy on Amazon.co.jp New Tab / Buy on Amazon.com New Tab)

A reading packet will be provided. This will be available on the Canvas LMS.

The purpose of this course is to enable participants to develop an awareness of second language theory and classroom practice. Issues to be investigated include: an account of the central processes of learning and the conditions believed to promote language acquisition; the elements of a language learning curriculum and their relation to the processes by which learners acquire language; current approaches to language teaching; and various types of materials and activities believed to foster acquisition. Participants will be encouraged to consider how these issues relate to their own classroom contexts and develop a personal set of teaching principles. Sessions will cover topics such as the roles of input, output, form-focused instruction, fluency development, motivation, and task-based language teaching.

In addition to required reading, participants will take a mid-term and a final examination, make written responses to important issues discussed in the course, lead a number of small group discussions, write a course paper focused on a topic related to the course, and make a short, oral presentation. Students will also be required to attend Dr. Jacobs’ weekend seminar on Saturday, October 8 from 10:00 to 13:00 in lieu of the class on November 11th.

Required Textbook:

• Dörnyei, Z. (2001). Motivational strategies in the language classroom. Cambridge University Press. (Buy on Amazon.co.jp New Tab / Buy on Amazon.com New Tab)
• Brown, H. D., & Lee, H. (2015). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy. (4th ed.). Pearson Education. (Buy on Amazon.co.jp New Tab / Buy on Amazon.com New Tab)

Recommended Textbook:

• American Psychological Association. (2020). Concise guide to APA style. (7th ed.). Author. (Buy on Amazon.co.jp New Tab / Buy on Amazon.com New Tab)

Additional readings will be provided in a course reading packet. 

This course will provide a broad overview of the fundamental concepts, principles, and issues in second language assessment as well as a thorough, practical understanding of test design and use both in and out of the second language classroom.

Students in this course will develop their understanding of the central tenets that underly effective language assessment (i.e., practicality, reliability, validity, authenticity, and washback) and learn how to apply that knowledge to formal and informal evaluation methods and test construction. Beyond providing students with a range of practical tools and techniques they can readily put into use, this course will also help students gain deeper access to the research literature on language assessment and some of the chief statistical approaches used in this area of the field. No prior knowledge of statistics is required, but students in this course will get hands-on experience using statistical software programs such as Winsteps and Facets to analyze and interpret data gathered from an assessment instrument.

Students in this course will be expected to actively engage in both online and classroom discussions of the weekly course content and critically reflect on their understanding of the material, how it relates to second language acquisition theory, and how it can best be applied to their teaching.

Required Textbook:

• Brown, H.D., & Abeywickrama, P. (2018). Language assessment: Principles and classroom practices. (3rd ed.). Pearson Education. (Buy on Amazon.co.jp New Tab / Buy on Amazon.com New Tab)

Ph.D. students are required to take two 3-credit Research Apprenticeship courses.  

If you wish to take an apprenticeship course, you first need to write a 300-400-word abstract of your proposed project (unless you are assisting a professor with one of his or her studies). This abstract should include basic information such as (a) the gaps in the literature you are addressing, (b) the purpose(s) of the study, (c) specific research questions, and (d) your methodology, including information about the participants, instruments, procedures, and the analyses you will perform. You will then need to send the abstract to the advisor you wish to work with (Consult the list of Apprenticeship advisors on the registration form to see who is available), and if the advisor approves your plan, you can then register for the course with that advisor.

This course is for those Ph.D. students who have passed the Preliminary Examination and working on their dissertation proposal. 

The Ph.D. students are required to take Culminating Courses (6 semester hours overall, minimum 2 semester hours of EDUC 9999). Culminating Courses: Preliminary Preparation Course (EDUC 9994), Dissertation Proposal Design Course (EDUC 9998) and Doctor of Education Dissertation Course (EDUC 9999).

Minimum 2 credit hours of EDUC 9999 are required for the Ph.D. students. 

Students wishing to register for this course should obtain permission from the professor and complete the registration process during the registration period.

