The Option A minor in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) offers graduate students both a theoretical and a practical background in the increasingly important area of SLA. After completing the minor, students will be prepared to understand research in SLA and to develop teaching curricula based on principles of second language learning and teaching.
Students wishing to minor in SLA should first contact the relevant SLA committee member in their department who will refer them to the SLA minor advisor. Students declaring the minor are required to meet with Professor Naomi Geyer (nfgeyer@wisc.edu), SLA minor advisor, before registering for SLA minor courses.
The SLA minor consists of 9 credits: a required course and two elective courses. Students without a background in linguistics and language pedagogy are encouraged to take introductory linguistics and teaching methodology courses before starting the SLA minor. Students may transfer up to 3 credits from prior graduate work, upon approval.
All students are required to take ENGL 318 Second Language Acquisition or CURRIC 673 Learning Second Language and Literacies. Students also choose two courses from the approved SLA list. With approval of the SLA minor advisor, students may count up to 3 credits (one course) of prior graduate study toward the minor.
Approved SLA course list
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| African Cultural Studies | ||
| AFRICAN 701 | Advanced Topics in African Linguistics 1 | 3 |
| Curriculum and Instruction | ||
| CURRIC 673 | Learning Second Language and Literacies | 1-6 |
| CURRIC 674 | Advanced Methods in Teaching English as a Second Language | 3-6 |
| CURRIC 675 | General Seminar 1 | 1-3 |
| CURRIC 743 | Educational Technology for Deep Language Learning 2 | 1-3 |
| CURRIC 964 | Seminar in World Language Education | 1-3 |
| CURRIC 975 | General Seminar 2 | 2-3 |
| English | ||
| ENGL 414 | Global Spread of English 3 | 3 |
| ENGL 420 | Topics in English Language and Linguistics | 3 |
| ENGL 703 | Research Methods in Composition Studies | 3 |
| ENGL/SOC 710 | Interaction Analysis: Talk as Social Organization | 3 |
| ENGL 711 | Research Methods in Applied Linguistics | 3 |
| ENGL 713 | Topics in Contemporary English Linguistics 1 | 3 |
| ENGL 715 | Advanced Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| ENGL 905 | Seminar-Topics in Applied English Linguistics 1 | 3 |
| French and Italian | ||
| FRENCH/ITALIAN 821 | Issues in Methods of Teaching French and Italian 1, 2 | 1-3 |
| German | ||
| GERMAN 727 | Topics in Applied Linguistics 1 | 3 |
| Sociology | ||
| SOC 735 | Ethnomethodology & Conversation Analysis | 3 |
| Spanish | ||
| Note: Spanish courses are generally offered in Spanish; contact instructor | ||
| SPANISH 544 | Contemporary Issues in Applied Spanish Linguistics 2 | 3 |
| SPANISH 630 | Topics in Hispanic Linguistics 2 | 3 |
| SPANISH 815 | Seminar in Language: Modern Spanish 2 | 3 |
- 1
Topics courses. Students should see the SLA Minor Advisor for approval of topics appropriate for the minor.
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Courses must be taken for a total of 3 credits, in one or multiple enrollments.
- 3
Instructor and SLA advisor consent required.
SLA Steering Committee - The interdisciplinary SLA Steering Committee is comprised of members from the units listed below.
African Cultural Studies: Professor Katrina Thompson
Asian Languages and Cultures: Associate Professor Naomi Geyer, Associate Professor Byung-Jin Lim and Professor Junko Mori
Curriculum and Instruction: Professor Margaret Hawkins, Associate Professor Mariana Pacheco, Assistant Professor Diego Roman, Professor Francois Tochon and Professor Kate Vieira
English: Assistant Professor Jacee Cho
French and Italian: Associate Professor Heather Allen
German, Nordic, and Slavic: Professor Monika Chavez and Professor Karen Evans-Romaine
Language Institute: Director Dianna Murphy
Spanish and Portuguese: Associate Professor Cathy Stafford
Staff: Kristin Dalby (Graduate Coordinator) and Skender Jahiu (Financial and Payroll Specialist)