SPAN-726 Bilingualism & Cognition

Faculty:

Sanz, Cristina

Does bilingualism affect cognition? If so, what are the conditions that mediate those effects? For example, what is the role of access to bilingual education and, consequently, biliteracy? Why do bilinguals learning a third language seem to do better in the absence of grammar instruction? Is it because bilingualism enhances aptitude, working memory capacity, motivation, or learning strategy use? 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 pyscholinguistics, neurocogntion 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.

Credits: 3.0

Prerequisites: None

Other academic years
There is information about this course number in other academic years:

• 2004-2005 Fall and Spring
• 2005-2006 Fall and Spring
• 2007-2008 Fall and Spring
• 2012-2013 Fall and Spring

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