This course introduces key concepts and research in bilingualism and dual language education. During the course we will explore various theoretical orientations and how they relate to the study of bilingualism. We will also examine bilingualism from an interdisciplinary approach - including psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics and socially informed perspectives and explore both theoretical and practical implications to the development of bilingualism in various contexts. Among the content covered in the course we will examine current issues related to:

• common myths and misconceptions regarding bilingualism & bilingual education
• the challenges entailed in trying to define and measure bilingualism
• the many forms that bilingualism can take
• the forces of globalization on bilingualism
• diglossia, transglossia and the interplay between languages in a society
• code-mixing in children & adults
• the complex processes of bilingual and second language acquisition in majority language settings (with a focus on Japan)
• raising a child to be bilingual and language patterns in families
• the relationship between bilingualism and cognitive development
• the bilingual brain and cognitive theories of bilingualism
• bilingualism, attitudes and identity
• language use and language choice
• strong and weak forms of dual language education to promote bilingualism
• bilingualism and literacy
• translanguaging: theoretical claims and pedagogical practices best practices in effective dual language education programs.
• specific language impairment

Required Textbook:

• No textbook required. Required readings will be provided.

Recommended Textbook:

• Schwieter, J. W. (Ed.). (2021). The Handbook of the neuroscience of multilingualism. Wiley-Blackwell. (Buy on Amazon.co.jp New Tab / Buy on Amazon.com New Tab)
• De Houwer, A., & L, Ortega. (Eds.). (2018). The Cambridge handbook of bilingualism. Cambridge University Press. (Buy on Amazon.co.jp New Tab / Buy on Amazon.com New Tab)
• Mackey, A., & Gass, S. M. (2022). Second language research: Methodology and design. (3rd ed.). Routledge. (Buy on Amazon.co.jp New Tab / Buy on Amazon.com New Tab)
• Cummins, J. (2021). Rethinking the education of multilingual learners: A critical analysis of theoretical concepts. Multilingual Matters. (Buy on Amazon.co.jp New Tab / Buy on Amazon.com New Tab)
• Wei, L., & Moyer, M. G. (Eds.). (2008). The Blackwell guide to research methods in bilingualism and multilingualism. Blackwell Publishing. (Buy on Amazon.co.jp New Tab / Buy on Amazon.com New Tab)

The primary goal of this course is to familiarize participants with the requirements and organization of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods doctoral dissertations at Temple University by closely analyzing the formal macro-organization of doctoral dissertations as well as more detailed aspects of individual dissertation chapters and sections. Accomplishing this goal involves looking closely at (a) the dissertation abstract, (b) the introductory chapter, (c) the construction of an effective academic literature review, (d) the organization and content of a methodology chapter, with a particular emphasis on research design, (e) the reporting of quantitative and qualitative results, (f) and APA formatting and writing conventions. Course participants will meet with the instructor outside of the class to discuss their proposed study and to make progress reports, discuss course readings in small groups, analyze published research papers, make multiple small-group presentations on various aspects of their proposed dissertation study, and submit multiple short papers that feed directly into the ultimate goal of the course: the production of a well-organized and complete dissertation proposal that can be successfully defended in the following academic year. Course participants should read the first four chapters of the course textbook before the first session.

Required Textbook:

• Murray, N., & Beglar, D. (2009). Inside track: Writing dissertations and theses. Pearson Education. (A Kindle edition is also available) (Buy on Amazon.co.jp New Tab / Buy on Amazon.com New Tab)
• American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American psychological association. (7th ed.). Author. (A Kindle edition is also available) (Buy on Amazon.co.jp New Tab / Buy on Amazon.com New Tab)

The Theory and Practice of ELT Today by Dr. Willy A. Renandya, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, will be conducted by 3-hour online Zoom sessions for four days: Saturday, September 17, Sunday, September 18, Saturday, September 24 and Sunday, September 25 from 10:00 to 13:00 (JST).  Students taking this seminar for credit must attend all four days. Students can add/drop this seminar course by 14:00 on Saturday, September 17.

