SPAN-726 Bilingualism & Cognition
Spring for 2012-2013
Does bilingualism affect cognition? If so, what are the conditions that mediate those effects? Are they internal/individual, such as age and aging? Or are they external and contextual, such as access to bilingual education and, consequently, biliteracy? Also, as linguists, we are interested in understanding why bilinguals learning a third language seem to do better than monolinguals especially in the absence of grammar instruction. Is it because experience enhances aptitude, working memory capacity/attentional control, motivation, learning strategy use, all of the above? What are the consequences for the teaching of Ln to multilinguals?

These are some of the questions of interest in Bilingualism & Cognition, an interdisciplinary course across socio- and psycholinguistics, neurocognition and education that examines multiple interactions among internal and external factors. Special attention is devoted to the following topics: 1. Defining ‘bilingual’: language use vs. language knowledge; context of acquisition; age of acquisition; development, attrition, retention; 2. The bilingual as experienced language learner: bilingualism & general cognition; aptitude, memory; pedagogical implications; 3. measuring bilingualism: research tools & measures.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: None

Course syllabi
Spring '13: Sanz, C. (web site, description)
Additional syllabi may be available in prior academic years.
More information
Look for this course in the schedule of classes.
