Stephen van Vlack
Sookmyung Women`s University
Graduate School of TESOL
Human Learning and Cognition
Policy - Fall 2003
Overview: This three-hour-per-week course has two main components. The first of these is the brain and memory component. We will be reviewing Ratey (2001) and Terry (2000) in order to get a solid overview of how the brain works in general (Ratey, 2001) and how memory and learning can be incorporated into that general framework (Terry, 2000). The second component revolves around cognition as it relates specifically to language. Here we will be looking at different elements of language and how they can be explained through theories of cognition as presented by the students in small groups.
Objectives: This objective of this class is to give the students an opportunity to delve deeply into some of the newer theories about the brain and memory which are going to have a tremendous impact in the area of language learning and teaching in the near future. As usual, the objectives of the course revolve around acquisition of the concepts covered as their practical application. By the end of the course students should have a strong overview of current theories of the brain particularly in relation to memory and language. In addition, students should be able to take this new knowledge and use it to design materials and create lessons which correspond to these new ideas for a greater overall effect.
Texts and Materials
Fauconnier, Gilles. (1997) Mappings in thought and language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Ratey, John. (2001) A user`s guide to the brain. London: Little, Brown and Company.
This refers to the British edition. The American edition is printed by Vintage Books.
Terry, W. Scott. (2000 [1st Edition]) (2002 [2nd Edition) Learning and memory: Basic principles, process, and procedures. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Additional Materials: Students must bring to each class a folder to hold any papers that the instructor gives out. There will be a lot of handouts.
Methodology
English Only: Students must conduct all course work in English. This means all writing, note-taking, and discussion must be in English. Use of Korean in the discussion will result in a significantly lower participation grade as, of course, will stunted participation.
Classroom: In the class the students are expected to take an active role in discussions and classwork. This will enable the class to be much more student-centered. Following this we will try to use a small portion of class time for lecture and much larger proportion of the time should be used for activities and discussion.
Attendance: Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes and to be prepared when they do so. Failure to attend 2 or more classes will result in a significantly lower grade. If students know that they are going to be absent in advance they are requested to contact the instructor in advance.
Assignments: In addition to the regular reading assignment there will also be written homework or various kinds given each week. All homework, unless specifically stipulated, must be typed and handed in on the day it is due. Students should expect a fair bit of written work to do for this class. In addition towards the end of the course students will give small group presentations on Fauconnier (1997).
Summer Project: The summer project is due on September 19th (Week 3). It basically revolves around reading Ratey (2001) and writing up responses to the text. The basic purpose of this is to give students a basic introduction to some of the general concepts we will be going over.
Midterm Project: The midterm project is due on October 31st (week 9). It will cover the first half of Terry (2000). Students will be expected to show a clear understanding of the concepts presented and discussed up to and including week 8. The exact format of the project remains to be seen.
Final Project: The final project will involve the student having to extend the theories we have learned in this class. They have two options in which to do this; a theoretical one and a practical one. Details on the exact nature and format of the final project will be given in due time.
Grades: Final grades will be based on performance in the following categories.
Class Participation 25%
Assignments 25%
Summer Project 10%
Midterm Project 15%
Final Project 25%
Instructor - Stephen P. van Vlack
Office - Graduate Building 308
Tel. - 710-9703
E-mail - [email protected]
There is also a web site to accompany this course. The address is:
http://www.angelfire.com/ut/gaang
It is important that you go there periodically to post messages/inquiries on the web board and to get assignments and class summaries.