The pre sign-up (or course registration for those who are taking this seminar for credit) is required for anybody attending the public session on Saturday, September 17 from 10:00 to 13:00. The sign-up process must be completed through "Distinguished Lecturer Series Seminar Sign-Up Form" that is available on TUJ Grad Ed website. The sign-up deadline is Friday, September 16 at 12:00. The public session Zoom link will be provided to those people who completed the online sign-up (or course registration) process by 18:00 on Friday, September 16. 

The seminar seeks to address some of the most important reasons why many of our second/foreign language learners continue to have low confidence in using English for authentic communication. The first session of the seminar will provide a synthesis of recent scholarship in ELT and its related disciplines, highlighting some of the most important research insights that can help us understand why a small number of L2 students achieve success in acquiring the target language, while many continue to struggle. The second session will explore evidence-based instructional strategies for teaching vocabulary and grammar and how to integrate these in the existing L2 curriculum. The third and fourth sessions will explore new ways of teaching language skills (i.e., reading, listening, speaking and writing) to diverse groups of students in Japan and other similar contexts.

Throughout the sessions, participants will be encouraged to reflect on their knowledge and beliefs about the nature of language learning and how they can best support their struggling students in acquiring the target language in the most pleasant and efficient manner.

At the end of the seminar, participants are expected to demonstrate a deeper understanding of current thinking in ELT, key factors that impede the process of language acquisition and practical strategies that can be productively employed to support student learning. They will also be well-equipped to explore potential research topics that could be further developed into a full research proposal for their masters’ thesis.

Cooperative Learning: Theory, Practice and Research by Dr. George Jacobs, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia, will be conducted by 3-hour online Zoom sessions for four days: Saturday, October 8, Sunday, October 9, Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, October 16 from 10:00 to 13:00 (JST).  Students taking this seminar for credit must attend all four days. Students can add/drop this seminar course by 14:00 on Saturday, October 8.

The pre sign-up (or course registration for those who are taking this seminar for credit) is required for anybody attending the public session on Saturday, October 8 from 10:00 to 13:00. The sign-up process must be completed through "Distinguished Lecturer Series Seminar Sign-Up Form" that is available on TUJ Grad Ed website. The sign-up deadline is Friday, October 7 at 12:00. The public session Zoom link will be provided to those people who completed the online sign-up (or course registration) process by 18:00 on Friday, October 7. 

This seminar will focus on the why, how, and what next of cooperative learning (CL), a.k.a. collaborative learning. Many L2 teaching materials include group activities, including pair activities. CL can be thought of as Group Activities 2.0, as CL offers a wide range of principles, techniques, and tactics which promise to improve the cognitive and affective impact of group activities. CL links with many theories in Second Language Acquisition and General Education, as well as fitting with the Communicative Language Teaching paradigm in L2 and the Student Centered paradigm in General Education. The opening lecture will provide an overview of the reasons for using CL, as well as practical ideas and principles for implementing CL in second language education. During the opening lecture, as well as throughout the seminar, participants will be encouraged to take part in many CL activities. The seminar will provide participants with opportunities to look more closely at how their areas of interest relate to CL. The seminar will also provide opportunities to discuss potential research ideas and to consider how to design relevant studies. A variety of research methods will be encouraged.

Recommended Textbook:

• Jacobs, G. M., & Kimura, H. (2013). Cooperative learning and teaching. TESOL. (Buy on Amazon.co.jp New Tab / Buy on Amazon.com New Tab)
• Fushino, K., & Jacobs, G. M. (2016, February). Special issue on cooperative learning in language education. TESL-EJ. 19(4). (http://www.tesl-ej.org/wordpress/issues/volume19/ej76/ New Tab)
• Jacobs, G. M., & Renandya, W. A. (2019). Student-centered cooperative learning: Linking concepts in education to promote student learning. Springer. (Buy on Amazon.co.jp New Tab / Buy on Amazon.com New Tab)
• Jacobs, G. M., Lie, A., & Tamah, S. M. (in press). Cooperative learning through a reflective lens. Equinox. (Participants to receive a soft copy of the final draft) (Buy on Amazon.co.jp New Tab / Buy on Amazon.com New Tab)