SLATE LECTURE SERIES

Fall 2009

Prof. Numa Markee

September 23, 2009
"Doing Avoidance"

Prof. Adrienne Lo

October 14, 2009
"Evaluating second language competence:
Globalization, racial, and linguistic ideologies in the case of South Korean “early study abroad” students"

Prof. Nick Ellis

November 12, 2009
"The emergence of second language constructions"

Prof. Richard Anderson

Educational Psychology
UIUC

4:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 9, 2009
2090, Foreign Language Building

Abstract

"Language-Rich Discussions for English Language Learners"

A study involving Spanish-speaking fifth graders investigated whether a peer-led, open-format discussion approach, Collaborative Reasoning (CR), would accelerate the students’ English language development. Results showed that, after participating in eight discussions over a four-week period, the CR group performed significantly better than the control group on measures of English listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The CR group produced more coherent narratives in a oral storytelling task. The reflective essays written by the CR group were longer; contained more diverse vocabulary; and contained a significantly greater number of satisfactory reasons, counterarguments, and uses of text evidence. CR discussions also enhanced students’ interest and engagement in discussions, perceived benefits from discussions, and attitudes toward learning English.

Spring 2010

Prof. Mabel Rice, University of Kansas (late February)
Prof. Elissa Newport, University of Rochester (TBA in Spring)
Prof. James Flege, Professor Emeritus (early May)
Prof. David Birdsong, University of Texas at Austin (early May)

See Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 SLATE Lectures
See Fall 2008 and Spring 2009 SLATE Lectures
See Fall 2007 and Spring 2008 SLATE Lectures
See Fall 2006 and Spring 2007 SLATE Lectures
See Fall 2005 and Spring 2006 SLATE Lectures
See Fall 2004 and Spring 2005 SLATE Lectures
See Fall 2003 and Spring 2004 SLATE Lectures
See Fall 2002 and Spring 2003 SLATE Lectures
See Fall 2001 and Spring 2002 SLATE Lectures
See Fall 2000 and Spring 2001 SLATE Lectures
See Fall 1999 and Spring 2000 SLATE Lectures